This is the view from the seat of the tractor, looking back at our old tobacco transplanter. Tiffany and Jared are feeding sweet potato plants into the pinchers. The transplanter creates a furrow, drops the plant into the ground, gives it a dollop of water, and covers it. But that’s only when it’s working perfectly. We’ll be replacing this machine this month so this was its farewell tour. You can see Caroline and John in the back, filling in with spare plants as needed. Photo by Carrie Vaughn.
│ Announcements │ This Week’s Share │ U-Pick │ Recipe │ Coming Soon │
Announcements:
Yes, you DO have a CSA share pick up this week, but next week, don’t come! We’ll be taking the opportunity to get other work done and also to get a quick break with our families. You will not be getting shares Wednesday June 30, Thursday July 1, or Saturday July 3.
Meeting the masking/un-masking needs of everyone can be tricky. If you would rather we bag your share and leave it on a table for you out of the area with other members and staff, we are happy to accommodate! If you’re picking up at the farm, come around to the far side of the washing station, near the walk-in cooler, and flag down someone working there to place your order. The Dupont and Annapolis pick ups are smaller so making your request will be straightforward.
Please also note that the pick ups are busiest the first hour. If you are requesting a bagged share, or generally prefer to pick up when the area is less crowded, please avoid the first hour of pick up. Thanks!
Calling All Oyster Shells
If you purchased oysters from us last week (or any oysters any week from anyone) we’d love to have your shells! They make the perfect home for baby oyster spat—your discarded oyster shells are prime real estate.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has oyster collection sites all around Maryland, including at the entrance of the farm, and at the CBF headquarters in Annapolis.
This Week’s Share:
Cucumbers
Green Cabbage (one head)
Summer squash (a few)
Kale and Collards (lots)
Garlic bulbs (these are so fresh they’ll still have their green tops)
This week’s share is a little hard to predict so there might be something in your bag that isn’t mentioned here.
U-Pick:
In the fields:
Strawberries (There’s two rows that still have a some ripe berries.)
Kale and collards
In our herb and flower garden behind the washing station:
Anise hyssop (licorice flavor; makes a nice tea)
Basil (Genovese, Greek, Thai, Round Midnight, Lemon and Tulsi)
Coriander
Garlic chives
Onion chives
Lemon balm
Mint
Oregano
Sage
Sorrel
Thyme
Lilies, yarrow, and other flowers
Black raspberries (a few along the fence to the right)
In field G2, which is beside the parking area at the washing station:
Parsley
More basil of various types
Cosmos and cleome flowers
Growing wild on the farm:
Mulberries
Recipes:
Cucumbers
I love the way nature gives a glut of one fruit or vegetable, and just when I’ve grown tired of it, I’m swimming in something different. These days it’s cucumbers. I eat most of my cucumbers out of hand because they are a rehydrating treat on an exhausting harvest morning. But for your sake, I’ve assembled some ideas that require more preparation than just opening your mouth.
This Marinated Cucumber Salad in Honey-Cider Vinegar was lifted from Farmer John’s Cookbook by John Peterson and Angelic Organics. You can assemble this salad in a jiffy (particularly if you slice the cucumbers with your food processor), and then leave it in your fridge for the moments when you need something crunchy.
I was a skeptic of Chilled Cucumber Mint soup, but I tried it last night and now I’m a convert! Just toss the following in a blender:
6-8 cucumbers (about 4 cups)
1 cup water
2 cups plain yogurt (whole fat yogurt makes it richer)
1 garlic clove
a few sprigs fresh mint
2 teaspoons dried dill (or 2 tablespoons fresh)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
Blend it until smooth and eat it right away or chill for later. Garnish with some fresh herbs or finely chopped scallions. Courtesy of the same John Peterson cookbook as above.
Let’s talk about pickles. There’s a lot of different styles of pickles and some of them are incredibly easy.
Basically, if you pour hot vinegar over some cucumbers and leave the jar in your fridge for a day, you’ve made “refrigerator pickles”. Here’s a recipe for refrigerator pickles that includes sugar and spices, all of which can be adjusted or eliminated according to your preferences.
Another super simple option is the fermented pickle, which has the added bonus of being probiotic. Sandor Katz is the sage of fermentation, so you can feel comfortable with any recipe or book from him. Here’s his recipe for a crock of pickles. If want to make just a quart jar, adjust the recipe to 1 pound of cucumbers and 1.5 tablespoons salt. A grape leaf improves the “crunch” texture but is not required. Ask us and we can point you to grape vines on the farm. I made a jar last night and after just one day of fermenting they are already delicious.
Coming Soon:
The Waiting Game
Next week, if you want something from the farm, you’ll have to pick it yourself! We’ll add squash and cucumbers to the U-Pick list for one week only.
Garlic bulbs from now until the end of the season!
Onion bulbs will be weeks 8-11.
The kale and collards do not enjoy this hot weather. We might get some in week 8, but we’re not sure.
We think chard will hold up through week 10, but in small quantities.
Green cabbages again in week 8.
Our first planting of squash is on the decline, and our second succession is not as robust as our first. This means you’ll get a little yellow squash and zucchini in the weeks to come, but you won’t be overloaded.
We’re in peak cucumber right now. There will be more in weeks 8 and 9 but if pickles are on your mind, do it now.
Fennel week 8
Some small Korean melons and baby watermelons should start ripening in time for weeks 8-10.
The first planting of beans is toast. The second planting is already flowering, so you’ll probably be eating those weeks 8-11.
I’m taking a wild guess that we give you your first tomato or two week 11.
The potato field is looking spectacular. Potatoes are still a ways away, but they’re definitely coming.
Peppers and eggplants are still pretty small. I wouldn’t expect those until the end of July.
Thank you for Supporting our Farm!
CLAGETT FARM
Wednesdays, 3:00-7:00 P.M.
Saturdays, 1:00-4:00 P.M.
DUPONT CIRCLE DC
Wednesdays, 5:00-7:00 P.M.
ANNAPOLIS
Thursdays, 4:00-6:00 P.M.