Summer CSA Week 3

 

Still very fine weather for all the greens; heat loving veggies, not so much! The early potatoes are flowering, the garlic scapes will be harvested next week, the tomato plants look healthy, but boy, do they need a couple of weeks of 80 degrees and abundant sunshine!  Lousy germination on cucumbers--I believe many of the seeds drowned--so we try again.  Beans are coming nicely--cross your fingers the rabbits stay away!

Strawberries are MUCH better this week; last week they were swollen with rain water, and while tender, the flavor was watery.  This week's, again from Red Jacket Orchards, are smaller, juicier, and sweet with a bit of tartness.  Very nice.  Last big cutting of this crop of the Senposai, the chard remains very tender, and have you tried the parsley yet?  It is packed with flavor--makes a great pesto--and of course, is absolutely loaded with all sorts of GOOD THINGS!

We've added watercress to the microgreens mix--nice and tangy mix this week!  Also, I am now packing it in vented bags, which should allow it to breathe and last longer in the fridge.  They are usually moist when I harvest, so the new bags should take care of that. 

Special offering to CSA members:  Our non-profit, Friends of the Garden of Ideas , is hosting a 4th of July "Flowers and Fireworks" cocktail party in the Garden on the 4th.  Park in the Garden, enjoy the flowers with a summery drink in hand, eat some yummy vegetable nibbles, let the kids run free, then walk down to the High School for the Fireworks--it'll be much easier leaving our parking lot than the high school's!  We're asking $25 per adult; kids are free.  It goes to support the Friends, an entirely volunteer organization.  Click here if you're interested: Flowers and Fireworks!  We can only handle 20 cars, so first come, first serve.

In this week's share:

MUST TAKE:

1.  Strawberries

2. Swiss Chard (Rainbow or Pink Passion)--Tasty chard recipe

3. Spring onions (Use the whole thing!!!)

4. Head of lettuce (mostly green romaine, some red leaf)

5.  Cress/radish/kale microgreens

CHOOSE 2:

Arugula microgreens

Red Russian Kale

Senposai

Salad mix

Beets (Use the greens!!!)

Parsley

Chives

Basil (some--we need heat!!!)