In the Share: Week 5 extended

SPINACH   The leaves are large and in charge.

SWEET PEPPERS  The weather has forgotten that it is November and so we still have sweet peppers ripening in the fields.

HAKUREI TURNIPS  The leafy growth and warm weather has attracted some aphids in the high tunnel.  You might want to wash your greens extra carefully if you don't want extra protein.

LETTUCE  We continue to try to make the lettuce last.  Huge heads of red leaf had to be picked on Friday.  A salad a day keeps the doctor away.

LETTUCE OR ARUGULA  A choice of a second head of lettuce or arugula.

BROCCOLI/GAI LAN  We are down to side shoots of broccoli which are much like the gai lan.

SWEET POTATOES  Orange type this week.

RADISHES  red globes from the fields and high tunnel.

HERB CHOICE  Cilantro, parsley or dill.

NEXT WEEK:  Greens, turnips, garlic, bok choy, lettuce, sweet potatoes, kale, bulb fennel.

FARM REPORT:
With us now in November a killing frost is surely not too far away although there is no sign of it in the 10-day forecast.  It has happened that it waits until practically December.  It has been very dry as well as warm and so we have fired up the irrigation pump to keep the peppers and the field greens going.  We gave the strawberry patch a good drink as well so that they will be healthy and strong while they are dormant.  The high tunnel is the opposite of dormant right now.  We continue to struggle to keep up with it's leafy growth.

Pretty fantastic looking, really!  Makes a farmer proud.  All this leafy-ness is not all fabulous, however.  We plant beneficial alyssum to draw in predators like brachnid wasps, but we still have aphids especially on the radish tops.  Which if you have to pick a leaf for an aphid to go after, it could be worse.

On Saturday we completed the tomato teardown and expanded the chicken yard into it.  They really enjoyed the old hay that we use to mulch the tomatoes and quickly put their heads down into it hunting bugs and seeds.

In the Share: Week 24

LETTUCE F  This hot weather is kicking the lettuce out of the high tunnel, where it would "normally" be cozy during frosty fall days.  Instead, it is all going out in the next two weeks.

GREENS CHOICE F/P  Kale, gailan, chard or arugula

BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER OR SPINACH F

BULB FENNEL F/P  See Tom's post for a bit more on this ferny bulb.

SWEET POTATOES F2/P1  Full shares get some of each type, partial shares have to choose.

LEEKS F/P  Potato-leek soup is the recipe on Tom's post.  yum.

RADISHES OR BEETS P

GARLIC F

HERB CHOICE F  cilantro, dill or cutting celery.

NEXT WEEK:  Regular season folks, you are on your own.  Extended seasoners:  lettuce, greens, hakurei turnips, bok choy, sweet potatoes.

FARM REPORT:
We were just lightly nipped by the frost last week and most plants survived.  Then summer came roaring back and sent the crops into a heady growth.  The last couple of morning harvests have started with your farmers frowning at the exuberant green growth in the high tunnel.  What can hold for the extended season and what needs to be picked now is the trouble.  Perhaps this warm weather will have us eating peppers in November.

We began deconstructing the summer crops this past weekend.  There is a long way to go to clean up the fields and prepare them for the winter.  All are welcome any Wednesday or Saturday mornings to join in the work from now until Thanksgiving.

In the Share - Week 29

RADICCHIO  This is our second year trying these beauties.  They are yummy in a salad.

HEAD LETTUCE  butterheads and red leaf varieties

SALAD MIX  We had some empty space in the high tunnel, so we broadcasted our leftover lettuce seed.  It grew nicely and we have enough to share.

TURNIPS  Hakureis from the high tunnel.

SWEET POTATOES 

BOK CHOY  These got pretty large in the high tunnel.

GARLIC, DILL OR HOT PEPPERS 

SWEET PEPPERS  The cold weather has held off so here is one more round of green and ripe peppers.

SWISS CHARD OR GAI LAN/BROCCOLI  Broccoli leaves are the new "kale" according to some reports.  I think they mean Gai lan or "Chinese broccoli" which grows into a small shrub and has tender leaves.

NEXT WEEK:  lettuce, spinach, carrot, herbs, radishes and greens.

