CSA Newsletter: Summer 2010 – Week 17
From the Fields: Yesterday was the Monday of carrots, and Zea and I had a blast. The weather was just perfect€¦ cool in the morning and just enough sun to keep us warm and wanting to bask in it all day! At the start of the day, Mike used the tractor and an implement called the undercutter to start the carrot harvest. The undercutter is basically a huge knife the slices about a foot or so under the soil and then pushes upwards. It’s just enough to loosen the soil so that we can come after it and pull carrots out of the ground easily by hand. Zea joined us in the fields pulling the carrots out. We pull them out one by one and tear off the green tops (while the tops are pretty, they will suck moisture from the carrot). Then we use our hands to quickly rub off chunks of soil on the carrot so that as much soil as possible stays in the field. Then the carrots are put into our black harvesting crates. This is where Zea excels in the field; she loves to take the carrots that are in the crates back out. After about 10 crates full, Zea was hungry for a milk break. I nursed her right in the fields and she fell asleep in my lap. I laid my sweater down on the ground and snuggled her into it. She took a nice snooze while we filled another 10 crates. We were all quite envious of taking a nap in the warm morning sun. When she awoke, she sat right up and started pulling carrots our of a crate right next to her. That’s our girl!
Once the carrots were all harvested into crates, it was washing time. I strapped Zea on my back (where she spends LOTS of time with me) and we started washing the carrots with our barrel washer. Carrots go in one end, knock around each other inside a barrel, and get sprayed by Zea and I as they come out the other end. Zea was mesmerized by watching the carrots go round and round. So we washed, washed, washed. Then we ate lunch, and washed some more.
After the carrots were all clean, it was time to bag the carrots for each of you. I started a crate of carrot seconds ” the snapped tips, carrots with 3 legs, etc. I put that down on the ground for Zea to play with. Zea is enamored with carrots – especially now that she has her two front teeth. She stacked the carrots, snacked on the carrots, threw the carrots, gathered the carrots, shared the carrots with the dog€¦ you get the idea. By 5pm together we had them all done. From field to bag all in a day, Zea helping all the way. (Can you tell we sang this little rhyme A LOT yesterday? )
Your Share: New this week ” acorn squash and fingerling potatoes (for the regs). [EOs this will be your first sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts ” see last week’s newsletter for recipe ideas!] Here’s some details on a few items:
- Bok Choi & Tatsoi ” These are the most beautiful crop we’ve ever grown of these two. They are just gorgeous.
- REGs, fingerling potatoes are a special treat. These potatoes vary in size, from very small to a regular potato size. Their special attribute is creaminess. They are so creamy that restaurants will pay the higher price necessary to meet the costs of harvesting and washing such small potatoes. These potatoes are great for roasting.
- The carrots are really starting to sweeten up with this cooler weather. Each of you will receive 1.5 pounds.
Community News ” Just two more weeks until the 1st Annual Harvest Party at our new blue packshed at our home farm in Cross Plains. We hope to see you!
Enjoy your veggies this week! Sincerely, Mike, Cassie, Zea and crew
This Week’s Share:
- Acorn Squash
- Bok Choi – EOs
- Brussels Sprouts ” EOs
- Carrots
- Fingerling Potatoes ” REGs
- Garlic
- Leeks ” EOs
- Parsley – EOs
- Red Onion – REGs
- Summercrisp Lettuce
- Tatsoi – REGs
- Radish
- Sweet Potatoes – EOs
REGs = Regular Shares Only
EOs = Everyother Shares Only
This Week’s Recipes:
Summer Week 17: Wednesday, September 29th – Everyother Group A
