The weather is getting challenging to handle right now at the farm.  We sure hope not to see any more of those hot, muggy days.   And somehow we went from mid 90’s to mid 70’s and never saw a drop of rain with the cold front.  So we are also very dry at the moment and irrigating our young fall plantings as needed, but it’s never like a good rain from mother nature herself.  The one thing loving this weather has been the bugs.  They have really wreaked havoc on our winter squash this year and we will have a very light harvest unfortunately.  We are disappointed but crop failures and small harvests can be expected every year with one thing or another.   If it’s not bugs it could be something like frost which…. speaking of…. apparently wiped out the entire apple crop this year on our neighbor’s apple trees.  Last year’s CSA members might remember the bushels of spray-free apples we picked from the trees off the neighboring farm my Mom was raised on at the bottom of the hill on Snyder’s Church Rd.  This year, there are none… victims of the late May frost.  And as if that’s not enough bad news, we’ll round it off with the fact that we are having a bugger of a time getting a good stand of spinach going because it does not like to germinate in this heat.  We will keep planting though till we get it because when the going gets tough, the tough get going!

Now here’s some good news,

CSA list

Sweet Potatoes – these look to be a nice crop this year!

Celeriac – root celery http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/12802/celeriac-potato-and-rosemary-gratin   This might catch a few members off guard.  Heather will have a blog entry on celeriac up soon

Arugula/Mustard Greens Mix  – spicy!

Tomatoes – keep on crankin it out

Acorn Squash/Delicata Squash

Dragon Tongue Beans

Sweet Peppers – how about them Jimmy Nardello’s this year?!? crazy good harvest

Eggplant / Okra

Garlic – change it up from the weeks of onions

Kale / Chard – not liking this heat one bit but still hanging in there