Not nearly as exciting of a week as last week. Hard to top a bear sighting and an armed and dangerous man in a blue shirt. This garden spider is as scary as it got. Anyway, here are a couple of announcements.
I created a Facebook group for members and friends of the farm to exchange ideas, tips, etc. about their shares. I’m not an expert Facebooker but I believe you can join by going to our facebook page and clicking on the “Visit Group” button. No idea what to do after that since it doesn’t react the same for me being the admin than for you being a non-member of the group. Anyway, check it out.
This fall, Fresh Earth Farms is partnering with the Benedictine Center of St. Paul’s Monastery (one of our members and a drop site) to offer a series of events exploring the intersection of food, values, and everyday life. We would love to have you join us on October 19-21. The events that weekend will include a hands-on day at Fresh Earth Farms and at a local food shelf, a potluck celebration at the Monastery, and a weekend retreat filled with practical cooking skills, prayer, and reflection. For more information and to register: https://www.benedictinecenter.org/events-registration/#foodandfaith.
We are pleased to again offer maple syrup from Sanderson Family Pure Maple Syrup. We offered it last season and it was well received. This year we are offering the one pint size bottles (the most popular last year by a long shot) for the same price as last season, $10 per bottle. It is delicious syrup (we bought three extra to make it through the winter!) and comes from a local source! We will have it available in the pick-up tent starting Wednesday. We can also send it to drop sites in your pick-up tote. Just shoot me an email or text with the number you want us to send and follow-up with payment.
Farm News
So last Thursday was interesting. Right around 2:45 it started raining. Then after Rebecca left to do the deliveries it started pouring and didn’t stop until I was completely soaked trying to stock the pick-up tent. What makes this so interesting? It seems like not much of the Twin Cities received rain that day. We just happen to be the place that got it. I don’t have an official amount but I heard on the news that Afton picked up 2.5″ and Hastings picked up an inch. I was quite happy to get the rain. We had started irrigating early in the week due to the lack of rain as of late. On the positive side the lack of rain slowed down and almost killed the summer squash. But this rain on Thursday perked up the plants and they are off to their usual over-production. So there is no end in sight for the summer squash/zucchini!
Another interesting thing happening recently is that our pumpkins are ready. What? In August? No way! Yes way. They are orange and large and ready for harvest. We’re not sure what to do. Pick them and hope they last until Halloween? Leave them and hope nothing damages them? Right now we are leaning toward the second idea since that is the least time consuming solution. Plus it gives us time to come up with another idea. And who wants to think of fall at the end of August.
Oh, and of course the tractor broke again. Seems like it is breaking more often than usual this year. The front left wheel bearings disintegrated as we were hauling out the sweet corn. It’s always something.
So what will we have this week? Lots of sweet corn! Very few tomatoes (after last weeks deluge they seem to be slowing down) but lots of cherry tomatoes. The summer squash/zucchini continues its over the top season. We also have cukes, cabbage, onions, tomatillos, peppers, okra, very few eggplants, lots of beans and a few other things that escape me.
For those who are new to Fresh Earth Farms and receive a delivery tote you probably notice that whenever we send out tomatillos we include a hot pepper and if available cilantro. This is so you can make salsa verde! Of course you can use them for whatever you want…
We have fruit, eggs, cheese, ice cream, and flowers this week.
As always, feel free to send in questions, comments, suggestions, jokes, etc. Or share them on the Facebook group page!