July 30, 2023
In Time For August
by Farmer Derek

Harvest #13 (Week A) should include watermelon, carrots, celery, Italian dandelion, fennel, head lettuce, cilantro, dill, basil, zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, tomatoes, sweet peppers, hot peppers, shishito peppers, and scallions. Some items may be a choice. U-pick should include herbs, snap/string/green beans, cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, blackberries, and flowers.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/In-Time-For-August-2973/

July 30, 2023
Workshifts for the Week of July 31st
by Farmer Derek

This week's workshift schedule:

Bring gloves, water, a hat, sturdy shoes, and a pad for kneeling (if necessary for you)!

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-for-the-Week-of-July-31st-2974/

July 30, 2023
Wonderful Bounty of July
by Linda Dansbury

Hard to believe it is the end of July - I hope this lower humidity and temps stay with us!

Been enjoying the delicious veggies the farm brings us - one of the things I do is make a mental note of what I have and what will stay fresh for the shortest amount of time - right now it is okra and eggplant. So, I plan to cook and use these within a few days of receiving them. Next is probably the scallions and cucumbers. Here are a few ways we enjoyed the harvest this week. Please share how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in subject line.

Zucchini - baked up a delicious loaf of Zucchini and Blueberry Bread - since it is peak blueberry season, this is a good time to make it. I make a lot of variations of zucchini breads during the peak season and freeze them for enjoyment during the rest of the year.

Zucchini, garlic - made a dish called Zucchini Pizza Casserole. It was more like a zucchini lasagna than a pizza, but it was quite good. Basically, grate zucchini and mix it with eggs and parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Place in casserole and bake for 20 min. While that's baking, brown ground meat with onions - I added garlic and Italian seasoning as well. When meat is browned, add tomato sauce. Spread this on top of the zucchini that has been baked, top with more cheese and bake again for about another 20 min. Simple, tasty and lighter than either pizza or lasagna.

Eggplant, zucchini, okra, peppers - once again, grilled up a lot of veggies and then enjoyed them for a few days. I even had grilled veggie sandwiches for lunch - added feta cheese to the sandwich and then had celery and cucumber on the side.

Green beans, scallions, peppers, basil, parsley, cherry tomatoes - made a salad out of this delicious group of veggies. I like to add chick peas because I like to eat the leftovers for lunch and it adds protein. I typically toss with a red wine vinaigrette and add some garlic and oregano, but this could also be slanted in a Southeast Asian way by using a bit of sesame oil, rice vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce and topped with cilantro.

Tomatoes, peppers, scallion, cilantro and local corn - made a black bean salsa - a fresh, delicious and healthy appetizer!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Wonderful-Bounty-of-July-2975/

July 30, 2023
Goodbye July
by Farmer Derek

What was supposed to be a week of drying out and catching up on tasks that wet weather had delayed the previous week became another week of dodging thunderstorms, bouncing around jobs, and being constantly soaked with sweat and/or rain. Eventually, by the end of the week, we were able to get most of the important work finished.

We're well on our way to planting and maintaining fall crops and really needed a few dry windows to hoe and transplant. Because of all the moisture in July (over 10 inches in fact) and the large planting of fall brassicas that went in a few weeks ago, we were quite desperate to knock back the weeds with our handheld tool arsenal accompanied by an improvised tractor implement before the weeds reached a critical growth stage when they need to be pulled out instead. Many hours are needed for this type of clean up and many hours of dry weather are needed afterwards to ensure the weeds don't re-root. I believe we got lucky when we scheduled this for Monday, when it didn't rain, and not Tuesday, when it poured again.

