Green Akeys Family Farm 2010 CSA Weekly Emails

 

If you’ve never been in a CSA before or just wonder how our CSA works, this is the in-process guide for what to expect.

 

When you arrive at the farm, we’ll show you where to go and pick up your share.  There will be a board that has what you should take that week and then you start picking out what you want. 

Some weeks you’ll start with a box in the walk-in fridge and other times you’ll grab your own box.

You will see another board that tells you what to take that week.  

You will read the board and then look on the shelves and pick your veggies.  At our farm we will say pick 3 zucchini or pick 4 cucumbers or pick 10 tomatoes and you pick the ones that you want.  This might be different from other CSA’s where your box is packed up and ready to go.  We want you to pick the variety that you want.  We will normally grow lots of varieties of cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, etc and so you get to pick which ones you want.  Some things we will bag up and put into a box for you, but I would say that 70% of the items you choose what you want.

Our CSA is 20 weeks long and starts around the last week of May to the second week of June.  It all depends on the weather.  We then go 20 weeks after that start date to get the 20 weeks of the CSA.  Half shares pick up every other week.

 

These are the emails that we sent out each week telling folks what to expect that week.  We usually tell you what to expect on Monday night as pickups are Tuesday and Friday. 

 

Week 1

 

In your shares this week.

 

Two varieties of lettuce

            -one lettuce is a big head lettuce

-the second was going to be loose leaf lettuce but it grew so nice and big that it ended up as narrower head lettuces of various spring varieties

Asian greens/Mesculun greens

Bright lights Swiss Chard- all different colors

Gator spinach

Garlic scapes - this grows out of the center of the garlic and are cut off as we don't want the garlic to spend energy growing a seed top- chop fine and cook with any of the greens like garlic

Smaller bok choi - the larger bok choi bolted overnight- literally - the warmer weathers are helping the tomatoes speed up but not helping the greens

French Breakfast radishes

Snap peas- eat these whole- also good with the garlic scapes and olive oil

Strawberries- The Tuesday group got strawberries and I sure hope the Friday group does as well.  The strawberries ripen at their own pace so if they are not ready on Friday then we may need to skip next Tuesday for strawberries and the Friday group will have them next week.  I'm hoping for the best but sometimes mother nature messes up my plans.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Week 2

 

Week 2 looks a lot like week 1 (the new folks will realize this quickly- you'll see 2-4 weeks of the same stuff and then you'll see a change up as the weather changes)

 

 

Bright Lights Swiss Chard-- my favorite and beautiful- takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with

Spinach - Gator perpetual

Garlic scapes- might be the last week for garlic scapes

French Breakfast Radishes

Head lettuce

Cut loose leaf lettuce

Cut spicy greens

Beet greens (you'll know these are the beet greens as some of them have baby beets on the ends)  Beet greens can be cooked like spinach or chard but I think they are sweeter and they are fabulous.

Snap peas or snow peas - you'll choose - if you want to pick more snap peas- head out past the raspberry bushes and find the walkway - walk slow- and the first trellised row is 1/2 snowpeas (the lower bunch) and then the first 4 rows after the trellised row are all snap peas.  The last 4 rows are peas (regular peas) and those are not ready yet.  The snow peas look kind of like peas- but trust me that they are snow peas with just bigger peas in them.  So it's like 2 veggies all in 1!  After the rain this weekend everything exploded and that meant the snow and snap peas.  

Basil - Thai spicy basil, Mammoth leaf basil and sweet basil.  For those on every other week- yours will be there the next week.  These are not organic seeds and are locally grown by Linda who has a greenhouse and grows what I think is the prettiest basil in town.  Plant this when you get home or just put in on your counter and enjoy.  I will bring in a few items every few weeks from local farmers for items that I just don't grow well.  LIke basil, corn, broccoli and cabbage.

Strawberries - may only be for the 1/2 share every other week folks unless we find a bounty in the morning-- so we'll see- no promises this late at night.  You are welcome to go pick strawberries but you need long pants and good shoes to pick and I'd recommend good gloves.  They are in the thistle.  Literally- but nothing is eating them up!

 

The herb garden is growing so help yourself.  We're working on herb garden #2.  

Raspberry bushes are really getting going so help yourself to raspberries as well.  If you didn't get the tour of where the raspberries are- then come find us and we'll show you.  They are straight past the big blue dumpster and there are about 7 rows of them.  The back 2-3 rows are ripening but you have to dig inside to see them.  I recommend good shoes and to invest in a pair of gloves for when you come to the farm.  

 

 

Dill and Cilantro will always be in fridge and available for you to take.  I'm messing around with how to store it so you'll see me try different things.  Tomorrow it'll be standing straight up in a cup.

 

As always, if you have questions, let me know and if you need any meat let me know as well.

 

Week 3 is a transition week:

 

2 of you who have 1/2 shares need to take 1 basil plant of each this week

 

In your box this week:

 

Ruby Red Swiss Chard-- I didn't taste it but it smells really sweet

Last round of Garlic scapes

Snap peas

2 types of lettuce

Then you'll get a bag of miscellanous 'stuff'- this is the fun bag for the contest below

a Fennel

a kohlrabi

baby carrots

baby scallions

couple radishes

small yellow onion

small white onion

few baby kale leaves

a small bag of maiche

a small bag of Alpine strawberries (these are the strawberries that grow year round- they look funny and are very fleshy but they are great in icecream or on yogurt or in jams and cooking) - you can pick these anytime you want.  If you need to know where they are located let me know.  I've shown a bunch of you.