FARM REPORT:
We have been enjoying the farm's post-season during the day and the Royals post-season at night.  What a team!  What a fun time for Kansas City and the surrounding community!  I hope that the good feelings of togetherness and team spirit continue on after today and permeate other part of our lives. 

The weather is the other local story.  It has been unseasonably warm and mild:  perfect weather for parade-watching or garlic planting.  We did the later this afternoon and hope to have it complete in time for the CSA members on Saturday to mulch all 6,000 cloves.

Most of the harvests are coming out of the high tunnel now.  Things look good overall with lots of greens and roots for the extended season.   We don't grow salad mix very often but it filled in nicely in a space where we wanted lettuce quick.  You might notice a prickly lettuce imposter trying to hide in the salad mix.  He died shortly after this photograph was taken.

 

In the Share - Week 22

O'HENRY SWEET POTATOES F/P  We love these sweet buttery beauties.

BROCCOLI F  A short harvest this time around.  We will get some to the partials next week. 

LETTUCE P  So, we had a little break-in with a deer last week, hence the paltry supply of lettuce.  We have the area they didn't find well-covered now and hope to have more lettuce for you all before the end of the season. 

SMALL CABBAGE F  Read all about our stellar fall cabbage crop below.

BOK CHOY  F  I recommend stir-fry with the hakureis.

SWEET PEPPER F/P  Cooler temperatures means less ripening, so expect more green and purple ones from now on.

EGGPLANT or BEETS F/P The first of the fall beets (no tops, just roots) and nearing the end of the eggplant.

HAKUREI TURNIPS F/P  Salad turnips that we rarely cook and instead prefer straight out of the field.  Exception:  stir-fry with bok choy.

TOMATOES F/P The end of tomato season is coming soon, but here's a few more.

HERB CHOICE F Sage, cilantro, dill or hot peppers

NEXT WEEK:  Sweet potatoes, carrots (finally!), tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, garlic, broccoli, lettuce, greens and herbs.


FARM REPORT:

The small cabbages that are in the full shares this week are the best of the fall crop.  Our favorite fall vegetable, the one we hope to depend on for income in our old age, failed.  At the time that we planted them we knew we were taking a risk.  We had waited as long as we could before preparing the soil for planting.  After the seemingly never-ending rain, we didn't know if we would have another chance.  We ended up with cloddy soil, but we were able to get the plants in and thought the transplants would be able to handle it.  Two months later it is clear that no such handling took place.  A good half-acre of crop including cauliflower, broccoli, turnips and radishes- is a bust.  Luckily we planted in other areas after the soil conditions had improved so that we have enough of other crops to get us through the end of the CSA season. 

On a brighter note, we put the roof back on the high tunnel this week.  It was a team effort and a success.  See Tom's post for a view from the top. 

In the Share - Week 21

KOHLRABI P

SWEET POTATOES F/P

SWEET PEPPERS F/P

TOMATOES F/P

EGGPLANT F/P

HERB CHOICE F  Sage, cilantro or dill

GREENS CHOICE F  Swiss chard, kale, gai lan, or bok choy

LETTUCE and/or FRISEE F/P  The frisee makes a nice little salad.

GARLIC F/P  Partial shares get a choice of garlic or herbs.

ROMA GREEN BEANS F  The last week of these guys.

NEXT WEEK:  Peppers, eggplant, greens, turnips, beets, green tomatoes and sweet potatoes

FARM REPORT:
Autumn is here and we welcome its arrival.  After an especially eventful growing season, your farmers are looking forward to a winter rest.  But, we are not there yet!  Much lovely fall crops must be harvested, brought in for storage or protected outdoors.  The high tunnel is ready for its hat to go back on for the wintertime.  We planted it full of greens back in early September.  It is nice to keep the plastic off of its top and ends for as long as possible to avoid overheating the plants inside, but it needs to be buttoned up before the first frost.

Out in the fields have a nice blanket of various cover crops that Tom sowed in late July.  Sorghum Sudan grass, cowpeas, mung beans and oats cover the Spring fields.  These plants growing now are next year's fertility.

