July 26, 2026
Latest Entry - Tomatillos!
by Linda Dansbury

Tomatillos are in the same plant family as tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. They are easy to harvest - often the ones laying on the ground are the best ones. They are ripe when the tomatillo completely fills out the husk and the husk is split - if the husk is yellow, even better. They store fairly well in the fridge in a plastic bag - I sometimes keep 2 weeks worth of what I get in the U-Pick, and then use them all at once. They can be added to salads raw. Salsa Verde recipe on this site shows how to make both a raw version and cooked version - I prefer the cooked version myself. My 2 favorite recipes that I like to make in the summer and freeze for enjoying later are the Slow Cooker Chicken or Pork Chile Verde and the Chicken Stew with Tomatillo Sauce. For the latter recipe, I usually make the Tomatillo sauce in the summer and freeze it in the full recipe amount and then during the winter months I can proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Thai Basil - I noticed in the U-pick herb bed that the Thai basil has barely been snipped. I am guessing it is because it is unfamiliar to many people. It is commonly used in Southeast Asian dishes such as curries. Although it can be used as an alternative in some dishes to the well know Italian basil, it has it's own distinct flavor and characteristics. It has an anise or licorice flavor to it and some consider it a bit spicy. It stands up to cooking better than Italian basil. As with other basil, snip some and place in a jar of water on your kitchen counter and pluck the leaves as you need them. Some ideas/recipes from this site that lend themselves to using Thai basil are: do a simple salad of tomatoes and cucumbers with Thai basil, rice vinegar and a neutral oil (it is a component of the Thai-Style Grilled Eggplant Salad). Or add it to the Japanese Eggplant with Thai Red Curry, or the Eggplant and Green Beans in Spicy Garlic Sauce.

July 26, 2026
Enjoyable Stretch of Weather
by Linda Dansbury

I can't remember a nicer stretch of July weather! Perfect for eating outside and enjoying the wonderful harvests we are receiving. Here are a few things we prepared this week.

Cherry tomatoes, green beans, peppers, scallions, basil - made a pasta salad with pesto. Very easy to do and tastes even better the next day.

Cucumbers, hot pepper, scallions, cilantro and mint - enjoyed the Vietnamese Cucumber Salad - one of our favorites!

Beets, Swiss chard, garlic, onion, parsley - prepared the Roasted Beet and Beet Green Risotto - since we don't have beet greens, the Swiss chard is a perfect substitute. This is delicious, and the beets make the color of the risotto so pretty.

Zucchini, garlic, scallions, parsley - prepared the Savory Zucchini Muffins - I like making a few batches of these during the summer and freezing them. They make a perfect to-go breakfast - even better if you reheat them a bit. Use any cheese you like and omit the bacon if you want.

Zucchini, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, garlic - one of my summer go-to dishes is the Warm Summer Squash and Sausage Salad. Cooks up in one pan - easy and delicious.

Eggplant, zucchini, peppers, green beans, tomatoes - since the weather has been so beautiful, we grilled a lot this past week. With the grill already going, it was perfect for grilling up a lot of veggies - made different ones on different nights. Finished them off with a drizzle of good olive oil, flaked sea salt and chopped mixed herbs. So delicious.

July 26, 2026
U-pick Almost Peaking
by Farmer Derek

Harvest #12 (Week B) should include cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, head lettuce, Italian dandelion, basil, scallions, fresh garlic, chard, carrots, green peppers, hot peppers, and beets. Some items will be a choice.

U-pick should include green/string/snap beans, cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, flowers, and labeled herbs (bring scissors).

FYI we do our best to predict the harvest but we don't always get it 100% right.

- Check the u-pick board in the hallway for u-pick crops and amounts before picking. Amounts listed are per share per week.

- Only crops listed on the board are available for u-pick.

- U-pick crops and weekly allotments can be harvested any day of the week, 8am–8pm, Monday through Sunday of your pick up week. So if you can’t do your u-pick on your scheduled pick up day, feel free to come back any other day that week.

- BYO scissors for herbs and flowers.

- We provide half-pint, pint, and quart u-pick baskets for members to measure and harvest into. Please save these and reuse them as much as possible. If you have some that are still in good shape at the end of the season we'll gladly accept them back.

