Month: July 2020

Persistent temperatures over 90 degrees and Heat Indexes over 100 degrees. If this does not make a Weather Warn Day, I don’t know what does! I am amazed the gardens have not totally wilted under the heat stress. Our drip irrigation ability does help somewhat. Behold . . .

In the box you will continue to see a variety of patty pan summer squash, zucchini (green, yellow and/or Italian), cucumbers, cabbage, and beans. We have three types of beans:  green flat beans, yellow flat beans, and long, round green beans.  The flat beans tend to get all mixed together when harvested as they are growing on opposite sides of the fence, but their vines do not “respect boundaries.”  Meaning they twist through the wire and get all mixed together.  Actually, they look prettier all mixed together anyhow.

You might find carrots or garden beets depending on the day. I fear the pretty carrots and the biggest beets are gone.  We are still getting some pretty heads of cauliflower from the last wave planted; although this string of 90 degree days is taking a toll on them and everything else for that mater.  Some of our pretty purple cabbage heads got sunburned and the green cabbages are not growing as we would prefer.  But, my haven’t we have some beautiful cauliflower heads?!

According to the Royal Horticultural Society, the bitter taste of some fruit is caused by an over-production of plant defense chemicals called cucurbitacins. This is mainly a problem in courgettes and summer squash and is caused primarily by a mutation within the plant where inadvertent cross-pollination may have occurred. High temperatures, dryness and other stresses when growing can also lead to an increase in cucurbitacins. I have not noticed any bitter tastes as of yet, but it is simply TOO HOT. I am sure everyone can agree upon this!

There will be late tomatoes. The plants are so loaded, we may harvest some green tomatoes just to lighten their load. Soon we will see eggplant and green, sweet bell peppers.  With a bit of luck these peppers will turn red, yellow and orange by sometime in September! And now for a bit of silliness . .  . just to gain size perspective.

There is a philosophy which says for no anxiety one must surrender to uncertainty. And another that says good “luck” is preparedness. Your CSA Farmers attempt to follow both of these philosophies! We do our best to be prepared and the weather is definitely uncertain–so we surrender! This has been another busy week. A great many weeds were pulled and a bit of mowing was accomplished. One must exercise different sets of muscles to endure farming.

Someone called today looking for blueberries. I understand Cloud Nine Farm has some late blueberries to pick this year.  The late frost took care of most of the area blueberries which were in full blossom at the time. On the other hand, we had a bountiful spring garden which successfully tided us over until our summer garden began to produce! Cross your fingers that our “luck” will hold out a bit longer.

Baby Bear can for a visit one day last week. A friend and I were sitting at the kitchen table in the window extension part of the kitchen at the time. Baby Bear sat down outside the window upon a rock and watched us for several minutes. I felt that WE were the animals in the cage and he was the wildlife viewer–a reverse zoo experience of sorts! My friend was wanting to leave so I went to the garage and laid on my vehicle horn. Baby Bear turned his head and only snorted. Obviously, he was quite content where he was! My friend tried the Panic Button on her vehicle which was parked in the drive. The erratic sound and flashing lights caused Baby Bear to quickly scoot up the hill to the next human visitation area. He was way too comfortable to make me happy, but he was!

Last week Robert and I witnessed a red fox come up the hill and trot the length of our front walk, then around the peony circle in the courtyard before he disappeared up the hill. Again, wildlife acting as if it was at home! At least the Coyote Family that lives in our woodpile stays in the field areas.

Next year we have decided to invest in a second deer fence to go around no only the spring garden but also the winter squash gardens. For the first time in 27 years, the turkeys ate out winter squash sprouts as quickly as they erupted from the soil. Why this year? Robert tried various maneuvers to scare them away and dutifully replanted the squash seeds until they finally had their fill of sprouts. I fear this winter crop may be delayed which I suppose will dovetail beautifully into the summer crop being delayed. Wildlife . . . Gotta love ’em!

