The countdown has begun!

Only 3 weeks of summer CSA remaining after this week (followed by our fall CSA for another 5 weeks).

And just 7 more Saturdays at the Georgetown Farmers’ Market.

It’s not that we are anxious to be finished.

This countdown is necessary for our seeding and planting schedules.

What vegetables can we still plant that will mature in time?

It is too late for beans and sunflowers – we seeded the last of those already the other week. We might try one more round of beets, kohlrabi and even Chinese cabbage. We continue to plant greens – lettuce, spinach, arugula, baby kale, bok choy – every week, and we will for several more weeks yet. Spring radishes & salad turnips are possible too. Even baby carrots!

We are limited not only by the calendar, but also by our ambition or lack thereof!

But we finally nailed down the details of our fall CSA and sent out the email earlier this afternoon. The response was immediate! People are signing up. That is so encouraging and gives us the energy we need to keep going. Thank you!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some seeding to do.

What’s in the box?

Carrots, eggplant, garlic, fennel, blackberries, tomatoes, onions, sweet peppers, green beans.

Extras – beets, hot peppers.

• Another planting of carrots is ready. They are the perfect size – not too big & not too small!

• We have a bumper crop of eggplant this season – it really likes all the rain we’ve been having! Eggplant can be used in so many ways – http://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com has lots of useful information about eggplant & at least 25 recipes to start you off.
• The garlic has been dry and ready for a few weeks now, but we have not had the time to clean & trim it … till now. Enjoy a bulb in your box this week and every week until the end of CSA.
• Fennel is another vegetable that is amazing us this season. Even if you are not familiar with it, please give it a try. The bulbs this week are small and tender – perfect for grating into a salad or slaw. The flavour is so light & refreshing. It is also great in a stir-fry or roasted with other vegetables.
• Blackberries – not too sweet, not too tart, but so delicious! Want to enjoy some in the winter too? Blackberries freeze very well. Gently wash the berries, spread them on a baking sheet and freeze overnight. Then bag them up and enjoy all winter – on ice cream, with your morning cereal, in a smoothie, baked in muffins …

• The tomato plants are struggling. Blight & other diseases are taking their toll on the plants and reducing the crop – the bigger tomatoes especially! But the cherry & grape tomatoes should hopefully be around for a few more weeks.
• Onions, sweet peppers & green beans complete the box this week.
• Extras – hot peppers and beets. As many of you have been beat by the beets we are not including them in the box but they are available as an extra again for those who might still want them.

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Around the farm this week …

Lots of vegetables still growing.

Checking out tractors!