Harvest #5 (Week A) should include romaine, kale, lettuce mix, chard, salad radishes, hakurei turnips, kohlrabi, bok choy, head lettuce, cilantro, dill, escarole, and garlic scapes. Some items may be a choice. U-pick should include herbs, snow peas, and strawberries.

I'm pretty sure we're in the midst of the driest stretch of weather during any growing season of the past 15 years. Fortunately it hasn't been hot too often and generally the weather has been pretty glorious. Most crops are being irrigated every 5-7 days. We still haven't set up irrigation on the garlic, potatoes, or carrots. If it doesn't rain this week we'll probably need to figure that out or sustain lower crop yields.

Overall the farm is in great shape, probably partly due to the lack of rain and the resultant lower weed, pest, and disease pressure, but also because of our great farm crew. June, July, and August are big months, although June is interesting because it's sort of a transitional period between insane intense spring planting and the big heavy harvests of summer crops. With the right mindset and a glimpse of the bigger picture it can all be fairly enjoyable (the bigger picture being autumn will arrive eventually with cooler weather and less to do).

That said, we're not quite out of the big spring planting period just yet. This week we have 3,000 sweet potato vines to plant; about 6,000 leeks; another round of beans, edamame, lettuces, and herbs; as well as the first of the cantaloupe. There will be a slight gap then we begin the 2nd half of the season's plantings at the end of June with 7,000 strawberry plants for a 2024 harvest; followed by the big fall brassicas broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, rutabaga in mid-July; as well as carrots, lettuces, fennel, greens, and much more in late-July through September. In July the big harvests should commence with carrots, garlic, and onions. August brings potatoes and winter squash. September is sweet potatoes. October is all of the other roots. But let's not get too far ahead.

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

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!

- 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!