CSA Week 15

We've been busy harvesting all the storage onions and winter squash in what feels like mid-July weather! It's been hot work but so far both the onions and the squash are looking great. Our squash harvest is a little on the low side but not enough that it will effect quantities in the shares. There will just be fewer squash for me to take to the market or sell at the end of the season. Starting next week you can expect to see some sort of winter squash in your shares for the remainder of the season. Yum! 

This heat has also encouraged the tomatoes to ripen at a faster rate, which is great because now it is a race against the blight that is on most of the plants. The heat is also allowing us to get a third week of beans which is unusual at this time of year. But you won't hear any complaining from me - longer production is always great!

I am thrilled to be including some big, beautiful beets in the shares this week! We've struggled growing beets the last two years but this planting is the nicest I've ever grown. I experimented with transplanting the beets, rather than sowing directly in the field, and this seems to be a winning method. 

Rob (with some help) spun all of our 2017 honey from the comb yesterday and we will begin bottling as soon as we receive our shipment of honey jars. I anticipate that I will have our 2017 honey available for purchase starting next week at the CSA pickup. We are pleased with the harvest of approximately 650 lbs of honey this year. This is a low quantity compared to the number of hives on the farm but 2017 has been a particularly bad honey season so we did OK. Since the weather was so cool and rainy, the bees had to spend a lot of time in their hives consuming their honey rather than foraging and storing up a large quantity. Otherwise, the bees look healthy as they head into the winter season.

---

Since beets are making a debut in the shares this week I thought I would share some relevant recipes. Beets are a powerhouse of nutrients and full of delicious flavour! And don't forget that the greens are edible too! Just lightly steam, saute, or throw into smoothies. I enjoy beet greens lightly sauteed with some olive oil, sea salt, and garlic. At their simplest, beets can be roasted as a side dish or salad topping. Or they can be grated and added to salads and slaws. For other ideas, check these recipes below:

Beet Latkes with Smoked Salmon
​35 Recipes You Simply Can't Beet
​Beet Berry Smoothie