Harvest #6 (Week B) should include cucumbers, zucchini, kohlrabi, cabbage, celery, kale, swiss chard, lettuce, herbs, scallions, and garlic scapes. Some items will be a choice. U-pick should include a handful of herbs, green/string/snap beans, and flowers.

Last week was another good one. June has been pretty kind to us. The only blemish on her record are the wet harvest mornings, with another one forecast for Monday. On non-harvest days we'll schedule indoor tasks when it is actively raining, but on Monday and Thursday mornings we're out there at 7am almost no matter what (lightning forces us inside). Besides aforementioned harvesting, a big portion of the week was spent staking and twining peppers to help support them when they begin bearing fruit (they flop over fairly easily). We also cultivated the 3000' of sweet potatoes, partially by hand with hoes and also with the tractor, and laid fabric for the final planting of zucchini and cucumbers. We planted the final round of watermelon in the Hoop Tunnel after a failed cucumber experiment made that space available (the watermelon were a make-up for a less than stellar early outdoor planting that succumbed to the cold, wet May).

Upcoming this week will be planting 7,000 bare root strawberry tips for a 2023 harvest. This is a big job and will hopefully coincide with a well-attended workshift. At this point we don't know when they'll arrive (they're coming from our berry plant source in Massachusetts) but we'll probably send out a 'we need help' e-mail.

Soon we'll schedule the Great Garlic Harvest, most likely for Sunday July 10, weather permitting. This is a great community event, with 40-50 CSA members working together to harvest, tie, and hang the 10,000 or so garlic plants over a 4-hour period. It goes surprisingly smoothly and we normally actually finish on time. And we all end up smelling great (it's best if both members of a couple come...jk).

Also soon to be added to the workshift schedule is the harvesting of carrots. This is a kid-friendly task. We basically just pull carrots out of loosened soil, twist off their tops, and add the roots to a harvest bin. We'll probably embark on this task over the first couple weeks of July.

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

Greetings Friends. In less than one month’s time, I’ll be slipping out of my farmer clothing, gently folding and setting them aside, and will be donning my bicycle helmet for what is sure to be an awesome adventure.

This summer I have pledged to partake in a cycling endurance adventure to support the mission of the Anchor House Foundation. It’ll be 500 miles of satisfyingly strenuous biking bliss through the gently rolling verdant hills of Virginia, as I make my way from Charlottesville, VA back to Trenton, NJ.

Every dollar I raise goes directly to the Anchor House Foundation based in Trenton. This wonderful organization provides emergency housing and other supportive services to homeless and at-risk youths and young adults, as well as a host of supportive life-skill enriching programs for individuals who are aging out of the foster care system.

Please consider supporting me by making a tax-deductible donation toward my goal of $750.00 so that Anchor House can continue their mission to help children, teens, young adults and families.

Thank you in advance for your support. I truly appreciate your generosity. Together we can make a difference.

Best – Craig

The Now What!? Workshop was a hit! There was a great turn out both days and everyone had outstanding questions. We all learned something – myself included. If I had to decide on a theme for this year’s workshops, it would be “Rethinking what you think about vegetables.” We talked about substituting greens – if you don’t have spinach, try Bok choy instead in your quiche. Yes – I said Bok choy! And lettuce isn’t only for salads – Try Grilled Romaine (or radicchio or whatever head of lettuce you have). I grill mine on the stove in a cast iron skillet. Just cut that head of romaine in half, rinse & dry it. Then brush each side with a mixture of 1/3 cup each EVOO and balsamic vinegar and a couple minced cloves of garlic. I start grilling with the cut side down. Once both sides are done, turn off the heat, sprinkle with some parmesan and let it melt – then enjoy or freeze for later.

We shared our methods of finishing our share before the next pick up. One member shared how she makes a very flavorful Roasted Veggie Soup. She first roasts whatever vegetable are leftover at about 350 until they are soft and tender. Allow to cool and then puree them - that’s it! There is enough liquid from the watery vegetables like tomatoes or cucumbers that she doesn’t add any water - what a fabulous process! I can’t wait to give it a try.

Participants got to taste my Kohlrabi in Peanut Sauce recipe and Kale Stem Pesto. I think I might have prevented some kale stems from ending up in the compost pile. I promise I will get the recipes onto the website.

We also talked about some “tools of the trade”. A salad spinner changed my life. No longer was I “waiting” for the greens to “dry” in a large colander or on the counter spread out on towels (and using another towel to “pat” them dry) or cooking wet Swiss Chard leaves and ending up with a soggy mess. There were enough nods from other members that I know the experience was not unique to me.

I spoke a little about dehydrating -especially after members got to taste my various veggie chips. I have dehydrated cucumber, zucchini, beets, carrots, tomatoes, cantaloupe and apples – all of which were well received.

The best cookbook I would recommend to new or seasoned CSA members is From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce by Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition. It is arranged alphabetically by produce and includes storage tips as well as recipes.

I want to thank everyone who attended. I had such a fantastic time and really enjoyed the great exchange of ideas!