August 29, 2021
Workshifts This Week (8/30/21)
by Farmer Derek

We could use some help at workshifts this week! If the weather's bad outside we'll process garlic inside. Please consider joining us soon! Plenty of pledged hours still need to be worked and we're in summer's final weed push.

Workshift policy reminder: If you signed up for a share with work discount your share cost is reduced by $15 per worked hour (8 for Full, 6 for Medium, 4 for Half). If you're unable to satisfy the work requirement for the discount please remit a check to cover the share cost.

This week's workshift schedule:

Please bring gloves, water, a hat, and sturdy shoes! We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

Workshift Guidelines. Workshift Sign Up Instructions.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Workshifts-This-Week-83021-2692/

August 29, 2021
Cooler Weather Crops
by Farmer Dana

Harvest #16 (Week B) should include potatoes, edible pumpkins, tomatoes, lettuce, sweet peppers, onions, kale, swiss chard, arugula, italian dandelion, eggplant, hot peppers, okra, shishito peppers, and herbs. Some items will be a choice. U-pick should include edamame, tomatillos, cherry/grape tomatoes, flowers, and herbs.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Cooler-Weather-Crops-2693/

August 29, 2021
Satisfying September
by Farmer Derek

The story of last week was cleaning up and sowing cover crops, humidity and heat, tomato tonnage, forecast rain and its disappearance. The stars finally aligned where time, soil conditions, weather forecast, and empty field space intersected in the space at this place. I love getting fields cleaned up, spent crops mowed and detritus turned into the soil, sowing cover crops, and putting fields to sleep for the winter. It's hard to resist the urge to begin this process when there is so much other work to be done maintaining and harvesting current crops and I've done my best to wait until we have ample time.

In reality we could begin sowing cover crops on some fields as early as mid-July but typically there is so much other more important farm work that we let those fields sit idle until we're ready. Ideally after produce crops are harvested and fields are spent we'll mow, spread compost, chisel plow, sow a cover crop mix, and disc-harrow it in. When fields sit idle they're really still active, but just in the growth of grasses and weeds which need to be mowed periodically. If we're really on our game and soil conditions are right we might spend some time stale seed bedding where we expose soil, allow weeds to germinate, then kill them with some more soil disturbance. Again, this is hard to find the time for in July and August.

All in all probably 15% of the farm was turned over to cover crops last week, say 2 acres or so. It doesn't sound like much but it was a challenge sandwiching that in when the soil dried out just enough by Wednesday afternoon to do the initial chisel plow loosening due to Fred's Sunday and Monday rainfall and seeds can't get sown and disked in until Thursday harvest day afternoon while forecast simultaneously was espousing 2-3 days of rain starting mid-afternoon and it takes a minimum 4 hours to sow the seeds and incorporate them. Phew! We made it and the subsequent failed forecast and dryness probably helped dispatch the weeds and grasses that had been thriving in some converted fields. With Ida incoming midweek it appears we'll eventually receive the ample rainfall needed for proper cover crop seed germination.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Satisfying-September-2694/

August 29, 2021
Leaning Toward Fall
By Linda Dansbury

This week's crop look in the pick-up room will be very different. Summer crops are starting to wane and fall greens are making a welcome return. Here are a few notes on some of the new items we are starting to receive.

Potatoes - I know, everyone knows about potatoes, but do you know how to store them? If the crop is a good one, we will receive potatoes every week so you may need a longish term storage plan. They like to be stored in very chilly environments, away from onions. Think about the coolest location in your house - basement if you have one is likely the best. Give them space between them - a large box with newspaper is good for storing. They also need to be in the dark or they will quickly turn green and that green is inedible. Check them regularly for bruising or bad spots - rotting potatoes smell awful and you don't want them to spoil other potatoes.

Pie Pumpkins - these are cute little gems in the winter squash family. As such, they store well in a cool, well ventilated spot. If you plan to use them within a week or two, your kitchen counter is fine. As with potatoes, check on them periodically for spots starting to turn bad. Check out this site for many recipes for winter squash, including Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash and Roasted Butternut Squash with Kale and Lemony Tahini Dressing for a couple that are not "wintery". Farmer Derek does not recommend storing these; instead eat soon. "We bypassed curing in the greenhouse and trimmed the stems short for harvest and packing."