 

Speaking of out in the fields, "Outstanding in the Field" is returning to our farm on October 14th.  Chef Ted Habiger from Room 39 in KCMO will be feeding us multiple courses of local delights from our farm and others in the region.  Event details and tickets are here.

In the Share - Week 19

 TOMATOES F/P  We have picked the majority of the patch and many of the late summer hybrids are ripening nicely. 

LETTUCE F/P  Dainty, speckled heads.

ROMA BEANS F/P

FINGERLING POTATOES F/P  See Tom's post for these gourmet treats.

SWEET PEPPERS F/P  Tom talks potatoes and peppers this week.

GARLIC F/P  Essential for the above combo and also a star ingredient in the tomato and lettuce salad we had for dinner. 

EGGPLANT, SALSA PACK OR OKRA F

HERB CHOICE F  Cilantro, dill or arugula

STIR FRY GREENS F  A mix of bok choy, tat soi and gai lan.

NEXT WEEK:  tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra, salsa packs, greens and kohlrabi.

FARM REPORT:
Tom and I had a fun time at the potluck at the farm on Sunday.  The hayride was a hit,  the food was delicious, the kids played and the adults got in some good conversation over microbrews.

We were touched by the CSA's gift of a commemorative stone in memory of our dear dog, Rocky.  At the time, I was so intent on not crying that I didn't pay attention to the card attached.  Inside there was $135 to be donated to the Veggie Voucher Fund in Rocky's honor.  I can think of no better way to remember his good nature than to help our members in affording their CSA share.

A big thank you to all the folks who donated your resources and creative energy towards making the potluck a real community event.

 

With the party over, we were back to work on Monday with the planting of the high tunnel first on the list.  Lettuces, radishes, gai lan, chard, endive, arugula, bok choy, herbs and tat soi were added to the spinach and hakurei turnips that we planted earlier.  By the end of the day we were watering them all in with the drip irrigation.

In the Share - Week 31

SWEET POTATOES

BUTTERHEAD LETTUCE

RED LEAF LETTUCE

FRISEE ENDIVE

GARLIC

HAKUREI TURNIPS OR BEETS

RED CABBAGE OR SPINACH

CILANTRO, DILL OR RADISHES

ROOT MEDLEY Carrots, Gold Ball turnips, and Watermelon radishes.

NEXT WEEK:  You're on your own 'til Springtime.  We recommend stocking up at the BadSeed Farmers Market this Friday (1909 McGee 4-9 pm) and throughout the winter, every Friday 4-8 pm. 

FARM REPORT
Another growing season is drawing to a close with this the last week of the extended CSA season.   Overall, it was a successful year with full shares through Spring, Summer and Fall.  Potatoes and onions did very well.  The lettuces, zucchini, cucumbers and broccoli also enjoyed the cooler temperatures and plentiful rain. 

Winter came early this year with a low of 10 deg. F this morning.  We breathed a sigh of relief  when we took the double layers off of the high tunnel beds today and all looked undamaged.  These cold snaps remind us that winter growing is a gamble.  So, while we can we are clearing out the high tunnel for the last week of the CSA and for the Bad Seed Farmers Market on Friday.  If you haven't made it down before or if you are a die-hard regular, there is nothing like this market to get you in the mood for Thanksgiving.  Hope to see you all there! 

In the Share - Week 29

BUTTERHEAD LETTUCE 

RED LEAF LETTUCE

SPINACH

YELLOW ONIONS

GREENS CHOICE  Kale, Swiss Chard, Gai lan, or Bok Choy

ROOT MEDLEY  Carrots, beets and Gold Ball turnips

HAKUREI TURNIPS 

RADISHES

CILANTRO OR DILL

NEXT WEEK:  lettuces, greens, garlic, sweet potatoes, cabbage and bulb fennel.

FARM REPORT:

November arrived with a cold snap that has all but ended the outdoor harvest season.  What is left in the fields are hardy crops under heavy cover or in the high tunnel.  High winds have made the row cover a challenge to keep on, but a calm day today allowed us to re-cover the lettuces, fennel and endives that remain in the fields.  The high tunnel provides a much better cover for cold temps. and wind and we should be able to eat well for the next few weeks from inside the bubble. 

This week the spinach, Hakurei turnips, radishes, herbs and many of the greens are coming out of the high tunnel. 

