- Leeks
- Hoophouse Tomatoes
- Green Beans or Romano Beans
- Cilantro
- Arugula
- Red Onions
- Green Cabbage
- Zucchini and/or Summer Squash
- Sweet Corn
- Broccoli
- Cucumbers
This Week's Fruit Share:
- Sour Pie Cherries
- Sweet-Tart Yellow Apples
- Blueberries
Farm Journal
It's 5 0'clock on Tuesday evening and I'm pinning the third load of wash to the clothesline. We're just back from vacation and I've been sorting through mountains of clothes, towels and swim suits for much of the day. I find that the frustration of fighting with the tangle of dirty clothes is lessened by the meditative act of hanging the clean clothes out to dry. It may sound strange, but I really enjoy the process of hanging out the wash. I suppose it's the quiet, methodical nature of the project. (This time of year I take my quiet moments when I can get them, believe me!) There's something deeply satisfying about creating order out of all this post-vacation chaos. I feel the same way about weeding the garden, to which I will turn my attention tomorrow. The only thing more satisfying than seeing 4 lines of clean shirts and pants flapping in the warm breeze is seeing the parsley and basil in the front garden lined up in neat and tidy rows.I have my face turned now to the waning sun, and I squint a bit on this perfect summer evening as I pin up the last couple of socks. I move slowly and deliberately, so as not to disturb the large wasp that is determined to inspect each and every new clothespin I clip to the line. A chicken, one of the Silver-Laced Wyandottes, has escaped the confines of the chicken yard and is scratching around and clucking quietly in the old sweet corn patch. Standing here listening to the sound of crickets makes me think of fall. It's ridiculous, isn't it?! The tomatoes are barely starting to ripen and here I am thinking about fall! I look to the west and let my gaze rest upon the tomato field. I see thousands of beautiful plants out there, loaded with fruit. Because it's been a fairly cool summer, most of the tomato fruits are still green. Don't despair, I remind myself. Given this weekend's predicted warm temperatures, things may look a whole lot different a week from now. In the meantime, you'll have a chance to savor the first ripe tomatoes grown in our hoophouses. Here are several pictures of me and our hoophouse tomato plants. If all goes well, the tomatoes you receive this week will be the first of many tomatoes to come. We'll be picking 'til the first frost. Enjoy! -Peg
Mark Your Calendars
Please join us from 2 until 5 p.m. at the farm on Sunday, August 30th for our annual Tomato Jubilee! This is your opportunity to pick tomatoes for freezing and canning. We welcome you to pick your own tomatoes, feed the chickens, meet your farmers and take a stroll through the fields. During the Tomato Jubilee the first 10 lbs are free for CSA members. All additional tomatoes are only $1 per pound for members. (There is a limit of 40 pounds per family/CSA share.)
Notes from the Farm Kitchen
Our second planting of sweet corn is just starting to mature. As was the case with the first planting, we are struggling to keep the birds from damaging the ears. Even with some loss to the birds, we'll still have enough to give everyone a modest amount this week and hopefully a larger amount next week. Eat this week's corn on the ear or cut it from the cob and use it in one of this week's salad recipes.
Leeks are members of the lily family and are close relatives of onions, garlic, shallots and chives. Leeks are milder than most onions and tend to get sweeter as they cook. When using leeks, cut the tops off about 2 inches above the white section. Then cut them in half lengthwise and wash any dirt out from between the layers. Leeks may be sauteed, braised, grilled, baked or eaten raw.
This Week's Recipes:
Next Week's Harvest (our best guess)... sweet corn, basil, carrots, peppers, onions, tomatoes, beans, beets, lettuce, broccoli, peaches, maybe nectarines, and more!
