CSA Week 7, July 17-21

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July 15, 2018

CSA Week 7 – July 17, 19, 21

Dear friends,

I figure each year around July 15 that it is kind of the low point and the high point. All of the mistakes and lack of timely management for the first half of the season are showing up – like our abysmal beet crop and our carrots that have lots of misses due to slow weeding. And on the other hand, other crops are set up for success, like the potatoes, squash, cukes, leeks and onions. The good news is that there remains a lot of time for us to keep planting and preparing the way for bounteous harvests well into the end of November. And because we have so much under mulch and reasonably “controlled”, it is just a matter of time until we have the stragglers taken care of. And if it rains – it has been mighty slim this summer – we can plant all sorts of things like lettuce, radishes, turnips, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots and beets – to name a few. And bounty will follow if we are lucky and the weather shines positively on us.

The peas are done except for the shouting, and we will have some sugar snaps for you this week as we pull down those majestic vines. This week we hope to address the care of the peppers, eggplants, mid-season broccoli, tomatillos, celery, parsley and basil and get them all mulched. Basil should appear in your bags next week. I was rooting for the cucumbers, but they are waiting for rain. The squash, however, is in, and I am hopeful that the plants will stay healthy and that our two successions will also help to give you summer squash and zucchini for the duration. We will harvest garlic this week and set aside the best for next year’s crop. You will see it in your bags throughout the rest of the season, counted out carefully so that you can have some in each of the upcoming months. The raspberries are starting. I hope to have a half pint for each of you by next week (week of the 23rd).

Pray for every one of those chances of rain to come our way this week!

 

Food this week –

  • CSA
    • Squash
    • Chard
    • Garlic
    • Sugar snap peas
    • Cilantro
    • Kale
    • Beets
    • Lettuce – 4/2

Would you like a dozen eggs in your share each week? They cost $7/dozen – are certified organic, free range and the very best. Right now they are getting their organic grain soaked in whey. Let me know and we will set you up with weekly eggs. The price for getting eggs starting this week is $112

We can use your recycled plastic grocery size bags

Yes, just leave them in your share bag – don’t forget to return it this week, and we will use them for packing vegetables. We can reuse the rubber bands too!

 Still taking members

Every week the price will go down each week (by $30 for larges and $20 for mediums), and it will be updated on the website – https://mhof.net/2018-csa-share-options/.

Comments from you

            Dear Julie,

Loving your CSA and feeling its effects on my body and mood!

Maybe everyone knows these tips and I’m late to the game, but in case
not and you wish to share them with other CSA members, here are two
ways that I have transformed feeling challenged by the quantity of
lettuce to knowing that if need be, I could eat it ALL by myself.

This past week we processed all of the lettuce in advance, chopping it
and running it through the salad spinner and putting it in the plastic
bin-like containers that baby greens come in at the grocery store.
This makes weekday food prep easier.

I also learned from my sister, who is a food writer and recipe
developer, a sneaky way to make a very fast and delicious salad
dressing INFUSED with CSA ingredients!
– 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar and a big spoonful of pesto. Our
current pesto is, of course, made from MHOF garlic scapes!

Catherine

Check out our Facebook at this address https://www.facebook.com/manyhandsorganicfarm… You can like us, refer us and also write a review if you enjoy what you are receiving. That all helps get the word out for our farm. Thanks for what many of you have already done to help us get the word out.

We are also on Instagram at Many Hands Organic. Clare and Lisa post pictures there all of the time.

NOFA Summer Conference

Check out this wonderful weekend for those who love to eat, grow, or advocate around organic food and farming, and environmental health Check it out here – http://nofasummerconference.org/. Jack and I organized this conference for 24 years and raised our kids on it. You will meet like minded and truly positive spirited change-makers and practical people at this event.

Julie