The change in the weather also signals the garlic planting season.  All 4800 cloves are in thanks to many hands.  The fine folks from Milsap Farm in Springfield, MO couldn't have timed their visit better to get the job done.   If you are ever down in their neck of the woods, tell them we sent you and count yourself lucky if you get there on a Thursday for their weekly wood-fired oven pizza nights.

The next step for the garlic is to mulch the entire planting with a good layer of straw which will protect the cloves over the winter and keep the plants happy through til harvest in June.  This time of year we like to have enough help on CSA mornings to complete the harvest early and have time to get in some mulching.  Last week the strawberries and over-wintering leeks got the treatment.  This week it will hopefully be the garlic's turn.  If you haven't completed your shifts for the season, come on out and join in the straw throwing.

In the Share - Week 22

CAULIFLOWER OR BROCCOLI F/P

SWEET PEPPERS F/P  A big bag for everyone.  See Tom's post for easy ways to use them/preserve them.

HOT PEPPERS F/P  A selection of jalapenos, Anaheims and hot wax.

EGGPLANT F  We picked baby eggplant in case we had frost.

CARROTS F/P  More snack-size ones.

ONIONS F  storage yellows and reds.

LEEKS F/P  The white part of the leeks are very nice this year - so long they barely fit in the crates!

GREENS CHOICE F  Swiss chard, kale or bok choy

GOLD BALL TURNIPS W/TOPS F  These are great stewing or roasting turnips.  Like most roots they store best without their tops, so separate them before you refrigerate them. 

TURNIPS AND RADISHES P

TOMATO F

NEXT WEEK:  More cauliflower, broccoli, turnips, lettuce and greens.  Potatoes, garlic and beets.  New:  the first of the bulb fennel.

FARM REPORT:
An extraordinary week has passed that included a five inch rainstorm, the threat of frost and Tom away at his niece's wedding.  All went well as the farm crew kicked into high gear to make it happen.  See Tom's photo of the bride escorted by her Tom's sister, Fran and husband Woody.  Congratulations to Barbara and Mike! 

Last week I mentioned how lucky we are to work in the beautiful outdoors with rainbows overhead and such.  Three days later we get this lovely sight...

After two days of rain, the forecast for Friday night fell to 36 deg. F.  Not knowing for sure if a frost was coming or not, we decided to bulk harvest the peppers, eggplants and tomatoes and pull out the row cover for the lettuces, fennel, chard and herbs.  Saturday morning came with only frost on the roof, but not in the fields.  All of our work is not in vain as we are now well-prepared for the next time frost threatens. 

Temporary covers protected the crops in the high tunnel during the frost scare, but  by Monday we were ready to put the real cover on.  It is always exciting to play with a 40' x 100' piece of plastic.  This time went much better than last year.  The biggest change is that we are using a single layer instead of a double layer.  This makes it a lot lighter and easier to attach.  Also, less plastic! 

In the Share - Week 16

SWEET PEPPERS F/P  Ripe and juicy, with lots of red bull's horn type that are super sweet.

GREEN BEANS F/P  More Roma (flat pods) and Jade (standard pods) plus the start of the Rattlesnake pole beans.

TOMATOES F/P  The heirloom varieties are out-pacing their hybrid cousins right now.

CARROTS F/P  More crisp, orange ones from cold storage

RED ONIONS F/P

SALSA PACK F

POTATOES F  A choice of yellow or pink ones

CHERRY TOMATOES P

NEXT WEEK:  More tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, salsa packs, green beans and eggplant.

FARM REPORT: 

This week finds us nearing the end of the planting season.  Most of the fall crops are in the ground and growing well.  It will start feeling like fall when we begin harvesting kale in a couple more weeks.  On Thursday we started plants for the high tunnel:  lettuce, bok choy, Swiss chard, kale, beets and gai lan. 

During these hot, humid days it is nice to dream of  the cool, crisp days of fall spent harvesting greens and, of course, sweet potatoes.  The local wildlife, deer to be exact, had recently begun the sweet potato harvest without us.  Deer love sweet potato leaves and had groomed the rows of some of the tops before we noticed.  No major harm was done we think and the deer fence is now back up and operational. 
 

