Week 9

If you were to walk around the farm right now you would probably think it looks great but I see signs of decline.  The plants look a little tired.  I am happy it is August.  It has felt like August for weeks and now, finally, it is okay that I feel exhausted, that everything has a quarter inch of dust on it, that I am tired of being hot, that I am eating tomatoes and watermelon.  It is okay that I broke down and bought some tater tots at the corner store.  It all makes sense now - it is August.  Why those things were all happening in July I don't know and I don't really like it.  I don't feel like any part of the garden or any crop is in particular jeopardy but things just aren't normal out there.  It is unusual to see yellowing on both the melons and the winter squash leaves this early.  I suspect it is just a sign that the plant is at a more mature state than it usually is this time of year.  We won't be putting pie pumpkins in your boxes on Labor Day but they might be ready to harvest!   One thing that has become normal for us is to see downy mildew in our onions.  We have taken to purchasing an organic approved fungicide (actinovate) in the beginning of the season so that we are prepared.  This year our onions look great, probably the best year ever, and there is no sign of downy mildew.   I suppose that in some ways all this variation is normal.  The weather is never consistent and no season is ever the same as the previous one.

Tonight after dinner we are going to go on a melon exploratory mission.  Over the past week we have eaten one very under ripe watermelon, one almost ripe watermelon, one ripe decent watermelon and one fantastic ripe watermelon along with a decent pile de sapo melon.  I don't know if we will have melons for your boxes tomorrow but we will definitely have some for you all to eat while you pack up your veggies.

I hope you all had a great weekend.  Our tired faces may not always show it but we appreciate the heck out of you folks.  Thank you for joining the farm share.

More than most weeks I am a little unsure of exactly what is going to be in your boxes.  I will update this list when I become more certain.

Carrots
Cilantro
Red Onion - Our onions are falling over already(the sign that they are done growing).  These are mature onions but they are not cured/dried down.  They can be left on your counter out in the open but they may attract fruit flies.  Your other option is to put them in a bag in the fridge(don't do this with cured onions).
Garlic
Broccoli
Cherry Tomatoes - Small Share Only 
Slicing Tomatoes - Large Share Only 
Green Cabbage- Small Share Only
Eggplant - Large Share Only
Melons - a definite maybe

The barley salad I made last week was awesome.  Here is a link.

 Grilled Vegetable and Barley Salad