In the Share - Week 12

OKRA/EGGPLANT/SALSA PACK CHOICE: If you like okra, you are in the right place this week as this Ethiopian transplant is thriving. It’s an itchy crop to pick, but the beautiful view is reward enough.

TOMATOES: We are flush in ripe tomatoes right now, but the harvest is on the downslope. This will be the last chance to take advantage of bulk list seconds and the abundant share.

SPROUTING BROCCOLI: The side shoots are sprouting, so we should have a regular harvest of this CSA favorite. It’s nice to have a vegetable that can simply be chopped and cooked, a real fast food.

SWEET PEPPERS: They might be getting even sweeter!

SUMMER SQUASH: Our late summer planting is happy as can be right now and a treat to harvest. We’ve been zoodling at night and saving some to stuff our morning eggs.

RADISHES: Adding a little spice to the share, the radish’s fire is a manifestation of the heat it has been growing in. Salting them will take some of the heat away. They are perfect right now for a radish and butter sandwich.

LETTUCE: So far the lettuce is holding. Enjoy these heat tolerant heads while we got them.

CAULIFLOWER: These plants are too darn hot and are on the small side. The flavor is still quite nice.

FENNEL HEADS&SEEDS: The herb fennel has established itself on our herb bed with very little cultivation on our part. Many of the seed heads are plumped out, fresh and at their peak flavor. They are edible and delicious.

FARM REPORT

The heat has returned and with it the summer plants are ripening loads of fruit. The zucchini and yellow squash are picture perfect right now.

Pepper s continue to dazzle the eyes of the harvester.

Likewise, the tomatoes gave us one last week of tonnage.

The potluck and open house went as planned through the muggy weather. We enjoyed welcoming the die-hard picnickers who braved the heat. It was nice to catch up with those we knew from the CSA and farmers market, plus we met some new folks who had found us through social media. The potluck dinner was delicious as always. One of the Prairie Birthday fruit share members made a tasty wild plum chutney that went really well with the Parker Farms bratwurst.

I love that the ingredient list says "EVERY SPICE"  Delicious and funny!

Fair Share Farm CSA---Week 11

SWEET PEPPERS: A nice crop this year! We grow mostly Italian frying peppers that are great fresh or cooked.

TOMATOES: This week we have been bringing in a bumper crop. Our second planting is kicking in and you will see a lot of red fruits in the shares. These Bella Rosa plants are tolerant of hot summers. They are a firm tomato and take longer to ripen, but if you are patient they repay you with great flavor.

RED ONIONS: Small onions are prevalent this year. The crop was stunted this Spring due to lots of rain and poor drainage. But when life gives you small onions, make like they are a shallot.

GREENS CHOICE: KALE OR ARUGULA: The fall greens are starting to produce, thanks to the cool weather and nice rain. This is a great time of year for a kale salad, or mixing the tomatoes with some arugula.

POTATOES: Freshly dug potatoes are the best. This week we diced them up and fried them into a hash with peppers and onions.

SPROUTING BROCCOLI: I always like this time of year because you can eat fresh veggies from two different seasons. The sprouting broccoli is a first cutting and tender. Good fresh or cooked.

EGGPLANT or SALSA PACK: The eggplant and tomatillo contest is going strong. Both have made lots of fruit and both are loved by about half the membership.

HERB MIX: Basil and garlic chive flower bunch. Keep the whole bunch in a glass of water on your kitchen counter and snip away for garnishes or make a yummy pesto.

FARM REPORT:
Our current abundance of summer fruits is a good problem to have. Sweaty work brings them out of the field to your tables.  CSA is getting a hefty amount of big beautiful fruits in all shapes and colors. The red Italian frying peppers are so sweet you want to just eat them like an apple.

Flowers are also abundant. Between all of the insectaries we planted and the wild coreopsis taking over the edges of the fields, we hear a happy buzzing wherever we go.

Meanwhile, the fall crops are looking good in the far field.

That’s a  cover crop next to a crazy amount of Napa cabbage on the left and radishes, turnips, bok choy and arugula on the right.

The little chicks are now 3 weeks old and getting their first taste of the outdoors. Farmer Luke built a fantastic little run for them to have a safe yard to explore.

Plan to see these little cuties if you have a work shift coming up or, better yet!, see them at the:

 Fair Share Farm Open House and Potluck 

Sunday, September 15, 2019 at 3 PM – 6 PM

Bring a dish and join us at the farm for our annual potluck and open house. All are welcome, including our 100 CSA member families, market customers, friends and family. The potluck provides for us all to eat well and enjoy an afternoon together on the farm. Activities start at 3 pm with farm and kitchen tours, a scavenger hunt and lawn games. Take a walk through our native grasses and soak up the country quiet.

Potluck dinner at 5 pm. Bring a dish to share with a list of ingredients, plus any other picnic attire you would like (camp chairs, blankets, lawn games, musical instruments). We will provide compostable dinner ware, non-alcoholic drinks, Parker Farm dogs and burgers and vegetarian chili.

Please RSVP through email or facebook event.  See you there!!