Raised-beds were reworked and touched up on Monday for a full day of transplanting lettuce, herbs, kale, rutabaga, chard, beets, celery, and fennel, which I was hoping would be Wednesday, in between harvest days. But with the ever-increasing probability and amount of moisture forecast for Tuesday afternoon I decided to try to knock some of the planting out on Tuesday, after harvesting and preparing for distribution all morning. The rain came, with lightning and thunder, and we were forced to suspend outdoor activities and pivot to indoor tunnel tomato work. Again, we were 'lucky' and 'only' received 8/10 of an inch of rain and resumed transplanting Wednesday afternoon, when the ground was barely okay with us being out there with the tractor and transplanter. We finished the week's transplanting goal on Thursday afternoon and are now caught up with that. We have some mowing to do this coming week that we didn't fit in last week but overall are in good shape.

The weather looks perfect for outdoor work this week. I'm excited to begin preparing ground for cover crops and considering them asleep, off-limits, out-of-sight, out-of-mind, resting until next growing season. Our farm-mind slowly recedes from encompassing all 15 acres as we establish buckwheat and oats to nurture the soil through the late summer and fall months.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Goodbye-July-2976/

July 30, 2023
Upcoming Events
by Farmer Dana

Some things to look forward to on the farm.

We're having a Kiddo Day Brown Bag Lunch at Anchor Run! Please join us Saturday, August 5, from 11-1 pm.

Bring a brown bag lunch to our Kiddo Day at the Farm. There is plentiful picnic table seating under the pavilion, but feel free to bring a blanket or chairs if you want to spread out around the lawn.

We will provide a kid friendly activity while we all get to socialize and watch our kiddos play around the pavilion and sand box. Don't forget to bring your own drinks, sunscreen, and bug spray.

Hope to see you there!

- Melanie, Maylyn and Travers

Feel free to contact me with questions at: melswain23@gmail.com or call 609-774-3368. If you are a grownup who would like to help with an activity, let me know!

Join Amanda Crooke of Locust Light Farm for a medicinal tour of our herb garden. Amanda will walk you through the herbs, demonstrate how to harvest them, describe their medicinal qualities, and give you tips for storing and using them. You'll leave feeling inspired to visit the herb garden at every pickup. Amanda is an engaging speaker, host to an incredible wealth of knowledge of all things herbal. We are fortunate to have her share her wisdom and hope you'll join us for this fun and enriching event!

Members: $10 - sign up here
Non-members: $15 - sign up here

Join us for a relaxed evening on the farm, munching shared dishes and catching the beginning of a firefly light show. Bring a dish to share, your own place settings and beverages. Hope to see you there! (shared dishes do not have to incorporate farm produce)

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Upcoming-Events-2977/

July 24, 2023
Upcoming Events
by Farmer Dana

Some things to look forward to on the farm.

Join Amanda Crooke of Locust Light Farm for a medicinal tour of our herb garden. Amanda will walk you through the herbs, demonstrate how to harvest them, describe their medicinal qualities, and give you tips for storing and using them. You'll leave feeling inspired to visit the herb garden at every pickup. Amanda is an engaging speaker, host to an incredible wealth of knowledge of all things herbal. We are fortunate to have her share her wisdom and hope you'll join us for this fun and enriching event!

Members: $10 - sign up here
Non-members: $15 - sign up here

Kiddo-Day at the Farm, Saturday 8/5, 11-1 pm, Hosted by CSA member Melanie Swain

We're having a Kiddo Day Brown Bag Lunch at Anchor Run! Please join us Saturday, August 5, from 11-1 pm.

Bring a brown bag lunch to our Kiddo Day at the Farm. There is plentiful picnic table seating under the pavilion, but feel free to bring a blanket or chairs if you want to spread out around the lawn.

We will provide a kid friendly activity while we all get to socialize and watch our kiddos play around the pavilion and sand box. Don't forget to bring your own drinks, sunscreen, and bug spray.

Hope to see you there!

- Melanie, Maylyn and Travers

Feel free to contact me with questions at: melswain23@gmail.com or call 609-774-3368. If you are a grownup who would like to help with an activity, let me know!

