2023 CSA Farm Update: Week 12

Morning Walk

Hello Everyone and welcome to week 12 of the Katchkie Farm CSA. This past week on the farm brought a mix of sunny days and cloudy days with touches of rain. I would not say that fall is in the air quite yet, but I would say that summer is giving us a few more weeks to enjoy it to the fullest.

At least once a week, I will take a walk around the farm to determine the flow of work for the days ahead. This is one of my favorite aspects of what I do as a farmer. Over the course of the season, I get to experience how each time of year brings a different nuance to the farm. Right now, one can sense that the growth of most crops has slowed down from day to day and plants are slowly starting to harden off their leaves and begin their ripening process. One great example is with our winter squash crop. From June through July one can almost watch the plants grow, then something changes in August. They set fruit. All of a sudden there is an abundance of activity that was not there before. Bees and other insects are buzzing around, pollinating the flowers, little green fruits start to form, and woodchucks will find a very inconspicuous place to make their homes in the squash patch, surrounded by an ample food supply. At this point the plants are putting all the energy into the fruits and one can see them slowly increase in size and develop their colors. What was a flower in July has now turned into an edible work of art. The process never ceases to amaze me.

This past week, as I was walking around the farm, from a distance the delicata squash looked ready. I walked a little further in and sure enough the fruits have taken on their slight creamy hue to indicate ripeness. Not to mention the woodchucks had started nibbling on some. They know just when they are the perfect sweetness. We are very thrilled to offer these in this week’s share. The variety that we grow is not just any delicata, but a variety called “Zepplin” which has been selected for a drier and sweeter flesh.

We also have some returning favorites this week. Purple salad radishes will make their way back into your CSA bags after a summer hiatus. They have a vibrant purple skin and tender white inside, making them as lovely to look at as to eat. This week will also make a first time addition of Kyoto Red carrots. This is an heirloom carrot grown in the Kyoto area of Japan. It is prized for its deep scarlet roots and traditional carrot flavor. The large and tender Red Russian kale has surprised us a few weeks earlier than anticipated and make the last new addition to this week’s share. I hope you all enjoy!



Until next time,
Farmer Jon

WEEKLY HARVEST INCLUDES*

*We try our best to provide the most accurate CSA list in the newsletter! However, there’s always a chance of last minute substitutions in some bags if we don’t harvest enough of a vegetable.

DELICIOUS RECIPES TO TRY

Katchkie Farm Gazpacho

 

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes

  • ½ pounds cucumber

  • ¼ pounds green pepper

  • 1 clove garlic

  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar

  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 tsp Tabasco sauce

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish

  • Cherry tomatoes

  • Croutons

Procedure

  1. Rough cut all ingredients and place into a food processor and puree to desired consistency.

  2. Garnish the soup with ripe cherry tomatoes and a few nice croutons.

Farmer Jon UpdateGreat Performances2023 CSA