 

Raspberries and black berries are still growing sporadically- black berries are growing faster than the raspberries.  So help yourself and go get some.

If you want more snap peas - you can pick more of those as well.  Peas are also going to be ready the end of this week and next week.  We are not picking peas for the CSA but I planted enough that if you would like to pick some for yourself then I can show you where those are as well.

 

 

Now here is the contest this week.  Yes, you heard right- a CONTEST!!!

Take the baby maiche micro greens or some of the other lettuce and other baby items and make a Micro Salad.  There are farmers who only specialize in growing micro products for fancy restaurants and such.  Send me a picture of your salad and tell me how you made it.

 

The winner gets a 2 lb package of ground beef worth $10.  If you are a vegetarian then you can instead get 2 extra dozen eggs one week and cook anything and everything you can with eggs!

The best salad wins- I will be the judge and my definition of BEST rules..

 

 

Week 4!!!

 

Week 3 Friday folks got a bonus--- you got cabbage and broccoli that 

wasn't on the list.  I don't grow this well so the woman who does the 

basil grows it for me in the spring.  When it's ready she brings it.

So there will be a bit more broccoli and cabbage perhaps for Friday 

folks again and into next Tuesday.  LInda (the woman mentioned above) 

needs to pick it all as the weather is killing it so that will be it 

for cabbage and broccoli till fall.

 

I bake these extras into your fee for the year for those who are 

new-- you get the advantage of me knowing all the good farmers in the 

area.  I'm not an expert at growing all veggies but you get the 

advantage of me getting them for you from those who do.

 

So WEEK 4.

 

Cabbage

Broccoli

CARROTS!-- definitely a carrot week

Lettuce - as usual

Chard - as usual- probably ruby red chard again

Beet greens and/or small beets - potential item

Kale - potential item

Kohlrabi-- I had about 20 small ones so it depends on how big they 

are tomorrow am

Green tomatoes to make fried green tomatoes

Maybe a small zucchini- potential-- they are small but starting to 

get going

 

 

Week 5

 

Ok--

 

Week 5!!!- The warmer weather veggies are coming alive!

 

Zucchini - smaller to medium sized

cucumbers- smaller sized this week

either kohlrabi or spinach depending on what is better on Tues/Friday

carrots -

Beets- remember you can eat the tops and bottoms!

Swiss Chard - yes the ever popular swiss chard-- Shallots - they are small this year with the low rain the last few weeks but still tasty

Garlic- this is a red russian hardneck garlic- here is the description from where we bought them 2 years ago- this year is grown from our own garlic stored from last year.

            Our best storing garlic.

A hardy stiffneck garlic like German Extra-Hardy, but with a smaller bulb, purple striped wrapper, and a slightly stronger flavor. The plant is shorter and the winter hardiness is similar. The somewhat smaller main cloves, 6-9 cloves per head, (a pound of sets plants more - see Seed Specs) and larger topset cloves differentiate Rocambole from the Porcelain Continental type. Due to a supply shortage, orders are limited to 6 heads per order. Organically grown. 

 

I still have leftover vacuum sealed dried tomatoes that I didn't finish from last year.  I stored too many and didn't use them enough. If you would like to try one- I'll leave them out.  

 

The herbs are doing well - so pick your own.   The Tuesday folks also get a lime basil to plant as those came late last week.

 

Also- raspberries are still going.  You have to look in the middle of the canes but they are there.

The flower patch is starting to look good.  I will mark out what all the flowers are this weekend so that we can start to pick/eat them next week.  There are some that are edible flowers and some that are going to be cut flowers.  My kids helped with planting and so I am pretty sure the eat and cut ones are all mixed up.  I'll come up with some type of color coding so you know which ones are edible.

 

Week 6

 

Flowers are ready to cut-- I do NOT have the markers correct as of Monday evening.  The bachelor buttons threw me off... they are the pretty blue ones in the middle and are edible and they were not on my list but Mike remembered as he planted them.  I'm learning my flowers the hard way.  By next week they will be marked so you can see which are edible and which are not.  If you know your flowers-- I would LOVE your help.  I know the order I planted flowers but I just can't tell which are which because some rows/flowers didn't grow and they don't seem to match my list in some cases.  So I may have made an error with part of my list.  Go ahead and pick them though- they are pretty in a small vase.

 

Zucchini--- wow-- pick really as many as you can eat.  There will likely be 6-10 zucchini per person this week and forecast looks like it'll be going strong for a while-- freeze it, can it, bake with it...

Cucumbers- those are coming out in droves as well-- so lots as well-- again -- great time to learn to make butter pickles

Asian greens- the silly bugs still made holes in it but it's good and spicy

Chard--

Lettuce-- I sure hope the lettuce lasts for the friday folks.  Lettuce bolts when the temperatures skyrocket so I'm trying to keep it well watered so it doesn't turn bitter.

Beets-- different variety than the last few weeks- a red bull 

Radishes-- these keep growing and I've gotten comments that a lot of you like to saute them so I'll keep growing them as long as you all don't get tired of them

Dill-- to go with the cucumbers

Fennel or Kohlrabi--- I think Monday folks will get a fennel and friday a kohlrabi -- these two plants are hard to judge and they don't grow steady- I love them but they are hard to judge

Onions - not sure what color this week-- white, purple or yellow--- I'll see what strikes me in the morning

 

The tomatoes are starting to get yellowish--- but no red ones yet.   According to my log from last year- it will be next week that we should see red ones.

