As my fingers type away on the keyboard tonight, my toes are crossed under the desk in hopes that these grey skies might actually open up and give us some solid rain. We’ve already done what I consider the secular local version of a rain dance: leaving all the windows in the cars open overnight. It’s hard to see so many of the crops wilting and withering on the vine, but a few good rainstorms over the next week could really turn things around. Fingers crossed.
We had a really stellar garlic harvest on Wednesday. The usual farm crew was joined by about twenty awesome CSA volunteers; we were so happy to have the extra help! We pulled at least 8,000 garlic bulbs out of the ground, sorted them by size, bundled and tied them tight in groups of ten, and used a pulley to haul them up to Bill on the third floor of the barn. He leaned out the barn window to pull them in and then hung the bunches to cure. That said, the fresh (non-cured) garlic you get this week will be delicious — crispy and strong and a fully different creature than sad mid-winter supermarket garlic.
We know that some members feel overwhelmed by the weekly greens bunch (I’m looking at you, Mom), so we’re giving you a week off. But for those of you who love the greens for your daily smoothie or are looking forward to your next batch of kale chips, we’ll harvest enough to keep the “free extras” table stocked this week. It’s always a delicate balance to provide the items that some people love getting regularly without making others feel overwhelmed by something they don’t like, and I try hard to balance everyone’s wishes. It makes me especially sad when something like cucumbers, which nearly everyone loves (especially those light yellow ‘Salt and Pepper’ cukes, right?), fade away before prime production because of lack of rain and new bugs that thrive in our changing climate. But you have to be an optimist to farm, and despite the challenges I try to remember that there’s always another planting to come, another season to dream about, another member who will learn to love a new vegetable!
Remember that this is blueberry week! If you were one of the lucky ones who signed up for a box of Red House Farm berries, you will receive an email from me reminding you of your pick-up time and place. Please bring your $40 payment to the pickup. I still haven’t been able to arrange another berry delivery (it might still happen), but in the meantime, if you’re anxious to get more berries, you can sign up to pick up your own frozen wild organic blueberries directly from Ewing Fruit Company, in Warren.
If you are one of the wonderful folks who made a financial commitment to our friends at Sisterhome in Nepal, please get your Sisterhome contribution to me as soon as you can.
Have a wonderful week full of delicious meals!
Reba and the HCF crew
Summer CSA Week 9 of 16: Fresh Onion, Fresh Garlic, Basil or Parsley, Celery stalks, Salad Mix, Beets or Carrots, Zucchini and/or Zephyr Squash, Green Pepper or Cucumbers, Cherry and/or Slicing Tomato, [Eggplant]
Summer Week Nine Add-ons: Eggs, Yogurt, Milk, Bread, Tofu, Cheese, Mushrooms, Oil & Vinegar, Blueberries
This week’s recipes: Beet Burgers, Summer Panzanella
HATCHET COVE FARM 