Join us for a relaxed evening on the farm, munching shared dishes and catching the beginning of a firefly light show. Bring a dish to share, your own place settings and beverages. Hope to see you there! (shared dishes do not have to incorporate farm produce)

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Upcoming-Events-2967/

July 23, 2023
Nightshade Moves
by Farmer Derek

Harvest #12 (Week B) should include carrots, celery, beets, Italian dandelion, fennel, head lettuce, cilantro, dill, basil, zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant, fresh bulb garlic, tomatoes, sweet peppers, and scallions. Some items may be a choice. U-pick should include herbs, snap/string/green beans, cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, blackberries, and flowers.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Nightshade-Moves-2968/

July 23, 2023
Workshifts for the Week of July 24th
by Farmer Derek

This week's workshift schedule:

Bring gloves, water, a hat, sturdy shoes, and a pad for kneeling (if necessary for you)!

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-for-the-Week-of-July-24th-2969/

July 23, 2023
Summer Veggie Meals
by Linda Dansbury

The veggies are so delicious! Hope everyone is enjoying the harvest as much as I am - please share by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.

At this time of the year I grill and make salads out of a lot of the harvest. I find that having pasta on hand is great because it pairs so well with grilled veggies - add a vinaigrette, pesto, or olive oil, lemon juice and a bunch of fresh chopped herbs - all work great. Grilling extra while the grill is hot helps make meal prep easier the next day or two. The same hold true with salads - veggie salads hold up well and even may taste better the next day. Here are a few things I enjoyed this past week.

Cucumber, cilantro, scallion, garlic, mint, hot pepper (out of my freezer from last year) - enjoyed the Vietnamese Cucumber Salad - I came upon this recipe a couple of years ago and it has become a summer staple. If there is any leftover, it is delicious the next day.

Tomatillos, cilantro, garlic, hot pepper (from freezer) - made the Chicken Stew with Tomatillo Sauce. This is another go-to meal for enjoying tomatillos. I typically make a large batch of the sauce - tomatillos hold well in the fridge, so you can save a couple weeks worth of them and then make the sauce and freeze it in 2 cup containers for enjoying the stew at a later time. The sauce is also a good salsa. Instead of stewing the dish, I put it all in the pressure cooker - it is delicious! Serve it with rice as the recipe indicates or with fresh tortillas.

Eggplant, tomatoes, scallions - made the Eggplant Spread from this site. As much as I love Baba Ganoush, this is simpler to make and delicious.

Zucchini, garlic, basil - tried the Zucchini Ribbons with Pesto and White Beans that Farmer Dana sent me last week - Yum!

Green beans, cherry tomatoes, basil - found something slightly different to try called Summer Vegetable Pasta. This isn't a salad, but rather a warm dish with a bit of butter. It was simple to make and adaptable for whatever veggies you have on hand. I switched out the peas for green beans - can't wait to make this again!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Summer-Veggie-Meals-2970/

July 23, 2023
Still New Things Coming
by Linda Dansbury

Derek's email to me last week after I had finished working on the newsletter was that Dana found a nice surprise - the tomatillos were ready to harvest. If you aren't familiar with them, here is a bit of info:

Tomatillos are in the same family as tomatoes, eggplant and peppers and in fact look like a small green tomato with a funny husk on them. They are a great source of dietary fiber and are low in fat content. They’re also a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, niacin, potassium, manganese, and magnesium. Ripe tomatillos keep refrigerated for about two weeks. They keep longer with the husks removed and the fruit refrigerated in sealed plastic bags. They may also be frozen whole or sliced. Tomatillos can be eaten raw or cooked. They can be chopped and added to salads and are best known raw or cooked in salsa verde. This site has a lot of recipes to try: Salsa Verde, Charred Okra and Tomatoes (or Tomatillos), Chicken Stew with Tomatillo Sauce, Slow Cooker Chicken or Pork Chile Verde and more!