Peppers are small but looking GREAT!  Next week we'll start to see peppers as well

 

Garlic - this week the garlic is listed below.  I am listing the description and the price-- Just so you know-- 3 bulbs of garlic costs $15-- yep-- $15.  I happen to love garlic so this is my downfall.  Each year I have to save garlic for the next year because year one I paid around $400 for my starter garlic.  You'll be tasting 8 different garlics this year.  Next year I'll buy 2-3 new ones and start those up.  

 

Inchelium Red Softneck - 3 bulbs

 

 

 

 

Inchelium Red Softneck - 3 bulbs Softneck Artichoke   Discovered on the Colville Indian Reservation in Washington, this vigorous strain has a mild, lingering flavor that sharpens in storage. Averages 3-4 bulbs per 1/2 lb. with 9-18 cloves per bulb.

 

 

Week 7

 

In your box in the fridge will be:

Chard

Peppers- definitely sweet peppers and maybe a bag of hot peppers as well-- i grew a lot of what are called Yummy peppers - they are smaller bell peppers because I thought they would be fun to eat, grow fast and you could make little appetizers from them. 

 

some type of other green - could be lettuce or asian greens or both

Cilantro

Dill

outside on the shelf you'll find

Zucchini- get out those zucchini recipes-- I have been freezing zucchini.  You can shred it up and freeze it.  I've been freezing in 2 cup baggies to make bread in the winter.

Cucumbers - larger normal cucumbers as well as some smaller pickling size

Tomatoes - the first of the season- they aren't the sweetest tomatoes but they taste fresh - like a tomato should taste

1 clove of the same Inchellium Red garlic from last week

Yellow onions - the onions are small this year from lack of rain-- let's hope we get some soon-- it is hard to keep the entire garden watered all the time

 

 

fyi...... this is the start of my favorite 6-8 weeks - fresh salsa!   I gave you all the ingredients except for lime (tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro)

 

Week 8

 

This week in your box will be some mix of the following: (depends what 

looks good tomorrow in terms of the greens)

Beet green and/or beets

Lettuce

Basil

Dill

Then lots of the following:

Zucchini- lots of zucchini

Cucumbers

Tomatoes

Garlic

Peppers

A Spaghetti squash- the spaghetti squash will last a long, long time.

 

 

Don't forget that you can cut up zucchini or shred it and put it in 

the freezer!  Store up for the winter!

 

Week 9

 

This week as an offering to the Egg Gods everyone gets a free extra 

dozen eggs.

Yes, that's right- 1 free dozen eggs.  Our huge, gigantic eggmobile 

flipped over in the storm on Saturday and all hens are safe and it 

was a quick recovery.

I said a silent- oh please let it be ok, if it's ok I'll do something 

generous.

 

Hence the free dozen eggs.  Check out the blog later this week and 

I'll show the "poultry" area.  The chickens and turkeys crack me up.  

They all run around and steal each others food- he-he.

 

On to the rest of the share:

In your box:

 

Beets and beet greens (don't forget you can eat those greens) I know 

some of you love greens and others are hoping for no more green stuff 

in your shares

Celery- this is not normal celery- I can't seem to grow celery to 

look like it is in the store.  but this celery will TASTE powerfully 

of celery- so use it in something as it is strong and will give you 

great flavor

Green beens - our green beans are green, yellow and purple.  The 

purple beans will turn green when they are cooked.  Cool magic 

trick!  We call these Ravens beans!

Bell peppers-- still lots of sizes- bigger ones and those cute little 

"yummy" bell peppers that my kids love!

Hot peppers - just a few -- the hot peppers are growing slowly this year

There may be a radish or 2 in the share as well-- I have to see in 

the morning- these are supposedly sliced thinly and deep fried and 

eaten with beer in Germany- or just cook as a radish

 

Outside:

It's going to get more complicated outside the fridge so get ready!

You'll be getting 1 brown bag of potatoes (the potatoes will always 

be in a brown paper bag) - these are cute light red potatoes - 

potatoes should be on the list for several weeks as they are starting 

to be ready to pick.

Take about 4 cucumbers

A bucket of tomatoes with a few garlic.  The big patch of tomatoes 

are growing but not turning red.  What we've got is the early 

tomatoes that are OK in my opinion but not great.  Some of the 

tomatoes that grew during the drought are just not good even though I 

watered and watered.  So hang tight-- the tomatoes are going to start 

soon and it may be a later season for tomatoes this year.

You can take as much zucchini as you want- there is enough for about 

30 zucchini per person... :)  I'm going to try giving it away to 

neighbors pretty soon.  I've made zucchini bread, we've made zucchini 

meat boats (scrape out the inside and stuff it and bake), I've frozen 

zucchini for the winter.  I think as they are getting older and 

starting to die off they have so many leaves that this is why they 

grow so quick. I pick them every day and i have no idea where they hide.

 

Don't forget to pick some herbs for your potatoes or zucchini, etc.  

Also, the flowers are ready to cut.  The more we cut the flowers, the 

more they bloom.   The Zinnas are my favorite and they are on the far 

right of the flowers.  I am still hoping for Dahlias as I've got 

those growing at the opposite end.

 

If you would like some meat chickens and you haven't placed an order- 

let Mike know.  We've got about 110 that will be ready Mid/Late 

August and I've got about 30 left that are not sold.  $4.50/lb

 

Week 10--

 

This is officially the week of the potato! (there should be potatoes every week for the next 10 weeks)

I had a wonderful group show up to help pick potatoes on Saturday so in celebration this week is a double potato week.  After all these greens the past months we deserve a nice starch.

