Week Eight: Pray for rain...

It's been another good week at the Farm, though we could really do with a good soaking rain. On Monday my friend Jared spent the day with us at the Farm and pitched in with the potato harvest, making a soil mix, digging garlic, and moving straw into the barn. It was a big day of work and it was so nice to have the extra hands and (of course) Jared's company. I think he had a good time despite the heat and hard work because he kept saying he had to leave and actually wound up staying the whole day. :-) The Farm does that to people. Remember that anyone can come out to join in the work of the farm any day except Sunday, so come on out some time!
On Wednesday it was another huge harvest to bring in, but this week all I can remember reveling in the community aspect of the Farm, with my co-workers being more like friends and mentors than anything else. Even when we're very busy there's always time for a hug and a kind greeting. I'm so lucky to work here!!
This week's share is:
Potatoes- 2 lbs
Choice of 1 box tomatoes or 2 little cabbages (when there's a choice like this I get some of each)
Beans - 1/2 lb
Rosemary - 1 sprig
Swiss chard - 1/2 lb
Parsley - 1 bunch
Carrots - 5
Basil - 13 tips
Cucumbers - 3
Summer squash - 3
Lettuce - 2 heads
Arugula - 1 bunch
Garlic - 1 head
Mint - 1 stalk

This week's menu is:

Zucchini Fritters from The Farmer's Market Cookbook p. 114
Potato Salad with Arugula from Greens, Glorious Greens p. 11
Chilled Cucumber-Yogurt Soup from Moosewood p. 30
Vegans get Red, White, and Spring Green Crunch Salad from From Asparagus to Zucchini p. 129
and this week we REALLY will do the Oriental Green Beans (and Chard!) from The Community Farm of Ann Arbor Cookbook p. 47
Don't Forget to Vote (Primaries Aug 4) Salad with lettuce, carrots, and cabbage

The Fritters are going to be VERY labor intensive, but they're delicious and they'll be worth it. My dear friend Nell will be joining us in the Kitchen for the day and with her help I'm sure we'll manage to fritter away (noontime, suppertime, chore time too!). For the Cucumber Yogurt Soup Claire and I are busily making some homemade yogurt, so look forward to that!

That's about all, I think. E.W. suggested that at the end of posts I put up a brief explanation of the photos, so here goes: 1. Massive amounts of prep work gets done every week--and the veggies are so pretty and colorful! (Swiss chard in the foreground, summer squash in the background) 2. Nora shows how huge the Swiss chard leaves are! 3. Last week's beets and beet greens were so pretty 4. Garlic hanging in the barn to dry 5. Another full car load of veggies to take home 6. In the middle of yogurt making. Enjoy! - Mary