2024 CSA Newsletter #5
Well folks, this sure has been the season of storms so far. I hope that the storm/tornado warning that rolled through last week didn't cause too much damage and if you lost power, it wasn't for too long. Thankfully, last Wednesday's storm missed us, but let me tell you, it was impressive to watch in the distance. As powerful as that storm was, it was a welcome relief of the heat. Working on a farm in this type of heat is eye opening for some. Your body is constantly moving and there is little to no shade around, throw in tasks in a greenhouse and hoophouses and just about any rain is a welcome sight. Needless to say, a reoccurring theme this summer has been the importance of hydration.
We finally finished dropping all of our string for our tomato plants an got busy pruning them. The heirloom tomatoes were slow going, but that house was completed, and we were able to prune a good chunk of the cherry, beefsteak and sauce tomato house. Now that we are mostly caught up with the tomatoes, they should go significantly faster each week while we sucker and trellis. I love working with tomatoes. Since we need to wrap them around string weekly, their growth is very tangible because what needs to be wrapped is how much the plant grew from the previous wrapping. It's very satisfying to look down a row and see the plants growing up the string in an orderly fashion. Another thing that I love about working with tomatoes are "tomato hands". The plants have a residue and trichomes that can start to leave a yellowish stain on your skin that will eventually turn brownish as you handle more and more plants. It's a pain to get off, but another tangible aspect of your work. The plants are starting to take off and we have had the opportunity to sample a few cherry tomatoes that have ripened. It shouldn't be too long before we are swimming in tomatoes!
This week's CSA share is going to feature a new item that is a first-time ever crop for us, jostaberries. If you haven't heard of them before, don't worry, most people haven't. They are a cross between gooseberries and black currants. The easiest way that I can describe their taste is a juicy sour patch kid. We planted less than 10 plants way back in 2017 and they have finally yielded a quantity that we can include in the CSA. Additionally, there will be more black currants, kale, rainbow chard, basil, carrots, lettuce mix and romaine (will be an either/or choice), garlic scapes, cucumbers and fresh garlic. The garlic this week is Russian Red, a smaller more flavorful variety than the Music that has been available the previous weeks. There will also be some other culinary herbs in the choice.
Have a great week!
-Farmer Todd