July 26, 2026
Pendulum Swings to Pleasant
by Farmer Derek

Thank something for this great stretch of weather. And if it's followed with ample rainfall, what could be better. I hope everyone's been spending some time outside rejoicing and marveling at our current lucky streak, especially after what we've endured recently.

The farm survives and thrives regardless. Not that we're immune from weather and Mother Nature, but no matter what we keep on truckin'. This is particularly an exciting time of year as farm output starts maximizing and we're rewarded with the fruits of our labor. It's a collective process as we rely on so many variables to coax healthy and delectable food from the soil. This is also probably the season of peak colors and flavors and sugars with ripe tomatoes, peppers, and hopefully soon melons coming in. What could be better?

July 26, 2026
Workshifts this Week (7/27/26)
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.

Please be there by the scheduled start time (it might be hard to find us in the fields otherwise).

Workshift Guidelines - Workshift Sign Up Instructions

July 26, 2026
Art Workshop - Drawing on the Farm
by Lauren Vogt

July 26, 2026
I scream, You scream, We all scream for Potlucks!
by Gia Yaccarino

Join us for a potluck dinner under the pavilion to enjoy the evening and talk with fellow CSA members!

Bring a dish to serve six and your own beverages and place settings. (shared dishes do not have to incorporate farm produce)

Please label your dishes for those with dietary restrictions.

See you there!

The next Potluck is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 5-7 PM

July 19, 2026
Productive Produce
by Farmer Derek

Harvest #11 (Week A) should include cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, fennel, celery, head lettuce, basil, scallions, fresh garlic, chard, carrots, green peppers, hot peppers, and beets. Some items will be a choice.

U-pick should include green/string/snap beans, cherry tomatoes, flowers, and labeled herbs (bring scissors).

FYI we do our best to predict the harvest but we don't always get it 100% right.

- Check the u-pick board in the hallway for u-pick crops and amounts before picking. Amounts listed are per share per week.

- Only crops listed on the board are available for u-pick.

- U-pick crops and weekly allotments can be harvested any day of the week, 8am–8pm, Monday through Sunday of your pick up week. So if you can’t do your u-pick on your scheduled pick up day, feel free to come back any other day that week.

- BYO scissors for herbs and flowers.

- We provide half-pint, pint, and quart u-pick baskets for members to measure and harvest into. Please save these and reuse them as much as possible. If you have some that are still in good shape at the end of the season we'll gladly accept them back.

July 19, 2026
Expectedly Weird the New Normal
by Farmer Derek

I'm writing this on Saturday as I patiently await ample rainfall following some miserably hot, dry, dusty, and weirdly smoky days. Anticipating this robust-looking rainfall forecast I spent about 10 hours outside yesterday preparing spent ground for a succulent cover crop mix of oats, buckwheat, crimson clover, cowpeas, sunflowers, sunnhemp, and sudan grass. Recent fall-crop transplants broccoli, cabbage, celery, celeriac, kale, collards, rutabaga, and lettuce would also much appreciate rainfall. If this storm system peters out there's at least a potential follow-up Tuesday into Wednesday. Making plans based on the weather forecast sure is challenging! I suspended daily irrigation midweek in anticipation of this now possibly meager event but fingers crossed we'll continue to receive light rain throughout the day which will total at least half an inch.

Last week we quickly and quietly harvested all of the spring carrots, the last of the beets, and the entire patch of garlic. All of those areas were subsequently turned into future cover crop oases. The farm crew battled through the adverse aerial conditions and got through all necessary tasks. Weekly tomato plant maintenance is always at the top of the list, as well as hoeing/cultivating and harvesting. Removing spent crop infrastructure from peas, strawberries, zucchini, and cucumbers will be ongoing jobs. Priority is always placed with caring for living plants over cleanup of expired/finished ones. That is the main reason why we spread compost after produce crops, just before cover crops, because normally time isn't available until July for that task. Bon voyage!

July 19, 2026
Workshifts this Week (7/20/26)
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.

Please be there by the scheduled start time (it might be hard to find us in the fields otherwise).

