Delivery June 12 2025
2024:
A note about squashes:
Next week I will deliver the last of the kabocha squash, and all of the butterscotch squash.
The last of the kabocha will be quite small, so they will only augment the squash already delivered.
I have come across a few sources on the web that suggest you can extend the shelf life of winter squashes by wiping the rind with a cloth damp with a mild bleach solution. I've never done this before though I'll be giving it a try this year for our own squashes.
There seems to be a few different suggestions but the most common one I've found is 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. There are also references to using vinegar.
A note about Solanine:
Solanine is the compound that forms when a potato tuber is exposed to sunlight. In high concentrations it is quite toxic, though it's strong bitter taste usually dissuades anyone from consuming too much.
If there are small quantities of solanine in your potatoes, it can be neutralized by soaking the tubers in vinegar.
I do this all the time as I typically retain the slightly greened (and other damaged potatoes) for our own use.
Some potatoes will contain small quantities of solanine even if no green is present. I suspect that this might be more common with the red fingerlings, so I have taken to soaking them whether I see any green or not.
I cannot determine if there is any greening on the blue potatoes, so I HIGHLY recommend soaking these ones.
Method:
Clean and prepare for cooking the tubers as usual. Pare off any green flesh.
Soak potatoes in a solution of vinegar:
Amount of time soaking probably depends on how small the potatoes are cut up. I usually dice my potatoes quite small (saves electricity and cooking time), so a half hour is usually sufficient.
Rinse potatoes thoroughly and then proceed with the rest of their preparation.
Typically, hilling the potatoes keeps the tubers covered with soil and thus not exposed to sunlight, though the fingerlings in particular are so prolific that they push themselves out of the ground after they have been hilled.
Today’s Delivery October 2 2024 (Missed recording delivery for September 26th)
Garlic: 1 Lb for half and full shares.
Slicing Tomatoes: Approximately 2 to 2 1/2 Lbs Full shares, about 1 1/2 Lbs half shares. Customers who missed previous deliveries received closer to 2 Lbs.
Cherry tomatoes: 1/2 Lb full shares
Celery: 1 bunch all shares
Oakleaf and mignonette Lettuce: 2-3 heads full shares, 1-2 heads half shares.
Kale: 6 Oz all shares
Cousa and zucchini: About 1/3 all customers received 1-2 fruits of various sizes; preference given to customers who have missed deliveries.
Green Peppers: All full shares received 21-4 peppers; preference given to customers who have missed deliveries.
Green Beans: All full shares received 400 grams of beans.
Romano Beans (Forrester and Dragons tongue): All hal share customers received 1/4 Lb each of both types of romano. Some customers who missed beans during previous deliveries received more.
Heirloom Tomatoes
Heirloom tomatoes pose some challenges to the inexperienced and uninitiated. They are very uneven in shape, their harvest window on the vine tends to be shorter, they often ripen to unfamiliar colors, and the often ripen unevenly. They also tend to have very thin skin and are prone to damage in transit. As such, the mass market growers, shippers, and retailers have all but given up on tomatoes, relying instead on uniform, blemish free facsimiles that have names like Garden Pro Corp 1X-2019.
How to tell if an heirloom tomato is ripe? By touch. I the surface feels slightly pulpy to the touch, then it is ready.
Our heirlooms: The slightly purple/wine/dark red tomatoes are either Cherokee purple or Cherokee carbon. Once they are picked, I can't tell the difference between these two. Technically, the Cherokee Carbon is not an heirloom, it is a hybrid from a Cherokee purple and a Carbon tomato. I refer to it here as an heirloom as it seems to have retained a lot of Cherokee purple character.
The rose colored tomato is Pruden's Purple. It often has ribbed sides to varying degrees.
The more uniform shaped tomatoes are the Moskvich, though some larger specimens will take on unusual shapes.
How to enjoy an heirloom tomato: Don't bother with the shoulders - these often do not ripen on heirlooms; or they are unpalatable even if they change color. In any event, the deep stem scar makes for lots of cracking and I find that damage or decay will start in this area of the fruit. Slice of and feed to chickens, birds, or compost.
I am certain you will be delighted by these flavours.
Here is a recipe that I discovered while interning at Elmtree: Peanut butter and tomato sandwich. You'll need a plate or fairly tough bread to make it work. Or slice the tomato a few hours before eating and let dry slightly in the fridge before makng the sandwich.
Enjoy...this is what a tomato is. You won't find anything like this in a store.
Today’s Delivery August 14 2024 (Four deliveries are not accounted for - not enough time to write this summer):
Garlic: Full shares 1 Lb.
Half shares and Full shares will each receive 1 Lb in one of the next two deliveries.
Each clove is marked with a symbol that indicates the type and variety. I'll have these up by tomorrow night. Knowing what type of garlic it is will let you k ow how best to use them and how long they are expected to keep, as different types of garlic have different flavour profiles and shelf lives.
Lettuce: Two types this week for full shares. A dark green leaf called Bergam's Green. I find this somewhat tough probably due to too many dry hot days. I hand water it as much as I can to keep the leaves tender, but there was a two week period of little to know rain and high temperatures that probably negated my efforts.
The other type was very close to bolting, it is an open habit leaf lettuce with very tender leaves. Both Full and Half shares received these.
