Week Twelve: Happy Labor Day!

Well, we finally got some rain at the Farm, which is a great relief. We could certainly use some more, but the farmers and plants are relaxing a bit after the tension of the drought!
It's been a good week. On Monday my friend Emily came out to help us dig potatoes in the morning and regaled us with tales of her CSA on St Croix in the Virgin Islands! We're in the midst of a long-term project weeding the fall brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and kale) in the farm's most remote field. The rain has softened the soil and made that project a lot easier. Harvest this week is incredibly bountiful and varied. You're going to enjoy your first (and possibly only for this year) taste of sweet corn. Farmer Paul tells me that it's been a disasterous year for the corn, meaning that circumstances just came together in the worst way for corn (wet spring delayed planting and impacted germination, dry summer caused the plants to not create as many ears). So enjoy these ears as a reminder of how sweet corn can be and look forward to getting more another year. On the other hand, Farmer Paul says this is the best lettuce we've had at this time of year in a long time, so enjoy even more bountiful, sweet, crispy lettuce! Also, we've begun to harvest the main crop tomatoes, so look forward to enjoying the juicy tastes of summer even as many folks head back to school.
This week's harvest:
Potatoes - 2 lbs
Hot peppers - 4
Basil - 7 tips
Parsley - 1 bunch
Sweet peppers - 2
Yellow tomatoes - 3
Eggplant - 1
Swiss chard - 3 leaves
Summer squash - 3
Lettuce - 2 heads
Corn - 6 ears
Melon - 1
Tomatoes - 5 lbs

And the menu:
Zucchini Basil soup from Gourmet Magazine, July 2008 (thanks to Elaine!)
Potatoes with Coconut Milk and Basil from The Boxing Clever Cookbook p. 120
Baba Ganouj (Eggplant spread) from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks for a Crowd p. 71
Spicy Summer Vegetable Stew mostly made up by me based on Moosewood p. 118
Fresh melon
Fresh sweet corn
Solidarity Forever Lettuce Salad (in honor of Labor day)

Enjoy!
Mary

Photo explanations: 1. Sunflowers by the barn 2. luscious lettuce 3. Rainbow chard 4. CFK's share of peppers and summer squash 5. Melons! 6. Angela shows off the gorgeous eggplants.