Workshift Guidelines - Workshift Sign Up Instructions

July 19, 2026
More Summer Crops - And...a HUGE Thank you to our Farm Team
by Linda Dansbury

Thank you to the amazing Anchor Run Farm team! We continue to receive an abundance of beautiful, delicious, healthy veggies in spite of very difficult conditions - which seem most challenging this year! Below is a bit of info on some new veggies.

Green peppers - full-sized but considered unripe - later in the season we will transition to beautiful orange and red peppers but for now enjoy the crisp taste of the peppers in any prep that calls for them. They will store fairly well in the fridge. Enjoy them raw in salads, pasta salads, part of crudite platter or cooked as in stir fries, grilled, etc. Based on this week's harvest and a few days of not too hot weather, I know we will be grilling a pile of veggies: peppers, zucchini, eggplant, scallions.

Hot peppers - I have heard members say that they don't always take the hot peppers because they don't use many - not realizing they freeze well. Just place in freezer bags - no need to cut them up or deseed them. During the winter months when a recipe calls for hot peppers or chili flakes, pull a pepper or two from freezer and enjoy your harvest!

Beets - beet store well in the fridge. As with so many other veggies, I really like to make beet salads. There are many recipes on the internet. My go-to is to roast the beets at 400 degrees until tender (a little olive oil and salt on them). Allow to cool a bit then remove skins. Either chop up or slice into a bowl. Make a balsamic vinaigrette and pour some over the beets and mix. The beets will keep in fridge like this for a few days. I like serving mine on top of some greens, then topped with pecans or pistachios and a bit of goat cheese. Beets are also great when baked into Chocolate Beet Cake! Yum!

July 19, 2026
Summer Yummies
by Linda Dansbury

We are now at the peak of the season. New things will still appear, but the majority of the summer bounty is now with us. Here are a few of the things we enjoyed this week. As I have written before, summer salads are a large part of my repertoire. They often can be made ahead (green bean salad, pasta salad), and are flexible in their ingredients. I try to provide ideas, but experiment with different flavors and add-ins. Enjoy!

Cherry tomatoes, green garlic, basil - made a delicious appetizer of burrata, roasted cherry tomatoes with herbs and toasted bread that was a copy of one we had at a restaurant recently. Pre heat oven to 400. Place cherry tomatoes (about a pint is a good sized appetizer) in a deep roasting pan. To the tomatoes, add about 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of dried basil, a minced garlic clove, a bit of olive oil and a bit of balsamic vinegar. Roast until tomatoes are split and a bit browned - around 20 minutes. Stir after 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. When tomatoes come out of the oven, place bread slices in to brown slightly - a 475 degree oven works perfectly. Place a burrata ball in the middle of a large bowl. Spread tomatoes around it and sprinkle with chopped fresh basil, some flaked sea salt and a drizzle of good olive oil. Eat by spreading some burrata and tomatoes on bread slices. Yum!

Green beans, eggplant, basil, garlic - made the Green Beans and Eggplant in a Spicy Garlic Sauce from this site.

Cucumbers, cilantro - enjoyed the Spicy Cucumber Salad from this site.

Celery, onions - there are still some tomatoes in my freezer from last year! Having to use them up before this years bounty, I found a recipe for tomato juice that uses celery and leaves (most just use celery salt). Just put about a cup of chopped celery with leaves, 1/3 cup chopped onions and a few pounds of cored, chopped tomatoes into a pot with a bit of pepper, salt and sugar. Cook for about half an hour, until soupy. Put through a food mill, chill and enjoy.

Green beans, cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic scape, celery, parsley - made a delicious green bean salad. I often add chick peas, as I did this time. I had a cooked ear of corn in the fridge, so I took the kernels off the ear, and added those as well. Dressing was salt and fresh ground pepper, dried oregano, a bit of garlic powder, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Great for lunch and/or a side dish.

July 12, 2026
Summer Hits are Coming
by Linda Dansbury

The summer veggies are really coming in now. Here are a few of the recent additions and some info on them. There are a couple of them that are much more delicate than what you get at the store, due to the shelf extending treatments some veggies receive before hitting the shelves.

