In the share this week:
2 lbs mixed slicer tomatoes
1 bunch cilantro
2 sweet peppers
1 bag sweet potato greens
1 small garlic
1 bunch green onions
1 bunch beets
Thoughts from Farmer Anna:
I hope you all had a lovely Labor Day weekend! We did a short camping trip with the kids up to Cowan Lake State Park in Ohio. We only stayed one night and it rained the whole night, so we weren't able to get in the hiking and morning fire building that we had planned, but our tent stayed pretty dry and we ended up running into some friends who were also camping there! It can be tough to fit in camping trips during the farm season, but the kids really enjoy them so we are hoping to make that happen more often.
Before we left on Saturday, we were able to get a few beds prepped and crops seeded for fall. Spinach went in last Friday and it's been near perfect germination conditions, so I'm hoping to see it popping up soon. Today we'll be busy getting 6 more beds ready for lots of lovely turnips, radishes, arugula and spicy salad mix. We are nearing the end of our timeline for field planted crops. Typically, mid-September is the latest you can plant to still harvest a crop in the fall. However, we'll be getting our winter greens into the hoophouses starting in a couple of weeks and continuing on into late October. It's been really lovely to work outside the last week. There is a chill in the air in the morning and the humidity levels are way down. Ideal weather in my opinion!
Well, I had thought that the tomatoes were really slowing down production last week, but then we harvested so many on Friday. So that means that everyone is getting 2+ lbs of tomatoes this week, along with some fresh cilantro that I seeded in late July. Cilantro is really hard to germinate in hot weather so I'm pleased that we got it going in time to give it with a good amount of tomatoes. If I were you, I would definitely make some fresh pico de gallo this week:
It's been a big year for beets on the farm. I know they are not everyone's favorite vegetable, but I also know there are some serious beet lovers among you. For many people (myself included), beets are an acquired taste due to their very earthy qualities. It's important to pair them with strong acidic flavors (vinaigrette, lemon juice, balsamic, cheese) to balance out their earthiness. I've found that I really love the texture and flavor of beets when properly balanced with acid and something roasty, crunchy like toasted walnuts. I thought it would work well to use your beet green along with some roasted beets this week. You could even thrown in your sweet potato greens into the mix as well:
Hope you all have a great week!