Eggplant!  Gorgeous, shiny, deep purple eggplant!  This year we dedicated an entire hoophouse to these lovely vegetables, and this week we’re enjoying the results.  The apprentices have spent hours squishing potato beetle eggs and larvae in the eggplant hoophouse, since adult potato beetles can decimate the plants.  Next, Bill did a one-time spray of organic pesticides.  And then we encouraged our best mouser, Tux, to spend lots of quality time amongst the eggplant (remember the season that mice hollowed out 90% of the eggplant, leaving perfectly beautiful but utterly empty eggplants still attached to the plants?).  This year all the hard work (both human and feline) has paid off and we can enjoy the amazing fruit.

Our beloved fifth-year WWOOFer from Philadelphia, Minna LaTortue, volunteered with us again this past week.  She just finished nursing school (woohoo!) and would love to move to the Mid-coast (so Pen Bay members, let me know if you hear of any open jobs!).  We’re still lucky to have our wonderful German WWOOFer, Christine, with us one more week.  Slicing tomatoes are starting to ripen (yay!).  At each CSA pick-up I try to set out a range of tomato ripeness levels so that you can choose what works for your cooking plans for the week— some tomatoes will be ready to eat that day, others that will deepen in color and flavor over the following day or two.  There are over a dozen different tomato varieties that will be represented this year, as well, so every week try a different-looking fruit.  You won’t be disappointed!

Also, in addition to the seconds, trades and extra vegetables on the side table at your pick-up, look for the Iris bulbs.  Bill’s parents have been splitting their purple and white Irises and are making them available at some of the pick-ups, free for the taking!

Have a great week, and enjoy your summertime treats!

Reba and the HCF crew

Week 7 of 18:  Eggplant, Fennel, Swiss Chard, Cucumbers, Zucchini and/or Zephyr Summer Squash, Garlic, Basil, Green Beans

This week’s recipes:  Lebanese Green Beans, Layered “Ratatouille”, Swiss Chard with Raisins and Pine Nuts

Week Seven Appleton Creamery Cheese Share

This awesome crew from the Youthlinks School Garden Army program visited the farm last week. We gave them a tour of the farm and then they tackled the weeds in the sweet corn! They did a great job, too. We sent them home with well-earned eggs, eggplant, and tomatoes.