Produce is growing by leaps and bounds now that we have had a couple of nice rainfalls. I neglected to pick my zucchini for a couple of days, and here's what I found:
There are at least 25 largish zucchini in there. Most of them were grated and sent to freezer camp to be used in smoothies and baked goods throughout the year. By the way, if you would like a larger zucchini instead of the small, tender ones, email me and I'm sure we can accomodate.
Webstore: If you would like to add a Webstore order to your delivery for no extra delivery fee, here's the link: http://nwpagrowers.com/summer-webstore-information.
An update from Grateful Life Farm:
The thunderstorms and rain recently were very welcome in a July that has been unusually hot and dry. With strings of days in the upper 80’s and 90’s, we’ve had to check and refill water for the broilers and the rabbits every two hours. After ten straight days with no rain, I reluctantly extended the irrigation main line from the high tunnel to include the rest of the garden, fretting about the strain on the well. So far our well has never failed us, but you can’t know what is happening 70 feet underground until it is too late. It has rained a few times since, but not as much as we hoped for, standing out on our deck watching black storm clouds roll around us to the south, mostly missing us. In our front yard, I’m disturbed to catch a certain scent on the wind, slightly sweet and parched, reminiscent of childhood visits to my grandparents in the arid climate of eastern Oregon.
I’m very sad to tell you that our resident stray rabbit Dude died on Tuesday night. He had been making odd sneezing noises and we think the stress of the heat, combined with his age and a respiratory infection lead to his demise. He came to live with us about two years ago when we believe a neighbor who didn’t want to keep rabbits anymore turned him loose. His coat was rough and he had an odd gait, as though his back legs or spine had once been injured, but he was still quick and smart enough to avoid predation for all this time. He quickly endeared himself to us with his friendly personality, his daily visits to all our rabbits, and later, his devotion to his mate. I miss his company terribly during morning chores, forgetting for a moment that he is not coming to greet me and stand on his hind legs to try to put his head in the feed bucket. Shawn buried him, wrapped in one of his favorite old tie dye t-shirts, under the maple in the front yard.
At Glacial Till Farm this week, they had a sauerkraut-making "party" to use a bunch of cabbage that hasn't sold. Sauerkraut is simple to make and adds lots of probiotics to your diet. Here's a new twist on an old recipe: Lemon Dill Kraut. And a cute photo of a Glacial Till Farm kid.
Swaps and Extras:
Some members have questions about how swaps and extras work in Harvie. Each size share has a budget, and each unit of produce is assigned a cost. The Harvie algorithm fills your share based on your preferences within that budge. When you swap or add extras, that often results in an extra cost to you. For example, if you swap a zucchini out for a pound of tomatoes, you will be charged extra. If you have a credit because of a packing error or because you have added extra cash to your account to cover, your credit is automatically applied when needed. Here is a great help document with screenshots explaining the customization process: https://harvie.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001667414-How-Swaps-and-Extras-Work.
Here are a few yummy recipes that my family enjoys:
Spiralized Sesame Cucumber Salad (you can slice the cukes if you don't have a spiralizer)
Better Than Caprese Tomato Salad
Your farmers hope that you all enjoy good, fresh food that's grown with love and care.
--Amy
