Full Bloom

Finally it looks like the heat has come, and the garden is incredibly responsive. Not only do the plants need the warmth to put out flowers, but heat allows the micro-organisms in the soil to decompose organic matter and the organic fertilizers we use. Our plants have been lacking food during these cold rainy weeks, and finally they are getting solar food and soil food.
If you happen to have a few minutes on your next visit to the farm, be sure to say welcome to Blackberry, a nice dairy cow that came from a neighbor of ours. She is a Jersey-Holstein cross just four weeks into "freshening,"meaning she had a calf that long ago, so she is producing quantities of milk. She is not used to all this green grass since her previous family did not have enough space for her to graze. So, she really enjoys the barn, and will take some practice to feel comfortable in a rotational grazing system such as how we manage the other animals.
It will not be long until we start to get some tomatoes from the garden. These cherries will be first, followed by some smaller slicers. As with everything else, as soon as we have enough to spread around, we'll put it in the distribution-- starting modestly, but hopefully increasing in quantity....
and then we'll have PLENTY of some things...
Harvest:
lettuce
peas (the last of them... finally)
beans
cherry tomatoes
mizuna greens
garlic
beets
zucchini
cilantro
green peppers
cabbage
Mizuna is a salad green much like arugula, but more mild.
Patty pan squash can be eaten skin and all. They can be prepared like zucchini and are interchangeable with summer squash and zucchini in recipes.

We have a favorite recipe we use religiously every season and publish each year. It is a camp favorite.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2 c. coarsely shredded unpeeled zucchini

2 1/2 c. flour

1 3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. oil

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. yogurt and/or milk

4 tbsp. cocoa

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

topping

3/4 c. chocolate chips

3/4 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. walnuts, almonds, or other nuts

Combine all the ingredients except the topping items, and pour it into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle with the topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

One last thing: we are working with our friends from Wolfpine Farm in Alfred to offer a winter CSA share this year. Tom, at Wolfpine, has been organizing this endeavor, sourcing produce from several different Maine farms. We will have his display at the CSA pick-up.
Here is his pitch:
Winter Shares with Wolf Pine Farm
Wolf Pine Farm will be offering a "winter share" from November - May with local, organic food from Maine farms. Shares will include over 50 different foods including greenhouse greens, dried herbs & beans, frozen berries, grains and staples like potatoes, carrots & onions. Distribution is every 3 weeks. Shares will be delivered to Broadturn Farm (schedule TBD). (There are other drop-off sites too.) Choose the "group delivery" option. Visit www.wolfpinefarm.com/winter or grab a brochure in the barn for more details.

If you are interested, tell Tom we sent you!

Blessings on the meal,
John and Stacy