Farm News – October 7, 2019
Hi Folks! So, on the weather front we have good news and bad news. We received 0.8 of an inch of rain which has alleviated the dry state we were in. Overnight on Friday we had our first frost of the season. This is about 10 days earlier than the average first frost for our area and was most unwelcome. It was a fairly light frost and we were expecting it, so we did what we could to protect some of the more tender crops. We covered some of the peppers, beans, and the summer squash and I got up in the wee hours to turn on the sprinklers to protect a few other crops.
Most of what we are providing in the shares these days are crops that are already in storage (potatoes, winter squash, etc.) or are quite hardy. The sweet potato vines were blackened although not totally killed. Even so, we will begin harvesting them this week and they will be the shares for next week. Yum! The parsnips are always sweeter after a frost so we can now begin to dig them and hopefully you will dig them too – lol.
The cauliflower has been heading up prolifically during the past week and so it will make its first appearance in the shares. We also have an abundance of radishes at present so we will be doubling up on the root vegetables this round. I know not everyone is a radish fan, so I’ll remind you that when cooked they lose their bite. They are quite good in stir fries or soups, and the leaves are quite nutritious as well. If you know you won’t be able to use them quickly, remove the tops and store the roots in a bag or airtight container. This way they will keep for weeks, if not months, until you can use them. We are also sending some ornamental warted gourds in the shares this week – seasonal decoration for your home. I trust that most of you will know what they are, but I like to mention it because if you try to cook them you will be most disappointed!
The share for this week will be: Peppers, broccoli or Napa cabbage, purple majesty potatoes (purple inside too), parsnips, lettuce, radishes, choice of arugula or other mustard green, acorn squash, garlic, cauliflower, choice of an herb (parsley, dill, or cilantro), and warted gourds. Premium members will also receive a choice of kale or Swiss chard and bok choi.
The fruit share for this week will be: Blondie apples and pears.
Enjoy! Farmer John
