Down on the farm:

Hello from the farm!  We are turning a page here at the farm as the days are noticeably shorter and a touch of fall is in the air.  This week we harvested the onions and began curing them under cover, started tearing out the mulch film that the onions were grown in, trialed the potato digger that we built over the winter--with pleasing results I am happy to report, and nothing major broke down :-)
The tomato harvest is building up steam and should peak about three weeks from now and then gradually taper off into October!

Would the real carrot please take a bow?  Carrots were originally purple and other colors but were bred for orange by Dutch vegetable growers and that set precedent for us to expect orange. 

Fruit and Bread and Cheese oh my:

For those of you who have signed up for the North Star Orchard fruit share, it begins August 8,9,10.  If you want in on local fruit, cheese or bread, talk to these folks:

Cheese: Mandy at Hillacres Farm  via http://hillacrespride.com/ 
Fruit: Lisa at North Star Orchard via  www.northstarsorchard.com
Bread: Stephanie at Abendessen Bread via Abendessenbread@gmail.com  or Facebook.



Serving Suggestions for the Harvest:

Onions: mm, onions are exciting!  These Ailsa Craig sweet onions are wonderful sauteed with butter and served with fried greens, atop potatoes or even plain. 
Potatoes: yep, it's tater time. Potatoes are a wonderful source of nutrients, versatile to cook with, and very satisfying to the eater--they even help you sleep well at night. (Potatoes not Prozac book)
Cantaloupes: a great majority of the cantaloupes were split by rapid uptake of water from the heavy rain last week, and as such are unusable.  We hope to have enough for everyone to get some across two or three week's time. A super great taste of summer. Try eating with a just a bit of freshly ground black pepper.
Carrots: check out the beautifully colored Dragon carrots. farm fresh carrots are a tasty treat, much different from bagged store carrots.
Eggplants: Asian eggplants are mild and sweet. Slice and put on the grill rubbed with oil, soy sauce, and miso paste. Tasty and easy to use.
Beets: great roasted with olive oil, grilled with oil and balsamic vinegar, or grated in salads.
Chard: remove the lower portion of the stalk as it is usually tough. Sautee leaves in butter, olive or coconut oil, add salt, and red pepper, top with Paresan cheese.
Greens: the hot weather has left most of the greens in not so nice shape. The chard, which doesn't mind the heat, is taking a week or two off to replenish.   Fabulous greens will return this fall with the cooler weather. 
Cucumbers: hanging on, final week?
Squash: going, going, going...soon.


Goodbyes
Cucumbers:  The crop was really good this year--the plants are tired out and winding down this week. 
Cabbage: We'll keep finding a few of these over the next couple of weeks. Cut into wedges and serve with a sprinkle of salt, make sauerkraut 
Summer squash/Zucchini: these all almost finished as well (some people cheer) stir fry, grate and use for zucchini bread or freeze for later.
Beans:  The beans did well, and there is a chance we will have fall beans as well! 
Scallions: goodbye until next year.
Blueberries--these bore very well this year, we would have liked an extra week or two.
Broccoli: an awesome broccoli crop this year--will be back in the Fall.
Bok choi and Napa: these have run their course and we will see them again in October and November--a great time to make kimchee with the cool weather.
Cilantro: we anticipate the arrival of the next planting.
Turnips: bye bye until fall, when turnips are sweeter and crisper

The Pumpkin and Winter Squash field signals the approach of fall.

Thank you Farmer Kim:

Thank you Farmer Kim for four great seasons here as distribution diva. We commend your commitment to family but will miss you all the same!  Best wishes and hope to see you at the farm soon.  Scott, Elizabeth, Law Reh and the whole farm crew.