Kale, Chard - both of these are great when mixed in with late summer veggie "stews" and soups and a great when incorporated into grilled veggie salads. If you make stuffed peppers or squash, chop some greens and add to the mix - the greens add to the nutrition and beauty of the dish. Remember to store your greens reasonably dry - I like to use large plastic containers lined in a dish towel or paper towels.

Arugula - same as the kale and chard in terms of storage. I love to add arugula to "lettuce" salads for a peppery bite. Also, one of my favorite, and simplest salads is arugula, cherry tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper all mixed up and topped with shaved parmesan cheese - yum!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Leaning-Toward-Fall-2695/

August 29, 2021
Preserving the Harvest
By Linda Dansbury

A rainy day led me to cook up a storm! Let me know what you have recently made by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in subject line to I can find your email. I have a veggie garden of my own, so with both the farm and my garden being bountiful, I have had to really think about how to best use my harvests so they don't go bad.

Tomatoes - for the first time ever, I made my own tomato juice. It turned out great and was super easy to make. Remove cores and cut up tomatoes. Place in pot and cook, adding a good amount of salt to the pot. Cook until tomatoes are tender - about 45 minutes. Allow to cool slightly then run through a food mill. Place juice in a pot and add more salt if needed, black pepper and other spices and/or hot sauce if you want - paprika, cumin, cayenne, celery salt are a few choices. I just added a bit of celery salt.

Tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, onion, garlic - Made a classic Minestrone Soup. There are a couple of recipes on this site - I just made mine up. I made a double batch so will have plenty to freeze.

Tomatillos, onion, hot pepper, cilantro - made the Chicken Stew with Tomatillo Sauce. One of my long time favorites, I learned a few years ago that it comes out even better in a pressure cooker. Served over rice or on tortillas, and topped with feta cheese - so good.

Tomato, watermelon, hot pepper, basil, mint, onion - prepared the Watermelon, Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad - all I can say is that it is summer on a plate!

Zucchini, peppers and onions - did one of my go-to's for this summer. Grilled a pile of veggies and then had the leftovers in a green salad with balsamic dressing.

Cherry tomatoes, rosemary, garlic - I had so many cherry tomatoes to use up that I made a cherry tomato compote. Placed tomatoes on a sheet pan, drizzled with olive oil and salted and added some crushed garlic. Cooked in a 235 degree oven for 2 hours, then added a sprig of chopped rosemary to the pan and mixed it all up. Roasted for another 2 hours and removed from oven - oh my gosh! Amazing!!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Preserving-the-Harvest-2696/

August 22, 2021
More Great Ideas
By Linda Dansbury

Two fellow members sent me recipes this week - thank you! If you try something you want to share with fellow members, please send to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.

Brooke Rose sent me a recipe for Vegan Crockpot Tomatillo Soup. It looks delicious! And, I love her idea of making the tomatillo base and freezing it for later - I do that for another tomatillo recipe and it is so much fun to pull something out of the freezer off season and a favorite part of being part of the CSA. Here is what Brooke wrote to me. "While at the farm I got into discussions with a few people who didn't know what to do with Tomatillos other than Salsa Verde. I want to share this recipe I found that is absolutely delicious! I made it on the stove instead of the slow cooker and it was perfect. I even made the tomatillo base (with cilantro and chiles) and then froze for the fall".

One of our fellow members, Dante Mazzocco, has a cooking blog called diningaldante - check it out - very interesting stories and lots of recipes! Dante shared two specific carrot recipes, which is great, since we receive a lot of carrots: Spicy Carrot Frittata and Carrot Cake with Polenta and Marsala. I have posted the recipes on this site.

Thanks to both Brooke and Dante for taking the time to share with our CSA membership!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/More-Great-Ideas-2687/

August 22, 2021
Summer Dishes
By Linda Dansbury

Wow, the summer heat and humidity have come back with a vengeance! I think a lot of what we ate recently reflects this. Here are a few items we enjoyed - many of them are things I have posted in the past, but are so delicious for the summer.

Tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, basil, cilantro, cucumbers, carrots - made my favorite Gazpacho recipe. It is so simple and delicious - rough chop veggies and place in large bowl along with a bit of water, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Cover and let marinade overnight in fridge. I normally don't use the jarred piquilla peppers called for in the recipe. I just use a sweet red pepper and add just a bit more vinegar. The next day, either use immersion blender or blender and blend till smooth. Recipe tops with shrimp, but I typically cut up cherry tomatoes and top with a few of them, the chopped cilantro and a drizzle of delicious olive oil - I have also topped with jumbo lump crabmeat. This recipe makes enough for about 8 appetizer sized portions.

Tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs - made the Simple Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce recipe that member Mindy Bence sent a couple of weeks ago. It is delicious! At the same time I made a large pot of "traditional" sauce. The oven roasted is so simple and delicious and I will make it again - it will be particularly great when used in lasagna. The only drawback for me is that due to space limitations in the oven, I can't use a lot of tomatoes at once. Since I grow my own tomatoes as well, I need to go through a lot of tomatoes, so I will use both methods.

Tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, basil - made the tomato salad I grew up with several times over the past few weeks. The only part of this that is kind of a pain is peeling the tomatoes, but it is so worth it. To make it, peel and chop the tomatoes and place in a bowl. Chop the peppers and onions small and add to bowl. Grate or mince just part of a garlic clove and add, along with some julienned basil. Add salt and pepper and a bit of dried oregano to the bowl. Add red wine vinegar and olive oil and mix well. Enjoy - the best part of this dish is having some crusty bread to dunk the juices at the bottom of the bowl. Yum...

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Summer-Dishes-2688/

August 22, 2021
Totally Tomato Time
by Farmer Dana

Harvest #15 (Week A) should include zucchini, carrots, sweet peppers, fresh onions, tomatoes, lettuce, watermelon, cantaloupe, fresh garlic, hot peppers, scallions, shishito peppers, and herbs. Some items will be a choice. U-pick should include edamame, cherry/grape tomatoes, green/snap/string beans, tomatillos, husk cherries, flowers, and herbs.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Totally-Tomato-Time-2689/

August 22, 2021
Workshifts This Week (8/23/21)
by Farmer Derek

This week's workshift schedule:

Please bring gloves, water, a hat, and sturdy shoes! We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

Workshift Guidelines. Workshift Sign Up Instructions.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Workshifts-This-Week-82321-2690/

August 22, 2021
Let's Talk Tomato
by Farmer Derek

Now that we're into week #6 of harvesting tomatoes, have harvested 4-5 tons total, have distributed about 30lbs to full shares over that time (20lbs to medium and 15lbs to half), and the tomatoes do not appear to be slowing down just yet, it feels like it's time to reflect on their success this year. Undoubtedly a new all time tomato harvest record will be set this season. Besides the great yield, what's most pronounced this year is the sustained quality of the fruit and health of the plants. But why?

After a few successive years of disappointing or underwhelming tomato yields, reduced plant vigor and health, and a too short harvest window, we decided to reevaluate and try to improve this most important crop. The main issue with the tomato plant is its susceptibility to multiple diseases, both soil- and air-borne. We practice crop rotation to attempt to thwart soil-borne pressure, which typically kept plants healthy for their first two months in the ground. However, since we choose not to spray anything, organic or obviously otherwise, it's almost impossible to prevent air-borne disease from impacting plants, typically a couple of months after planting. These types of issues can migrate from the south where they have a better chance of overwintering or they could originate in the residue of last year's planting or even wild host plants that are related to tomatoes. Plants grown outside where rainfall hits the plants and the surrounding soil with their leaves remaining wet for long periods of time makes them much more susceptible to disease pressure. The 'easiest' solution for us is to grow tomatoes under cover, in a greenhouse, high tunnel, hoop house, etc, where rain is kept off foliage.

