First frost of the season. It came rather early this year. We farmers watch the forecast with holy fear, playing a game of odds as we decide when to spring into action to defend our crops. Many things affect a frost other than temperature. Even temperatures above zero can cause burning out in the fields, especially on a clear, windless night. Monday night was a flurry of activity- harvesting all the squash and carrots we could get our hands on, covering eggplants and peppers in fabric forming mini greenhouse shelters, and turning on sprinklers in the wee hours of the morning. Most things seemed to have escaped harm, but that late crop of peas we hoped to harvest soon may never be.
Even the weeds can sometimes shelter plants. I feel rather satisfied as I harvest some green onions among weeds that have been charred by the frost. The bugs begin to die down, gratefully, aside from the friendly abundance of flies that seek shelter indoors. Root veggies like carrots and parsnips, as well as apples, fill up with sweet sugars in response to the chill. It’s a mixed blessing, something powerful and uncontrollable like a wave of the sea, propelling forward the one who is positioned well, and capsizing the one that is not.
Our adorably sized butternut squash testify to the way climate can vary the produce. Last year the same squash were too large to sell to retailers and ended up being sold cheaply to be pureed for baby food. This year the gap between the last frost of the spring and the first one of the fall was uncomfortably narrow. But still, some things grew beautifully and us farmers are nothing if not adaptable. I love this country and it’s worth living here, short growing season and all, to enjoy the freedoms we take as givens.
Half Share
- Turnips (yes, these ones have the bulbs also)
- Carrots
- Butternut squash
- Eggplant
- Campari tomatoes
- Watermelon or cantaloupe
- Collard greens: try sautéing with a little garlic, bacon and chicken stock: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kickin-collard-greens/
- Green kale
- Romaine lettuce
- Assorted sweet Sheppard and bell peppers (despite the shape, none of these are at all hot!)
Whole Share
- Turnips (yes, these ones have the bulbs also)
- Carrots
- Butternut squash
- Eggplant
- Campari tomatoes
- Watermelon or cantaloupe
- Collard greens: try sautéing with a little garlic, bacon and chicken stock: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kickin-collard-greens/
- Green kale
- Romaine lettuce
- Assorted sweet Sheppard and bell peppers (despite the shape, none of these are at all hot!)
- Green peppers
- Saladette tomatoes
- Green onions
- Parsley
- Green cabbage
Hope you enjoy your veggies this week. I am stoked to have some sweet peppers!