 

In the boxes in fridge:

Bell peppers

Hot peppers

Carrots - they are small but good- they were accidently mowed and so they had to be dug up-- they will last a long time. I clean them with a little scrub brush or the harsh end of a sponge and I don't peel them.  They are great just as they are.

Some type of green- I know Tuesday group is getting some Perpetual spinach and/or chard- we'll see what looks good on Friday- could be beets, chard or asian greens.  

 

Lots to pick outside the fridge-- this will be a trend for the next 6-7 weeks.

-1 bag of fingerling potatoes- these you don't peel (or it will be hard to peel them) - I cut them in half lengthwise and toss in olive oil, a random chopped herb (fresh from herb patch) and sea salt and pop in the oven at 400F for about 40 minutes or until crispy - if you want them crispy put them in a dark metal pan- give them a stirring about 2/3 of the way thru.

-1 bag of red potatoes - these are a small to medium sized variety - these are good cooked many different ways but my favorite is a red potato salad 

-Zucchini-- it is still growing strong though the squash bugs did find some plants- this is the bad part of organic farming- but I have a new crop of zucchini that is just starting so when this round is done we'll have a little more to get us through the season-  Below is a link for some zucchini recipes that a CSA member forwarded on to me.  It's funny how I'm almost sick of zucchini but then I hear all of you talk about all the cool things you are making and your excitement runs off on me!

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/gallery/0,28548,1811517,00.html

-Cucumbers - still more cucumbers in the garden with what looks like a huge crop coming in 4 weeks or so.  I have a feeling the cucumber portion of the shares may rival the zucchini in 4 weeks so start finding those cucumber recipes and pickling recipes.

-Yellow onions -

-Garlic- Tuesday folks are getting Elephant garlic and I think Friday will get a Garlic called Music Garlic.  The description from the website is below.  We got a little off on the garlic as Mike gave one group the same garlic 2 weeks in a row.  So I've got to get you all back to the same schedule as it's easier to keep track of!

Rich, sweet, pungent flavor.  Hardy and vigorous. Bulbs have tight, white wrappers with some pink shading. 6-8 cloves per bulb. A consistent producer year after year. Stores well after harvest. Organically grown.

-Again as in the past weeks - a few tomatoes.  

The raspberries are still growing- certain rows go every week so feel free to pick some.

Also pick flowers- the orange colored ones in the middle are called Strawflowers and are supposed to last a long time.  The Zinnas are also going strong on the right side.    

We have a new round of lamb that just came in if you need lamb and in about 4 weeks we'll have more beef cuts as we brought 2 steers to the butcher today.  The beef are aged 21 days and then cut up and packaged.  We do have lots of ground beef now and if you've never tried a grass fed ground beef I'd highly recommend it.  It's full of flavor and it'll be a great hamburger or meatball or meatloaf or...etc.   

We sold out of chickens but if enough folks ask us for more chickens and the waiting list grows then we'll consider one more batch before winter.  

Week 11

I lost my email from week 11.

Week 12

 

This week the area behind the CSA area close to the barn is going to be a bit messy.  We are rearranging the barn

If you happen to hear a sound like a person crying out for help, it's likely our new goats.  They will come to the back gate door by the CSA area and yell at you.

Grace is the older brown goat, Sierra is the larger white goat and Fiona and Phyllis are the two 4-month old goats.  If you have children, just make sure they don't let them out.  We're not sure yet what they would do.  Likely they'd wander over to the tomatoes and start eating all of them.

 

Grace and Sierra are our little experiment into goats milk, goats cheese, goat yogurt, etc.  If you would like to be a taste taster at some point in the future let me or Mike know.

 

This week- same deal- grab a box and go:

In the fridge you'll have:

Peppers are back- hot peppers- in the small baggie

Sweet/bell/banana peppers

lettuce-

You'll get a choice to pick 2 from some combination of the following:  Kale, asian greens - pak choi type - but larger and radishes

 

Outside-- lots of stuff:

This week the garlic is called German Extra hardy-- though it wasn't too hardy for me this year.  It's a little on the off yellow side for me but it still takes good-- use this one up before some of your other ones

Cucumbers- you'll be getting lots of cucumbers--- mostly the straight 8's and some burpless and a few of those long asian cucumbers which look so funny and they curl up for some reason

Zucchini- I thought the zucchini was done and we'd have to wait a few more weeks but my new area started sprouting!  It may be only 1 small zucchini but back to the little cute zucchini

Watermelon- If you get one that is really not ripe at all = let me know.  One variety is more of a pink color and another is a yellow watermelon so it'll be a surprise- it was for me tonight as I decided to try a few.

Melon- there will be a combination of a cantalope and a honeydew type melon-- the honeydew ones look like they have a little hat on them-- I've had some good ones and some blander ones--I think we've got 2 more weeks for melons until around end of september

Spaghetti squash- I think we'll have this week and next week for squash - let me know if you've tried one- I have yet to eat one and tell me how it was.

fingerling potatoes - grab a bag

More of those huge red potatoes - again not organic but huge and local and so different from what I grow - I love mine and these

Tomatoes - saved the best for last- now here is the deal with the tomatoes and you are a smart group of people so I'm counting on you to help out.  I'm going to look at the tomatoes I have out and say -  hmm looks like 100 larger tomatoes in total roughly so take around 10-15 big tomatoes-- now that means say 10 bigger tomatoes but you can take 10 smaller tomatoes to equal the other 15.  So I need you to use your judgement and help balance out the tomato load for that day.  There are only 6 shares per day so use that as your guide.  I expect all the tomatoes to be gone at the end of the day- so look at how many people checked off the door, how many tomatoes are on the shelf and if you can handle the amount of tomatoes out divided by 6 then take them.  Lots of the tomatoes look funny-- try them-- you'll be surprised- you've got nothing to lose as if you don't like it you've got 14 more to use that week.  They are weird shaped and you may not get a lot of tomato off them- but again - you may be surprised.  The bugs also like those tomatoes so you have to eat them quickly- even if I checked all the tomatoes tonight- by end of day tomorrow some critter will have poked a hole and ruined a few.