We've been growing heirlooms under cover in our movable high tunnel for a decade and 2nd-succession hybrids in our hoop tunnel for 4 years. The movable tunnel has 3 positions so each plot will see tomatoes once every 3 years. The stationary hoop tunnel, however, has been home to tomatoes for 4 years now. At the end of last season we erected two more tunnels, known loosely as caterpillar type, to provide an indoor home for our first planting of red round slicer hybrids, which we've grown outdoors until this season. These tunnels were placed in an area that had heavy soil, water saturation issues, and overall just poor performance. To ameliorate these factors we created waterways around the tunnels, using the soil from the waterways to elevate the tunnel plots. The tunnel plots then received an abundance of organic matter from incorporated straw and mushroom house substrate as well as calcium and micronutrients from aragonite and an organic fertilizer blend. When the soil was dry we spaded this mixture together, made beds by hand, installed landscape fabric to warm the soil and suppress weeds, planted the tomatoes, irrigated as needed, and voila, the best quality, most prolonged harvest, and best yield we've seen here. The second planting of tomatoes, in the hoop tunnel and high tunnel, are now yielding as well, so that when the caterpillar tunnels begin to slow, those should pick up the slack. Our goal was to have a sustained midlevel yield of say, 3-5lbs per week, but due to the happiness of the tomatoes in the caterpillars, I'm sorry to say that yields will be more in the 6-9lbs/week range. We hope you love tomatoes!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Lets-Talk-Tomato-2691/

August 15, 2021
Even More New Veggies!
By Linda Dansbury

Two new veggies will be available in the U Pick field: edamame and husk/ground cherries.

Edamame - aka soybeans tend to be easy and fun to pick because there are so many on a single plant. Look for the largest and filled out beans towards the lower part of the plant. Much has been written about the health benefits of soybeans - excellent source of protein, iron, calcium, vitamin K and antioxidants. They are also delicious and store well while still raw. Place them in fridge in a plastic container for up to 10 days for best quality. To enjoy, they must be cooked. Boil in heavily salted water and begin testing for doneness at 9 minutes. Use a larger pot than you think necessary because they boil over easily. There are a lot of recipes on this site - from Soybean "Hummus", Edamame Burger, Edamame and Carrot Salad with Rice Vinegar and more! Try them all and eat some simply boiled with either a nice sea salt or sprinkled with herbs.

Husk or Ground Cherries - another member of the nightshade family, these look like mini tomatoes or tomatillos. They are high in antioxidants and vitamins and can be stored for literally months on your kitchen counter. Do not remove the husk before you are ready to use them. To harvest, simply look on the ground under the plants. The husks on ripe cherries are dried out and even brown. To enjoy, they are a delicious tropical tasting snack, or check out this site for uses - my favorite is the Fresh Ground Cherry Salsa.

A farmer's note on the husk cherries: For a reason we haven't determined yet, husk cherries have begun to perform poorly on the farm, starting a year or two ago. While similar in growth habit and a cousin to tomatillos, which have been robust, husk cherry plants' vigor has been lacking of late. There will be some fruit available but not an abundance. We'll try something different next year.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Even-More-New-Veggies-2677/

August 15, 2021
Edamame Arrives!
by Farmer Dana

Harvest #14 (Week B) should include zucchini, beets, carrots, sweet peppers, fresh onions, scallions, tomatoes, fresh garlic, lettuce, italian dandelion, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, watermelon, cantaloupe, and herbs. Some items will be a choice. U-pick should include edamame, cherry/grape tomatoes, green/snap/string beans, tomatillos, husk cherries, flowers, and herbs.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Edamame-Arrives-2683/

August 15, 2021
Workshifts This Week (8/16/21)
by Farmer Derek

This week's workshift schedule:

Please bring gloves, water, a hat, and sturdy shoes! We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

Workshift Guidelines. Workshift Sign Up Instructions.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Workshifts-This-Week-81621-2684/

August 15, 2021
Back in the Farm Groove
by Farmer Derek

After a rare mid-season trip off the farm to visit Maine, we're refreshed and ready to be immersed in farm tasks again. The farm was in the best of hands while we were away and everything was well taken care of. An enormous, from the bottoms of our hearts, Thank You goes out to our incredible farm crew Pat, Sarah, Craig, Addie, Jeff, and Wayne!

