Farm Notes

A week off the farm at the beach with family did this tired mama farmer some good! It was quite a hustle to get the farm ready / everyone packed up and out the door, but it’s always so worth it to get away, unplug, and wash away a summer’s worth of dirt and grime in the ocean.

Alas! Mother Nature never seems to take a vacation, so coming back to the farm after being away also means there’s a lot of catching up to do… harvesting, weeding, mowing, trellising, etc. We’re still deep in summer abundance, and this week’s CSA had all the hits, with heaps of colorful tomatoes to peppers, eggplant cucumbers, zucchini, okra, beans, and fragrant herbs.

As I was harvesting like crazy all week, I realized it might be helpful to share a few notes/tips for harvesting some of your favorite summer veggies. A question I often get is “how do I know when to harvest ____ (fill in the blank)"?” The answer really depends on what you are harvesting, and for veggies like cucumbers, zucchini, and okra - it’s mostly based on size. So here’s a photo showing the ideal size (in my opinion!) for when these three crops are ready for harvest (using my hand for scale).

It’s also important to use the right tool for harvesting! Here’s a link for my favorite garden pruners for harvesting cucumbers, okra, tomatoes, etc – and here’s a link for my go-to harvest knife for crops like zucchini, lettuces, etc.

My favorite pruners and knife for harvesting (see above for links)

So overall, it’s been a busy week, but I feel like most of the chaos has been reined in, and now with just two weeks left in our Summer CSA (!), my mind is fully focused on gearing up for fall. Earlier this week we planted our first succession of lettuce for the fall, and I’m excited to have some leafy greens back in the rotation. Speaking of fall, early access to sign up for our Fall CSA will go live @ 9am on Monday, August 1.

As Farmbelly Club members (and any current Summer CSA members), you get first dibs! A heads up that we do scale back our production a bit in the fall (compared to the summer season), so shares will be limited. You will receive an email from me at 9am on Monday with all the details for the Fall CSA + the link to sign up.

I just took y’all on a virtual farm walk… so for a full tour of the farm + tips for your own gardens, here’s a link to watch! You can also check it out in our private Google Drive folder here.

Until next week (aka AUGUST?!), happy growing and cooking and eating friends! :)

Kitchen Notes

Ratatouille is my go-to recipe to clean out my fridge (and my garden) in this season of deep-summer abundance. A good long roast in the oven transforms a motley medley of eggplant, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and fresh herbs into a hearty stew, which I love serving over creamy polenta. Traditional ratatouille calls for cooking each ingredient one at a time… but ain’t nobody have time for that! This roasting method is super simple and just requires a bit of chopping at the beginning. Don’t forget to add the splash of balsamic vinegar before serving, as the sweet + tangy balsamic kicks up the dish to a whole new level of deliciousness.

ROASTED RATATOUILLE

INGREDIENTS

2 red onions, cut into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons
2 sweet bell peppers (any color is fine), cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch dice
1 pound eggplant, unpeeled and cut to 1-inch dice
2 medium zucchini (1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch rounds
6-8 whole cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary and/or thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
4 medium ripe tomatoes, any kind is fine (1 pound total) cut into 1/2-inch chunks (or use 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes)
Splash balsamic vinegar
Handful thinly sliced fresh basil

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Place the chopped onions, bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, garlic, rosemary.thyme, oregano, olive oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl and toss to combine. Pour the vegetables onto two rimmed baking trays. Roast for 30-35 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown.
Lower the oven to 400 degrees, divide up the tomatoes equally onto the two pans and roast for another 20 minutes. Scrape all the vegetables and any juices into a serving bowl and toss with a splash (start with 1 tablespoon) of the balsamic vinegar and the fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, and serve warm.

Today’s Stats

Low temp: 73F
High temp: 94F
Sunrise: 6:22am
Sunset: 8:25pm
Moon phase: Waxing Crescent
Additional notes: Mostly sunny, chance of storms in the afternoon/evening