Farm Notes, Week 9

August 7/8, 2008, CSA Week 9

As we enter this “last” month of summer, we are noticing changes going on all around us. The days are warm, but the nights are cooler, the air has that end of summer smell, and we are hearing the fall insects starting to play their music as we retire for the evening. Our fall plantings of brassicas, greens and root crops are in the ground, and Chris has begun digging some potatoes. The winter squash are forming and the melons are swelling. We have some new wax beans in flower now to replace the ones we lost from all the rain two weeks ago. The pieces are in place for the remainder of our harvests. It feels like we can breathe again; sort of. We realize that we have no control over the weather that comes our way and its effects on the plants, so we have stopped worrying about the things we won’t harvest and, instead, are focusing on the crops we will harvest. The weeds are out of control in some areas, but we have come to accept that they have been more tenacious than we have been able to be this year. They have all day every day to grow, and we have the equivalent of a couple of hours each week to pull them out. So, we are harvesting what we can from amongst them and talking about the ways that we will do things differently next year to make the situation better. We are scoping out a couple of new garden plots for next year so that we can put the current ones to cover crop to rest and build some organic matter. We have a couple of pond areas laid out, so we will be able to irrigate, making dry weather less of an issue. We’ll be collecting all the manure we can from local farms to compost and then fertilize, as well as applying lyme to all the garden areas and some of the fields. We may build some raised beds for certain crops within the gardens, and we are choosing spots for permanent raised beds in which to grow perennial herbs.

I think we will look back at this summer and think of it as a season of transition. We have been living between two houses, knowing that we were selling ours but not knowing where our new home base would be, working two jobs, pulling Alex out of his routine every time we get him into one. Now that we have found a new home and are looking at two closings this month, calm is settling over us. We are making the transition from relative chaos to order. We took a break today and walked through the gardens. I was blown away by the number of butterflies that were everywhere. Then, I walked within about ten yards of a fawn before I even realized she was there! These are the moments that make me realize how glad I am that we are doing this. These are the experiences my children will remember; living and working in harmony with nature.

A couple of notes: The tomato festival we had planned for August 23 has been cancelled, due to the number of plants we lost from flooding in the garden. This also means that the number of tomatoes in the shares will be less than we hoped, but they will be there! Also, our eggplants and peppers never fully recovered from the hail storm back in June, so we will not have either of those items in the shares this season.

We would also like to express our appreciation for everyone’s understanding and support this season; it has really helped us get over some of our down moments this summer.



Cucumber Salad with Sesame
1 Large or 2 Small-Medium Cucumbers, peeled and seeded
1 Tbsp raw unsalted peanuts (or use pine nuts or hazelnuts for a different taste)
1 Tbsp black sesame seeds (use white if you don’t have black)
1 green chili
1 tsp cumin seeds
coriander/cilantro
salt to taste
1 - 2 tsp oil - toasted sesame, olive, or peanut

Chop cucumbers into small cubes. Remove the stems and finely slice the green chilli. Finely chop the coriander/cilantro.
Heat a small pan, add the sesame seeds and toast them for a minute or two. Watch carefully, as they overcook very quickly. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
Add the raw peanuts or pine nuts to the pan and sauté them until roasted. Remove them from the heat and crush the nuts with a pestle.
Heat the oil in the pan and add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds turn brown, add the green chili, and remove the pan from the heat.
Add the cucumber, and salt. If it splatters too much, cover the pan until it dies down. Stir through and allow the cucumber to warm. You can put it over a very gentle flame for a moment or two but no longer.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cucumber mixture, crushed nuts, toasted sesame seeds and chopped coriander/cilantro. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Source: http://vegeyum.wordpress.com/2008/06/01/cucumbersalad/


Cucumber Salad with Mint & Feta
1 lb cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ red onion (or several small) thinly sliced and cut into 1-inch segments
2 or 3 red radishes, thinly sliced
10 mint leaves, thinly sliced
White vinegar
Olive oil
¼ lb feta cheese
Salt and fresh ground pepper

In medium sized bowl, gently toss cucumbers, onion, radishes and mint with a little bit of vinegar and olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, sprinkle with feta cheese. Serve immediately, serves 4.
Source: www.elise.com/recipes/archives