NEWSLETTER

Volume 4, Issue 22

Community Supported Garden at La Vista

October 10, 2006

Field Walk…
     Believe it or not, we're almost finished weeding. Not quite, but almost. Typical of autumn, the season comes to a close one last weed at a time.  The weed population has already changed significantly.  We're now seeing lots of chickweed around the farm.  Chickweed doesn't grow until temperatures reach lower, un-summer-like temperatures.  Meanwhile, summer-time, heat-loving weeds aren't seen much at all anymore.
     Chickweed, like other weeds, is actually highly nutritious.  It's very tasty in salads, too. This is good news, especially if your farmer wants to get a head start on winter vacation.  If you find green tubs full of "Chickweed Salad" then you know I'm finding a new way to farm with nature and heading south for a couple months.  It's good to have a back-up plan.
     In the meantime, we're keeping up with the autumn weeding, and watching the crops respond to some wonderful growing conditions.  We have many carrots coming up. I'm being patient with them. They took a hit from the groundhogs in September, but they're shaping up very nicely.  I pull up a couple carrots every other day to check on their status.  They're looking very long and tasty, but I want to give them just a little more time to get nice and big and juicy. Then, we'll finish the last month and a half with some of the best roots in the world: fresh, local, seasonal, and right out of the ground.
     It's hard to believe we're already at this time of year.  Before you know it, you look around in the slanted light at a farm ready for winter.  I'm finding fallen leaves in the salad mix. 
     Besides the weeding, I'm very close to sowing the last seeds.  This is sad because, of all farm tasks, sowing seeds may be my favorite. It's renewing. Sowing seeds into a fresh-tilled seed-bed is almost sublime in its ability to calm the nerves. It's a new chance to do better, to try new things, to start over. It feels good. 
     It's hard to give up sowing seeds.  It's hard to not sow another bed of carrots or a bed of beets.  I'm still sowing salad greens and radishes, as well as cover crops but it's almost time to put the seeds away for winter.  Thank goodness for spring!  Yes… spring is like sowing seeds… new beginnings. Alas, it's still autumn.  Still more to come… still new beginnings right under our feet!

What's in Your Share

Spinach
Celery
Summer Squash
Cilantro & Dill
Salad Mix
Sweet Peppers
Cucumbers
Garlic
Onion
Radishes
Turnips
Tomatoes
Pick-your-own Cherry Tomatoes
& Green Beans
Basil and arugula will be offered extra

Pico de Gallo
     We still have a taste of summer left in the season.  Try this late-season salsa!  We have almost all ingredients fresh from the fields…

2 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 hot peppers, seeded and finely diced
¼ cup finely diced white onion
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
Salt, to taste
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar (or juice of one lime)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, including tomato juices.  Let stand 20 minutes before serving.
Serve with Chips for a wonderful snack!