We’ve had a busy week harvesting the bounty. There is a hay wagon of watermelons with gorgeous color. We have Sunshine, with a yellow meat, Orangeglo, yes, it’s orange inside, a yellow skinned beauty with red meat, and the standard Crimson Sweet. Many are a nice size and we’d like you to sample all. There are some great watermelon salads with cilantro on the web that get great 5 star reviews.
Cantaloupes are still holding well in the cooler and the eggplant and peppers have really come on with last week’s heat. If you’re unsure about the eggplant, check out the eggplant parmesan and the Caponatina Siciliana on our website.
We are harvesting the large tomatoes and putting them on the pack shed porch. We’ve been taking them “green-ish” in order to encourage the less green to ripen up. So all you have to do is harvest (and sample) the smalls (cherries and plums, etc.) They are growing like crazy way back in G4. It’s worth the walk. Tomatoes freeze well. Some people blanch, peel and freeze. I wash, core out the stem and blemishes, bag, squeeze and squish out the air, and freeze. To use, run under hot water and the skin peels off. While still frozen they dice nicely for a fresh pasta sauce in the middle of winter. If 20 tomatoes are not enough this week, take more! You can also go out and pick some really green ones for “fried green tomatoes”. It’s finally the weather for cooking.
The best green beans of the season are ready for picking and the beets are awesome. Leaf lettuce has gotten “bolty” in the heat but those plants toward the south, in the little garden behind the house, are worth taking. Sample as you go for flavor. More will be ready next week in row 3, but they’re heads and not ready yet. There should still be some small ears of yummy corn in the cooler and some carrots for digging. Cabbages have dry outer leaves, but the heads have fared well.
The big rows of summer squash and cukes finished up and we’re picking from the shorter rows in G1. There are not as many but by now they’re not quite as appreciated.
You’ll notice rows of tiny plants at both ends of Hoop House 2. We’re again hoping for a late crop of spinach. We finally figured out that soaking the seeds for a week and hand planting eliminated the long germination and watering. Here’s hopin’. Be careful as you harvest the bountiful cilantro from the back.
Bill keeps “bopping beetles” in the raspberries. They like the most ripe ones, but there are lots of good ones and many more to come.
I know the heat kept many of you away, but I like to encourage everyone to come out and pick this week, even if you picked last week. We want everything to go!
We also have two farm share baskets available, and can make more, for anyone you know that would like to try a share of the bounty. Because there is so much, they are $40.00. And if your friends would like to pick with you, they too can experience the farm and take what you take for $30.00. Just let us know.