 

 

Don't forget the flowers!  Pick your own.  Herbs too.

The raspberries are also hit and miss but with all this rain they should be good so take a look.  You'll definitely get a handful each time even if they never make it home with you.  I know lots of you are picking so keep up the great job.  There are about 30 different varieties of raspberries in that area and they all fruit at different times so they will be around all year round.  Feel free to pick the blueberries as well- they are also growing but just small.

 

If you are looking for some quick and delicious grilling items, we'll soon have more whole hog sausage and prepressed hamburger patties.  We also have mergueze lamb sausage links to grill.

We did 1/4 lb hamburger patties this time and they are great for quick dinners and you can put them on the grill frozen.  The hamburger patties are in a 4 lb box so it's $20 for the box.

 

Week 13

 

Please pardon the messy area near the csa area.  We are still cleaning out the barn and we have to sort everything out.   It's gonna take us a little bit as it's a toss up between mowing, picking veggies, and straightening-- and the straightening ends up last.  November is really when we straighten!

 

In the fridge will be green peppers, hot peppers and asian greens.

Now some of the asian greens I use like lettuce.  I put them on hamburgers instead of lettuce, I mixed them up today with tomato, basil, mozzarella,  olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cucumbers and asian greens.  Delightful lunch!

 

Outside is pretty much the same as last week with a variation on the potatoes.

Cucumbers - regular ones as well as those long asian cucumbers- try one out- they are funky shaped

Lot of tomatoes - I'm going to label a few this week so you know what they are-- lots of heirloom tomatoes, stuffer tomatoes (hollow tomatoes that look like peppers but they are yellow and red striped) and amish paste

Cantaloupes and watermelons - I would say I'm about 80% great hit ratio on the melons - one of out 4 is just ok-- but then the 4 of 5 are fabulous.

One more round of spaghetti squash

New zucchini and yellow squash

Brown bag of potatoes- i didn't cut open a potato as I was bagging tonight but I want to say that they are a yellow potato  - from what I remember from last year - great flavor

Take 4 large and a few small of white potatoes - these are again not ours and not organically raised but they are local.  The potatoes are just so huge that again - I buy them each year.

Another round of german extra hardy garlic for the garlic fans

 

 

Now this time of year I get comments about how you don't have to buy much at the grocery store because you've got a lot to eat from the CSA.  I like to hear that and I hope that you've got enough to at least get you through quite a few dinners during the week.  These are the tomato weeks so if you can't eat all your tomatoes take some that are paste tomatoes and try out making sauce and freezing it.  You'll love the flavor in mid-January.  I'm thinking that we have another solid 4 weeks of tomatoes and then they will taper off.  Hopefully I timed the cherry tomatoes so that those will go into October- that was my plan so we'll see if it happens.

 

The winter squash is growing nicely and the pumpkins look good as well.  I'm still crossing my fingers as I had a bug problem last year so I'm hoping they all make it and we have a big harvest.  I'm feeling pretty good after all the melons but I don't want to get too excited.

 

By the way - those small round cantaloupes are fabulous.  They don't look very exciting on the outside and so I didn't even try one until today and it was fabulous.  The honeydew melons are the melons that I've give a so-so in terms of flavor.  They are good but just not too sweet.

 

 

Week 14

 

This week still looks a lot like the past few weeks:

 

In the fridge will be a little more:

Hot peppers

Bell/sweet peppers - Some bags have bigger peppers, some have lots of those cute small peppers that I love using for shish kabobs- just put them on whole!

Asian Greens-- the asian greens grew great with the cooler weather last week

French Breakfast radishes-- I'll leave bags out- I know not everyone likes them but then those that do really love them- if you sautee them then they loose their spice

Kale - I'll also leave a few bags of Kale-- not sure how many of you like Kale but I'll find out soon enough!

Green Beans - I say this loosely as they are yellow, purple and green

 

Outside:

Zucchini-- there are a few new varieties I didn't plant in the first go around - the green/yellow combo squash and the almost polka dotted zucchini

Spaghetti squash- one more round -- but more out in the garden growing for in a few weeks.

Cucumbers- might be on the tail end of cucumbers as something got them-

Watermelon-- last of the striped watermelon- there is still 1 more variety to harvest called a moons and stars watermelon- but i keep trying and they are not ripe yet.  I just don't want them to split.

Potatoes- lots of them-- 3 types this week

         -the standard bag of potatoes from our garden

         -the 4-6 large potatoes - not organic from the other farmers garden

         -then this week only--- take as many potatoes as you want from the bucket that says- take as many as you want.  I will leave brown bags for you to fill- but seriously- if the first person comes and wants the entire bucket and can eat them-- take them.  They were in the ground a little too long and so they are pretty sensitive- they need to be eaten this week.  There may be a few bad spots on them but again they are good and if you want to feed yourself cheap this week on potatoes-- let me help out.  I've got my own pile I'm trying to eat- no complaints from my family yet.

