Rachel in the barn, surrounded by piles of garlic

Thanks to the work of many of you at the garlic planting party last October, we had an amazing garlic harvest this past Wednesday.  We harvested and laid out to cure over 2500 garlic bulbs, many of them the size of a baseball.  It took all six of us eight hours to dig the garlic, brush it off, load it in the tractor bucket to raise up to the window in the barn, haul it through the window, clean each one off more thoroughly, and either bunch and hang it from the rafters or lay it out on a trellis to dry.  Baby Cecilia kept us company most of the day, playing with the garlic leaves.  It’s quite a sight in the barn, for anyone who wants to come and see! 

This week we are giving fresh garlic in your share.  Fresh garlic is when it is first pulled out of the ground, and has not yet cured for long-term storage.  So expect this garlic to be a little stronger and fresher tasting than regular ol’ garlic, and without the dried paper around each clove.  Enjoy!

If you want blueberries or have not yet paid for your berries, this is the last week to do so.  We got a sneak preview of the Red House Farm berries this week, and they were absolutely scrumptious.

The first of the cherry tomatoes was ripe this week, so that means that the real harvest is not far off now!  The plants start out slow, but they should be producing enough to be in your share before too long.

Have a week of wonderful meals and enjoy your pesto!

Reba and the HCF crew

The Garlic Crusher

The Garlic Crusher
Our wonderful apprentice Jane has an equally wonderful boyfriend, Noah.  Noah makes these garlic crushers and we think they are a pleasure to use.  He makes them out of cherry wood to have just the right curve and feel in the hand.  With the flat side you crush the clove to release it from the skin, with the sharp edge you break the clove up further, and with the curve you mash that clove to delicious bits or into a paste. 

Week 8 veggies:  Fennel, New Garlic, Basil, Potatoes, Zucchini or Zephyr Summer Squash, Chard, Mesclun Mix

 This week’s recipes:  Basil Pesto, Rich Summer Fennel Soup