In the Share - Week 6

ZUCCHINI F/P  A perfect accompaniment to the first day of summer on Saturday.  We are trialing several types in various shapes and striations - let us know if you have a favorite.

LETTUCE F  Romaine hearts and a few others, but the lettuce season is winding down for the summer.

CABBAGE P  It has been a good cabbage harvest this Spring.  We should have some more for the next few weeks. 

KOHLRABI F/P  One for everyone this week and then it is goodbye, sweet 'rabi, until fall.

SWEET ONIONS F/P  The first of the bulbous onions, our sweet Walla Walla

HERB CHOICE F/P   Parsley and/or mint

GREENS CHOICE F  Swiss chard or kale

CARROTS F  The first of the Spring carrots are a mix of orange and yellows.  Partial shares will get them next week.

STRAWBERRIES P  The last from the patch allows us to "settle up" with the partial shares

SUGARSNAP OR SNOW PEAS F  The last from the pea patch.

HAKUREI TURNIPS F  These are topped and should keep for a while in your crisper.  As with most crops this time of year they keep best in moist, cold conditions.  Plastic bags work well to hold in moisture.  Roots keep better with their tops removed. 

NEXT WEEK:  More cabbage, greens, zucchini and carrots.  Beets return.

FARM REPORT:
The topic of conversation this week is what can and cannot be done, what is too wet and what needs to be done by hand.  The tractor was brought out once or twice in the hopes of mowing or cultivating only to be turned around and returned to the barnyard.  It is too wet to do most anything but pull weeds by hand which the farm crew has been doing plenty.  Today we finally managed to find a spot that could take a hoe - Hoe-ray!

Our main concern is the 1300 sweet potato slips that are waiting to be planted.  The beds they are destined for remain too wet and we are nervously watching the rainy forecast for Thursday.  Another day or two of dry weather would give us a chance.  Overall, it is nice to have adequate moisture for a change and the crops that are planted are growing well. The white in the photo is the buckwheat cover crop that is blooming which is good for the bees and other pollinators.

On Friday we caught a calm day and removed the plastic off of the top of the high tunnel.  The job went smoothly (the harder part is putting it back on!).  With some rain on Sunday, the seeded cover crop should be up soon. 

In the Share Extended Season - Week 1

LETTUCE (2)  We will be picking the lettuce heads in the morning, but it looks like everyone will get one butterhead and one red frilly leaf lettuce.

ASPARAGUS  The asparagus kicked back into gear after last week's frost just in time for us all to enjoy.

SPINACH  This is from the over-wintered patch and includes some massive leaves, so be prepared.

CARROTS  These are juicy carrots freshly dug. 

SWISS CHARD  The plants are very large and quite delicious. 

GREEN ONIONS  We have some over-wintered bunching onions that are nice out in the fields.

HERB CHOICE  Cilantro, dill  or garlic chives.

EGGS  (1 dozen)  Our flock is now 8 months old and cranking out the eggs. See Tom's post for a one of our favorite fast foods, frittata.

NEXT WEEK:  Lettuce, asparagus, green garlic, Spring turnips, bok choy, herb choice.

The first week of the 2014 Fair Share Farm CSA season is here!  For the next 31 weeks we endeavor to feed you well.  Our work takes place in the out of doors and crazy weather is known to happen in our region, but we work hard every day to minimize the risks and take care of the trust that has been given. 

Every Tuesday night, I (Rebecca ) list what is in the share for that week and give a farm report with some photos.  Tom posts at around the same time with helpful thoughts on unusual vegetables and recipes using items from the share. 

 
The week started with the harvest of the high tunnel carrots.  This is our second Spring harvesting out of the HT and we don't feel like we have it all figured out yet.  The carrots are juicy and good-tasting, but we graded out a fair amount of split ones.  Still, we have enough nice ones that we plan to put them in the extended season shares again in two weeks. 

The farm crew spent the better part of the past two days cleaning and preparing the wash and pack area for the harvest.  Washing the hundreds of crates that we use takes a huge effort.  Inside the packing room, the coolers are clean and running smoothly with the CSA crates already starting to fill them. 

