A Good Fall Vegetable Harvest

 

 

Andy says that Jack Frost came for a visit last week so that means the end to frost susceptible plants.  But he does have peppers growing in the hophouse.  They will show up in our boxes in a few weeks.

Even with the cooler weather, there are still plenty to do on the farm.  Harvesting sweet potatoes is the main chore at the moment. There is a good crop. Andy even dug up a sweet potato that weighed in close to 5 pounds.  Also he noticed that there are plenty of odd shapes and some roughness  on the surface.  He is not sure what has cause that but he suspects it might be a potassium deficiency.  They may look a little different then the ones that you might buy in the store but they should be fine to eat.

During the month of November the farm will be offering a sale on maple syrup.  A 15% discount for any maple syrup orders...any quantity can be ordered.

Some sad news to report...Chocolate Drop got sick and died a few days after I dropped him off.  Andy isn't sure what it was.  But he has heard of other rabbits with the same symptoms.  So I'll visit my friends and pick up a new one in a few weeks.  The kids are so sad.

So Much Goodness In One Box

Got a note from Andy saying that they are getting colder weather and he thinks by this time this week they should have. Which means that will be an end to the beans, tomatoes, peppers and strawberries.  But the more hardy crops...turnips, broccoli, cabbage, chard, spicy greens, lettuce and radishes...should be fine.  There are lots of vegetables in storage...potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, and winter squashes.  And I know Andy and his crew are thrilled that they have finished planting all the garlic for next year.  The next project is to get all the sweet potatoes out of the ground!

 

There are so many vegetables in this weeks box...and they are all my favorites!  Little things stuck in all the nooks and crannies of the box.

A First For Me

This is the first week since I have been involved with the CSA that Andy or Lizzie has been to busy to write a newsletter.  And to add to that, Rue and Susan, the couple that help with the communications for the farm, are out of town enjoying some family time. 

 

And I thought that spring was the busiest time for them.  Our boxes were full to overflowing again this week.  I have never seen a bigger head of broccoli!  And strawberries...what a sweet surprise!

Slowing Down?

Has anyone noticed that the days are getting shorter?  The weather is getting cooler?  And the leaves are starting to turn.  All of this means that some of the work on the farm is beginning to slow down.  Andy says that this is his favorite time of year.  Work might be slowing down from the spring and summer shares, but there is still work to do, plenty of it.  The sweet potatoes are needing to be dug up.  Andy and his crew do all the digging by hand.  Talk about a job!  And then there is planting of the garlic for next year.  Hopefully these two projects will be accomplished in the next two or three weeks.

Along with shorter days and cooler nights, comes a change in the plants that are to be harvested.  Which means a whole new menu.  More green and less tomatoes and sweet corn.  Oh how I am going to miss that sweet corn!

Even with things beginning to slow down, our boxes are full to over flowing.

Running out to the farm on Saturday to deliver a buck mini Rex so Anna can begin raising rabbits.  Can't wait to see how much Fluffy has grown.

Those Are Some Really Big Radishes

This is the first week of the fall share.  And once again the boxes are packed really full. Must be all the good weather we have been having.  And had been surprised with the moisture that he has found in the ground while digging sweet potatoes,  He thinks the cooler weather and the shorter days keeps in moisture in the ground longer.

The fall crops are still looking good.  There should be a good sweet potato harvest this year.  The regular potatoes are looking just a s good.  Andy says that tomatoes are starting to slow down but we are still getting lots.  He seems to think they are slowing down a few  weeks sooner than he thought they would.  There is a large patch of green beans that they are starting to hardest from.  He is hoping they will last until the frost.

In this weeks box you will find a large leafy green leaf with red stems.  That would be Swiss chard, my all time favorite vegetable in the entire world.  The long red vegetable with green leaves that looks like a radish on steroids, is actually a "Shunkyo" radish.  It is a little more spicy than most radishes.  More mild radishes will be coming later in the fall. 

If you have a moment, please take the time to email Rue and he can let Andy how you are liking your boxes.  If you have any questions or suggestions.  Any feedback is helpful.  If you would like to send along a recipe to share, please email me.  Both email are listed on the right side of the blog.