In the Share - Week Eight

pickling cucumbers

COLORFUL CARROTS (F/P) While the orange carrots are the sweetest, we like to grow some other colors to keep life interesting.

TOMATOES (F/P) This hot weather is good for ripening tomatoes, so expect a bit more in the shares this week. We grow the traditional reds as well as heirlooms in every color and flavor. 

SWEET ONIONS (F/P) More of the Walla Walla variety, perfect for your fresh summer salads.

SUMMER SQUASH (F/P) If we can keep the squash bugs and cucumber beetles from taking over, we should have squash for most of the summer. Fingers crossed!

CUCUMBERS (F/P) Ditto on the cucumbers. We always seem to have better luck with the pickling cucumber varieties than the standard slicers (see above). They taste great un-pickled and you may see some in your share this week.

EGGPLANT (F) We harvested some beautiful eggplant this morning and can’t wait to eat them!

 SWEET PEPPERS (F) We are leaving the green ones to ripen, but we will be picking the purple ones for many weeks to come.

LETTUCE (F) The summer lettuces can handle some heat, but this is a bit much for them. We are picking them small this week to catch them while they are still sweet.

HERBS (F/P) Basil, summer savory, dried herbs or hot peppers

NEXT WEEK: More tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, summer squash and cucumbers. New potatoes and green beans arrive.

eggplant harvest

FARM REPORT:
Mid-July is always a hectic time of year for the farm. The fields are full of crops and we are running around like crazy, heat stroke victims to keep up with watering, weeding, mulching, trellising and harvesting them. In addition, we have new plantings of cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli to plant for harvest in the fall which leads to more watering, weeding and mulching. The plants appear to appreciate the care that the farm crew lavishes on them at their own expense and at the end of the day the farmer can rest easy knowing that the crops are getting a good drink whether it rains tonight or not.

Or the farmer can give up their evening of rest and instead do some canning. Just the other day the conversation turned to the question of what are the can-able vegetables, or was it cannibal vegetables. Almost any vegetable can be canned and now is the time to grab those pickling cucumbers and bulk beets and get canning … before they start eating each other… crazy cannibal vegetables … okay, obviously your farmer is suffering from heat exhaustion and needs to stop typing before she makes any more bad puns. Happy eating and good night!