Hello from the farm,

It has been a cloudy cool week here at the farm with rain looming daily but not usually materializing. Compared to last season most of our vegetables are maturing two to three weeks later--apparently plants need sunshine to grow :-).   We tranplanted a second round of pumpkin plants this week, were really happy with the way the potato digger is harvesting the potatoes, did a bunch of weeding in the fall broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and greens field, planted more arugula, cilantro, carrots, dill and fall beans,  and got the rototiller set up to run--it will do a better job of soil preparation resulting in better seed germination and harvests for your table.




Potatoes are like red gold--a great harvest this year

Elizabeth gives the tiller a trial run

Serving Suggestions for the Harvest:

Onions: mm, onions are exciting! The Ailsa Craig sweet onions are wonderful sauteed with butter and served with fried greens, atop potatoes or even plain.  They are not a storage onion, so use within a week or two, or keep refrigerated.
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: I have fond childhood memories of eating these still warm from being blanched, prior to them being turned into pickled red 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: great greens to return in September
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