For a brief period of time last week the weather forecast showed highs in the upper 70s at the end of next week, which temporarily helped us to tolerate this current furnace blast. The forecast has changed, and the heat swelters on. We're back to mildly hoping for rain after wishing it would stop raining, and so far the thunderstorms have missed us the past few days. I reluctantly turned on the irrigation yesterday for many of the crops that are currently being harvested on a continual basis. The boom and bust rain cycle leaves us pleasantly bewildered. The dry weather and soil combination is allowing us to catch up and get ahead with certain tasks like harvesting potatoes and onions, subduing grass and sowing cover crops, and perpetually working towards the common goal of successfully completing the 26-week CSA season. I feel very close to mother nature as I sit here and write these notes in a lingering sweaty mess in an un-air-conditioned house and am thankful for the solar panels providing some of the needed power to our 2 window AC units and walk-in cooler refrigerator in the barn. The window AC units are set for 60 degrees and are currently protecting potatoes, tomatoes, and winter squash, as well as some seeded flats of colder-germinating crops like spinach, lettuces, and collards. The walk-in is set for 36-40 degrees and houses everything else we harvest. I wouldn't mind sleeping out there.

Harvest #14 (Week B) should include spaghetti winter squash, tomatoes, sweet peppers, eggplant, carrots, fresh onions, fresh garlic, potatoes, lettuce, scallions, okra, and hot peppers. Some items may be a choice. U-pick should include green beans, edamame, cherry tomatoes, husk cherries, tomatillos, dill, cilantro, parsley, basil, perennial herbs, and a flower bouquet.

Half of your committed work hours should be completed soon! Over the course of the season full shares work 8 hours; half shares work 4 hours. If you're unable to contribute the physical portion of your share, you may contribute to the farm financially at the rate of $15/hour. This fills out the balance of your share cost.

Tuesday 8/16 8-10am; 10am-12noon

Wednesday 8/17 8-10am; 10am-12noon; 6-8pm

Friday 8/19 8-10am; 10am-12noon

Saturday 8/20 8-10am

Workshift sign-up instructions may be found here.

Thank you!

This will be the first week for hot peppers and I think most people know at least something about them. In order to determine how many to use in a recipe, prior to chopping them up and adding to a recipe, slice the pepper(s) and then touch the cut edge with your finger and taste it - be prepared for the heat to come on - but, some types have just a mild heat and taste is more fruity than hot. Like sweet peppers, they store well in plastic in the fridge. They also freeze fine. Just put them in a plastic bag or container whole and place in freezer.

Okra is an item we have only seen a few times so far this year. Okra is probably best known in this country as the essential ingredient in Gumbo, and in fact, one early name for Okra was gumbo. Okra does not keep well, so use it within a week. It does well being quickly blanched and frozen or cook it and enjoy or freeze. There are several seasonal recipes on this site, including Roasted potato and okra salad, Easy Indian-style okra stew, Okra and green beans and Louisiana shrimp gumbo - the later is a much lighter version of the better known gumbo recipes that begin with a dark rue. The bolded recipes above can be clicked on to get right to the recipes.

Life got in the way of cooking much this past week, but here are few highlights of things we enjoyed:

Tomato, cucumber, carrot, celery, scallion, garlic, basil - Made Gazpacho, the recipe I love is on this site. The veggies are roughly chopped and then "marinate" overnight. Right before serving, it goes into a blender and is blended to desired consistency - refreshing and delicious!

Scallions, carrots, cucumber, beans - made Vietnamese spring rolls - we used shrimp. Again, simple, refreshing weeknight dinner.

Eggplant, summer squash, scallions, peppers - grilled a lot at one time, ate them with our protein and then made the leftovers into pasta salad the next day.

Assistant Farmer Mary Liz Watson sent me a note about a recipe called Southern Tomato Pie. She said she grew up eating it, but in this area nobody has heard of it, myself included. She sent me a link and the way she makes it, so the adapted recipe is now on this site. It does take a little bit of time, but I think the hardest part will be the wait time needed for it to set up after it comes out of the oven! Thanks Mary Liz - it sounds delicious.

Please send your ideas to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and include Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email.