NEWSLETTER

Volume 4, Issue 16

Community Supported Garden at La Vista

August 29, 2006

Field Walk…
     The rain continues.  The farm continues to bounce back from the summer heat. Seeds are germinating. Fruits are forming.  The high heat and dry air of the past two and a half months are quickly becoming a memory.
     The best part of this recent shift in temperature and precipitation is that it's giving the crops optimal growing conditions.  The next best part is that it also reinvigorates my confidence in farming.  With even a little bit of perspective already, I'm reminded how difficult it was to watch crops stop growing, to see seed beds ungerminated, to witness flowers un-fruited.  You start to question yourself despite the obviously harsh conditions.  You become your own worst critic.
     And then conditions change for the better, and suddenly everything's working again!
     I can smell autumn.  I love autumn.  Autumn is, in certain respects, why you farm, or why you join a local farm.  It's the time of color, of warmth (versus blistering heat), of big harvests and big meals. It's the time for giving thanks and bringing matters to their rightful closure. 
     Despite the remaining 3 weeks of summer, the fields are already showing many signs of autumn. Yesterday we spent a couple hours weeding in the winter squash. There are already many, many fruits out there, with more forming as we speak.  I love winter squash. It's my favorite crop to harvest (other than radishes, carrots, lettuce, etc.).  Harvests come on crisp, bright fall days, with the trees coming into their full, rich color, with the winter squash mimicking the colors around them.  They pile up in an array of browns, oranges, reds, greens and yellows. And then they make the perfect soups for the perfect days.  And so, for now, I sow seeds and weed beds and see the changes approaching. The end of summer offers a glimpse of things to come.
     We've received another inch of rain this week. Temperatures look to stay in the mid to upper eighties.  Crops are growing, flowers are fruiting.  There's still a lot of the season left.  We've made it this far. Soon we will be able to look back and see how far we've come.

What's in Your Share

Garlic
Potatoes
Fresh Onion
Salad Mix
Peppers
Scallions
Basil (see Pesto recipe in the June 13 newsletter)
Pick-your-own Cherry Tomatoes

What's For Dinner:

Tahini Salad Dressing
   Summer greens are hotter and spicier than spring and fall greens.  I tend to enjoy them only when they are covered in a rich, sweet creamy dressing, with cherry tomatoes, feta, sunflower seeds, cucumbers, peppers, shredded carrots, etc.

3 Tbsp. Olive oil
3 Tbsp. Tahini
1 tsp. Tamari (or Soy sauce)
2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup (or honey)
1 clove Garlic, minced
Pinch Cayenne and black pepper
1 Tbsp. Lemon juice

Blend, or whisk, all ingredients.  Or, place all ingredients in a jar with lid and shake until blended. Adjust ingredients for taste.  Too oily? Add more tahini.  Too salty? Add more lemon juice or syrup. Too sweet? Add more tahini or lemon juice. Too thick? Add more oil.