Farm Notes
Hot dang y’all, it is HOT out here. Spring came and disappeared in a blink, and now we’re officially deep in the throes of the hot + humid North Carolina summertime. There’s a certain amount of surrender and tolerance for discomfort that is required to farm in the South in the summer, and by this point in the season I’m pretty acclimated to the heat and can just muscle through it. Also… I keep thinking about how last year at this time, I was farming all summer while in the third trimester of my pregnancy, and if I could do THAT, then I can do just about anything.
Thankfully most of the veggies are loving the heat, and this week was another bountiful one for our CSA members… new to our boxes this week are cherry tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, and red onions, with LOTS more coming soon (like all the peppers, beans, okra, etc etc).
Week 2 Summer CSA Full Share
There were some exciting new things to harvest this week… starting with our blueberries! After watching these little plants grow over the past year and a half, it’s wildly rewarding to be able to pick sweet, sun-warm berries and enjoy them right there in the field. This week we also finished pulling out all our garlic, which is now drying out on racks for the next several weeks, which will help the garlic be shelf stable over the next several months. I also started harvesting the first of our shishito peppers and fairytale (aka mini) eggplant, which are two of my favorite summer veggies. Last but not least… this week we finished digging up the rest of our potatoes.
Overall, it was a great year for potatoes, and even the experiment growing potatoes in grow bags worked fairly well. By far the most productive (and best looking) potato variety we grew was called Gold Nugget, with a close second being the Upstate Abundance potatoes from Row 7 Seeds.
As we head deeper into summer, suddenly we have a lot of empty beds on the farm as we remove the plants that grew all spring (like kale, cabbage, broccoli, potatoes, onions, garlic, etc). As a general rule, I try to never leave beds empty for long, because bare soil is going to quickly become depleted of organic matter and key nutrients. So today I planted several rows with buckwheat, which is a super easy and quick summer cover crop that’s also great for pollinators!
My process is very straightforward – first make sure your row is clear and free of weeds, then scatter the seed by hand (I use a 32 oz yogurt cup to broadcast the seeds, using about 3 of those 32-oz scoops per 50-foot bed), then use a rake to cover up the seed with soil, and finally water everything in with a cheap backyard sprinkler.
The buckwheat usually germinates very quickly, and after 4-6 weeks once the flowers bloom I’ll use a weed whacker to cut everything down, and then I’ll cover the rows with a tarp for several weeks so the plant matter can decompose and add organic matter back to the soil. And just like that, we will have super happy and nutrient-rich beds ready for fall planting! If you have any questions about cover crops, don’t hesitate to reach out… it' really is such a great and simple way to drastically improve the health of your soil (and then in turn, have healthier plants).
Wondering what veggies you can still plant this time of year? For most climates (around the US at least) you can probably still get in a late crop of tomatoes, peppers, or eggplant. You should also be able to plant more cucumbers, squash, beans, corn, okra, basil, etc. Now's the time y'all!
Kitchen Notes
When it’s hot and the last thing you want to do is turn on your stove/oven, chilled soups are your best friend! I absolutely love this super simple, but still flavor-packed recipe for a chilled cucumber and avocado soup. It’s as easy as throwing a few ingredients together in a blender, and it has surprisingly complex flavors for such a straightforward recipe. Happy cooking!
CHILLED CUCUMBER & AVOCADO SOUP
WITH FRESH SUMMER HERBS
Serves 4
Photo Credit: Crowded Kitchen
INGREDIENTS
2 slicing cucumbers | peeled and diced (1/4 cup reserved for garnish)
2 avocados | pitted, peeled, and diced (1/4 cup reserved for garnish)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 scallion/green onion | coarsely chopped
1/2 jalapeno | seeded and coarsely chopped
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 cup cold water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
PREPARATION
Puree ingredients in a blender until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, then divide among 4 bowls and top with reserved cucumber, avocado, and a few sprigs of cilantro.
Today’s Stats
Low temp: 70F
High temp: 96F
Sunrise: 6:00am
Sunset: 8:36pm
Moon phase: Waning Gibbous
Additional notes: Sunny & warm