Okra is another lesser known and under used veggie. It is traditionally used in Gumbo and in African cuisine. Okra is a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals and is delicious pan fried or sauteed and stewed. It does not store for more than a week in the fridge so use it up quickly. A few delicious ways to use it that are found on this site are Easy Indian-style Stewed Okra, Okra and Green Beans and Louisiana Shrimp Gumbo (which also uses celery).

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Still-New-Things-Coming-2971/

July 23, 2023
Charm of the Third Try
by Farmer Derek

Finally, the 2023 garlic is out of the ground and safely hanging in the barn! Last November we planted almost 16,000 cloves which turned into bulbs for this year's harvest. We didn't harvest that many today; we distributed approximately 3,500 as green garlic in the spring and another 1,000 or so as fresh garlic the past couple of weeks. Still, it's quite an endeavor tackled by 60 folks working together. We even finished up an hour early and moved on to the onions, which are almost all out of the ground. Next big harvest task will be potatoes, probably sometime in early August. Their above ground growth dies back and their skins thicken, telling us when they're ready and storable.

The soil on the farm did not dry out enough last week so we weren't able to get any plants in the ground. We did spend a lot of time on tomato trellising (of course), harvesting crops, mowing and weed-trimming, seeding. This coming week we'll play some catch up with transplanting and ground prep, hopefully planting lettuce, cilantro, dill, celery, fennel, kale, rutabaga, chard, beets, basil, and dandelion. We also need to break out the wheel-hoes and clean up the massive broccoli/cauliflower/cabbage planting. That's all on top of the weekly seeding, harvesting, and tomato maintenance work. We've got a great crew so there's no doubt in my mind that it won't be a productive and satisfying week.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Charm-of-the-Third-Try-2972/

July 16, 2023
Water Fed
by Farmer Derek

Harvest #11 (Week A) should include carrots, celery, cabbage, beets, Italian dandelion, fennel, head lettuce, cilantro, dill, basil, zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant, fresh bulb garlic, and scallions. Some items may be a choice. U-pick should include herbs, snap/string/green beans, cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, blackberries, and flowers.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Water-Fed-2962/

July 16, 2023
Workshifts for the Week of July 17th
by Farmer Derek

Bring gloves, water, a hat, sturdy shoes, and a pad for kneeling (if necessary for you)!

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-for-the-Week-of-July-17th-2963/

July 16, 2023
Fully Saturated and Then Some
by Farmer Derek

It could probably be worse than this. We're lucky our fields reside on relatively high ground on the upper reaches of minor tributaries and aren't part of any riparian flood plains. The diversions and waterways we've established over the years help deflect the worst of the heavy rainfall. Nothing prevents the significant amount of water from falling on the fields except for our tunnels that are currently protecting tomatoes. Since Friday morning we've received 5 inches of rainfall, this is by mid-morning Sunday, with another couple of inches forecast for today. Having farmed here for 15 years now and dealing with all types of weather extremes, I don't panic hopefully as much as I used to, knowing this will pass and damage should be minimal. Still, it does stir up some unpleasant feelings knowing precious soil and nutrients are being washed out to sea. Sorry ocean critters.

What's next? The farm season marches on. We're still seeding each week, now well into our fall crops. We continue to transplant each week as well. Last week we transplanted 7,500 cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprout, lettuce, and herb plants over 5,000 bed feet. We're supposed to transplant fennel, beets, kale, rutabaga, and chard this coming week but that may be delayed. Tomatoes receive their weekly maintenance and are entering what will hopefully be a time of good yields. Thrice-weekly zucchini and cucumber harvests continue to take up a lot of our non-distribution day time. Hoeing and weeding take up a minimal amount of time right now but will soon increase with the amount of late summer and fall crops that are going into bare ground. Aisle maintenance is also peaking with warm season grasses and annual weeds trying to establish a foothold there. At least they do provide protection and prevent soil erosion!

