The past week was certainly rainy. During a storm and downpour towards the beginning of the week we received over half an inch of rain in under 15 minutes. That's more than nearly all of May combined.
That storm also brought some strong wind, as made evident by the bunching onions that looked like they went for a joyride in a convertible.
While we rely on and welcome the rain, too much
presents challenges. It makes harvesting more difficult and storage less than ideal due to the higher moisture and associated humidity.
Our garden beds and plants are raised above path-level by a few inches so we avoid pooling and problems with standing water. After all, a downpour could wreak havoc on low lying or poorly placed seedlings.
A rainy week requires more attention to planning and flexibility. We have to aggressively capitalize on periods of no rain in the field and make use of rainy periods to do tasks that are possibly under shelter - like washing or packaging.
Basil
This week we're thrilled to include basil in our shares for the first time. Basil is a fairly versatile herb with recipes like pesto and cocktails, or that thing where people skewer a basil leaf, a tomato, and a sphere of cheese on a toothpick.
This week's share, a simple herb package, isn't enough to make a go of pesto. Simultaneously giving a few cups to every person would probably result in quite a bit of waste and strip our plants - but if you would like a larger share of basil in a future week, send us a message and we'll try to accommodate everyone equitably :).
The Replacements: Backup Zucchini Update
You might recall that at the end of May we lost most of our Zucchini plants to an unusually late frost. That day we started a backup cohort of zucchini seeds
and then in the last week of June we transplanted those replacements to the
field. We're happy to report that the replacements are doing well and we see flowers being pollinated and small fruit forming. They'll be later than planned but we look forward to sharing some wonderful zucchini with you in the coming weeks.
This Week's Share
This week's shares will include:
Head Lettuce
Salad Mix
Beets
Radish
Kale
Cucumbers
Turnip
Basil
Next Week's Share
Next week's share will include more beets, carrots, and very likely a helping of fresh bunching onions. Cherry tomatoes are showing signs of ripening, so we're hoping to see our plants roll into high gear in the coming weeks.
Food Bank Support
As you may know, throughout the season we make weekly donations to local area food banks. The bulk of our donations go to the Kawartha Lakes Food Source in Lindsay, a charitable organization that acts as a distributor to 11 food banks throughout the Kawartha Lakes.
So far this season we've donated 550 pounds of fresh produce, all made possible by our CSA members. Thanks so much!
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