 While the farmers were washing everything in sight, the crops kept working without us.  Converting solar energy into good things to eat is what they do, but it is easy to worry about their success.  After some nervous anticipation, the seed potatoes have finally popped their first shoots up above the soil.  A big hurdle passed for the potatoes and a good omen for the season ahead. 

 

Our mantra every year is this:  best year yet!  Let it be so...  

In the Share - Week 24

first frost

LETTUCE (F/P)  Just enough out of the field to get everyone one for the last week, all butterheads or the speckled heirloom, Forellenschluss.

CARROTS (F/P)  Freshly dug with their tops on, stubby Chantennay-type. 

GREENS CHOICE (F/P)  Kale, arugula, or tat soi.  Partial shares include a choice of endive.

ENDIVE (F)  The frilly French lettuce, also known as frisee.

SWEET PEPPERS OR EGGPLANT (F)  It warmed up last week before the frost and a few more fruit ripened in the process.  Here's the very last of the summer fruits.

WATERMELON RADISHES (F)  Spicy when fresh, they are sure sweet roasted.

BEETS OR BULB FENNEL (F/P) 

HAKUREI TURNIPS (F)  A gamble when we planted them, they are just now sizing up for a small tender bunch with very edible greens. 

SWEET POTATOES (F/P)  More orange Beauregards.

HERB CHOICE (F)  Cilantro, dill, parsley or a dried herb.

GARLIC (F/P)  We planted 3/4 of the field on Monday before the rain.  With only a bit more to go, we are letting go of a bit more for everyone.

NEXT WEEK:  (The first week of the extended season)  Sweet potatoes, leeks, red cabbage, spinach, potatoes, herbs, lettuce, and bok choy.

FARM REPORT:

Whew!  Your farmers are very much enjoying a beautiful Fall after a busy year.  This is the last week of the regular 24-week CSA season.  For almost 100 of you, this is the last week of the CSA.  Thank you for spending the season with our produce.  We hope you feel well-fed from our local family farm.

Looking back, we are always amazed at how much we all accomplish working together.  Ten years of the Fair Share Farm CSA has breathed new life into the farm.  This past Saturday was typical of the crazy wonderful support we see here.  With some time left after the morning's harvest, the CSA crew went to work removing the tomato plants and supports from the fields. 

Fifty of you will continue with us for four more weeks.   The high tunnel is mostly full of green goodness.  We did have problems this fall with the lettuce crop, both inside and outside.  We've had to pick good heads wherever we could save them from their bolting behavior.  But we have beautiful spinach other salad greens and fresh roots in the high tunnel, more under row cover outside and crates of roots in storage to keep everyone full of good food. 

And finally, we continue to pour over the 2013 survey results.  Here are some of our finding so far:

1.       In general, the percentage of members responding from each distribution location matches the actual percentage of members at each site.

2.       About 1/3 of our members have been with us for over 5 years.

3.       Over 40 members responded saying they buy bulk.

4.       112 out of 113 respondents say the pick-up process is clear and effective (nice job distribution teams)

5.       97% say the produce quantity is adequate and is a good value for the price.

6.        96% of respondents say they will sign up again next year.

7.       96% say they use the blog.

8.       It appears our least favorite vegetables are radishes, turnips, eggplant, okra and kohlrabi. Eggplant and okra are also favorites of many.

9.       The membership is not overly interested in communicating internally (87% do not presently use the blog comment capability or Facebook.)  It appears that some people are not aware that we presently have a Facebook page where recipes and other information can be shared. It also appears that folks can “like” and “comment” but cannot post to the wall.

10.   It appears that there is adequate interest in purchasing processed items (78% said yes, or they would probably buy processed food.) Also 29 of 30 members that sampled fermented pickles at the 10^th anniversary party said they would buy them if offered.

11.   In responding to what they liked most about the CSA work days the word work was used 23 times, learning 14 times and seeing 13 times. What was liked least was nothing (12), heat/hot (16), and drive (5).

12.   In responding to what members liked most about the CSA the word blog was used 21 times, love (19), and produce (15).

13.   What folks liked least appear to be related to personal inconvenience of pickup times and/or location, the fact that choices dwindle as distribution progresses, wanting more in the swap box, timing of bulk list and blog posting, and wondering why there is a bulk list instead of us sending everything in that we harvest.

