Harvest #5 (Week A) should include cucumbers, zucchini, kohlrabi, radishes, turnips, kale, swiss chard, lettuce, cilantro, dill, basil, scallions, and garlic scapes. Romaine, lettuce mix, escarole, and radicchio are almost finished for the spring but will return in the fall. Some items will be a choice. U-pick should include a small handful of herbs (please bring scissors), peas, and flowers. Peas may run out this week but will transition right to green/snap/string beans.

We enjoyed a productive, busy week on the farm. We hilled potatoes for the 2nd and final time; added another layer of trellising to tunnel and field tomatoes; cultivated a few rounds or beans, edamame, lettuce, and herbs; transplanted additional rounds of cantaloupe, beans, edamame, lettuces, and herbs; repaired the flail mower and mowed the entire farm; chisel plowed ground for fall broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage; continued bed preparations for the 7,000 strawberry plants that will arrive next week; removed floating row cover from the winter squash patch; weed-whacked 2 linear miles of pepper, eggplant, okra, and basil aisles; deposited about 10,000 seeds into trays; and harvested a couple thousand pounds of produce. It was a good week even though we endured the first severe thunderstorm and flash flooding event of June, on a harvest morning, and had to wait it out in the barn. By then we did need some rain and can at least avoid thinking about irrigating for another week.

Now that the Summer Solstice is here, harvests will begin to slowly transition away from some spring staples. Greens will lessen just a bit as early summer crops trickle then flood in. Scallions arrive and will continue for a couple of months. Strawberries and peas wind down but beans and flowers rise up. Cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, and husk cherries aren't too far away. Cabbage, fennel, beets, and carrots will be here soon as spring roots like radishes, turnips, and kohlrabi give way. Cucumbers and zucchini arrive and will hopefully stick around all summer.

Long, warm days with ample sunshine and regular precipitation means weeds will be germinating and growing quickly. We strive to cultivate with wheel and oscillating hoes at the right time when weeds are still small and easily killed. This is done weekly and normally most crops only need one pass. Occasionally this time of year two passes are needed. Adequate dry weather between rain events allows for this schedule. Sometimes it doesn't work out and hand weeding is necessary. Either way it's very rare that we lose a crop to weed pressure. Timing is everything!

It's time to move on from the onion patch. They're mostly weeded - a big 'thank you' to everyone who helped! Now that the solstice is here they'll begin to switch their focus from top growth to bulb growth. This coming week we'll probably pull weeds from the 2nd planting of beets as well as peppers and eggplant.

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

Hosted by longtime member Gia Yaccarino on Saturday, June 25 at 12pm, and Sunday, June 26 at 12pm.

Maybe you are a new member, maybe you’ve been a member for a while. Either way – this workshop is for you!

In the barn, everything made sense while you were putting your share into your bags to bring home. At home, it suddenly became very overwhelming once you began unpacking! We have all been there; it is part of the CSA learning curve.

Let us help you make the most of your farm share!

Being a member of a CSA opens the door to so many topics!At this workshop we will talk about:

- Resources: books, websites, Anchor Run CSA website (Recipes and Veggies 202 – it has pictures).

- How to keep your veggies as fresh as possible once they are in your refrigerator.

- The pros and cons of different preservation techniques (freezing, fermenting, canning, dehydrating).

- “Tools of the trade” which I find invaluable.- Before you compost: radish greens are edible!

- Composting, composting at the farm, what and what not to include in a compost pile, vermicomposting.

- Solar Cooking

We will share recipes based on farm produce that our families love. And by share – I mean taste and provide copies of the recipes. Pestos - don’t limit yourself to Basil. What to do with all those greens? Veggie Hash! The list goes on! This is a casual, enlightening event that will enhance your experience of the CSA. Hope to see you there!