Since coming back late Friday afternoon we've done our field walk, had Saturday CSA distribution, reshaped a few thousand feet of raised beds for this coming week's round of transplants, mowed and weeded the leek patch, irrigated everything that was thirsty, and harvested about a million cantaloupe. Thankfully the heat wave has now passed. And we are definitely fortunate to have received some rain while gone.

This coming week we have a lot of crops to get in the ground: radishes, turnips, kale, napa cabbage, arugula, kohlrabi, lettuce, romaine, radicchio, chard, beets, cilantro, and dill. All prior to the forecast midweek inundation. Crops need to be cultivated, harvested, irrigated. Weeds need to be pulled, aisles mowed...farm to tend. We're excited to be back!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Back-in-the-Farm-Groove-2685/

August 15, 2021
Used Grocery Bags Needed in Pick Up Room
by Farmer Dana

We've miraculously made our way through the mountain of donated grocery bags that we started the season with. If you have extra used grocery bags you plan to recycle back at the grocery store, consider bringing them to the farm instead!

This is also a good time to remind members to BYOB (bring your own bags/baskets) if you don't already. I've finally developed a good habit of bringing my collection of canvas bags when out shopping - super satisfying. There are many reasons to engage in this habit, one of which is reducing plastic waste. Over the weekend one of our new member families pointed out that their household plastic waste has decreased by HALF since they started getting veggies from Anchor Run Farm instead of the grocery store. This is amazing! Our food community is awesome!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Used-Grocery-Bags-Needed-in-Pick-Up-Room-2686/

August 8, 2021
Hooray for Okra
By Linda Dansbury

This week, we enjoyed more of the same, simple preps, with a couple additions:

Okra, onion, pepper, garlic, herbs - made the delicious Louisiana Gumbo. It is much lighter than traditional gumbos, making it a nice summer treat (of course not so much during a heat wave).

Okra - made a tempura batter fried okra with an Asian style dipping sauce. It was good, but the batter needs a bit of work so we will try again.

Tomatoes, peppers, onion, basil - I grew up eating this delicious salad and to this day I find it addictive. Peel the tomatoes and cut into chunks (peeling can be a bit of a pain, but it is worth the effort). Chop peppers into thin strips, onions into thin slices and just a hint of garlic minced or grated. Julienne some basil. Place all in a bowl adding salt, pepper and dried oregano to taste. Drizzle a bit of red wine vinegar and good quality olive oil, mix and enjoy. Make sure you have some delicious crusty bread to soak up the dressing left in the bowl - it is delicious!

Send me how you are enjoying your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Hooray-for-Okra-2678/

August 8, 2021
Lots of Great Cooks!
By Linda Dansbury

I abbreviated How I Enjoyed My Harvest because I got several great ideas from fellow members this week.

Mindy Bence has been an Anchor Run member since it's inception and did the recipes for the first few years until I started doing it. She is a terrific cook and sent me a recipe called Simple Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce. I can't wait to try this! Mindy wrote this note to me: "Oh my Gosh - we just found a way to cut our tomato waste to ZERO! Jeff loves tomatoes, but we have a full share and I don't eat any nightshades, so I needed to find a way to preserve the yummy tomatoes! All you need is a sheet pan (often called a 1/4 sheet - it is rimmed 12 x 17". Mine are Calphalon; I have 4 and they are some of most used kitchen pans), some good olive oil, some garlic, (recipe called for a shallot and I subbed 3 scallions) and easy peasy sauce! This was so good, Jeff asked for a juice glass of it as a beverage!" Check it out with the bounty of tomatoes we are receiving - I know I will!

Casey Constantini sent me a note saying "I wanted to share a recipe I made with ingredients from this week’s share. It’s a delicious Salsa Verde that uses tomatillos, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro and onions. It turned out great and would be an awesome addition to tacos, enchiladas or just to dip chips in!" I am eager to try this, because unlike other tomatillo salsa recipes, everything gets roasted together.