On a good note, we did finish harvesting a record amount of carrots this past week. Yield and quality are probably the best we've had. Incredibly, the total weight harvested by staff and members is approximately 6,500lbs, or 3.25 tons! I didn't do much of the harvesting myself, only wielding the tractor and tool that loosened the beds, but I did get to lift each 60-70lb bin and put it in the cooler. Much better than a gym membership I swear.

Enjoy the rain day/weekend/week!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Fully-Saturated-and-Then-Some-2964/

July 16, 2023
Zucchini Days
by Linda Dansbury

We have A LOT of recipes on this site, all geared to help with enjoying the harvest. Many of the recipes include multiple veggies that are available at the same time. Even though there are already tons of them, I am always seeking out new ways to prepare the veggies. This past week I did 2 new things:

Cucumbers, snap beans, zucchini, carrots - I pickled a pile of veggies Italian style or Giardiniera. It called for making a flavored vinegar and then boiling each veggie separately until bright colored and barely soft. You can eat them at that point or conserve them; i.e. place in mason jars, covered with olive oil and then process the jars. I chose to eat them fresh - when I tasted them, they were a bit too vinegary for my taste, so I drizzled good quality olive oil on them - that did the trick. I still have some experimenting to do, but it was a fun and tasty try!

Zucchini, garlic, basil - I found a recipe for turning zucchini into an actual pasta sauce. It incorporates anchovies and onions that you saute up with the zucchini until all are soft but not brown. Blend or use immersion blender and finish with lemon juice. Toss with pasta and add chopped basil, toasted hazelnuts and parm cheese. We ended up not being home for dinner for a few nights, so I ended up freezing it for enjoyment later - if as good as I think it will be, I will post the recipe.

Snap Beans, cherry tomatoes, mixed herbs, scallions - I make salads with a lot of the veggies we receive - they are great for summer and using a vinaigrette preserves the veggie, and in this case the beans are even better the second day. I often incorporate chick peas and/or feta cheese to make it more of a meal.

Eggplant, garlic, herbs - I was using the grill anyway, so grilled eggplants up until really soft and almost black on the outside. When cool enough to handle I removed the skins, and chopped the flesh up really well - it was soft so it came out like a chunky dip. Added a bit of grated garlic, lots of chopped herbs and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Served it on grilled bread - yum!

How did you enjoy your harvest? Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and I will share with the rest of membership.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Zucchini-Days-2965/

July 16, 2023
Farmer Dana's Harvest Enjoyment
by Linda Dansbury

This past week Farmer Dana sent me a couple of recipes they are enjoying right now. Dana writes:

"I just made this recipe from Smitten Kitchen and it was a winner (and totally applicable to the current harvests) Fried Rice with Zucchini, Tomatoes and Parmesan. The only change I made was omitting the eggs and replacing them with two chicken breasts that I cubed, seasoned, and cooked separately and then added just before the parm and parsley."

Dana sent a second recipe from Smitten Kitchen which makes good use of our current harvest: Grilled Zucchini Ribbons with Pesto and White Beans

I can't wait to try both of these - thank you Dana! One of the best things with both of these recipes is that they come together in under 30 minutes! All you cooks out there, please share your ideas by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Farmer-Danas-Harvest-Enjoyment-2966/

July 9, 2023
Loving the Variety!
by Linda Dansbury

Wow! The variety is amazing, with every week now bringing a new surprise or two in the pick up room - this past week we were surprised with eggplant and celery.

Celery - hopefully you don't need a long term storage plan for celery, since farm grown celery is so delicious! Most sources say to wrap it tightly in aluminum foil, but I don't really like that approach. I typically wrap it in a paper towel and then in a tightly sealed plastic bag - that seems to work well. After it is cut, it is best stored submerged in water. Celery is a veggie that everyone is familiar with as part of the start of a stew or soup when combined with carrots and onion, or as a snack eaten with a dip or stuffed with peanut butter. There are other delicious ways to enjoy it, including a few recipes on this site. A couple of my favorites are Italian Celery and Mushroom Salad and Braised Celery.

