It’s been about 2 months since the share began in mid-May. Alot has morphed during that period and we encourage everyone to take a stroll around the fields to see the growth over that time. A field walk for the sake of observation is an awesome way to notice changes and appreciate the unique habits of different plants and the patchwork of color and shapes.

Crop updates: It’s the end of the spinach and head lettuce for a while. Spinach grows less vigorously in the heat of July and August, so we take a break from it until late summer. There’s still ample lettuce greens. Soon we’ll be harvesting cucumbers which will be available in the share fridge, and the summer squash and zucchini will become a regular there too. There’s a tasty new bed of carrots along with Walla Walla onions and cutting celery (see more details below).

This week was action packed with some interesting highlights, see photos with captions for a taste.

Tips for Success

• Check the color coded whiteboard to confirm the proper way to harvest. We noticed in both the kale and patch that all leaves of the entire plant had been cut on particular plants. On the whiteboard both these crops are written in pink, which means that the largest, lowest outermost leaves are to be cut while leaving the bulk of the plant. Following these harvest guidelines helps us get the best and longest harvest we can from each crop.
• If you plan to leave town for an extended trip, you are welcome to invite a substitute in your place while you are away. It’s an excellent way to introduce new households to the farm. For this to go smoothly, there’s two important steps. First, bring them to the farm before you leave to show them around. Walk through the entire visit: washing hands, signing in, checking share board, understanding crop limits and harvest techniques, field locations, signage, etc. The second piece is to let us know you are sending a substitute, text or email us their name(s) and the dates you will be away. Enjoy your summer travels and thanks for being good ambassadors for the farm and seasonal eating.
• 8 O’clock Ranch stocks their most popular cuts in the self-serve meat freezer in our shareroom. This freezer is open to the public and not limited to shareholders. If you are looking for something new, but you can request a custom delivery by phone or email to be picked up in the lowest drawer of our freezer.

One evening, we enjoyed a fire and cooked hot Italian sausage from 8 O’clock Ranch along with a basketful of vegetables including garlic scapes, summer squash and bulb fennel (sliced in half).

Plant Spotlight: At littleGrasse we grow celery to harvest individual stalks rather than the entire plant. In this way (similar to the kale and chard) new stalks will grow at the center and the plant can be harvested from for months, rather than a single time. This translates to more food over a longer period of time than would happen with a single harvest. Celery loves water, plants that receive ample moisture regularly throughout their growth will have lighter color and more watery flavor. Plants that receive less moisture will have a more concentrated celery flavor. If the stalk tastes more strongly than you would like to eat raw, cooking it will take the edge off the flavor. This season we located the celery in a naturally moist spot and so far, they seem to be loving the location. It’s the mildest celery we’ve grown which I bet will be exciting to some palates. Try using the leafy tops in a DIY dried culinary herb mix or celery salt.
Find other information and tips on the littleGrasse website in the Vegetables Pages where there’s a section for nearly every crop we grow.

Crops Available

This list and availability are subject to change, check the share whiteboard at the start of every visit. If you are unsure about how to harvest: ask us! In person, via text or email.
Cell phone numbers, Flip: 315-854-5399 and Bob 315-854-5395.
*Asterisk marks crops added this week

• Beets
• Bulb fennel
• Carrots*
• Cutting celery* (harvest individual stalks, not entire plant)
• Flowers
• Green garlic (immature garlic, entire plant is edible)
• Kale
• Lettuce greens
• Onions*
• Rainbow chard, also called Swiss chard
• Rhubarb

Culinary and Medicinal Herbs

• Anise hyssop
• Basil
• Bee balm*
• Bronze leaf fennel
• Dill greens
• Lavender*
• Lemon balm
• Mint
• Nasturtium, edible flower
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Sorrel
• Tarragon
• Thyme
• Winter Savory

For the love of the land,
Flip & Bob