In the box this week and next week look for a variety of patty pan summer squash, zucchini (green, yellow and/or Italian), green cabbage, the best red garden beets we have ever grown, and the best carrots we have ever grown! The carrots come in two varieties. One is crisp and crunchier and the other variety is more tender. See if you can tell the difference. They will be all mixed together and I will take the tops off as they are looking a bit ragged. Also, we will have heads of broccoli and cauliflower (again, some of the best we have ever grown!), a smattering of broccoli florets, and green or yellow flat beans and cucumbers which are getting a start. We think we have the sweetest cukes in Buncombe County! There will be the last of the kohlrabi and romaine and endive. This is the first of what we trust will be many Summer Veggie Bonanza Boxes with 13 different veggies and 31 – 32 different possible varieties–OH MY!!

There will be some funny looking carrots in the mix, but all in all, these are best Robert has ever pulled from the ground. Sometimes one is just “lucky.”

 

 

The boxes will contain broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli florets, beets, and the first of a variety of patty pan squash and zucchini (see the last post). There will also be green or purple kohlrabi and beautiful endive, escarole and romaine lettuce for your salads. Probably red or green kale and perhaps some flat beans–either green or yellow, as they are just getting started.

The cucumbers are still a few days out. Robert has them and the melons all weeded and the plants are looking good. Refer to the prior Blog for more information on the veggies in the boxes this week!

We trust you have enjoyed your Spring Season Veggies. Some of you will be happy and some of you will be sad about their disappearance. Whichever camp you fall into, remember the present is temporary and it will change tomorrow—just like the temperatures! Coming now are our early Summer Season Veggies.

Your next box will contain broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli florets, beets, and the  first of a variety of patty pan squash (see above), and zucchini which come in green, yellow and Italian varieties (see below). You will get only one squash or zucchini in this week’s box. Weather permitting, we shall have all you can possibly want as time progresses! There will also be an onion, green kale, and green and purple kohlrabi. We are harvesting the last of a wave of endive, escarole and romaine; therefore, these veggies will be random.

Our garden beet are red. Beets are closely related to Swiss chard. The colorful tops are sautéed as chard, spinach, and other greens. Beets may be eaten raw,  pickled for salads, or cooked whole–steamed, boiled or roasted, or tossed into a smoothie or onto a salad.

Fresh beet juice has a powerful red pigment which stains dish towels, wooden cutting boards and sinks. If your hands get stained, salt or lemon juice will remove the color. Note: Beet pigment can affect bodily fluids. The condition, called beeturia, is the excretion of red (or pink) beetroot pigment in urine and/or stool of some people. The pigment is harmless, but can be quite alarming to the unsuspecting.

To store cut off the greens of the beets one inch ABOVE the beet top because the leafy greens will quickly draw the moisture from the root greatly reducing the flavor. Also, leave the taproot intact to retain moisture and nutrients. Wash beets carefully with out breaking the skin. Breaks and tears allow color and nutritional value to escape. Beets stored in a plastic bag in a refrigerator (32°F and 95 percent humidity) last several weeks.

We will have green beans, cabbages, and potatoes (see above and behind Robert), and cucumbers. These crops all have flowers and are growing nicely at the present time. Robert plants multiple “waves” in multiple gardens for our kind of home-grown “crop insurance.”

Later still there will be tomatoes which are currently staked. Yes, you may have tomatoes that are ahead of ours; but we were busy planting and harvesting all of those other veggies you have been eating this spring when you were planting (only) your tomato plants! But we are happy to hear you are attempting to grow vegetables just the same. One can do much with a small patio garden!

Above you see ONE of our pepper and eggplant gardens! And in yet another garden there is a big maybe for cantaloupe and honey dew melons. The plants look good now, but harvest is still a ways off for them. We shall see what Mother Nature has in store for us this 2020 Harvest Season.

I made a great broccoli soup with white beans pureed in the mixture for added protein. And we convention oven baked some delicious kohlrabi slices last evening! I want to try kohlrabi au gratin with gruyere cheese as a member told me how delicious theirs was. So many veggies–so little time . . .