Week 7

On Friday evening we got a text from some friends in Portland asking if we were in the mood for some company on Saturday.  They offered to come a different weekend if that was better.  Honestly, it wasn't a great weekend.  Our house was riding a fine line between not so tidy and embarrassingly messy, well, okay, no it wasn't, it was embarrassingly messy.  I wasn't really sure when we would fine time in less than 24 hours to clean it but sometimes company is good motivation and I love a deadline.  I work myself into a frenzy, spin in circles, get a little irrational and some how in spite of myself, still manage to get stuff done when there is a deadline.  That is also a little how I am feeling about the fun vegetable.  I have had a couple failures, frantically ordered some random seed and am hoping for the best but here we are at week 7 and you folks need some veggies!  It feels a little scattered but I have faith it will work out.   It still feels fun to me to be growing new stuff but I have to admit I am feeling a bit of pressure.   Next week we should have your first installment.  I do hope we get some heat…the lima beans aren't real impressed with what mother nature has dealt them and neither are a couple other heat loving crops.

One thing that is enjoying the cooler weather is the snap peas.  The ones in your boxes are out of the third planting.  The first two plantings typically do pretty well but the third one sometimes barely produces enough to cover the labor of putting up and taking down the trellis.  I am thrilled we are getting some good harvests off it.  People often ask how the weather is affecting the crops.  Most of the time something is happy regardless of whether the temperature is above or below average.   At the moment the peas are happy and the melons are probably going to be later this year than last year.    Regardless of the weather we should have some cherry tomatoes for you next week along with beans and maybe some fresh onions.  There will be a few pints of cherry tomatoes on the trade table this week.

Carrots 
Beets - A farm share member asked about beets last week and I thought you know it is time for beets again.  We haven't eaten any in a while and I am looking forward to having some tomorrow evening.  If the cooking time deters you I would recommend cooking them a night or two before you need them. After dinner give them a quick peel and throw them in the fridge.  Once cooked they also freeze nicely.
Head Lettuce
Japanese Cucumber 
Caribe Potatoes - After not having this variety of potato for a few years I am excited to have it back.  The past couple years we haven't been able to get it and in its place we have grown a potato with a blue skin and a gold flesh called Peter Wilcox.  PW is a nice potato but my heart still belongs to Caribe which has a bright purple skin and a white flesh.  It tastes as good, is early and is gorgeous.  Plus the farm Kelly worked on in Maine grew it when we were there and it has some nostalgia for me.  We roasted some on Saturday when our friends came over and I tossed them for the last couple minutes of cooking with garlic, parsley and scallions.  I should probably move on but I just can't get enough of that combination.
Snap Peas  - later gator - last round.
Cabbage - Last week we decided to for go the cabbage to the large shares in favor of cauliflower.  This week we have cabbage for everyone.
Parsley - Large Only