What’s in Upic?……
Flowers Herbs Beans (waning)
Cherry Tomatoes
I’m cold as I sit here in my sweatshirt writing. It is entirely too early to be cold. Especially since just a week ago I was hot, really hot. The vegetables don’t like these swings of temperature either, especially tomatoes. The quality and quantity of tomatoes will be falling off this week as we enter the time of year when all of these heat-loving crops begin to disappear and are replaced by those that grow and even thrive in the cold months ahead.
Along these lines, look for cabbage in your share again this week. Nothing is quite so versatile as the cabbage. It keeps forever, is packed full of vitamins and is great raw in slaw or cooked. This stuff is Maine soul food.
Before we take the headlong dive into winter and winter vegetables, we all love this period of September that is in between. Like June, the temps are crisp and comfortable. As it turns out, most of our greens crops also thrive this time of year. The arugula in your share this week is some of the nicest we have cut all year. It’s a bit spicy, probably from the heat at the end of August but the overall flavor and texture is great. Lettuce mix and chard are also is perfect form.
This will be the last week of beans in the upic field. What is out there is a bit long in the tooth but we thought we would leave them for you hardcore pickers to go over once more. With any luck the fall peas will be in before the end of September.
What to expect in your share this week…
Lettuce Potatoes
Cabbage Arugula
Kale Chard
Peppers Tomatoes
Asian Greens Chickories
Beets
High Tunnel. Some of you may notice the looming high tunnel next to the Upic field. This is the structure we built with a USDA grant that will allow us to extend our greens growing season starting next year. Our hardworking team of pig excavators prepared the 28 by 200 foot site earlier this summer. The pigs are now putting the finishing touches on next year’s upic field expansion project. Those pigs can work!
Fresh, the Movie. Fresh, a hopeful new film about our food system and, where it’s going and how to make it better for all humans. Showing at Bowdoin College Wednesday, September 22nd at 7pm.
Heavy Equipment. The dump trucks and excavators in our sheep pasture are working to improve the drainage to these areas. With less waterlogged soil we can grow better grass to feed healthier sheep…
Apples arrive from our friends at Willow Pond Farm in Sabattus. Low spray macs and pears along with the world’s best cider will be for sale at pick-up. If you are looking for something to do this next weekend there is apple picking at Willow Pond Farm with horse drawn wagon rides into the orchard and acres and acres of beautiful trees. Maura, the kids and I spent some time there this last Saturday frolicking.
Race 4 Space. The Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust’s annual running and walking benefit event will be this Sunday September 19th. This is a great event for the whole family with a 4 mile run to the ocean, a mile timed run, a kids fun run and a guided walking tour of historic Pennellville, center of Brunswick shipbuilding past. More info and at www.btlt.org
or call 729.7694.
Bags. Please bring clean dry bags for your produce to pick-up…If you have extras bring them along to share.