The second to final week of the summer CSA! It may have still felt like the height of summer last week, but the plants and the calendar are telling us otherwise. Squash and cucumbers are fading away, and we finally had our massive onion and shallot harvest this week. The dry summer really delayed a number of things, and the onion harvest was about three weeks later than usual. To our surprise, though, the shallots and the red onions were huge and gorgeous! Go figure. We’re thrilled to be giving the first of the big shallots in your share this week. I consider shallots a near-magical vegetable: everything they are a part of seems to magically taste better!
The husk cherries are finally ready to harvest this week! Compared to last year when we gave them for weeks on end, this year was a light one for the husk cherry. But they’re finally ripe, and they’re delicious. They’re the closest to candy that we grow on the farm. As they ripen the husks change from green to pinkish to papery-brown. Pop the little inner fruit out at any point after the green stage, and enjoy the treat. Don’t eat the papery shell!
If you are a honey CSA member, beekeeper Karen says that honey is almost ready to extract. She’ll have the freshest fall honey possible to you next week, in the final week of the summer CSA. Also, once we reach October we will have more milk available for our fall CSA members. So if you were turned away from a milk share (or a second or third milk share!) in the summer, now is the time to add more to your fall share. Just send me an email or add it to your account online.
There are still about ten spaces left in the fall CSA, so sign up soon if you would like to join! The cost is $125 for six weeks of salad greens, root crops, garlic and onions, bunched leafy greens and more. Nearly all add-on shares are still available, as well.
Have a great week!
Reba and the HCF crew
Summer CSA Week 15 of 16: Shallots, Husk Cherries, Yellow Onion, Swiss Chard, Mesclun Mix, Big Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Red/Green Bell Peppers, Garlic, [Broccoli, Cauliflower, Zucchini/Zephyr/Patty Pan Squash, Cucumbers]
Summer Week 15 Add-ons: Grain, Eggs, Fiore, Mushrooms, Cheese, Milk
This week’s recipes: Bell Pepper and Goat Cheese Strata, Zucchini, Rice and Cheese Gratin
HATCHET COVE FARM 