Labor Day

Labor Day has come and gone and we are still getting a massive volume of beautiful green beans from our garden. Furthermore, the plants are still blooming! Robert said he was going to harvest every single bean. I think a challenge is coming down from The Heavens to hold him to his declaration! If you want a new way to eat green beans, consider running them through a slicer, sprinkling with EVOO, and roasting them in the oven. This is a great way to prepare them for the freezer, too!

The blueberries did not turn out the way we would have liked. The rains came at the incorrect time which caused the berries to explode. Also, for the first time in thirty years, the bears decided to visit our berry patch. They did a great deal of damage to the bushes in addition to eating everything they could easily reach. You can see from this photo there is no walkway or tunnel between the rows due to the fact they pulled down and broke many plants in an attempt to reach the higher blueberries.

Everyone should have received a cantaloupe over the past couple of weeks. I put this fruit in the same category as avocados when it comes to picking a “ripe” one. I trust you got a tasty one or two! Speaking of tasty, the last potatoes you received in your veggie box are our new favorite! With its smooth skin, creamy texture, and exceptional flavor, we were particularly pleased. We just planted a few as this was a new variety which we wanted to try out, so do not expect any more this season; but you can be sure we will be planting these again next year.

Our sunflowers were glorious this season! In two and one-half weeks, it will be Autumn. We have waves of sweet bell peppers and eggplant and tomatoes to go with the potatoes and green beans and (sometimes) okra. There will be more carrots and cabbage at some point. The peppers are just beginning to turn colors! The heat from the sun is perfect for making bell peppers sweet. The same thing goes for the tomatoes! We trust you agree they were worth the wait!

Bring Forth Food From The Earth

Robert and I believe that real food is created by God.  The Earth is a delicate balance of Nature; therefore, each creature (even those we call pests) is intertwined with one another.  On our small, family farm we do our best to work with nature using pest control management systems which do not include toxic chemicals but rather respect the purity of the Earth (and of our bodies).  Some growing seasons are better than others; some crops are better than others.  All in all, we feel the 2022 Harvest Season was a successful one.  We had a beautiful variety of luscious greens, the summer squashes bountiful, the green beans magnificent, the eggplant majestic, and the late tomatoes definitely worth the wait! 

Broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbages before the rain . . .

Thinking back one CSA Member recalled the monster potatoes we were able to grow in 2021.  “The small ones are delicious, but what happened this year?” he asked.  I reminded him of the excessive rainfall we received in late May which stunted all of our crops going forward.  Still we are grateful we managed to fill our CSA Boxes each and every week.  And when apologizing to another CSA Member for the small potatoes this year, I was told, “Our family loved the small potatoes!  My husband is a runner and he would boil them in salt water and carry them in his pouch for a bite of instant energy when running!”  These are the attitudes which explain our success as CSA Farmers.  We are unable to be all things to all people, but seem to be good enough for most much of the time!  And this is why we continue to attempt to grow nutritious, local vegetables for our family and for those Souls who are our CSA Family.

The first seed catalogue arrived in early November and Robert immediately poured over its contents. The planning and preparation of our 2023 Harvest Season has begun just as the 2022 Harvest Season is ended.  “He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate—bringing forth food from the Earth” Psalm 104.

We trust everyone will have a Thanksgiving Holiday filled with love and favorite foods!  Let us pray for the Awakening of our Nation.  As always, we have so much for which to be grateful.  Blessings,

After the party . . . 2022 Gardens disassembled