Eggplant - this veggie offers some great health benefits: eggplant contains antioxidants like vitamins A and C, which help protect your cells against damage. It's also high in natural plant chemicals called polyphenols, which may help cells do a better job of processing sugar if you have diabetes. Eggplant does not store for long periods of time. The best temp to store eggplant is about 50 degrees - cooler than your home but warmer than the fridge. The best way we can store it is to wrap in a paper towel and place in a bag with the top left open. Place in fridge in crisper if it fits. Use within a few days. Eggplant can be enjoyed in many ways, from Eggplant Parmagiana (check out the lighter version on this site - no breading and frying) to Eggplant and Green Beans in a Spicy Garlic Sauce, to Eggplant Spread and so many more! I love grilling eggplant - the smokiness you get is so nice.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Loving-the-Variety-2957/

July 9, 2023
Cook Once, Eat Multiple Times
by Linda Dansbury

Grilling season can make dinners easier with some planning. Grill more than what you need for one meal and you can do countless things with the leftovers - that goes with both veggies and meats. I didn't make a lot of different things this past week, but the rainy day today provides a good opportunity to be creative with all the veggies! Please share how you enjoy your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please include Anchor Run in the Subject line so that I can find your email. Here are a couple of things we enjoyed this week.

Zucchini, eggplant, scallions, fresh herbs - grilled them up until nice and charred and cooked through (the scallions take only a couple of minutes). When finished, drizzled with some good olive oil, salt and pepper and some chopped fresh herbs.

Zucchini, eggplant, garlic scapes, a few peas I still had left - used the leftover grilled veggies and uncooked peas and cooked up some pasta. I had pesto in the freezer so I made a delicious pasta salad which was one night's side dish and a couple of lunches after that.

Lettuce, cucumber, scallion, kohlrabi - made a nice hardy salad and served it with leftover grilled chicken cut up and placed on top.

Beets - made a delicious beet salad - I like to use a basic Dijon vinaigrette with some chopped up tarragon. Serve with a bed of greens, a bit of goat or feta cheese and some chopped nuts, and it is delicious!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Cook-Once-Eat-Multiple-Times-2958/

July 9, 2023
Early Summer Bounty
by Farmer Derek

Harvest #10 (Week B) should include carrots, celery, cabbage, beets, Italian dandelion, fennel, hakurei turnips, head lettuce, cilantro, dill, basil, zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant, fresh bulb garlic, and scallions. Some items may be a choice. U-pick* should include herbs, snap/string/green beans, cherry tomatoes, and flowers.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Early-Summer-Bounty-2959/

July 9, 2023
Workshifts for the Week of July 10th
by Farmer Derek

Bring gloves, water, a hat, sturdy shoes, and a pad for kneeling (if necessary for you)!

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-for-the-Week-of-July-10th-2960/

July 9, 2023
Coulda, Shoulda
by Farmer Derek

Well, the fancy weather forecasting computers misinterpreted the rain gods' vibrations (data) and we could probably have hosted The Great Garlic Harvest this morning. Sometimes it's all a guessing game for us, a gambling game, picking the probabilities and possibilities. Wouldn't it be super nice to be sitting here knowing that 15,000 garlic bulbs are hanging in the barn, curing? Unfortunately we have to wait one more week to harvest and hang those goodies, but they should bide their time in the soil just fine. Also, it did give me the opportunity to disappear from the farm with the kiddos and spend some quality time playing in the ocean for half the day.

There's also another two beds of carrots to retrieve, approximately 500 feet, from the fields. Last week, with the help of many members, we cleared four beds of direct seeded, mostly straight, carrots, and one bed of transplanted, mostly interwoven and oddly shaped, carrots. Overall the yield, size, and quality of spring sown summer carrots looks great and we'll all be a little orange in a month or so.