Eggplant - Anchor Run grows several varieties of eggplants - Asian and Italian varieties, which is great because Mother Nature willing, we will receive eggplant for awhile. The different varieties lend themselves to different preparations. Eggplant is one of the veggies that does not keep very long. If using soon after pick up, you can store them on your kitchen counter for up to 2 days. Beyond that, wrap in a paper towel and place in an open plastic bag in the upper section of your fridge. They should keep for up to a week this way. Do not store near things such as bananas, which release ethylene gas. We have a lot of great recipes for eggplant on this site. In addition to Baba Ganoush, and an easier, healthier version of Eggplant Parmesan, a couple of my favorites are Eggplant and Green Beans in Spicy Garlic Sauce, and Thai-Style Grilled Eggplant Salad.

Celery - if you have never tasted farm fresh celery before, you are in for a treat. This celery actually tastes like... well, CELERY! Celery does not keep long, so use it up - they say the best way to store celery is to tightly wrap the entire bunch in aluminum foil. I have never used this method - I usually place it in 2 plastic bags and it keeps for at least a week or so. If you want to try a couple of different ways to enjoy celery, consider the Braised Celery and the Celery and Mushroom Salad recipes.

Fresh Onions - it's difficult to grow onions in this part of the country that store really well (although Derek and Dana grew an amazing amount of them last year). So, we are now receiving "immature" onions with their tops. They have reached full size, but haven't dried in the field so they don't have that dry papery layers. Store in the fridge in a bag. Use like you would any other onion.

Fresh Garlic - same as above, but I have found that this garlic is fine kept on the kitchen counter.

July 12, 2026
So Many Choices
by Linda Dansbury

So many veggies to eat, and so many ways to enjoy them, it is sometimes difficult to decide what to make. Sometimes it is as simple as what is the easiest and fastest way to get things on the table.

Eggplant, zucchini, onion - grilled a lot of veggies. Brushed veggies with olive oil, grilled over medium heat until nicely browned and tender. When we took them off the grill, sprinkled with flaky sea salt and chopped veggies. The first night we ate them as our veggie side dish. Leftovers (which I always make sure I do because leftover grilled veggies are so good).

Grilled veggies, herbs, garlic scapes - made a pasta salad that I added a bit of pesto to for the dressing.

Lettuce, herbs, kohlrabi, celery, cucumber - in the summer when we have a lot of mixed veggies I make more or less veggie salads for my lunches. The veggies stay crisp and delicious, as does the variety of head lettuce we are getting right now. I usually make a red wine vinegar vinaigrette. Or just squeeze lemon juice, drizzle olive oil and add salt and pepper. Don't forget to add a few leaves of chopped basil and/or parsley.

Cucumber, onion, cilantro - made the Spiced Cucumber Sticks from this site. It's an easy, delicious appetizer. It can be mostly prepared ahead with the spices and lime juice sprinkled on right before eating. If you don't like or have on hand the spices that are in the recipe, switch them up to what you want.

Green beans, onion, basil, celery, garlic scape - made a green bean salad (see a theme with me? Lots of salads!) I like to make this early in the day and make a lot of it because the flavor gets better as it sits, and it keeps really well! Cook the green beans until crisp tender in salted water. Drain and cool. Add slivered onion, chopped celery, basil and garlic scape (or grate garlic if you used up your scapes). Make a vinaigrette of your choice, pour over bowl of veggies, mix well and enjoy. I often add chick peas and or feta or other crumbly cheese to boost the protein and add flavor, but these are optional. As the veggie mix changes, I add and subtract what I include.

Cabbage, cilantro, garlic, kohlrabi, onion - enjoyed the Asian Style Slaw from this site.

July 12, 2026
Summer Segue Continues
by Farmer Derek

Harvest #10 (Week B) should include cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, fennel, celery, head lettuce, basil, spring onions, fresh garlic, chard, and beets. Some items will be a choice.

U-pick should include green/string/snap beans, cherry tomatoes, flowers, and labeled herbs (bring scissors).

FYI we do our best to predict the harvest but we don't always get it 100% right.

- Check the u-pick board in the hallway for u-pick crops and amounts before picking. Amounts listed are per share per week.

- Only crops listed on the board are available for u-pick.

- U-pick crops and weekly allotments can be harvested any day of the week, 8am–8pm, Monday through Sunday of your pick up week. So if you can’t do your u-pick on your scheduled pick up day, feel free to come back any other day that week.

- BYO scissors for herbs and flowers.