Another inaugural Anchor Run member, Robin Hoy sent me a recipe for Indonesian/Asian-Style Tempeh with Veggies. Robin said she combined a few recipes to come up with this one. It uses a wonderful variety of veggies we are receiving and I am looking forward to trying this dish!

Thanks to all for sharing and please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net, and please put Anchor Run in subject line so I can find your email.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Lots-of-Great-Cooks-2679/

August 8, 2021
Peak Season Produce
by Farmer Dana

Harvest #13 (Week A) should include zucchini, beets, carrots, sweet peppers, fresh onions, scallions, tomatoes, fresh garlic, lettuce, italian dandelion, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, watermelon, cantaloupe, and herbs. Some items will be a choice. U-pick should include cherry/grape tomatoes, green/snap/string beans, tomatillos, flowers, and herbs.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Peak-Season-Produce-2680/

August 8, 2021
About the Middle
by Farmer Derek

Some of your farmers left the farm for a brief trip so this week's reflections will hopefully be brief. Harvest week 13 is underway which means we're about at this season's midpoint. Meanwhile I sit and look out at a rocky coastline during low tide while wearing a flannel shirt for warmth under cloudy skies. Our farm crew is currently hustling and bustling under a hot sun on a hot day on a busy harvest morning. Our incredible farm crew has enabled us to take an off-farm excursion. We're extremely appreciative of their efforts, knowledge, and hard work managing the farm in our absence. Cheers to everyone back at the farm!

The farm is currently stuck in a dry spell. In four week's time we've had less than an inch of rain. Plenty of 90 degree days and plentiful sunshine have left plants very thirsty. The bulk of my time last week was spent addressing those needs, adding drip tape tubing where possible and running irrigation almost everywhere. We even set up some overhead sprinklers which we haven't used for a few years. Newly germinated fall-harvested carrots would have a hard time accessing water from the drip tape but the sprinklers deposit water over an entire surface area.

Summer crops are at their peak (patiently waiting for eggplant and okra) and fall crops are being planted. Last week more napa cabbage, beets, chard, kale, and lettuce went in as well as arugula and daikon and storage radishes. The north facing aspect and pretty good organic matter in the soil helps our crops tolerate dry times. Even though it's stressful in its own right, we'd much rather it be too dry than too wet. Those same heavy soils that get us through a drought can drown and suffocate plants during unending wet times, which we've been through a few times over the years.

Hope you're well and are able to stay cool this week. Give an extra 'thanks' to your farm crew for us!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/About-the-Middle-2681/

August 8, 2021
Workshifts This Week (8/9/21)
by Farmer Derek

This week's light workshift schedule:

Please bring gloves, water, a hat, and sturdy shoes! We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

Workshift Guidelines. Workshift Sign Up Instructions.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Workshifts-This-Week-8921-2682/

August 1, 2021
Another Interesting Veggie
By Linda Dansbury

A nice surprise was in the pick up room this week - okra (low yield for now but should increase). Biologically, okra is a fruit, but we use it as a vegetable. Okra is an excellent source of vitamins C and K1. Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient that contributes to your overall immune function, while vitamin K1 is a fat-soluble vitamin that’s known for its role in blood clotting. Additionally, okra is low in calories and carbs and contains some protein and fiber. Many fruits and vegetables lack protein, which makes okra somewhat unique. Okra is well known in African cooking and is gaining popularity as it is more widely available at farms and farmers markets. Okra does not store for long - consume it within a week of receiving.

Okra can be grilled, roasted, sauteed or stewed. We have several delicious recipes on this site, including Okra and Green Beans, Easy Indian-Style Stewed Okra, and more. Check it out and enjoy this delicious veggie.

A note on the fresh onions we are receiving. Like with the fresh garlic, these cannot be stored at room temperature, unless you are using them quickly. Store loosely wrapped in plastic until you use them up!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Another-Interesting-Veggie-2670/

August 1, 2021
Workshifts This Week (8/2/21)
by Farmer Derek

Best weather of the summer is here! Join us on the farm to (probably) harvest potatoes. Kid friendly! And a big thanks to everyone that helped out last week!