Tomatoes - lots again-  Stuffer tomatoes again this week.  Also try at least 1 of the green zebra striped heirloom tomato.  The tomato is supposed to be green.  I realized a lot of you were likely not taking them as you thought they weren't ripe.  One CSA member on Friday pointed that out to me.  He said- is it ripe?  Of course, I said.  Then realized I'm the only one who knows it's ripe.  The yellow and orange tomatoes are doing great.  The red ones keep splitting on me but you'll see some smaller red and pink brandywine tomatoes.  Nothing can ruin a brandywine tomato.  They are the tried and true tomato that every gardener needs to have as a backup.

 

 

Thanks to everyone who has been working their hours.  It has really made a difference in the garden.  Let me know when you have time to make up the remainder of your hours.  I'm usually in the garden Sat and Sunday and I can also have a task or 2 ready for you to do that will fill the time you give me.

 

The winter squash are growing nicely- get ready for a lot of acorn squash and butternut squash.  They are looking fabulous.  There are also lots of other various squash I'm growing so who knows what will do well- but lots of little squash out there.  I'm waging a war right now in the pumpkin patch with powdery mildew.  I'm using organic sprays but that means they are likely not as strong as other sprays so I'm doing my best.  So far I would say I'm winning- I see lots of small pumpkins but I think I'm going to be spraying the leaves for the next 6 weeks.  The key is to let the leaves keep helping the pumpkins grow so as long as I'm keeping it contained then we'll have a lot of pumpkins as well.

 

There is a patch of cherry tomatoes that may be ready for you all to pick your own in 2 weeks.  I'm calling it the late season cherry tomato crop.  It looks like about 14 or so plants made it so we've got a cherry tomato plant per share- so a lot of them!

 

I also have eggplant that we planted back in say June- mid-June to be exact.  I finally am seeing a few eggplant on them- so who knows we could get eggplant.  I'm crossing my fingers.

 

-Enjoy the flowers-- there is that wonderful maroon and burnt orange colored straw flower that looks great as a backdrop to other flowers.

 

I spoke too soon as the new beef and pork is still not in!  I'm really thinking next week - Sept 6th week we'll have it back.  The beef is getting a nice bit of aging so it should be fabulous.  It will have been aged for at least 21 days and maybe has been for even longer.   Though I still do have mergueze lamb sausage and ground beef in 2lb packages if you'd like that.

 

 

Week 15

 

This week:

 

Cucumbers- last week likely for cucumbers as they got eaten by some bug or plant disease

Peppers- Hot and sweet--- a huge bag of both-- prepare for lots of peppers the last few weeks-- peppers have done extremely well this year

Zucchini- still pumping out enough for a few a week

Bok Choi - -- beautiful!

Other asian greens and radishes- for those who like the other asian greens, radishes and kale-- I'll have it out for those that like them - the other asian greens are long!

Lettuce- a bit of lettuce this week and more in the coming weeks as the cooler weather is back

Garlic- this week is a small but very pretty garlic called Russian redneck garlic

Watermelon- might  be the last week for watermelon- we'll see-- the predominant watermelon you'll see is called Moons and stars- I think it's a pretty good watermelon though I'm still partial to the smaller ones

Potatoes again-- a bag, the big white ones and still have more of the all you can take potatoes

Tomatoes - a little less tomatoes this week - but they are still going strong - lots of yellow and orange tomatoes this year for some reason- they are beautiful and delicious

You'll like also choose one 'squash' item--- either a spaghetti squash or an acorn squash- see the show and tell shelf with 3 types of squash that are coming- acorn, buttercup, delicata - then later we'll have butternut as well plus more funky squash in a few weeks.

Friday's pickup just might get an eggplant- I finally have eggplant after 7 months- who knew it would take that long to grow

 

Get ready for squash- Acorn squash, butternut squash, Buttercup squash and delicata squash will be the ones you'll start to see Week 16 and on.  Start reading up on them and finding recipes.  When you see the Delicata squash you may first stare in disbelief like I did-- it's a huge squash- so I hope you all like squash.

 

 

Week 16 - Squash month has officially begun!

 

To kick off the new season- lots of squash this week!  Well, lots of different squash this week.  The butternut squash looks like it will be ready to pick end of this week.

 

2 white acorn squash

1 item from the random squash shelf - green and or another pretty white/green squash or the last of the baby spaghetti squash

1 buttercup squash

1 banana squash-- this is a HUGE squash

2 zucchini or last of the cucumbers

10 tomatoes this week - starting to wind down slowly with tomatoes

4 decorative pumpkins/gourds

1 bag of potatoes

1 melon- this week is really the last week of melons

2 more russian red garlic bulbs

hot peppers

sweet/bell peppers

more bok choi / or swiss chard - you pick

you pick kale or asian greens or swiss chard-- the swiss chard is a large leafy swiss chard

 

 

Now I'm not an expert in squash other than having my favorite acorn squash recipe that involves cutting the squash in half, scooping out the seeds and filling with cream and garlic and herb of choice and then cooking in oven till soft in a pan with 1/4 inch or so of water and then putting gruyere cheese to melt on top.   It's a Martha Stewart recipe and I got hooked on it last year.

 

The squash will last a long time so you don't have to cook them this week as when you cook that Banana squash you may want to be ready to eat that for 5 meals in a row all week.

 

Week 17

 

 

Tomatoes again-- still a good amount this week - Tuesday will definitely get another 15 and hopefully Friday as well - We may have another few weeks left!

