Apologies to everyone for not getting this out last week. It was a very busy week and we were unsure about a few items we planned on getting in boxes from Grindstone and Gingerich Farms. Regular share got either sweet corn or watermelon from Gingerich last week.
Here we are, half way through the CSA season, and what strange weather it been this season... From deep freeze well into the end of March to record heat to record rain, to record cool temps. I've joked with Travis several times since the polar vortexes in early March, that if we made it through this crazy weather this summer, we'd weather any season the future brings. And so far so good. While we have lost a few crops to pests; such as the radishes and turnips to root maggots, and a couple beds of lettuce and chard to woodchucks we've fared well. While we have close eye on our tomatoes that seem to be taking forever to ripen for late blight that's been spreading again through the region, everything else going into the fall looks great!
Here we are, half way through the CSA season, and what strange weather it been this season... From deep freeze well into the end of March to record heat to record rain, to record cool temps. I've joked with Travis several times since the polar vortexes in early March, that if we made it through this crazy weather this summer, we'd weather any season the future brings. And so far so good. While we have lost a few crops to pests; such as the radishes and turnips to root maggots, and a couple beds of lettuce and chard to woodchucks we've fared well. While we have close eye on our tomatoes that seem to be taking forever to ripen for late blight that's been spreading again through the region, everything else going into the fall looks great!
We went from this in early June....
... to this
and this.
It may be time for another table and a larger vehicle for the farmer's markets! Overflowing with abundance; we are blessed.
This week's harvest includes:
beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, sweet onions, pickling cucumbers, radishes, basil, summer squash, dandelion greens, kale, chard, collard greens. We will hold off a couple more weeks lifting beets, carrots, and potatoes while we finish picking the summer squash and some of the greens while they are still producing. The latter will hold in the soil and just get bigger and sweeter in these cool temps and bountiful rain.
The eggplant, peppers, and heirloom tomatoes are still taking forever to ripen up with these cool nights and lack of sun. If only the August sun would come back for a week or so to encourage these guys to come on!
Again, a reminder to folks who have gotten cherry tomatoes to send their pint containers back for reuse.
If you were lost on what the fennel was, and haven't used it yet, here are the recipes I intended to share last week. If you already ate it and these recipes make you wish you'd saved it, fear not as there will be more in the coming weeks. For some tasty fennel recipes click these links:
http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&productId=714110
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Fennel_-Avocado_-and-Mint-Salad-509436
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Baked-Fennel-with-Parmesan-and-Thyme-Martha-Stewart
beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, sweet onions, pickling cucumbers, radishes, basil, summer squash, dandelion greens, kale, chard, collard greens. We will hold off a couple more weeks lifting beets, carrots, and potatoes while we finish picking the summer squash and some of the greens while they are still producing. The latter will hold in the soil and just get bigger and sweeter in these cool temps and bountiful rain.
The eggplant, peppers, and heirloom tomatoes are still taking forever to ripen up with these cool nights and lack of sun. If only the August sun would come back for a week or so to encourage these guys to come on!
Again, a reminder to folks who have gotten cherry tomatoes to send their pint containers back for reuse.
If you were lost on what the fennel was, and haven't used it yet, here are the recipes I intended to share last week. If you already ate it and these recipes make you wish you'd saved it, fear not as there will be more in the coming weeks. For some tasty fennel recipes click these links:
http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&productId=714110
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Fennel_-Avocado_-and-Mint-Salad-509436
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Baked-Fennel-with-Parmesan-and-Thyme-Martha-Stewart
one of our two patches of winter squash
from sungolds, to super sweets, to black cherries. While the larger tomatoes are dragging their tap roots, these just keep on coming!
A few reminders: If you are interested in a pastured Turkey for Thanksgiving, there are still some available for preorder from Grindstone Farm, as well as hogs by the whole or 1/2. While we decided that raising livestock for meat was more than we could handle, Grindstone continues with the tradition offering this wonderful humanely raised meat for their customers. Go to their website: www.grindstonefarm.com for pricing.
Also, if you have that friend or family member who's seen and tasted some of the veggies from your share and says "I wish I had done this" you can spread the word that we still have limited spaces for our 9 week "Academic" share available. Sign ups close NEXT WEEK for this option. This starts the first week in September and goes to the last week in October. There are regular and small options available, however, the small option is being a hassle on the website making it so no matter what you sign up for it adds this. So I have disabled this option, and folks interested in the small 9 week share will have to contact us directly to sign up.
Those interested in making some pickles, you can order 5 lb increments of pickling cucumbers for $8 from us to be delivered with your CSA.
Also, if you have that friend or family member who's seen and tasted some of the veggies from your share and says "I wish I had done this" you can spread the word that we still have limited spaces for our 9 week "Academic" share available. Sign ups close NEXT WEEK for this option. This starts the first week in September and goes to the last week in October. There are regular and small options available, however, the small option is being a hassle on the website making it so no matter what you sign up for it adds this. So I have disabled this option, and folks interested in the small 9 week share will have to contact us directly to sign up.
Those interested in making some pickles, you can order 5 lb increments of pickling cucumbers for $8 from us to be delivered with your CSA.
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