Additional traditional summer crops are starting to grace us with their soon-to-be-plentiful presence. Cherry tomatoes are ripening, eggplant are fattening, and basil plants are bushing. Cucumbers and zucchini seem to be peaking (at least I hope anyway, so much weight...a big thanks to Farmers Gabby, Connor, and Adeline...they hauled in over a ton last week). Peppers should be picked soon and even tunnel slicing tomatoes are turning red. Heavy hauls from the pick up room indeed.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Coulda-Shoulda-2961/

July 2, 2023
Summer Veggies for Summer Weather
by Linda Dansbury

I hope everyone is enjoying the fresh, wonderful veggies as much as I am. Please send me how you are preparing your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net so I can share with the rest of membership - and please include Anchor Run in the Subject line so I can find your message. Here are a few ways we enjoyed our harvest this week:

Zucchini, garlic scapes, lettuce - if there is a perfect weeknight summer meal for when you don't feel like grilling, here it is: Warm Summer Squash and Sausage Salad. You only need one pan and a large bowl. It is simple to make and delicious. We enjoy this dish at least every couple of weeks during the summer months - once the cherry tomatoes come in it is even better!

Beets, turnips, herbs, garlic scapes - roasted a panful of veggies to snack on and add to salads during the week. Simple and delicious.

Snow and snap peas, scapes, kohlrabi, cilantro - made a batch of cole slaw to enjoy with grilled chicken.

Kale, garlic scapes - I was perusing the recipe site and came upon a recipe that has been around for awhile, but I hadn't made it in a long time: Wilted Kale Salad with Miso Vinaigrette - I didn't follow exactly, but used it as a base.

Cucumbers - so far, I have been just eating them as is or slicing into salads, but will start making salads featuring cucs soon. One thing I like to do for a quick, light lunch is take a slice of bread and spread with hummus. Top with sliced cucumber and enjoy. I really like the crunch of the cucumber.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Summer-Veggies-for-Summer-Weather-2950/

July 2, 2023
Hooray for Fennel
by Linda Dansbury

Fennel - should be part of the pick up this week. It is a very flexible veggie in that it can be eaten raw, grilled, roasted, sauteed, and added to soups and sauces. It is high in nutrients like dietary fiber, potassium, and vitamin C, to name a few, and it stores well in the crisper drawer of the fridge. A couple recipes on this site that I like for summer are the Shaved Fennel Salad with Parmesan Cheese and the Lentil Salad with Fennel and Herbs (fennel was made to be with lentils).

Green Beans - most people know what to do with green beans. When you boil them, note that fresh from the field green beans cook up faster than those you purchase from the supermarket. Cooked green beans make delicious salads and can even be grilled - I will be sharing my ideas soon.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Hooray-for-Fennel-2951/

July 2, 2023
Yes to Stir Fries!
by Linda Dansbury

This week I heard from fellow member Laurie Heusner-Myers. She too enjoyed her harvest by stir frying some of it. Here is her email to me:

Scapes, zucchini, snow peas - I used these plus an onion and pepper to make a delicious stir fry. I only had the snow peas in a few minutes and added some soy sauce and hoisin (totally optional) and served over spaghetti one night and buckwheat noodles another. Quick and delicious and easily modified.

Thanks Laurie, and for all of you other cooks out there, please share with fellow members how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Yes-to-Stir-Fries-2952/

July 2, 2023
"Now What!?!" Workshop Recap
by Gia Yaccarino

Every year I enjoy the Now What!? workshops so much and I learn from the other members as well! This year the first 2 workshops were well attended and due to member request, we offered the workshops on a second weekend. The second weekend had a lower attendance, but they offered a chance for more one-on-one discussions!

We all know that there is a sharp learning curve for most upon joining a CSA – not only with what to do with the abundance of fresh vegetables but also with successfully incorporating the vegetables into your family’s meals! And once you have figured out what to do with the vegetables – the growing season progresses, and different vegetables are introduced! I strongly recommend keeping a journal or making notes on your recipes with what you did this year so that you don’t have to relearn things next year!

