This is reallllly close to the end of the year for the CSA – and an interesting year it has been. End of the year is always a bit of a contest to see what is left over and what runs out or freezes out. It looks really good for a change, albeit it is a treasure hunt to find potatoes once the vines freeze off. You may of noticed a bit of randomness in the boxes as far as they are concerned.
Somewhere between those woebegone corn stalks there are potatoes. Really. The really dead stuff on the left used to be summer squash. When it dies, it dies with a lot of emotion. The corn is more stoic. The root crops are going to just fit in the next two weeks, or so it looks from here.
Carrots are giant sized, beets suffered from the deep cold but are trying to recover greens. The annoying thing as a gardener is that the bulbs aren’t very big – but you all know that by now. Several of you have mentioned how delicious the carrots are – this really is their special time of year. The bed on the left above was, at one time, full of carrots. That little carrot forest way down towards the middle is the brave remnant. Oh, and you might notice in the bed on the right the very very young Garlic starts for next year – the generally warm and moist weather is a happy place for the baby Garlic.
Speaking of next year, these are the former Tomato beds with their winter season early planting. The foreground is lettuce, the background bed has a new variety of a cold season carrot called “Bolero.” The idea here is that while the soil temperature is up around 50 or so that those carrot seeds will get started – sometime in December the covers will be lowered and lights and heat turned on for the root crops. The other root crop that will go in soon is a beet, also slow to ripen. The radishes and Japanese salad turnips can wait a while.
Last year the garden cleanout was put off for some idiotic reason, which caused a ton of work that doubled up during the early part of the season. When you know better and don’t do it… sigh. The other good thing to do this time of year is to pull out all the tillering grasses that have invaded the greenhouse. That is like prayer, best done on your knees. 80% done as of today… now about those outside beds. 🙁
So just a heads up that next week is The End. It is really important that you set out your boxes that week – your delivery will be in Safeway’s recycle-able bags, and you will be getting your end of the year thank you gift actually this week because the farmcraft specialist wants them out of her craft zone.
What’ in the box this week (almost identical to last week, by the way):
| Lettuce | All the rest of the red iceberg, some Muir or Nevada. This wraps up the outside lettuce, in theory. |
| Brassicas | A few of you may get cabbage, TBD it is really slow but trying hard. Red or green Kale small leaves. |
| Roots | Carrots, Beets, and Dragon Radishes. The carrots are the star of the show this week. |
| Greens | Arugula, Chard, Mustard – All of these are not all that beautiful, but they are determined to go out. Most of the Arugula ugly plants have been given to the horses. |
| Herbs | Cilantro is actually pretty; it is a tough little herb. Chives were pulled up and tossed out, a new bed will be started next year. |
| Misc | Potatoes, Squash, 4-6 Apples. The squash is going to be a Candy Roaster – the last of the season for you. Probably will be Gill’s in your box too. Remember that you can store the squash away from freezing and not too warm (so, do not put it under your bed!) Next week there will be a very small portion of tiny sweet potatoes. They did not like their new location even a little bit. |
And that’s all the news from Shilofarm CSA… for today.