Green Beans: All customers received 1 Lb of Green beans. The next harvest I intend to deliver another pound to the full shares only.
Romano Beans: Full shares received 1/2 Lb of Forrester beans (light green pods) and 1/2 Lb of Dragons Tongue (yellow and red pods). The next delivery, all half shares will receive a half pound of romano beans, probably a mix of the two types.
Romano beans may be consumed as any other bean. You might find them a little more flavourful. Dragons Tongue is on e of the best tasting beans I have come across that is dependable. Forrester is a new one for us.
Let me know what you think of these...
Green Peppers: Half shares received one, Full shares received 2 or 3 depending on their size.
Anaheim Peppers: This variety is called Red Ember. Is is mildly hot pepper with a nice flavour - I had these included in my lunch today. According to the variety description rom the seed house, Anaheim peppers have thick walls that allow them to be stuffed.
All peppers appear to be quite small this year. (In addition to being very slow - they should have been ready for harvest in mid July). Evidently the heat two weeks ago impacted them as I observed a lot of dropped blooms around the plants while I was harvesting.
Chard: All shares received half a pound.
Zucchini and Cousa: Most shares received some of these; most plants are still thriving though at least one black zucchini abruptly failed for reasons that I have yet to determine.
Fennel: A few full shares received fennel; all full shares have had these so I will start harvesting fennels for the half shares.
Tomatoes: Approximately 1 Lb for full shares; or half pound of cherry tomatoes. I you received cherry tomatoes this week, you will receive slicing tomatoes with the next delivery and vice versa.
Both full and half shares will receive tomatoes with the next delivery.
FINALLY! Cherry and Moskvich should have been ready mid July - they are 60 day tomatoes and I transplanted them on May 15. The Cherokee Purple and Cherokee Carbon are 72-75 day tomatoes.
Typically, I try to deliver 2-4 slicing tomatoes with a range of ripeness, so that they do not have to be consumed all at once.
To test for ripeness, go by how they feel. If they are a bit pulpy to the touch, then they are ready. If they are still quite firm, then set them where they can receive sunlight; or next to a banana or apple. Tru to avoid moisture or temperature swings (ie - not next to a kettle or kitchen range).
The Cherokees tend to have green shoulders when ripe; this part of the tomato is not really palatable.
Heirloom tomatoes tend to be less uniform in shape. Their flavour more than makes up for that.
DO NOT REFRIGERATE unless you have sliced one open. They keep better that way.
Prudens Purple tomatoes should be ready in the next delivery or two.
White Potatoes: 2 Lbs for full shares, 1 Lb for half shares.
The next delivery of potatoes is probably in a couple of weeks; likely the fingerlings.
I have a lot of white potatoes that have a minute amount of green on them. If you are interested, I can sell you these as extras. The green solanine can be neutralized by soaking the prepared tubers in a solution of vinegar before cooking. I have tried this and it works. As long as you rinse the tubers thoroughly before cooking, the vinegar taste does not linger in the flesh.
Next Delivery:
Probably next week.
Aside from more tomatoes and beans, the next items worth waiting for are celery and oakleaf lettuce.
Today’s Delivery June 19 2024:
I spoke
too soon about the peas - the plants seem to have gone dormant. Lots of
white petals on the ground and only a handful of pods filled out. There
are three days next week with daytime highs of 25 degrees or less, but I doubt
that will be enough for the peas to resume production.
I'll keep
trying to cool the beds with irrigated cold well water, though other crops also
need this and I cannot irrigate everything all the time.
I planted
these late April, so in a normal year (whatever that means anymore) they should
be starting early June and fully flushed by mid June.
I could
not sow them sooner as the soil temperature was still low enough to cause the
seeds to rot.
As for
everything else:
Arugula:
There was enough for everyone, 4 Oz for all shares.
Radish: About 8 roots for half
shares and 6 roots for full shares. Full shares will receive more radishes
next week.
Garlic Scapes: Many of the scapes had
a fairly thick diameter this year, I am hoping that bodes well for the
bulbs. More scapes for full shares next week.
Lettuce: I
went by weight this time, aiming for about 12 Oz for half shares and 20 Oz for
the full shares.
Due to a packing error, a couple of the last full
share deliveries were short a head or two, I'll make this up in the coming
deliveries. Customers affected include Byrd Cres & Belleview
Dr. There might also be a customer or two in Bridlewood (either Hawley
Cres or Springwater Cres) that may be short - if you find your lettuce take
isn't weighing over a pound then let me know.
I might have to try growing lettuce in August - a
half tray of lovely looking mignonette seedlings were scorched in the nursery
after I didn't water them enough. Another tray and a half might
recover. No time to get them in the ground for July, though there are
still a tray of Freckles and some green leaf lettuces for that
month.
Produce Freshness:
Please let me know if the produce (particularly the lettuce) was in good
shape. I used some lettuce sleeves for some to hold in moisture and try
to protect the greenleaf leaves. The lettuce sleeves were purchased
several years ago and I still use them sometimes. I still have more
than half the box to use.
Next week:
I'm still trying to determine if I should push the
next two deliveries ahead a week (to the 27th and the 4th). I'll make my
best estimate Sunday or Monday at the latest and notify yous.
Talk to you soon,
Bob