Goodness – week 12 already…
Interesting fruit week. There was a small quantity of Raspberries last week, a limited supply of Peaches, and a bag of Crab Apples went out to a member who made some cool looking jelly and pickled raspberries. Well, this week figs are ripe, and the early apple tree was picked today for those of you who are yearning for fresh apple (fill in the blank). Strangely enough, the grapes are starting to show some early ripe fruit as well. What a peculiar year!
The more normal and expected is a bit different as well. The damaged potatoes include some very scabby tubers that are too awful to send out. Picking is turning into sorting; the only recourse seen at this point is that the potato harvest is going to tail off way too early. The Tomatoes are valiantly stepping into the gap – a ‘bonus box’ is heading out this week to one member who has a son that discovered the joy of vine ripe tomatoes. A ‘bonus box’ is shoe-box sized filled with slicers and beefsteak, when they are available – $10, a real bargain if you are a tomato junky.
Sugarsnax54 carrots are putting on some heft as the season progresses – they are already pretty long. Lettuce is still recovering – well, here’s the story: Lettuce is planted every four weeks. Most types require at least 8 weeks from germination to table. When you back up to the debacle of 115F in the shade, you discover that the baby lettuces back then didn’t do well at all – they essentially stopped growing for about 3-4 weeks. So. Lettuce is in short and small supply for now. The salads you make will need to be big on cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, beet greens… while the lettuce continues to develop. There is a lot of it in the pipeline, but it is still mighty small.
Summer Squash is also doing well; corn and beans are about 2-4 weeks out, Asian mustard is grim about the season. Bell peppers and spicy peppers are doing well and available as you need them. Cauliflower and broccoli are 3-4 weeks out. Oh, and the other victim of the heat was the snapdragons. R.I.P. There are a lot of varieties of flowers that did fine; then there are the snapdragons. So sad. Herbs are great, the Swiss Chard is almost a weed… and Tomatoes. Amazing tomatoes…
in the box for week 12:
| Greens | Any lettuce that can be found mostly green. there are 2 or 3 cabbage – you must ask, White and/or Red Chard; optional Asian mustard. |
| Crunchies | Misc. Summer Squash: hook neck, patty pan, zucchini. Teen-aged Carrots (Sugarsnax54), Cucumbers, Green Bell Pepper if you ask. Even the large Cucumbers are quite good – they grow very quickly and don’t get a chance to get old… |
| Herbs | Arugula, Green Onions, Chives if you ask, Basil, Cilantro, Oregano. No mint this week. Hot pepper, zero to 3 or 4? |
| Other | Yellow or Red Beefsteak, Slicer and Cherry Tomatoes, 1-3″ beets with greens, Figs (normal 2-4 per unless you are allergic). Potatoes – various colors. Flower of the week will be mystery arrangement or roses. Any preference? Optional Eggplant (ask) – Apples – early apple, good cooking or eating fresh, short shelf life. If you want a bonus box of apples, ask. |
Next Week:
- More figs
- Maybe more peaches from second type (yellow)
On Deck:
- (Yellow) crab apples
- Corn
- Beans
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
