Growing up, my siblings and I were expected to help out on the farm starting when we were very young. But my parents were fair, giving us jobs appropriate for our age & experience and paying us for all our work. I remember having to pick 1 basket of cherries before I could run next door to play with my cousin. The next summer it was 2 baskets, then 3 … Each summer the amount of work was increased. By my early teens I was usually working full days. Probably 10 or 11 was the magic age – while I had to work until lunch, in the afternoon I was allowed to ride my bike to the swimming pool at the local Lions Park and swim with my friends. Those were the days!

I was thinking about those times as I sweated in the fields today picking zucchini & tomatoes, transplanting seedlings and weeding. A swim would have been a great way to cool off! Or having the afternoon off would have been good too!

I suppose in a few years I might return to working less hours, at jobs appropriate for my age – but I’m not quite there yet!

But others are …

What’s in the box?

Peppers, blackberries, Chinese broccoli, tomatoes,

onions, zucchini, green beans, garlic, salad greens & beets.

Extras – fennel & hot peppers.

Our peppers are finally ripening. We have bell peppers in red, orange, yellow, purple & green. Shepherd peppers are long, tapered, red, very sweet peppers. We also grow mini-bell peppers in red, yellow & purple. Your box could include any of these this week.

Enjoy another box of blackberries this week. While the plants are still full, we are seeing a sharp decline in quantity & quality. Today’s pick saw us discarding a lot of sun-damaged berries. The lack of rain is beginning to affect the size as well. It appears that blackberries will end sooner than expected.

Another planting of Chinese broccoli has matured and a small bunch will be in your box this week. It has thin stems, large flat leaves and tiny florets. The entire plant is edible. It is best after a quick steam, saute, or in a stir-fry with oyster sauce, fresh ginger & garlic. Add the tomatoes, onions, zucchini, green beans, and garlic from the box for an amazing stir-fry meal!

Salad greens and beets finish off your 13th CSA box of the season.

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Around the farm this week …

Thanks to a CSA member for sending this comic. (sorry I don’t know the source to acknowledge it.)