- We provide half-pint, pint, and quart u-pick baskets for members to measure and harvest into. Please save these and reuse them as much as possible. If you have some that are still in good shape at the end of the season we'll gladly accept them back.

July 12, 2026
Less Planting, More Harvesting
by Farmer Derek

It's mid-July which means it's time for bulk harvesting spring sown root crops like carrots and beets as well as over-wintered crops like garlic. From now through the end of the season we'll be periodically retrieving en masse large amounts of crops that are known for their storage qualities and shelf-stability. Aforementioned carrots and beets were started this week with great help from CSA workshift attendees. Both crops are slightly subdued compared to previous seasons most likely due to erratic temperatures and dry and hot conditions (and maybe weed pressure).

We'll get started on our ever-expanding garlic patch this week and will hopefully wrap up before the ground gets wet again. With our new harvesting process of mowing the necks and drying the bulbs on pallets in the shade-cloth-covered hoop house, the garlic harvest is much more efficient that it used to be when we tied the necks and hung it up in the barn.

Later this month and throughout August we'll begin retrieving potatoes. Tops die back and skins need to harden prior. Onions will be up next, after their tops start withering and flopping over. In late August and early September, winter squash and pumpkins will mature. After their skins sun-cure we'll pull them out of the fields and begin distribution.

But let's not rush things because we're about to enter tomato and pepper season and are firmly in eggplant, cucumber, and zucchini season, which means heavy hauls of peak summer produce!

July 12, 2026
Workshifts this Week (7/13/26)
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.

Please be there by the scheduled start time (it might be hard to find us in the fields otherwise).

Workshift Guidelines - Workshift Sign Up Instructions

July 5, 2026
Heat-Tolerant Plants
by Farmer Derek

Harvest #9 (Week A) should include cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, fennel, celery, head lettuce, basil, kohlrabi, spring onions, fresh garlic, chard, and collards. Some items will be a choice.

U-pick should include green/string/snap beans, flowers, and labeled herbs like sage, garlic chives, oregano, catnip, cilantro, dill, lemon balm, mint, parsley, and bronze fennel (bring scissors).

FYI we do our best to predict the harvest but we don't always get it 100% right.

- Check the u-pick board in the hallway for u-pick crops and amounts before picking. Amounts listed are per share per week.

- Only crops listed on the board are available for u-pick.

- U-pick crops and weekly allotments can be harvested any day of the week, 8am–8pm, Monday through Sunday of your pick up week. So if you can’t do your u-pick on your scheduled pick up day, feel free to come back any other day that week.

- BYO scissors for herbs and flowers.- We provide half-pint, pint, and quart u-pick baskets for members to measure and harvest into. Please save these and reuse them as much as possible. If you have some that are still in good shape at the end of the season we'll gladly accept them back.

July 5, 2026
Another Test Passed
by Farmer Derek

Wow. This has been an insane blast of heat. Coupled with extremely dry soil and our inability to irrigate 100% of the crops, we've been thoroughly put through the ringer. From an experimental perspective, I'm very curious to observe the resiliency of plants, especially the ones we couldn't add water to. Besides the actual physical impact on crops and farmers, the heat impaired our ability to work our normal amount of hours and cut down on productivity somewhat, similar to rainy weather keeping us from doing certain tasks. We did what we could through midday but had to duck out of the weather for the worst of the afternoons. Most fortunately we received some cooling storms the past two evenings (Fri & Sat) which delivered about an inch of rain total. With the legit cold front moving through tonight we're due for additional rain. I'm very excited.

Due to the heat, last week we weren't able to transplant the new 7,000 strawberry plants that are hopefully still dormant in our walk-in cooler. Beds are ready with divots established Saturday morning to accept rainfall. Mother Nature willing we'll find a window to plant on Monday or Wednesday. Besides these, we'll also be planting the fourth and final round of zucchini and cucumbers and our weekly lettuce. Speaking of zucs and cukes, they're bountiful at the moment and will hopefully last through the summer months. As long as their being watered, they love the heat.

July 5, 2026
Workshifts this Week (7/6/26)
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.

Please be there by the scheduled start time (it might be hard to find us in the fields otherwise).

Workshift Guidelines - Workshift Sign Up Instructions

July 5, 2026
Natural Pigments Workshop
by Lauren Vogt