Full Share: Beets, carrots, sweet peppers, eggplant, basil, sweet corn, sweet onions, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and summer squash
Half share: Carrots, chard, sweet peppers, eggplant, basil, sweet corn, sweet onions, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and summer squash in smaller quantities
Hello CSA members!
Farming is an amazingly ephemeral experience. In the spring, we start with bare ground and a plan. By mid summer, we have this huge, lush, productive field that produces an amazing array of vegetables, and then by fall we are left with bare ground again (Well, actually, the field is full of cover crops, but that messes up my imagery). I was thinking about how temporary it all is, as each season is brief and only remembered through stories and photos. But then a thought occurred to me that the farm is only a means to an end…a tool of sorts to build something greater. Our physical health, deliberate lifestyle, and sense of place are the real result, and they last long past the end of the growing season.
I realize, your probably wondering why it’s only week 14 and I am waxing poetically about the end of the season, given this CSA thing goes for 21 weeks. But on the farm it really starting to feel that way. The fields of crops are shrinking, it’s still dark in the morning at the time we were out harvesting just a month ago, and this weekend we are going to get treated with our first taste of fall weather. The garlic has been harvested, cured, and cleaned and we have harvested the first of the winter squash.
This year has been amazingly rewarding for us so far, as we took a huge risk in moving our farm and success was anything but guaranteed. As I looked at my notes from last season, it was literally one year ago to the week that we stepped foot onto this land for the first time with the explicit intent to turn it into a farm. It’s been a full year to say the least, and we appreciate that so many of you have stuck with us over the years.
While fall seems to be on the horizon, the crops are still very much in summer mode. The tomato house is staggering….the plants are 7 feet tall and chock full of orange sungold tomatoes. The eggplant and peppers are in full production, and this week we should be able to get more sweet corn out of the patch. The carrots are really starting to fill out as well. If you haven’t made it out to the farm to look around yet, and you have any interest in doing so, you might want to do it in the next few weeks while things are still in their prime. Every Friday night between 5 and 7 pm is a great opportunity to come out and get a farm tour and ask any questions you might have about farming.
Here is a tasty recipe for full share golden beets:
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/farfalle-with-golden-beets-beet-greens-and-pine-nuts
Another for eggplant: This may be a hit with kids!
See you at CSA distribution!
