Fair Share Farm CSA---Week 8

CARROTS: These beauties were a question mark in April when they sprouted in the field and overnight temps in the low 20's required some hustling from the farmers to protect them. Our efforts paid off, and we have had a good harvest. Thanks to all who helped dig them.

TOMATOES: It is that time of year when the tomatoes are at their peak. The plants are looking good right now, and our second planting of summer tomatoes are starting to produce fruit. We hope you enjoy this week's plump share of the summer's favorite fruit.

ONIONS: More of our sweet Walla Walla's. A perfect choice if you want to put raw onion into your tomato and pepper fresh salad. Slice them thin, salt a bit, and savor their flavor.

SWEET PEPPERS: It is a wonderful time of year when we start to see the peppers turning colors. All are good fresh or cooked. The red bull horn type Carmen's are thin walled and best chopped or fried. The thicker walled yellow Escamillo and red/orange Islander can be roasted and peeled.

VEGGIE CHOICE: This week you can choose from salsa pack, okra, eggplant or squash. For you newbies, the salsa pack instructions for fresh salsa are here and roasted salsa are here.

HERBS: Top those salads and salsas with some fresh herbs. This week is a choice of parsley, summer savory, chives or herb fennel.

Recipe suggestions:
While we have not been posting regular new recipes for the shares, we hope that you have been using the many resources we have developed over our 15 CSA seasons. You can search for recipes within the Fair Share Farm system a couple ways.

1. Simply use the search bar at the left top of this page for recipes that have been on the blog.
2. Follow this link www.fairsharefarm.com/archive/info/recipes.html and search our old website.
3. Join the Fair Share Farm CSA Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/fairsharefarmcsa/) and check out all the recipe suggestions from your fellow members.

FARM REPORT:
 With many severe storms south and north of us last week, I guess we cannot complain too much about the dry weather.

Luckily, the irrigation pond is still fairly full of water, which we are carefully using to water in the fall crops.

This truckload of cabbage plants went in the ground last week.  When we aren't keeping the new plants watered, we turn the irrigation on the summer fruits like the peppers.  Peppers love water and need a good drink at least once per week.  So far, we have managed to keep them growing an making nice fruits for the shares.

 

On the other hand, the okra plants are perfectly happy with little water and lots of heat.  Since we planted the okra back in May, we have watered it only twice and yet it is producing enough fruits this week to include it as a choice for the 100 CSA shares.  It also has a beautiful flower.