Week 16, Sept 20 - 25, 2011

In your CSA bag

~ Gold Potatoes (1 quart)
~ Cukes (3 pickling)
~ White Acorn winter squash (1)
~ Lettuce (1)
~ Onions (4)
~ Peppers (1 large, 1 jalapeño, 1 mini orange)
~ Chard or Kale (1 bunch)
~ Herb:  Cilantro, Garlic or Parsley (choose 1)
~ Flowers U-pick (6 stems)

Recipe of the Week
Squash Pies

News from the Field

A special thanks to all of those that showed up at the farm last week, between Thursday and Saturday, to help us beat the frost.  We were able to harvest all of our winter squashes into storage.  We did have two frosts here at the farm this past weekend.  On Friday night the temperatures dipped to 30 degrees.  Saturday was a beautiful day and night temps dropped only to 33 degrees.  Then on Sunday evening they dropped again to 31 degrees.  We have lived here in Vermont since 1992 and find that first frost at our farm tends to be right around the 15th of September, which is right when it came again this year. 

Also a huge thanks to the Brewster River Mountain Bike Club who helped demolish a shabby falling equipment shed to the right of the farm stand.  Now only ashes and a great view remain.  Thanks!

Frost damage on your crop usually looks like a wet darker spot on the skin of the squash.  This kind of blemish can affect both its quality and storage life, being vulnerable to rot and mold.  The plant's live leaf cover can protect the fruit somewhat from the first frost, but when the leaves die, you should harvest immediately.

Several of our crops survived, including some lettuces and all the Brassicas like broccoli, cabbage and kales, which actually get sweeter in the cold air.  The carrots, turnips, potatoes and beets are all snuggled below the ground waiting their turn to be harvested.  If you drive by in the next few days, pause to watch our huge potato harvester and the 10 people it takes to rustle up another year of heaped potato bins.  Spectacular!

Only two weeks until the Vermont Organic Festival right here at the farm, all afternoon October 1st.  Bring your friends!

Thanks!
Anne