Be Careful What You Say
June 9, 2025
Be Careful What You Say
Right before we lost our entire apple crop to excessive rain and wind in the second week of May, I think I cavalierly noted that we had just passed through the best week of the year. Last week, I posited something about living a charmed life. And on Monday afternoon (after the naming ceremony highlighted below), Justin and Jack were putting together a new bed upstairs, when the king-size mattress that we had not yet gotten rid of jumped on them and knocked Jack into a dresser. On Thursday, we confirmed that he had a broken shoulder, and on Friday, we were told that the next 12 weeks would mostly include him having his left arm strapped close to his body. Sigh.
Lots of extra work for me and for the farm staff that will have to take over when I am helping Jack with basic necessities and getting to appointments, etc. But these occurrences bring with them a special opportunity for two old mules to get closer, count our blessings, and redefine our working relationship with a grace that comes from 50 (well, alright, only 49) years of accommodating each other in our times of extra need.
Jack sporting his fancy new sling
Gratitude
Many thanks to Leslie, Paula (who came in on her day off), Justin and Devra who stepped up big time on Friday to get through the list, while Jack and I were in Worcester, doing an amazing job of planting 500 sweet potatoes, 2 beds of cabbage, a bed of radishes and turnips, and then de(potato)bugging eggplant and potatoes, after accomplishing the Friday CSA too!
If you have ever bought sweet potato slips, you know that they come as little sticks with some leaves on the top. These kids looked very perky this morning after the soil drench, planting, and then a nice thunderstorm last night.
These cabbages look perky as all get out too, after the same treatment.
2025 MHOF CSA
We made it through week one without too many errors and confusion. With 135 people, and 5 separate operations for each member, you can imagine all the places where a mistake might be made, added on to a handful of folks making last-minute pickup changes, and some new members arriving just past the deadline.
Please, everyone, check that Excel spreadsheet that I sent out listing you and your pickup location, and make sure that your contact info is correct. If you didn’t get the opening letter and contact list (but get this), please be in touch so we can find that problem.
I have been dragging my smile for over a week regarding the minimal harvest, yet by Friday, things seemed to be picking up ever so slightly. Maybe by July, we will have a share that I am proud of. Until then, please bear with us, and the continuing excessive rain, albeit with more heat now, is an ameliorating factor.
Leslie took this great shot of Friday’s share
This week will feature lettuce – you will get more of it, and also green onions, because that is what we have. I hope you are turning it into salads. The spearmint continues, but peppermint might not make it for everyone, also true for chives. We will mix and match as possible. We just can’t pick the chard in the field yet – not enough volume, and the kale and collards are sadly a long way off. One more week of oregano before a break.
Volunteering at MHOF
This week we picked up Diane Perry, a friend of Marcia’s. Another amazing find for MHOF.
The gang of four putting together the Monday CSA – Diane is in the caboose, preceded by Paula, Julie and Marcia
Jennifer’s Recipe for the Week: Farm Fresh Green Onion, Scallion Flower & Spinach Omelet
My favorite day of the year, the first CSA pickup of the season! There is nothing quite like the joy of cooking with the first harvest of vibrant, just-picked organic vegetables and herbs from Many Hands Organic Farm. I celebrated with this simple yet delicious farm-fresh omelet featuring green onions, scallion flowers, oregano, and spinach. It’s such a gift to return to the kitchen with nature’s abundance once again. Thank you, Julie, and your amazing staff!
Love,
Jennifer
This beautiful farm-fresh omelet harmonizes with the seasonal transition into summer. Ghee and eggs are grounding and nourishing, helping to build ojas (vital essence) and sustain energy. Green onions and scallion flowers stimulate agni (digestive fire) and help clear lingering Kapha from spring. Oregano offers warmth and subtle pungency, aiding circulation and digestion. Fresh spinach contributes lightness and prana (life force), cooling and balancing Pitta as summer heat begins to rise. The gentle preparation—slow sautéing, layering, steaming—makes this dish easy to digest and deeply satisfying. It supports balance for all doshas when prepared seasonally and enjoyed mindfully.
Some Farm Videos From This Week
The Danny and Stu Wash table steps
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Prepping for corn
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Farm Doins
The farm garden cart will be rebuilt yet one more time by the time Stu, Danny, and Justin are done with it. Check back here for some cool pictures.
Marjee is back. First here at 6 with her working shareholder sister, and then in 2010-2011 as a staff member, and then again in 2019-2020, Marjee has returned again, and will join the staff on a one day per week basis. And she also signed up to help me pick up those pigs in Maine this upcoming Thursday, after Jack broke his shoulder. We are so happy to have you back, Marjee.
We are doing hay collection as I have always dreamed of doing it. Jim cuts a batch on his once-per-week visit, and then we scurry to rake it with our old ground-driven rake, and then scurry again to get it picked up. This week we were able to mulch leeks with it, along with green beans and flowers, and we still have plenty left over.
Nothing creates more nostalgia for me than haymaking – Marissa and Justin
We planted peppers, eggplant, melons, cabbage, sweet potatoes, radish, and turnips, and started more cabbage in the greenhouse.
We weeded cilantro, beets, green beans, flowers, and leeks, and did some potato work too.
Hoeing the leeks prior to mulching – Amanda and Julie
And weeding cilantro at day’s end – Marissa and Justin
Despite all challenges, my mindset here, just 12 days from the Solstice, is pretty intact. Perhaps it is all the magnesium that I am taking right now, or perhaps the amazing farm staff, or maybe some of both . . . 🙂
Julie
New shareholder from Tip Top, our newest delivery site
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