Nearing the End of Summer...

In all shares this week:
Beets-  This time last year we were running low on Fall beets and I was wishing I'd seeded more.  This year is another story....so many beets I don't know what to do with them all.
Sweet corn-  Wow, the corn is a few weeks later this year than it was last year, but really productive and nice.  I gave the plants a bit more space and maybe a bit more water, and it seems to be paying off with more cobs of sweet corn!
Tomatoes-  Hoping last weekend's rain showers don't negatively impact the tomatoes...they are still looking healthy and strong, but I have been a bit lazy about removing all the older leaves on the plants that can be vectors for Late blight in wet weather.  With any luck we should have lots more tomatoes in the coming weeks.
Summer squash-  This might be the last time Summer squash is in the share...last chance Summer dance!  The plants are getting a bit tired and seem to be slowing down, although you never know, they may continue to produce a bit more for a while.  In any case, we have lots of nice Winter squash coming ripe that will be soon taking its place in your shares.
Basil-  I'm hoping to give everyone a nice big bag of basil this week, as I'm thinking the basil won't be able to keep going for too much longer.
Lettuce-  We have experienced our typical late Summer deer attack, and we lost quite a bit of head lettuce, sadly.  So many of these heads will actually be coming from our friend Georgie Smith of Willowood Farm.  We will have another bed of lettuce coming on soon, plus lots of other Fall greens on the way.

Small shares only:
Eggplant-  Large shares have already gotten some eggplant, but small shares have not, so it's your turn!  Time for some delicious eggplant curry, or grilled eggplant, or eggplant parmesan....homegrown eggplant is one of my favorite things!

Large shares only:
Pac choi-  We'll have broccoli, cauliflower, romanesco, brussels sprouts, and more in the coming weeks, but for now we have a beautiful little plot of pac choi as a nice braising brassica.
Sweet peppers-  The pepper plants are really producing, and this week I'll try to get some "Carmen" peppers into the shares.  It is a large, bright red bull's horn type pepper that is really delicious.
Shallots-  Shallots are a delicious onion-family vegetable that is kind of like a cross between onion and garlic.  Slice it and use it as you would onion, but it has a different flavor prized in both French and Asian cooking.  Great in sauces and dressings, with seafood and other vegetables!
Cucumber-  As with the Summer squash, the cukes are beginning to slow down and some of the vines are dying back a bit.  Not too many fresh cucumber salads left!

It is transition time on the farm, as many of the Summer crops are winding down and we prepare to switch over to the Fall crops.  That said, many things like the eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes, should continue for many weeks, and there is still a lot of corn to be picked.  This is my favorite time of year, with less traffic on the island, shorter but still beautiful days with a little chill sometimes, lots of delicious vegetables, and a little less racing around to keep up with the to do list on the farm.
It's also the time of year when I start thinking a lot about next years' plan, which I'm in the middle of now.
Don't forget to pick up your share on THURSDAY evening this week!!!
Thanks!
ETP

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