14.   Folks want more opportunities to buy eggs.

In the Share - Week 20

BROCCOLI (F/P)  The broccoli packs a flavor punch this week.  We are blaming those hot days in our recent past.  Steamed with some butter and lemon is all the help it needs.

TOMATOES (F/P)  The harvest is about over, so enjoy them while they last.

CABBAGE (F/P)  Choice of Chinese (Napa) or standard cabbage.  See Tom's post for some helpful hints for making slaw.

SWEET PEPPERS (F)  Ripening is slowing down considerably.  Expect green ones soon.

SWEET POTATOES (F/P)  O'Henry are creamy yellow sweet potatoes.  These are the first of many yellow and orange sweet potatoes out in the field waiting to be dug.  If you still need to punch in your hours, come out on a harvest day and more likely than not we will be digging the sweets! 

BROCCOLI OR CAULIFLOWER (F)  Full shares get a choice of either more broccoli, or a cauliflower.

ARUGULA (F/P)  Our second planting is coming on well and the lettuce isn't quite ready, so enjoy an arugula salad this week.

RADISHES (F/P)  If the heat of the radish is too much for you, try lightly steaming or dressing with a honey vinaigrette.

HERB CHOICE (F/P)  Sage, cilantro and basil

GARLIC (F/P)

NEXT WEEK:  More peppers, broccoli and cauliflower.  Leeks, carrots, beets and lettuce return.

FARM REPORT:

What a whirlwind of a week it has been.  Thursday we replaced the plastic on our 30 x 96 ft. high tunnel.  It was quite the job for six of us and luckily we didn't rip it in two, but we sure tried!  It went better than our first attempt a year ago and we have new ideas for improvements in 2014.  Today we put the ends and doors back on so she's ready to be buttoned up when frost threatens. 

This week we also began to break new ground in the far field below the grapes.  In 2012, sheep on loan from the Parkers grazed.  This summer the chickens ran through.  Now it is our turn.  Tom took out Grandpa, the family's 1962 International 504 bought used by John Graff, Sr. in late sixties. The discs are of a similar vintage. After several passes the ground is chopped up a bit and ready for spading.

Add in the regular harvest routine and then, by some miracle, Tom and I escaped the farm for a full 48 hours.   Between the Saturday rain (very nice!) and Monday afternoon we lounged at a B & B in St. Joseph, Missouri.  It was a welcome rest after the normal rollercoaster of a season we get here on the edge of the prairie.  Besides napping and eating too much pizza, we also managed a walk along the river, 3 antique malls, and several museums.

In the Share - Week 11

Tomatillos 

SALSA PACK (F/P) The lovely tomatillo shines this time of year. Just add a tomato and chop it all up. Or roast it and it’s even better.

TOMATOES (F/P) More reds and pinks this week with a smattering of other colors.

CARROTS (F/P) Big, orange carrots out of cold storage.

GARLIC (F/P) The first garlic of the season: Musik, a hardneck type with big, juicy cloves.

SWEET PEPPERS (F/P) More sweet yellows and purples. Ripe red peppers are coming soon.

EGGPLANT (F/P)  Lots more of these beauties.  Check Tom's posts for the past few weeks for recipes.

CHERRY TOMATOES (F) We will get some to the partial shares next week.

BEETS OR CUCUMBERS (F) The last of both for a while.

THAI BASIL, ITALIAN BASIL, SUMMER SAVORY OR HOT PEPPERS (F)

NEXT WEEK: more tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and salsa packs. Potatoes and onions.

FARM REPORT: Rain at last. It had been about two months since the farm had any, so the 1.3 inches that fell on Monday was much appreciated. We got a lot of seeds and transplants in before it came so things are off to a good start for the fall.

flail-mowed sorghum Sudan grass

Tom mowed down the high tunnel’s cover crop of sorghum sudan grass and will soon incorporate it with the spader. The soil will get a month to digest its green dinner before we start planting in September.

 During the summer harvest season we spend many hours in the wash and pack area. All of the remodeling we did this past winter is paying off with plenty of cold storage, tables for sorting and sinks for washing. It’s a pleasant place to be during the heat of the day or during a rain storm.