1 item from the Misc shelf-- this shelf will be around the last 4 weeks as there will be leftover odds and ends (zucchini, cucumbers, last of watermelon- there was an eggplant last week too that finally decided to grow)

1 item from the random squash shelf-- the white with green striped little acorn looking squash is a Sweet Dumpling

2 garlic - this week is called Giant Applegate Garlic - though it's not all that Giant- but very tasty

1 butternut squash

4 decorative gourds/mini pumpkins

1 larger squash- you choose-- you'll have to see what is left when you arrive - remember all these squash will last at least a month or so - you don't have to eat them yet.

Some tart local apples from a local farmer- I traded greens for apples since we had way too many greens - you'll get 3 of the big tart ones and 1 gala (sweet) apple

1 cajeta dipping sauce - this is a gift from me- you don't have to take it and to be correct I'll say take at your own risk-- again it's a gift - it is goats milk, sugar, vanilla extract, baking soda, and then cinnamon and nutmeg to flavor -- it is cooked down for 5-6 hours -- I cooked it down this weekend and it's great.  I thought this would be a fun thing for you to dip the apples in!  So enjoy.  It's my thank you for being in the CSA.

Bell peppers--- these are growing like crazy-- so another huge bag-- enjoy them and freeze them or save them for winter!

Hot peppers - again-- growing like crazy

Greens-- lettuce is back with the weather being cool and there will be other greens- kale and random greens-- pick 2 from that shelf

 

There are still lots of squash growing but not ripe-- there are getting there.

I'm winning the battle so far with the pumpkins and powdery mildew-- but the yield is not going to be what I wanted.  I was hoping for 3-4 jack-o-lantern size pumpkins for all of you but so far I'm counting about 2 per share.  Which isn't terrible but we'll see if a few more sprout up- the ones that are growing though are pretty big.  I can see about 10 of them that I would venture might be 25 or 30 lbs already.  I will have about 1 roasting type pumpkin per person as well- but well short of what I was hoping for.  I'm using an organic spray for the pumpkins and it's working ok-- but organic sprays are just not as strong so I'm hoping I can at least make it 3 more weeks-- then it really doesn't matter as the vines are going to die anyway.  Good news is that you will get 2 huge jack-o-lantern pumpkins in about 3 weeks so keep that in mind as you go to the store or go pumpkin picking- you've got 2 coming from the CSA.

 

Week 18

 

we're into fall items-- squash and greens....

 

butternut squash

1 random squash

1 random item from the 'random shelf'

1 spaghetti squash

1 pumpkin or squash--- all pumpkins this week and squash are good for soup, roasting and making pies and such.  Pumpkin crops in the midwest evidently didn't do well this year so be sure to take at least 1 pumpkin and bake it so you can puree and freeze for later.  canned pumpkin is going to be expensive.

Garlic

Tomatoes-- they are starting to fade but we'll have cherry tomatoes for 3 more weeks at least

small or 1 large gourd-- the large gourd you could dry out and make a birdhouse or a shaking instrument- I have no idea how to do that but I'm sure you can find out on-line

hot peppers

bell peppers--- still a lot of these!

lettuce - yeah!!!  this year was a hot year and not good for lettuce.  a bunch of you remember last year where you got A LOT of lettuce-- i had a lot of lettuce this year that grew but it was so bitter that it was wasted during July-Aug.  but now we're back to cooler temps!!

arugula or some other spicy green

spinach -

 

 

If you are on Foursquare-- we encourage you to check us out--  Mike is determined to win back status as mayor of our own farm as one CSA member has become the mayor.

If you have no idea what I"m talking about then you should check out Foursquare- we've resisted but like anything else internet related, the network effect is sucking us in.

 

Weeks 19 and 20 I'll be putting out jack-o-lantern pumpkins-

I'm pretty sure we'll go longer than week 20 for the csa given what's still growing.  As a reminder we say 20 weeks but we'll go until it's really not worth it for you to come and get stuff.

I think we'll have 22 weeks and maybe 23 weeks.

 

 

Week 19

This week you will get a box from the fridge - inside will be

-hot pepper

-bell peppers

-broccoli!  - first picking

-lettuce

-spinach

-some greens-- asian/kale--- whatever looks good when Mike goes out to pick

then outside.....

you'll get 2 jack o lantern pumpkins - the little ones are really not jack-o-lanterns but pie pumpkins - so you choose 2

Then 2 butternut squash

2 acorn squash -

2 buttercup squash

2 items from the random squash and leftover cucumbers, zucchini, etc shelves-- the squash here are eating squash and pretty big

2 garlic cloves

a few tomatoes -- big tomatoes are pretty much done but there are now pick your own cherry tomatoes across the field from the blueberries/raspberries- if you need help finding them let us know-

more gourds- this week there is also a huge 'bowl gourd'.  I'll get the exact name but you let it dry and you can use it as a bowl (that's what the catalogue said)

 

 

Also- don't forget the flowers!  The Dahlia's are out and they are fabulous!!!  I am excited (if you can't tell).

 

 

Week 20

 

Lots of greens this week- broccoli, lettuce, asian greens, etc - will depend what looks good and that will be in boxes in fridge

Still lots of peppers - mild and hot

2 more jack o lantern type pumpkins or you can take the little eating pumpkins

more eating squash - you can roast it, make pies, etc.

acorn squash

buttercup squash - I finally had this last weekend and it is really good.  one CSA member said she cut it in half and scooped out insides and then filled with sausage and baked it in the oven! yum!

gourds-- lots of gourds - these are just fun to grow- you can make a birdhouse or a bowl or just take the small ones as decoration

garlic

some last potatoes

butternut squash

 

 

We think we'll have 2 more weeks of mostly greens and a little more squash and more peppers

So we'll go till week 22.

