SUMMER SQUASH (F/P) Some of these boys got a big on us, thanks to the heat. See Tom’s post for some yummy recipes for these big boys.

CARROTS (F/P) First of the season, fresh out of the ground with their tops. We like to give you the entire carrot for the first round, but they keep better with their tops off. Leave half an inch of green and store in a plastic bag in your crisper.

WALLA WALLA ONIONS (F) Fresh, sweet onions are best appreciated raw in your favorite salad.

KOHLRABI (F/P) The last of the spring crops, these are so crisp and juicy they will remind you of a rainy day.

CUCUMBERS (F/P) Talk about crisp and juicy, the cuke is the perfect farmer snack after sweating in the fields.

CHOICE OF KALE OR SWISS CHARD (F) Our crop of greens is hanging in there for now. Enjoy their healthy goodness while they last.

HERB CHOICE (F) Basil, summer savory, parsley or dried herbs.

LETTUCE (P) We managed to grow just enough lettuce for the partial shares to get their turn this week. After that it is curtains for the frilly heads until fall.

CHERRY TOMATOES (F/P) Just a small taste to whet your appetite.

NEXT WEEK: More cucumbers, summer squash and tomatoes. More beets. Garlic and new potatoes.

FARM REPORT

The first day of summer is here, although it has felt like summer for months. This week it feels like a blast furnace actually. I despise these hot, dry, windy days almost over any other weather short of something dangerous like a tornado. At least with a tornado you usually get some rain! We thought we might get some rain on Friday.  The clouds looked promising as we harvested the garlic.

But only a few drops fell.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not wishing for severe weather, but the farm’s plants and people are ready for a break from this desiccating blow torch!

Despite said blow torch, the crops for the most part continue to survive and flourish thanks to a steady stream of irrigation water. The pond has dropped quite a bit since we began drawing from it in April.
Here’s a picture.

That’s about the level it was at the end of last summer, the lowest it’s ever been. So here’s a game we will now play called: How low will the pond go? Will we draw it down until we can draw no more? Or will our dear pond water hold out until the September rains fall?

Thanks to all that water and a thick layer of mulch on almost everything, the farm looks a lot like summer with big bushy tomato plants full of green fruit. Wait a minute …  there’s actually a few red ones out there! We’ve never harvested ripe tomatoes in June until today. There’s the silver lining in our harsh weather reality: early summer fruit! Look for the tray of cherry tomatoes at distribution this week for a first taste of the season.