We grabbed our opportunity.

The recent rains have slowed our farm work.  Even pollination is slow; bees don’t leave their hives in rainy weather.  No bee visits to the zucchini blossoms = no zucchini.  There was a break in the weather today, a chance to catch up on our stalled field work.  The soil was just dry enough today for transplanting.

We mowed this hairy vetch cover crop weeks ago but it’s been too wet to till into the ground.  Now it’s regrown and flowered again.  We need to mow a second time, till, then let the soil rest so we can plant carrots in early July.

These seedlings are desperate to be planted in the ground.

Steve prepped the transplanter as a storm approached.

The main storm missed us, sliding by to the west.  We waited out a 20 minute shower, then the sun returned.  The crew got the next sweet corn planting in the ground.  We will all reap the reward in August.

Strawberry U-Pick

See our emails for details of our next berry picking.

How to flatten your CSA box.

Let’s review how to flatten your empty CSA box.  We need to re-use these expensive boxes many times, but find that many boxes are getting ripped.  It’s a skill to learn!  Please watch Steve’s demonstration in this YouTube video.  Thank you for your help with this.

• Hold the box at waist height, with the bottom of the box facing up.
• The first step is to loosen the two shorter flaps.
• Grasp the edge of the short flap closest to you and PULL TOWARD YOURSELF.  The flap will bend at its natural crease.
• Do not PULL UP on the flap or the tabs will rip, ruining the box.
• The flap can now be pulled loose.
• Repeat with the other short flap.
• Unfold the two long flaps.
• Repeat for the top of the box if it is closed.
• Now collapse the box so it is flat.  Please stack neatly with the other empty CSA boxes.
• Thank you!

Veggie List and Veggie Notes (6/26/14, week #6, purple EOW)

You should eat your strawberries right away.  They are very juicy because of all the rain, and might spoil quickly.  The rain didn’t affect any of the other veggies that we’re delivering this week.

Strawberries, 1 quart + 1 pint
Asparagus, 0.6 lb
Mixed zucchini and summer squash, about 2 lb
Snap peas, 0.75 lb
Snow peas, 0.25 lb
(The snap and snow peas are combined in one bag.)
Lacinato kale OR Napa cabbage (You will receive one of these)
Daikon radishes, 2 or 3
Rhubarb, 1.5 lb
Scallions, 1 large bunch
Garlic scapes

Next week’s box will probably contain strawberries, peas, lettuce, zucchini, cucumbers, broccoli, basil and more.

Strawberries – Eat these right away.
Zucchini and summer squash – This is the first picking, just in time for the official start of summer.  The first squash are often oddly shaped, as the bees haven’t settled into pollinating them thoroughly.
Snap peas have plump pods and snow peas are flatter.  You need to remove the strings from both types.  See instructions in last week’s newsletter.
Lacinato kale (bunch of ruffled dark green leaves) – This is a popular kale, also known as ‘dinosaur kale.’
Napa cabbage (a pale green head of soft-leaved cabbage) –  This Asian vegetable can be eaten raw in salads, or cooked in simple stir-fries.  Napa stores very well.  Cut off wedges as needed and keep the rest covered and refrigerated, and it will keep for several weeks.  Peel off the outer layer and it will be ready to use.  Here are a few preparation ideas from the ‘Asparagus to Zucchini’ cookbook.
– Chop raw napa into green salads.
– Substitute napa in traditional coleslaw.
– Chinese cabbage cooks quickly.  Steam 3-5 minutes, or until leaves are wilted down but remain slightly crisp.
– Substitute napa cabbage for common cabbage in recipes, but reduce the cooking time by 2 minutes.
– Napa cabbage is the main ingredient in egg rolls.  Try making an egg roll mixture to eat as a cooked side dish instead of preparing time-consuming egg rolls.
Daikon radish (slender white roots) – These Asian radishes are good cooked or raw.  We often make a sliced radish salad, with Asian-style dressing (rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, soy sauce, minced garlic). Even a brief marination mellows the radish’s sharpness.