We’ve decided that our dog, Maple, might be part-cat. She doles out love and affection purely on her terms, ignoring us when she finds us inconvenient. When we wash carrots she plays with the stream of high pressure water from the hose the same way and with the same intensity that a cat plays with a laser pointer. And most cat-like is what she did to scare the heck out of me multiple times this week: I’ll be in the middle of a field, thinking I’m alone, when all of a sudden she’ll rise straight up into the air from a nearby patch of weeds or pepper plants. She’ll boing up as if on springs and come down in a pure cat-like pounce, landing on the witless vole or mouse who, like me, had no idea she was even in the vicinity. Her most important job on the farm is – or would be, if she did it – to scare off the deer. We’re desperate for her to get on the job — the gorgeous fall green beans, carrots and chard are getting mowed down in slow motion, a bit more every night. But like any good cat, she’s indifferent to them being her responsibility. We beg, we plead, we send her off into the dusk, hoping that she doesn’t come across a skunk along the way. Instead, she moseys between the old corn stalks, stalking daytime’s voles as they head to sleep and nighttime’s mice as they awaken. Some day we hope she’ll learn that deer are actually in her wheelhouse. In the meantime, Bill just might have to start camping out to scare the deer away himself. Luckily for Maple, she’s pretty cute.
This week (Week 13): the second honey delivery! Next week (Week 14) is a big add-on week, with chicken, pork and apples all making an appearance. We’ll open up the basil patch starting on Friday, September 8th and will send out directions that morning. Before then, since we know that most of you won’t be able to get out to do your own bulk basil harvesting, big bunches of end-of-season basil for your own personal pesto fest-o will be in this week’s share.
A couple other notes about this week’s veggies: this week’s celery is strongly flavored and fibrous, best used as a component of soup or stew. Instead of garlic or onion in the share this week, shallot is the alium of choice. When we first started growing and cooking regularly with shallots a decade ago, it was a revelation — it seemed that when I used it instead of onion it magically made everything even more delicious. I still love shallot more than about anything else we grow.
I’ll start to have pottery out for sale at the farm that was donated by our friend Hanako Nakazato to raise money for the CSA financial aid fund. She donated it last fall and we sold most of it at that time, but there is still some left and we’ll have it out and for sale for anyone who wants to come by at any time. If there are any other artists in our community who would like to donate work for us to sell in our little pop-up art and craft store, there is always more need for financial aid than we have available and we welcome all contributions to the effort! Please contact me if you have something you would like to donate.
Enjoy this week’s share, and best of luck getting back into the groove of fall!
Reba and the HCF crew
Summer CSA Week 13 of 16: Cherry and Big Tomatoes, Shallot, Salad Greens, Cilantro or Dill, Kale, Purple Tomatillos, Hot Pepper, Basil Bunch, Zucchini/Zephyr/Patty Pan Summer Squash, [Baby Watermelon, Husk Cherries]
Summer Week Thirteen Add-ons: Honey, Yogurt, Eggs, Milk, Bread, Tofu, Cheese, Mushrooms, Oil & Vinegar
This week’s recipes: Fresh Tomato Salsa, Green Shakshuka
HATCHET COVE FARM 