This week's workshift schedule:

Please bring gloves, water, a hat, and sturdy shoes! We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

Workshift Guidelines. Workshift Sign Up Instructions.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Workshifts-This-Week-8221-2671/

August 1, 2021
Cool Summer Crops
by Farmer Dana

Harvest #12 (Week B) should include zucchini, beets, carrots, sweet peppers, fresh onions, scallions, tomatoes, fresh garlic, lettuce, italian dandelion, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, watermelon, and herbs. Some items will be a choice. U-pick should include cherry/grape tomatoes, green/snap/string beans, tomatillos, flowers, and herbs.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Cool-Summer-Crops-2672/

August 1, 2021
Weather Respite
by Farmer Derek

We're tremendously thankful and appreciative of these cool days and nights that followed just barely enough rainfall last Thursday. That .65" was the first rain that fell in almost two weeks. In anticipation of adequate rainfall we sowed just under a mile of fall/winter carrots and are hopeful they receive another drink of precipitation today. We trialed a method of weed control prior to planting that involved covering the 60'x210' patch with silage tarps for a month to stimulate weed seed germination followed by termination through occultation (sun starving the seedlings). The goal is to remove weed pressure and reduce the weed seed bank in the soil so that the carrots have a better success rate and labor is reduced.

Besides seeding carrots for fall and winter consumption, we've been busy transplanting many other late season treats. Celery, fennel, kale, chard, beets, cabbage, napa cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, hakurei turnips, and lettuce have all been planted in the past couple of weeks. The hoop house is filling up with successions of arugula, romaine, salad radishes, daikon radishes, radicchio, kale, chard, beets, and lettuce. We have about 3 more weeks of sowing for transplanting outdoors in September then we transition to a few weeks of sowing for transplanting into tunnels during late September and early October. Crops transplanted in September and October will be harvested in November and December (Late Fall CSA season).

Very soon we'll begin sowing cover crops over spring and early summer veggie crop fields. Last week we spread compost on those areas and worked it in with a chisel plow. We'll try to subdue the grasses and other weeds that have taken over these spots since the edible crops were harvested with another pass or two with the tractor. This should give the oats, rye, wheat, clover, buckwheat cover crop seeds a better chance of successful germination and growth. We're planning to sow the cover crops seeds a bit later this year to avoid them maturing this fall and dropping their own seeds and becoming a weed problem next year (mostly a buckwheat issue).

Enjoy this great weather! Come to a workshift if you can!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Weather-Respite-2673/

August 1, 2021
Summer's Bounty
By Linda Dansbury

We continued enjoying this week's harvest with salads, although I also made a delicious zucchini soup, combining the squash from the farm and from my garden. Also with the large tomato harvest, most meals were all about the tomatoes! See below for a short list of what we enjoyed.

Tomato, zucchini, onion, peppers, lettuce - grilled all the veggies and used the leftovers in a salad the next night using a balsamic dressing. This time topped it with some feta cheese. We are loving this and do it at least once a week.

Tomato and basil - we have been enjoying caprese salads using locally made mozzarella cheese - so simple and delicious!

Tomato, pepper, onions, basil - made a yummy tomato salad that comes from my childhood. The tomatoes are best peeled, but if you don't feel like it, that's ok. Slice the onions, chop the peppers and tomatoes. Make a simple red wine vinaigrette - salt, pepper, dried oregano, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Mix all together and enjoy - make sure you have good crusty bread because one of the best parts of this salad is the juice left at the bottom of the bowl.

Zucchini, onions, garlic, parsley - made an easy, really delicious soup. Hard to believe that something so simple with so few ingredients can be so good - company loved it and asked for the recipe. Saute onions and garlic in a combo of butter and olive oil until soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. Slice 1.5 lbs zucchini thinly - I used a mandoline. No need to peel or de-seed. Add the sliced zucchini and stir frequently until starting to soften. Add about a cup of broth and a cup of water and allow to softly simmer until veggies are very soft. Puree either with blender or immersion blender until very smooth. Adjust seasonings and enjoy topped with chopped parsley.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Summers-Bounty-2676/