Hotter than July

What’s in Upic?……

Flowers      Herbs         Beans

Cherry Tomatoes

Hey everyone. Summer marches forward, independent of the calendar! Our kids started getting on the school bus this week (Leila to kindergarten!) and it’s dark at 4:30 in the morning now, so it should be fall, but ninety degrees and humidity?

Maura, the kids, and I had a great week away full of swimming, eating, family, and resting. We came back to a farm that looked ship shape, thanks the exceptionally hard work of the farm crew. This a tough time to get away as there is so much to harvest, on top of all the other usual crazy stuff. Having a group of solid, focused, farmers to run this complicated place made it possible and we are very grateful.

Carrots are back in the share this week and we hope to have a good supply for you from here on out. This week’s variety is probably the longest we have ever grown. Some are over 18” long. We’re not sure why they are so long but we’re happy to have carrots of any length back in the mix. Bumped off the roster are summer squash and zucchini. We had a good run with them this season and this time of year it always seems okay to say goodbye. After a winter away they always taste that much better in the spring. In addition to adding carrots, we also have the return of cabbage. Gear up for this crop as we have more coming in the weeks ahead. Don’t get behind! Pretend the heat is Fourth of July and make another round of cole slaw. Our favorite recipe is on the website (along with a few others) http://crystalspringcsa.com/archives/category/recipes/cabbage

What goes better with cabbage than potatoes? Next Monday join us in the fields for our famous Labor on Labor Day potato harvest. On Monday September 6 at 10 a.m. we will be harvesting our potato crop. This is a blast for all ages and a great way start the fall season. The tractor digs the potatoes and we pick them up. Kids love this event and don’t even think of it as work! We’ll meet in the field. Just look for the equipment and park where you can.

Canning and preserving demos next week during pickup at the farm. Come watch Kathy Savoie of Maine Cooperative Extension demonstrate the basics of water bath canning. Kathy is also an expert in all types of food preservation and storage and will be on hand from 2-4 on both Tuesday and Friday (September 7th and 10th) to demonstrate and answer questions.

What to expect in your share this week…

Broccoli               Arugula

Cabbage               Carrots

Lettuce                 Melon

Peppers                Tomatoes

Asian Greens       Chickories

Look for leeks, beets and our first winter squash in the next few weeks! Pray for rain, but no hurricanes.