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“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they do not have any.”

~Alice Walker

Summer Share Box 13 Crop List

• Sweet Corn – All Shares
• Slicing Cucumbers – All shares
• Fennel – All Shares
• Potatoes – All Shares
• Romaine Lettuce- Single and Half Shares (Not Pictured)
• Eggplant – Full and Single Shares
• Melon – Full and Single Shares
• Radishes – Full and Half Shares
• Summer Squash/Zucchini – Full Shares
• Green Beans – Full and Half Shares
• Peppers – All Shares (Bell & Jalapeno – All Shares, Poblano – Full and Half Shares, Italian Frying – Full Shares, Hot Wax – Full and Single Shares)
• Slicing Tomatoes – All Shares
• Mini Tomatoes – Full Shares
• Cilantro – All Shares

Farmer Notes

*We had 60 or so folks take part in our farm party last Saturday – the weather held out and a grand time was had by all!!

*  Next week, September 19th is the final delivery that we will be offering tomatoes for canning

*September sweet corn has smaller ears and almost guaranteed to have a corn worm at the tip – cut the top inch or two off before even shucking it if you want to.

*Fennel (this week and next week) is our ‘vegetable of the week’.  All parts can be used: the fronds, the stems and the bulbs. We are having a potato and fennel bake tonight for supper

*Everyone will receive a healthy bunch of cilantro both this week and next week – it pairs wonderfully with tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, sweet corn etc.

*More sun and heat next week … make some salsa!!!

*Green beans are a bit larger than last week, but not stringy or seedy

*White potatoes are Cascade and are great for frying or baking

*Fall radishes are so pretty ☺

*We are receiving 2-3 inches of rain presently that should hold us over for this growing season

*Please wash all of your produce before you eat it

Farm Article

I love my job!  I often hear from folks how they envy my situation – living on the land, living off the land, living where I work, having my own business etc. etc.  Although there is some ‘pastures are greener on the other side of the fence’ at play, and a fair amount of idealistic dreaming, the bulk of it is genuine.  Added to the aforementioned benefits can be: getting most of our groceries from the field, taking in a gorgeous sunset most every night, and having a commanding say in what I do and how I work each day.

So I would wholeheartedly agree that this is a pretty sweet gig, and I do not plan to throw in the towel any time soon, but all situations have there down side.  To put it most simply – at the beginning and the end of each and every day the onus falls squarely, and sometimes heavily, onto my lap. Hiring interns, signing on members, managing day in and day out operations, dealing with weather and pests, looking out from my house window to see the one of the many jobs that did not yet get done.

I have certainly grown, as a farmer and as a person, over the past 15 years to manage this business, in every facet, with more efficiency and with more self-care.

Now you knew I was headed somewhere with this, right?  Diane and I are headed to Olympic National Park this Friday for a week to hike, to relax, and to get off the farm for a spell.  You will be in great hands with Vanessa and Josh at the helm, Samson coming back for the week to help out, and Lily and Fabi. Do be patient with us if something seems a bit awry.  There will also be no farmer’s article like this is next week’s newsletter. Thanks in advance –

~Norm

Crop of the week – Fennel

It’s time to funnel some fennel into your diet! Foeniculum Vulgare, or fennel as it’s more widely known, is a flowering plant within the carrot/celery family. It’s a perennial herb characterized by its yellow flowers and wispy, feathery leaves. From the Mediterranean shores, this plant has become widespread throughout the world.

In a culinary sense, it is very aromatic and flavorful, with a flavor similar to Anise and Licorice. Florence Fennel, the variety which forms a bulb-like base(what’s in your box), can be eaten raw or cooked, and has a sweeter taste. It is also, alongside Anise, a main ingredient in the preparation of  Absinthe. The leaves and fruit of the plant are often dried and used as a spice in the preparation of many different dishes in the Middle East and India. The bulb is often eaten raw, or can be cooked by roasting, grilling, or baking it. When cooked it has a similar texture to artichoke, with a tender heart and meaty leaves, but it also has a much sweeter taste. In Israel, fennel salad is prepared by chopping up the bulb and adding salt, black pepper, lemon juice, parsley, and olive oil.

Fennel is best stored by trimming the fronds down to about two to three inches, and then placing in a loose plastic bag, stored in the fridge. It’ll keep for about 5-10 days, while you come up with interesting ideas for it!

~Farmer Lily

Some recipes to try: