Farm Notes

If you had told me earlier this summer that the weather during the first week of August here in North Carolina would be breezy, low humidity, sunny, and all around lovely… well, I’d have said you were crazy. Alas! By some meteorological miracle, this past week has been one of the nicest we’ve had all summer, with cooler mornings and evenings that have just the slightest hint of fall. And yet! I’ve lived here long enough to know that we still have a long way to go until fall, and it’s going to heat back up again real quick. Regardless, this week has been a welcomed respite and has given me a little extra pep in my step over the past few days as we wrap up Week 8 of our Summer CSA… just one more week to go!

I really can’t believe how quickly this summer has flown by, and I’m wildly grateful for our CSA members who joined us this summer, and I’m already looking forward to an abundant autumn. Speaking of which… yesterday I officially opened up sign-ups for our Fall CSA! Current CSA members (and the Farmbelly Club community) get first dibs on Fall CSA shares, and there are only a handful of shares left… so if you’re interested in joining for a veggie-packed 12-week CSA this fall, you can sign up here (and I dig into all the nitty gritty details + answer FAQs about the Fall CSA here).

One of the main changes for our Fall CSA is we are reducing the number of CSA pick up days/locations for this session, so we can focus our energy on welcoming our baby boy to the world, who should be arriving around the end of September/early October! We have a small (but mighty) team helping run the farm while I’m on maternity leave, so all pickups for the Fall CSA will be on Thursdays at Farmbelly HQ between 2pm-7pm. I know our decision to scale back a bit this fall means that it may not make sense for some folks sign up for a share this season, and we appreciate your understanding and look forward to adding back additional pickup days + locations in Spring 2022!

A look at our Week 8 Summer CSA Full Share for our Tuesday members!

In other farm news….

We have harvested the majority of our winter squash, which is now curing (ie toughening the outer skin and sweetening the flesh) for a few weeks and then they will be heading out to our Fall CSA members. I’ll be honest that our winter squash yields this year weren’t great – a combination of getting the plants in the ground too late and some crazy pest pressure means we don’t have the abundance I was hoping for – though there is still plenty to enjoy and I’ve learned a lot of lessons as a grower… as a farmer we are constant students of Mother Nature!
We have hit #peakpepper! I’m especially happy with our Carmen peppers, which are a Sweet Bell/Italian variety that are one of my favorites to cook with. This week we also started harvesting our very special habanada peppers, which have the flavor of a habanero, but without the heat!
Fall planting has officially kicked into gear! This week we’ve started planting lots of fall greens like lettuces, arugula, and baby kale + we’ve seeded our first round of carrots. Coming next week… radishes, turnips, beets, etc! PS – If you have any questions about what to plant in your fall garden, I’m happy to help.. just send me a message.

Kitchen Notes

This week, our Full Share CSA members got a special Farmbelly culinary treat in their boxes… basil salt! I love making herb salts using whatever fresh herbs I have on hand, and basil salt is one of my favorites for seasoning summer veggies (especially tomatoes and corn), or any protein you may be roasting / grilling.

As the name suggests, herb salt is literally just fresh herbs chopped together with kosher salt (and sometimes other aromatics like lemon zest, garlic, etc) - and it's a ridiculously easy way to add vibrant, fresh flavors to your dishes. I keep my herb salts close at hand for seasoning meat, fish, and veggies - and it pairs fabulously with eggs, grilled corn on the cob, and homemade popcorn. Keep reading for the full recipe + technique for making your own herb salt, and I encourage you to get creative with the different combinations of herbs you use, and think about types of dishes that will pair well with each blend.

Here are some of my tried and true herb salt flavor combos:

Fresh Summer Flavors: Basil, Chives, Dill, Lemon Zest - pair with fresh vegetables, eggs, toasted bread, and fish.
Classic Gremolata: Parsley, Garlic, Lemon Zest - pairs nicely with roasted asparagus, grilled salmon, and steak.
Savory & Rustic: Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Garlic - pairs well with roasted root vegetables, potatoes, and roasted pork.
Classic French Fines Herbs: Parsley, Tarragon, Chives, Chervil - use with fish, steak, lamb, and toasted baguettes slathered in goat cheese.
Cilantro-Lime: Cilantro, Lime Zest, Garlic - perfect for Mexican-inspired fish or steak dishes, corn on the cob, and popcorn.

DIY HERB SALT

Ingredients:

1 cup loosely packed assorted fresh herbs
1 cup kosher salt
Optional aromatics: lemon zest, minced garlic, pepper flakes

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 180F.
Put the salt and fresh herbs (and any aromatics, if using) into the bowl of a food processor and blend for a minute or two, until the mixture is homogenous and all of the herbs have been incorporated into the salt.
Spread the herb salt onto a rimmed baking tray and put into your preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring/breaking up the salt once or twice to ensure it doesn’t burn. Remove from oven when the herb salt feels very dry to the touch (this is important so the herb salt can be stored without going bad).
Store the dried herb salt in a jar in a cool, dry spot in your pantry, where it will keep for several months.

Today’s Stats

Low temp: 85F
High temp: 68F
Sunrise: 6:28am
Sunset: 8:17pm
Moon phase: Waning Crescent
Additional notes: Sunny and lovely