Farm News
Despite being short handed this week, we were able to get through the harvest and get the boxes done in fairly good time today. But it wasn’t without a lot of hustle and bustle!
Brian has been busy on the tractor this week trying to get the harvested beds mowed or tilled and knock down the ever present weeds. He hooked up the cultivator and took care of as many weeds as possible on current crops but there is still much hand weeding to be done. The rain is good but everything benefits – the planted crops and the weeds. This farm grows some very healthy weeds!
The last bed of garlic was dug Monday afternoon in the oppressive heat. We were so happy to have that bed done. And as I dug the last several feet and approached the end, I was thrilled to see the last 25 feet were already dug! Pure happiness and relief.
The big concern right now is getting more fall help. We are approaching the time of the year when many of our summer helpers go back to school leaving us short-handed. We still have much work to accomplish out here, lots of good food to plant and harvest. The new hoophouse is still sitting waiting to be built. If you are interested or know someone who needs work, we’ve got it. The work can be challenging physically, we work at a fast pace and need folks who are willing to work and get their hands dirty. For those who connect with the farm, it can be a very good fit. Contact us if you are interested.
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| Fresh Onions This Week |
In Your Box This Week
Peppers – We harvested two varieties for today’s box – ‘Lipstick’ and ‘Carmen’. Lipstick is very smooth, very uniform in shape and very delicious. It is smaller but has a thicker wall than Carmen. The Carmen peppers are long tapered peppers. Both are sweet – no hot – and harvested just this morning so they are extremely fresh.
Tomatoes – Beautiful tomatoes this week. You will receive a pint of cherry tomatoes or slicing tomatoes.
Onions- These are fresh onions that really need refrigeration if you are not going to use them right away. We harvested the yellow onion ‘Copra’ and the red onion we grew this year called ‘Red Wing’. Both will keep very well for you.
Zucchini - The zucchini plants are unfortunately beginning to suffer from insect pressure. We noticed a couple plants wilted, inspected the stem right at the soil line, and extracted a white grub from the stem – Squash Vine Borer. We are also seeing the squash bugs, striped and spotted cucumber beetles. Squash are an insect magnet and even with protective row cover, they eventually find their way in. The sizes on the zucchini are all over the place – some big, some small. Large zucchini can be shredded and used in bread and muffins. You can even measure out the quantity for a recipe and freeze it fresh with no other preparation.
Swiss Chard/Red Russian Kale
Radishes – These radishes are no state fair winners. They aren’t pretty and the greens have had a rough time with the flea beetles. And they do have a kick. But if you slice them up – we like the small matchsticks – and add to your salads, they are very tasty. Try adding them to a cole slaw type salad or just top your greens. This is the last of the radishes until fall. It’s just been too darn hot to produce perfect roots. Can’t wait for fall….
Fresh Basil – Fragrant wonderful basil again this week. Freeze it, pesto it, dry it or just consume it. Summer just isn’t the same without this fresh herb. The basil was harvested late this morning, washed and drained. But the barn crew mentioned it may still be a little wet so please make sure there is no water in the bottom of the basil bag or it may compromise how long the basil will keep.
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| Fresh Basil |
Recipe
Basil Garlic Vinaigrette
This is a delicious, easy dressing that features fresh basil. Pass on those bottled dressings and give this homemade one a try.
1 tsp. 2 T 1/2 tsp. 1/2 tsp. 2 tsp. 4 tbsp. 1 ½ cup | chopped garlic chopped basil leaves salt pepper Dijon mustard wine vinegar olive oil |
Combine first 6 ingredients. While whisking, drizzle in olive oil. Adjust seasoning to taste. Use the dressing to drizzle over tomatoes, salad greens, cucumbers, steamed potatoes. Delicious!
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