Presents under the leaves

Presents under the leaves

It is hard to believe that the end of the growing season is just around the corner. But it is true, it is almost the middle of September, school has begun, and the smell of fall is in the air. I do love fall. There is just always part of me that is sad to see summer come to a close.

It is so exciting to se what is growing under the leaves.

On the bright side, the pumpkins are peeking through the leaves and the color in the garden is exciting to see. It sometimes feels like Christmas and the excitement of seeing presents under the tree. Only it is presents under the leaves scattered across the field.

The recent rains have given everything a little boost to finish the growing season strong. We are anxious to harvest sweet potatoes, watermelon, winter squashes, gourds, pumpkins, popcorn and ornamental corn. Be prepared for a variety of choices and colors. Don’t let the abundance overwhelm you. Focus instead on the joyful calm that the beautiful array of colors bring.

We have been patiently waiting for the right time to harvest the watermelon. Patience is a virtue.

Boxes of Produce

This list is prepared before we harvest your share. Some guesswork is involved! We do our best to predict which crops will be ready to harvest, but sometimes crops are on the list that are not in the share, and sometimes crops will be in the share even though they’re not on the list.

Remember food safety in your kitchen when preparing, always wash your hands before working with your produce and always wash your produce before eating.

Lettuce/Spinach/Kale Mix – Unfortunately, this crop has really struggled this year. This week was a mix of spinach, kale and Red Oak Leaf lettuce.

Beets – Detroit Dark Red Beets

Fancipak Cucumbers

Cabbage or Cauliflower – Purple cabbage or purple cauliflower varieties to try this week.

Cucumbers – The cucumbers have picked up and the second planting is doing well. If you are interested in pickling some we may have extra for you to do so.

Kohlrabi – A garden favorite. I love to peel it, cut it up like an apple and dip in peanut butter.

Peppers – A variety are available. Let us know what you think about the hot peppers. Meanwhile, you have green peppers and the smaller red peppers, Sweet, Cherry Stuffer.

Potatoes – Red Norland potatoes. Great for cooking on the grill, boiling or mashed.

We love the braided stem of the onion.

Onions – White Onions

Radishes – The last of this year’s radishes. Enjoy them in a salad, on a sandwich or in a hot dish.

Summer Squash – Zucchini, Peter Pan and Sunburst varieties. These younger varieties are greatTIP: use your summer squash like your zucchini. None of these need to be peeled when using them.

Sungold Tomatoes

Tomatoes – A few Fourth of July, yellow, cherry Sungold tomatoes. I love the size of the Fourth of July for a quick lunch, and the Sungolds. The tomatoes are quickly turning. Let us know if you are interested in canning or freezing extra quantities. Let us know if you are interested in more tomato juice.

Winter Squash – Butternut, Kuri and Spaghetti squash are available this week.

Zinnias and Hydrangeas – These should brighten up your home. Put a splash of bleach in the water to help them last longer.

Recipe of the Week

Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad

Serve as a dip with your favorite chips or crackers. The zesty lime dressing offers a fun punch of summer that will have you making this salad again and again.

4 ears sweet corn
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jalapeño seeds and ribs removed, minced
Zest and juice of 1 lime
¼ c. canola oil
2 ripe avocados halved, pitted, peeled and diced
1 c. cherry tomatoes, quartered
6 scallions thinly sliced
½ c finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

-Preheat the grill to medium heat.

-Grill corn until tender about 20 minutes. Let cool and remove kernels.

-In a large bowl, combine the garlic, jalapeño, lime zest, lime juice, and oil. Whisk to combine.

-Add the corn, avocado, tomatoes, scallions, and cilantro and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Source: NDSU Extension

From Winter to Summer

From Winter to Summer

It is extremely strange to think that roughly a month and a half ago was a blizzard and that over Memorial Day, we experienced record setting heat. All of these crazy weather conditions, combined with a window to plant provided an opportunity for the crops and weeds to grow like crazy. The good news is that harvest for some of these crops is just around the corner, and so are some delicious dishes to tantalize the taste buds.

4-15-18 Brothers

Roughly a month and a half ago, we had a blizzard which was followed by record-setting heat at the end of May. It is strange to think that we are ready for produce to be harvested. If you are wondering, yes the snow was that deep on April 15.

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The brown spot on the leaf is the outside shell of the seed still hanging onto the leaf. It will eventually fall off as the plant continues to grow.

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New lettuce plants… love the color of the leaves.

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4 O’Clocks peaking out of the ground. The strength a young plant has to peek out of the ground is always amazing to me. We plant 4 O’Clocks to attract good insects so they will eat the bad insects.

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The potatoes are growing and needed to be hilled already. This allows more room for the tubers (potatoes) to grow.

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Unfortunately, we still have to pull some weeds. These weeds overcame the carrots over Memorial Day weekend.

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What do we do as a family before and after a day of baseball…weed control. After 3 inches of rain and about a week of above normal and record-setting temperatures, the weeds are plentiful. Keeping them under control is essential to growing and harvesting a good crop.

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Running the tiller that was his great grandpa’s.

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Yes, we have two of great grandpa’s tillers because they had a big garden. They accomplish the task faster when we work together.

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We made a trip to South Dakota and were able to see the Corn Palace. It was fun to see the beautiful art work made from different color corn varieties. The corn is not dyed. Corn is naturally these different colors depending on the variety. 

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We recently hatched baby chicks in a classroom. We all enjoy doing agriculture in the classroom to help others better understand agriculture.

Spring Field Work Begins

Spring Field Work Begins

We are so grateful for the good drying weather and beautiful days to be in the field. Below is a quick glance at last week.

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Field work started this week. Everyone enjoys the opportunity to be on the tractor.

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These boys planted 548 potatoes 4 varieties in 45 minutes to beat some rain. They are happy to have accomplished this task in record time without sacrificing quality outcomes.

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Rhubarb emerged this week and is growing like crazy. I love the crinkly leaves and the blend of colors. We were able to enjoy a small rhubarb raspberry pie this week.

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The broker chicks are growing fast. Now at 4 weeks old they are almost fully feathered.

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The 4-H pigs arrived this week. The boys enjoy this project and learn so much from this opportunity. Thank you to Country Girls Showpigs for their help on this project.