There is one thing to be said for the massive amount of rain we have been receiving: It makes the soil much easier to pull carrots out of the ground! If you have been in our CSA for the last 15 – 18 years, you know we have grown some rather funky carrots over the years. This year we are seeing the sweetest and prettiest carrots EVER. We are not sure why this is . . . the variety, the location in the garden, or just pure luck! Of course there will be some interesting funky carrot shapes, but there are many more pretty straight ones in 2021!
I trust you understand that much like the phases of the moon, the veggie production in the garden waxes and wanes. The patty pan and zephyr summer squash and zucchini are waning as are the cucumbers. The stress caused to the plants by the great amounts of rainfall followed by the heat and extreme dryness caused some much misshaped fruits and in some cases a bitter flavor in the cukes—in case you want an explanation for what you see and could possibly taste!
The green beans have been awesome as of recent; the okra production as well. We have some pretty cabbage heads. We are starting to see some tomatoes. There is actually ONE in each box on Friday. Like all other crops in the garden, they will start slowly, but we trust we will fill you up in the end.
The eggplants are beautiful this season! We eat skins and all and do not use salt in our preparation. They are growing rapidly right now which makes for tender skin with no bitterness.
Many of the potatoes have been harvested. The first went out this week. They are Russet baking potatoes; although, I made some awesome potato salad with a pot of them! Here is another variety just coming out of the ground—fewer of these, but one of our favorites!
We are also getting the first of our bell peppers. Some are longish and some traditionally shaped. All are sweet and chocked full of Vitamin C! If these peppers stay in the garden and hot sun long enough, they will turn red, yellow, and orange. I trust there will be some colorful peppers later in the season. The only problem is that as they become colorful and sweeter, the insects are more prone to “enjoy” them. I wonder if it is the flavor or the color that attracts the insects?
We are eating blueberries. If you want to come and harvest some blueberries, let me know and we will work out a time for you to come. You are welcomed to eat what you want in the garden. Anything you harvest we can go “shares on” meaning you take half and you leave half. This is the way my friend with the “commercial bushes” is doing it. Robert spent many, many days last winter trimming the bushes and removing weeds and sticker plants. Alas, they grow back too quickly.
We are entering the cornucopia of summer harvest season. Enjoy!!
Cane Creek Asparagus & Company CSA 