foxlinecityfarm

Another fun power house week!  And….. we are starting to get that really good feeling that we are just about caught up.  We planted 900ish sweet potato slips on a very windy Monday with the help of Scott’s daughter Amy.  We blasted down the rows and got the job done in no time.  3 different varieties went in this year and we increased our quantity so it will be a Fall bounty at the end of the season.  Another bean rotation went in, more cabbage transplants, tons of little romaine lettuce transplants settled into the hoop house, we found space for another rotation of fennel, and a long, long row of spaghetti squash went out in the field.  We direct seeded in a second rotation of cucumbers at the trellis to extend our harvest season, and we transplanted out tomatillos for the first time ever at the suggestion of a CSA member last year.  Something new for this season.   Any free time we weeded and weeded.  Scott tilled our “living walkways” and we found our beet beds again.  Turnips were weeded and thinned.  The melon patch is the last area to be transplanted out and that will happen early next week.  All the crops look great and the garden has that feeling of “here we go!” as we are on the cusp of some exciting early harvests right around the corner.  Best ever…..PEAS! We have snacked on a few already and the vines are loaded.  Next week here they come….

A few more neat pictures from the garden….

Garlic Scapes….maybe for next week’s shares.

Look at that!

SUMMER SHARE #2

WHAT IS IN YOUR SHARE

289 pounds of leafy greens delight is going out the door today.   Beautiful harvests from our hoop house.  Enjoy!

Remember to return your tote the following week for reuse.  Any members that have a stack at home from last season please bring them in….we are running low on our count.

SNACK PACK

Thai Basil, Spinach, Pea shoots, Green Onions, Asian Greens Mix #1 Lime green head lettuce, Elegance Greens mix

Lime Green Head Lettuce-A butterhead variety that only grows in cooler temperatures. Loose, sweet heads that are difficult to grow but the flavor is worth it.  The word that kept coming to my mind at harvest is luxurious.

Harvesting this week’s head lettuce crop from the hoop house.

We try to replant in the hoop house within 24 hours….so after the early morning harvest and washing….

Scott tills and adds organic nutrients and compost if needed.

New crop planted! 3 hours later. Magic!

Asian Greens Mix #1-A delicious mix cut small.  Can be eaten fresh or sautéed.  Baby choi, mazunas and assorted baby asian greens.

Elegance Greens Mix-Another leafy greens mix with a bit more spiciness added in with the addition of mild mustards. Enjoy fresh or sautéed.

Spinach-The last harvest of our early outdoor  Spinach.  We have pulled the rows as they do not like the heat.  Spinach will reappear in the shares this Fall after a late season planting.

Green Onions-Early green onions started in the hoop house.  Eat the tops and all!

Green onions in the hoop house.

Pea Shoots-Always a fun treat before the peas harvest begins.  Place container on a sunny window sill on a plate.  Water as needed.  Snip shoots to add to salads, garnish soups or pasta dishes or in sandwiches.  Great fresh pea flavor.

Pea Shoots just planted.

1 week of growth.

Ready to go in the shares.

Sweet Thai Basil Plant- We love the flavor of this basil.  Thai basil is sturdy and compact, and has shiny green, slightly serrated, narrow leaves with a sweet, anise-like scent and hints of licorice, along with a slight spiciness lacking in sweet basil. Thai basil has a purple stem, and like other plants in the mint family, the stem is square.  Thai basil is widely used in the cuisines of Southeast Asia, including Thai, Vietnamese, Lao, and Cambodian cuisines. Thai basil leaves are a frequent ingredient in Thai green and red curries.

Sweet Thai Basil for the Shares.

FULL SHARE

Pea Shoots, Elegance greens mix, broccoli Sweet Thai Basil, Lime green head lettuce, Green onions, Asian Green mix #1

Lime Green Head Lettuce-Her name is Nancy and she is so pretty.  Only grows well in Spring and with a bit of difficulty. Very fussy about watering and heat.  It is worth it as the texture and flavor is delicious.

Pretty “Nancy” at harvest.

Asian Greens Mix #1-A delicious mix cut small.  Can be eaten fresh or sautéed.  Combination of mini choi, and leafy asian greens.

Asian green mix after harvest. We will weed and get a 2nd cutting off these rows.

Elegance Greens Mix-Another leafy greens mix with a bit more spiciness added in with the addition of mild mustards. Enjoy fresh or sautéed.

Green Onions-Planted in the hoop house for an early season treat.

Scott bringing up the green onions to the washing station after harvest.

Broccoli-YES! Broccoli….We are a bit blown away by this too!  A early Spring Broccoli that decided to do it’s thing well before all the other broccoli plantings in the field.  Delicious….enjoy this surprising treat with more to come.

Early Broccoli at harvest.

The long row of the early bird broccoli.

Pea Shoots-Always a fun tasty treat before the true pea harvest begins.  Place container on a sunny window sill on a plate.  Water as needed.  Snip shoots to add to salads, garnish a soup or pasta dish or in sandwiches.  Great fresh pea flavor.

Pea Shoots in the greenhouse.

Sweet Thai Basil Plant- We love the flavor of this basil.  Thai basil is sturdy and compact, and has shiny green, slightly serrated, narrow leaves with a sweet, anise-like scent and hints of licorice, along with a slight spiciness lacking in sweet basil. Thai basil has a purple stem, and like other plants in the mint family, the stem is square.  Thai basil is widely used in the cuisines of Southeast Asia, including Thai, Vietnamese, Lao, and Cambodian cuisines. Thai basil leaves are a frequent ingredient in Thai green and red curries.

Pretty Sweet Thai Basil.

BEST GUESS FOR NEXT WEEK-PEAS!, TURNIPS, SWISS CHARD, BABY KALE, PARSLEY AND MORE….