Rebecca and Lauren.  Luke with Shawn and Monica.  The Rouyers:  David, Amelia and Frido.  

In the Share - Week Three

STRAWBERRIES (F2/P1) Oh boy! We spent over 20 “man hours” in the berry patch just today! Luckily there were 5 of us picking. When the berries come on, it is an everyday task that has it’s rewards. If you have some extra time this week or you haven’t yet signed up for your work shifts now is a tasty time to do so.

LETTUCE (F3/P2) The lettuce patch is also pumping out the poundage. Several succession plantings are ripening at once, so everyone gets an additional head this week. There are still a few butterheads and lots of romaine this week.

BROCCOLI (F) Can’t say the same for the dismal broccoli harvest. Broccoli’s time to shine is in autumn.

HAKUREI TURNIPS (F/P) Eat ‘em like an apple!

BOK CHOY (F/P) bunches of baby bok choy this week – tender and juicy for your next stir fry.

HERB CHOICE (F/P) cilantro, oregano, dill or a dried herb

NEXT WEEK: More lettuce, strawberries, green onions, turnips and herbs.  Sugarsnap peas!

FARM REPORT: In between picking strawberries and trying to get the last of the summer crops in the ground, the farm crew gave the high tunnel a makeover this week. What was left of the spring extended season crops were mowed and spaded in.

It is a bit tricky maneuvering "Grandpa" the tractor in and out of the high tunnel, but Farmer Tom has the knack and made short work of preparing a nice seedbed for the cover crops.

Next we sowed sorghum sudan grass and cowpeas with our little broadcast seeder that swings over the shoulder. A little raking and we are ready to take the roof off and for the rain to water it in. Removing the high tunnel roof is a bit un-heard of, but we feel very strongly that the soil needs the benefit of rain and pure sunshine. We plan to re-install the plastic roof before we plant for the fall extended season. In the meantime, we hope for a lush cover crop to feed the soil.

In the Share - Week 1

LETTUCE (2)  a butterhead and a red leaf

BOK CHOY   some are green-stemmed, some are white - either way they make the best stir fry.

SPINACH  we are still picking off the fall planting and the leaves are still sweet and getting quite large.

SWISS CHARD see tom's post for his yummy Cacciatore recipe

GREEN ONIONS AND GARLIC use the green garlic as you would green onions.  

PARSLEY AND DILL both appear to be thriving

ARUGULA  we do not grow baby greens here at Fair Share, so be prepared for big bunches of big-leafed and full-flavored arugula

HAKUREI TURNIPS  some say they taste like they have ice cream in the center, you be the judge.

CARROTS  this was our first winter with the high tunnel and we hope you all are ready for the experiment!  The carrots taste great but are a bit misshapen due to uneven watering, we believe.  We just have enough for everyone to get a 1/2 pound.

NEXT WEEK:  lettuce, leeks, spinach, herbs, endive, radish, turnips, maybe (hopefully!) asparagus

FARM REPORT

What a way to kick off the first week of our new extended season - a brutal cold snap that had us racing across our fields today doubling-up on row cover! We put a second layer on 3800 feet worth of beds doing squats every 20 feet to pin it down. Perhaps we are running on adrenaline, but it went quickly and no frostbite was reported.  

This was after a very pleasant day on Saturday with the first crew of CSA member workers.  With lots of extra hands we cleaned-up the asparagus patch, dug dandelions, painted the picnic tables and filled in the trench for the new drain line from the wash area.

The washing and packing area of the barn got a big retrofit this winter and is ready for business.

And here's a sneak peak at the crops going in the shares tomorrow before we covered them up too.

We were hoping to have asparagus in the shares this week, but the stalks are barely poking out of the ground and for good reason, they'll most likely be frozen in the morning.

Forecasts range from mid-20s to 21 degrees in the morning.  We have cancelled the work shifts for tomorrow.  Our farm crew of four will be able to handle the harvest once the crops thaw.  CSA distribution should continue as planned.  We were able to cover our most sensitive crops, but the fruit trees and the direct-seeded crops are uncovered.  We'll let you know how it turns out.