 

We've decided to let the rest of the turkeys go until thanksgiving - so let us know if you wanted a bigger turkey (could be 30lbs or a 20lber).  There will likely only be fifteen 20 lb turkeys and the rest will be 25+.  Flat price of $75/turkey.

 

 

Week 21-- the first bonus week!

 

So what we are left with is squash and pumpkins and gourds

This week I counted and I think you can take 7 or 8  squash/pumpkin items of your choice-- you choose from all the shelves.  plus you can take a big gourd and some small ones.

I would encourage you to try a baby hubbard squash or a big one.  They are the blue squash but they are orange inside.  I've not tried one but I have one in my basement for later in the winter to eat.

The only squash that really won't keep is the one that looks like it has warts all over it.  That one is supposed to be a great pumpkin pie pumpkin.  I saw them at Baughers and they called it a peanut pumpkin.

 

Mike will count again and write up how many to take on the board.

We also have peppers-- hot and mild--- PLEASE take peppers and make something, freeze them, dry them, can them-- use them!   They did great this year and I couldn't have been happier.

The raspberries are still there--- some folks thought they were only spring time or summer but no, no, no.  In that raspberry plot are over 20 different varieties of raspberries and in there are ones that will go till the first hard frost.  So check them out-- with all the rain there are some great ones in there.

 

There will be lettuce and some other greens.  Depends what mike finds.  There are califlower and brussel sprouts growing but they may not make it--- I may be sending you a note at thanksgiving telling you to come get brussels sprouts.....

 

There are also cherry tomatoes to pick your own.  I think you all know where they are - so have at it.  You are also welcome to walk around the garden and pick whatever you find (except for the cabbage/broccoli/brussel sprout plot which still needs time and I hope to give you as soon as they hurry up and grow faster).

 

Also-- pick the flowers and herbs.  Pick herbs and take them home to dry.  Pick the dahlias- again gorgeous.

 

The CSA has bonus weeks - but eggs at this point will be $5/dozen as this time of year the hens are at low production so we just went from 3 dozen a day down to 1 dozen a day.  If you find the 1 1/2 dozen containers- those will be $5 as well as they last.  But then the regular dozen will be $5/dozen.

 

This is Week 22 and bonus week #2.

 

Now some of you I know trailed off last week and you told me it was your last week.

For those who still want to come out- this is what you'll have.

 

Please save this email for reference and bring with you to figure out what to take:

It's all picked as of yesterday so come on out- regardless of your day-- it'll be there till next Sunday.

 

So inside:

-heads of cabbage- take one-- they still seemed like they needed 2-3 more weeks but I can't be stuck with 30 heads of cabbage mid november- so they are picked

-peppers-- mild--- oh boy-- lots of bell-- take them and freeze them, eat them... they will last about 8 weeks

                        the bell peppers are all the ones in buckets- put them in bags and take!

peppers hot-- again dry them, eat them,etc.--- these are in a plastic bag between the bell peppers and purple radishes

Purple radishes- now they look like beets but they are just huge purple radishes-- take what you want.  Radishes are good when sauteed.

Crazy little cucumbers - they look like little watermelons but they are tart and crunchy cucumbers- take a handful - they are in front of the hot pepper bag

If there are any bags of random stuff on the shelf under the peppers/radishes/crazy cucumbers- then first come can take 

 

Outside-- 

take some gourds

take 8 items from the shelves-- still lots of squash and pumpkins- 

Cherry tomatoes--- i had help this weekend picking so everyone gets tomatoes-- prepicked-- if you want more go pick more in the garden

There are some random cucumbers and other stuff--- first come, first serve-- they aren't the best looking but they still taste ok

 

There are still raspberries and flowers and herbs----- pick herbs and dry them-- you'll be happy you did in December.

If you want anything in the garden- feel free to walk around- the only patch still in process is the califlower/brussel sprout area

there are a lot of greens you can pick through if you liked those-- but feedback was that you got enough greens the last 3 weeks and you have enough.--- but if you want more- let me know and we'll show you where to pick.

 

 

Last but not least, THANK YOU!!!!  

You were all wonderful this year and I thank you for being part of our farm.  

If you are a die hard veggie greens lover--- send me an email and let me know.  You are welcome to walk the gardens and take whatever you want after this week till it dies off or we till it under.    If you are one of the die hards- I know that you already know where everything is- because you've already asked and found the extra asian greens.

 

We will take sign ups for the next year CSA starting today.  We always say we only want 8-10 full shares and so we're going to try to stick to that number again this year and see how it goes and not take more than we want.  However, if anyone knows someone who wants a part time job June-August that pays horribly but that has great food benefits-- let us know!  We might consider expanding if we found the right person to run the garden.

 

Keep in touch over the winter:

Next years CSA will have flowers like this year, more garden boxes near the barn for herbs and lettuces that are going to be pick your own and irrigation will be purchased for the blueberries.  We are also deciding whether we want to do a cold frame to extend the CSA and do a fall/winter CSA for next year.  We aren't sure yet so we'll see.  

 

Friend us on facebook or check out my blog:  I'll post about the CSA plans and meat and all things on the farm.

 

http://greenakeys.blogspot.com/

 

 

Signing off.....

 

Annette and Mike