2017 Week 2 Newsletter

Greetings from Dancing Hen Farm!  Welcome to Week 2 of our CSA.  Week 2 is not an egg week. 

CSA Members:  Please note, next Tuesday is July 4th.  We will NOT be delivering on Tuesday next week.  All boxes will be delivered on Wednesday, July 5th.  Thank you for understanding, as many of the businesses we deliver to will be closed for the holiday.  Have a Happy and Safe Fourth!!!

I almost want to say welcome to Fall!  The morning temperatures have been almost chilly.  Our lows, here on farm, the past few mornings have actually been in the 40's.  Sweat shirts have become our morning farm uniform.  Farmer Don has even threatened to pull out his long underwear.  I told him he gets more and more like my father every day!  As my Dad got older and his arthritis worsened, he used to say "I put my long underwear away on July 3rd and get it back out July 5th".  Let's hope Farmer Don has not decided he needs long johns in July!!!

 

The greens are loving these cooler days.  Lettuce continues to look good.  Chard and kale is beautiful.  Our first planting of Asian greens (bok choy and chinese cabbage) are starting to wind down.  Succession plantings of greens are coming along and hopefully we can keep salad and cooking greens available for most of the season.  Peas are also liking these cooler temperatures.  Varieties and availability should increase on these as our harvest increases.  Look for shelling and snow peas becoming available next week.

Summer crops are also looking good.  We have started to harvest zucchini and cucumbers.  Look for availability of these both of these crops to increase in the next few weeks.  We have a large planting of zucchini and summer squash which should be ready for harvest very soon.  We apologize for the blemishes on the skin of some of the zucchini and cucumbers.  This is from an early and very aggressive attack of cucumber beetles.  Hopefully the new fruit ripening and the second plantings will have escaped the beetles.  Tomatoes are sizing up nicely and starting to flower.  We are happy to say the tomato plant thief has not struck recently.  Tomatillos look beautiful, so get your recipes out for these!  We continue to finish up planting peppers and eggplant.

Our Farmers Markets are starting.  The Mountain Top market begins this Sunday, July 2.  Market is in the Crestwood High School parking lot and runs from 9 to 1.  If you are in the area, stop by and say hello to Farmer Don.  He will have veggies (greens!), eggs, pork and a small amount of chicken for sale.

Our kitchen is still focused on greens and proteins for most meals.  I have to say, I really cannot get enough of "green eggs".  Such a simple meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner!  If you have never made this dish, it is very simple, requiring no recipe and most importantly little time!  Start by sauteing the greens with a bit of onion or garlic.  Once the greens have softened, stir in the eggs and cook as you would scrambled eggs.  Serve plain or with toast or small side salad.

 

CSA Buying Club members please watch for more items becoming available for purchase on our buying club, including pork and salmon.  You will place your buying club orders with your weekly CSA order.  Buying club orders will then be delivered with your CSA box.

It is getting late! The temperature has warmed into the 50's, Farmer Don is out doing animal chores and I need to get this day moving along.  As always thank you for your continued support of our farm.  Have a great week and from Farmer Don "be safe, be well and enjoy those veggies".