The Complete Guide to Getting the Most Out of Your Summer Vegetables

Farm Update

Our new (old) cultivator should definitely help us keep these
weeds in our drive rows under control!

Hi everyone!  It’s been a hot and humid week at the farm, pushing 90 degrees most days!  We’ve finally hit the point in the season where the weed pressure starts to abate.  Not only are there fewer weeds because it’s been so dry (the weed seeds don’t germinate as much when they can’t get moisture from the ground), but there seems to just be an invisible line on the calendar each year when, independent of all other factors, the weeds just slow down.  We’ve just hit that line, and it’s definitely a relief.  We’re also excited about our new (old) cultivator!  Fred was able to get one of the many old cultivators you often see around the countryside, left over from a time before GMO crop varieties when even conventional farmers had to do some cultivating.  Now very few conventional growers do any cultivating, so all of the old machines go for a song to those of us who can use them.  In our case, ours will be perfect for keeping the drive tracks between our rows of vegetables mostly weed-free, because they often do get a little out of control.  And the more weeds there are (even in the drive tracks), the more weeds that will go to seed, and the more weeds that will start popping up in the actual rows of crops.  So this should definitely help.  We also had an amazing crop of blueberries this year!  We did quite a few bulk blueberry orders on top of bringing blueberries to everyone in the CSA last week, and we’ll have more blueberries in the shares again this week.  Several people have asked if we'll be taking more bulk blueberry orders, and we will!  So if you are interested in 10 pounds of blueberries for $33, just let me know and we'll bring them to the drop-off for you.  Another thing we’ll have lots of is green beans, and I am so excited!  Even though the calendar indicates that it’s been summer for a month, the first green beans are the real start of summer for me!  We'll have enough of those to take bulk orders for preserving as well, and those will be $19 for 10 pounds.   I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! J

What to Expect in your Share this Week

If you are picking up at one of our regular drop-offs (Alma, Mt. Pleasant, and Midland) this week, here are the options you’ll find at each station!  If you have a half share, you’ll choose one item at each station, and if you have a full share, you’ll choose two.

Blueberries
Green beans
Carrots or 2 zucchini
Potatoes or beets
Kale, Swiss chard, or cabbage
Lettuce or 2 cucumbers
Onion or herbs

And if you’re having your share delivered or picking up in Lansing, Okemos, or the Midand hospital, here are your options.  If you have a half share, choose either share A or share B, and if you have a full share, you get to choose two.

Share A:                               Share B:

Blueberries                           Blueberries
Green beans                         Green beans
Carrots                                 2 zucchini
Potatoes                               Beets
Kale                                     Cabbage
2 Cucumbers                        Lettuce
Onion                                   Onion

The Complete Guide to Getting the Most Out of Your Summer Vegetables

Right now is the beautiful time of year that marks the transition from spring to summer veggies!  It certainly feels like summer out there, and we’re just on the edge of many summer favorites coming out of the fields.  In preparation for all that veggie goodness, here is The Complete Guide to Getting the Most out of Your Summer Vegetables, from Quartz.  I’m actually out of town this weekend for a family event, so instead of spending a few hours writing a feature, I’m going to share this one, because it’s pretty much exactly what I would have written anyway.   Enjoy! J

Recipes

It’s green bean season, and I couldn’t be more excited!  Here is a super easy, super delicious recipe for Buttery Garlic Green Beans from allrecipes.com!  Or if you’re looking for something that’s still light, but a little more involved, check out this Frisée-Lardon Salad from Bon Appetit!  A lot of people have asked me what to do with frisée besides just mixing it with your spring mix, so here is a traditional French preparation perfect for a hot evening like the ones we’ve been having!