… perhaps even with a vengeance! I don’t think we need to tell you all that the last weekend was hot. I must admit: we knew summer was on the way, but we weren’t expecting this kind of heat so early!
We spent most of the weekend conscientiously moving irrigation around, simultaneously wanting to water, water, water, and not wanting to tax the well pump (wouldn’t that have been a horrible time to have a well quit working?). And on Monday (the hottest day of all so far), we did the previously unthinkable: after three months of diligent six day workweeks, we took the afternoon off. A time-temperature clock in Mac read 105°, and we figured that we couldn’t do much except sweat. So, we might as well sweat by the side of the Willamette.
Which we did—all afternoon. I suppose that’s a perk of being a small business owner. We do work hard, but we can also take time off when appropriate. I suppose swimming in the river is one of the ‘benefits’ that replaces the standard ones we’re missing out on by being self-employed.
Fortunately, although we were wilting, the plants have survived the heat well. The tomato plants look a little stressed, but other than that things are chugging along, faster than before.
Meet this week’s vegetables:
Changes in the garden
The real arrival of summer is exciting for the palate. This time of year feels a bit awkward to us. It’s the ‘shoulder’ between spring vegetables that love the cool, mild wet weather (generally leafy green things like spinach) and the summer vegetables that love heat (generally fruiting things like zucchini and tomatoes). This week’s share includes a bit of each: the tail-end of the spring green and the first harvests of some of the summer fruits.
But much more is on the way … There are fist-sized green tomatoes on some of our plants. The eggplants have open blossoms. The summer squash are pumping out fruit regularly already. The pole beans are almost eight feet tall and blooming. The cabbages are forming heads. In other words, although some of the items you’ve tasted will continue through the summer, more new summer vegetables await you all!
Workday update
One of the crops that is doing exceedingly well right now are the carrots that our first CSA workday crew ‘liberated’ from some overwhelming weeds. That was just one of the tasks we accomplished in our fast four hours of work. It was such a success, in fact, that we don’t think we actually need every share to do two workdays this summer (that would be a lot of hands!).
So, we’re reducing the official commitment to one workday per share. Those of you who are looking forward to two are still welcome to come out twice. And, if you’ve paid the ‘help fee,’ we’ll contact you individually about how we’ll make that price fair for you with this change.
We’re making this change because we know you all have full and busy summers, and because right now it seems like the garden is under control and should be (with the one workday) most of the summer. But we also hope that if we have unforeseen emergencies that maybe we can still call on you all for some extra help!
A good book for your summer reading list
While lounging by the Willamette Monday afternoon, I finished reading Fields of Plenty: A farmer’s journey in search of real food and the people who grow it, by Michael Ableman, a farmer/activist/writer. The book has a simple premise: it’s Ableman’s account of a summer road trip he and his son took to visit 25 American farms. He recounts and reflects on what he sees at each farm—the book also includes some of his beautiful photographs.
Fields of Plenty is a very enjoyable read. It isn’t preachy or ‘too’ educational in tone, yet Ableman illustrates well the amazing diversity in small to medium sized farms. The growers and their operations are incredibly diverse, so his stories never gets tiring. Of course, I loved reading about how and why other people are farming, but I think it would also be a good read for eaters too. It gives an accurate sense of the myriad of challenges, joys, stresses, and successes involved with growing food for a living.
And, Ableman also includes mouth-watering depictions of the food he eats on his travels, as well as some yummy-looking recipes. You can’t beat a book with pictures and recipes for summer reading.
We hope everyone stays cool this week. Enjoy the vegetables!
Your farmers,
Katie & Casey Kulla
Oakhill Organics
