Another smooth week on the farm that seemed to just slip on by. The days are still long but somehow they seem shorter than they should be. Morning are sung away by the song birds all around and the afternoons just mosey on off without even saying good by. I even wear a watch, but I have a hard time trusting the digital numbers that seems to spin like a speedometer on our farm truck. It’s hard to keep up with it all when you’re chasing after the time.
This week was pleasant and surprisingly cool again. I give thanks for every day that passes below 85 degrees. We wake, we work, we rest and all of the chores, the weeding, the harvesting and the planting seems to just happen. I hardly can believe it all as the earth swells into life with gorgeous lettuce, stunning broccoli and amazing cauliflower. We watch as our year round efforts pay off with every cut of every stem at every harvest. Even as humble farmers who make a very modest living we feel so rich and lucky to live here, in the land of plenty. I will have to say that this is, by far, our best growing season yet as independent farmers on our own land. Never before has our gardens looked so good or given so much. I get the feeling sometimes that we must be doing something right!
Our week passed by with keeping up with the broccoli, zucchini and summer squash harvesting which must happen every day. The plants are producing so well, it’s hard to harvest everything at the time it needs to be harvested at. We managed to weed the entire pepper and eggplant patch while beginning the weeding on the tomatoes and celery again. We removed the pea trellising, trellised the tomatoes and welcomed home our second batch of chickens that we are raising up as meat birds for harvest in the fall.
Julie and Drew are taking care of their baby chickens that they hatched out from their incubator. They’re enthralled with the miracle of a baby chicken hatching form an egg that they collected and placed in an incubator to hatch out after 21 days of patiently waiting and monitoring the humidity percentages. They are caring for 30 baby chickens which will become hens that will lay eggs. The chickens they are raising will not be for meat, but for becoming a part of the farm family. Unfortunately, they will not begin to lay eggs until November of this year, so we’re hoping to have Julie and Drew back next year and using their chickens as bait to lure them back in, as their chickens will be laying eggs in full force by next spring!
Kohlrabi– You may have received a white or purple kohlrabi. This is in the same family as broccoli, kale, cauliflower and cabbage. Stores best in a plastic bag in refrigerator. Can keep for up to a month with it’s leaves cut off.
Head Lettuce– Lots more where this came from! Stores best in a plastic bag in the refrigerator to preserve moisture.
Cauliflower– Beautiful and large heads of cauliflower. They do seem to bruise easily, so please handle them carefully. Stores best in a plastic bag in the refrigerator to preserve moisture.
Basil– Just a sprig for now as we are pruning the plants a little to encourage them to bush out. Does not refrigerate well, will turn black in the refrigerator if not in a plastic bag. Can also be kept in a glass jar of water and kept like fresh cut flowers until used on your counter.
Broccoli– Maybe one more week of broccoli. Stores best in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Fennel– Popular as a vegetable in Italy, it can be thinly sliced and eaten plain or as part of a vegetable platter. It is often served with just salt and olive oil as a simple appetizer or salad course. It can be chopped up into salad as celery, and indeed used almost anywhere celery is used. I once saw it added to chili -it was delicious. Stores best in a plastic bag in the fridge, don’t forget to use the greens too!
Green Cabbage– Stunningly perfect looking. Will keep for a few weeks at least in the crisper drawer in your fridge. But hopefully you eat it before them because we still have lots more cabbage to give.
Summer Squash or Zucchini– The zucchini’s are green and the summer squash is yellow. Their flavor is remarkably similar. Stores well in a cool place. Does not necessarily need refrigeration, but no warmer than 50 degrees. Hope you like to incorporate these veggies into your diet as there will be lots more where these came from!
Bunch Onions– The return of the bunching onions. We thought we would give them a couple more weeks to fill out some. Stores best in a plastic bag in fridge with tops trimmed off or standing up in a glass of water in fridge with root submerged in water.
Next Week! A short list of items that we may have next week, but will not promise to have. Due to the unexpectedness of the season and perishable nature of produce, anything could pop up or go down hill unexpectedly.
Head Lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, fresh garlic, radicchio, green onions, kale, summer squash/zucchnini
Roasted Zucchini with Garlic Recipe
Hungarian Creamy Kohlrabi Soup