I shared Kale “Pesto” and Kale Stem “Pesto”. I say “Pesto” because there are no nuts or olive oil in my recipes! I often use tomato water or the liquid from Kalamata olives instead of oil. I also shared Bok Choy, Kohlrabi and radishes in a peanut sauce as well as vegetable chips I made with my dehydrator. Some ideas I shared included grilling (on a barbecue or in a skillet) some of the heartier lettuces like endive, escarole, radicchio or even romaine. I usually quarter mine, rinse and let dry (mostly) and then place cut side down in my cast iron skillet. I let that cook for a few minutes then flip over and cook a little longer. Then I spray it with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle parmesan cheese – yum! And this is a great recipe to freeze and save for the winter!

Another way I save some vegetables for the winter is by blanching the greens such as kale, radish or turnip greens. I submerge the chopped, cleaned greens in boiling water for a few minutes and then submerge them in ice water. Once they are cooled, I grab a big handful and squeeze out the excess water. I end up with a little ball of greens that easily fits into a Ziploc freezer bag. You can fit multiple green balls into a sandwich size bag! This is a wonderful addition to pasta, soup or stir-fry in the wintertime!

I also shared my copy of From Asparagus to Zucchini. I think the format of the cookbook is so user friendly and it included information about each vegetable, storage tips and cooking tips along with many CSA tried and tested recipes. I also encourage everyone to explore the recipe section on the website – it has so many wonderful recipes!

I want to thank everyone who attended! I had a wonderful time! I hope I have given you some ideas to help you enjoy more of your share.

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Now-What-Workshop-Recap-2953/

July 2, 2023
Number Nine Time
by Farmer Derek

Harvest #9 (Week A) should include cabbage, beets, kale, endive, Italian dandelion, fennel, hakurei turnips, head lettuce, cilantro, dill, basil, zucchini, cucumbers, and scallions. Some items may be a choice. U-pick* should include herbs, snap/string/green beans, and flowers.

*Besides herbs, and eventually blackberries, all u-pick for the remainder of the season will be in a different field than the peas and strawberries. Instead of taking a right out of the barn, go left and follow the path by the 'pond'. There will be u-pick signs pointing you in the right direction!

**If anyone has a stash of grocery bags to donate to the pick up room, we are currently in need of them. Thank you!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Number-Nine-Time-2954/

July 2, 2023
Workshifts for the Week of July 3rd
by Farmer Derek

Bring gloves, water, a hat, sturdy shoes, and a pad for kneeling (if necessary for you)!

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-for-the-Week-of-July-3rd-2955/

July 2, 2023
Heating Up
by Farmer Derek

Last week was a bit of an anomaly as we had to work around wet weather and soil. After receiving almost five inches of rain over the preceding weekend and early part of the week we had to wait until Thursday afternoon and Friday morning to get back out in the field with the tractor and resume (most) transplanting. No matter, though, because there's plenty of farm work to do that doesn't involve heavy machinery, including planting the final round of zucchini and cucumbers, tomato pruning and clipping, aisle mowing, weeding, and harvesting.

With the beans that we put in later in the week, we're now finished planting summer crops, except for a few more basil successions. Our attention now is shifting towards field prep for fall crops. As of today (Sunday) all of our fields (about 13 acres) have at least received the first step towards accepting crops, that is, opened up with the chisel plow. My goal is to begin field prep for a crop at least a month in advance so that the weather and soil creatures can mellow the soil and break down organic matter but also to get weeds to germinate and be terminated by following passes with the tractor as we make and finalize raised beds.

During this coming week we'll strive to harvest all of the spring carrots as well as the garlic. A lot of workshifts have been scheduled over the next 7 days and we'd love to have your help accomplishing these tasks. Hope to see you!

Link: https://www.anchorrunfarm.com/blog/Heating-Up-2956/