September 26, 2021
Workshifts This Week (9/27/21)
by Farmer Derek

We could use some help at workshifts again this week! If the weather's bad outside we'll process garlic inside. Please consider joining us soon!

Workshift policy reminder: If you signed up for a share with work discount your share cost is reduced by $15 per worked hour (8 for Full, 6 for Medium, 4 for Half). If you're unable to satisfy the work requirement for the discount please remit a check to cover the share cost.

This week's workshift schedule:

Please bring gloves, water, a hat, and sturdy shoes! We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

Workshift Guidelines. Workshift Sign Up Instructions.

September 26, 2021
Mix of Summer and Fall
by Farmer Dana

Harvest #20 (Week B) should include potatoes, butternut squash, tomatoes, lettuce, sweet peppers, onions, leeks, kale, swiss chard, arugula, mustard greens, eggplant, hot peppers, okra, shishito peppers, and cured garlic. Some items will be a choice. U-pick should include flowers and herbs.

September 26, 2021
Wild For Salmon Buying Club
by Farmer Dana

Wild For Salmon - Bloomsburg, PA based fisherfolk who venture to Alaska every summer to participate in the sustainable managed sockeye salmon run in Bristol Bay - are returning to Anchor Run Farm for a buying club drop off on October 7th. To participate and for more information, please follow this link.

September 26, 2021
Fall Feel
by Farmer Derek

Another best weather of the season moment is upon us, following some much needed and appreciated rainfall. Since Ida slammed the region, we've had 3 pretty dry weeks before Thursday's 2" of decent precipitation. The farm is definitely acquiring a fall look with much of the space now covered in an oat and buckwheat cover crop mix. Some summer crops still linger but will probably slow down immensely with the current and upcoming more pronounced cool weather. Fall crops are thriving in the cool, dry, and less humid conditions and we're trying to keep up with the bounty by harvesting storage roots like radishes, turnips, beets, and kohlrabi before they reach the size of a heavily inflated balloon. Besides organizing most of our plantings by crop family for future rotation purposes, we also try to organize around the time of year crops are planted and harvested, to minimize having to run around all over the farm managing different places and spaces. This time of year our footprint condenses and reduces to perhaps a quarter of the summer maximum and all of the harvested crops are coming from 3 of our 7 fields. It's a nice feeling.

September 26, 2021
Reminder to Sign Up for Late Fall CSA!
by Farmer Dana

We're currently in Week #20 of 26 weeks of Main Season CSA. Sign up here to join us for the 6-week Late Fall CSA season that runs mid-November to end-December and begins immediately following the conclusion of the Main Season.

September 19, 2021
Workshifts This Week (9/20/21)
by Farmer Derek

We could use some help at workshifts again this week! If the weather's bad outside we'll process garlic inside. Please consider joining us soon!

Workshift policy reminder: If you signed up for a share with work discount your share cost is reduced by $15 per worked hour (8 for Full, 6 for Medium, 4 for Half). If you're unable to satisfy the work requirement for the discount please remit a check to cover the share cost.

This week's workshift schedule:

Please bring gloves, water, a hat, and sturdy shoes! We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

Workshift Guidelines. Workshift Sign Up Instructions.

September 19, 2021
Welcoming Autumn
by Farmer Dana

Harvest #19 (Week A) should include potatoes, butternut squash (Autumn Frost and Honeynut probably), tomatoes, lettuce, sweet peppers, onions, leeks, kale, swiss chard, eggplant, hot peppers, okra, shishito peppers, arugula, and cured garlic. Some items will be a choice. U-pick is winding down but should include flowers and herbs.

September 19, 2021
Prepping for Fall
by Farmer Derek

The fall equinox is here, probably this farmer's favorite time of year. Last week we rushed around cleaning up multiple locations on the farm, pulling up weed suppression fabric and irrigation lines, removing tomato trellising, mowing crop residue, in order to sow and incorporate cover crop seeds to nurture and protect the soil over the winter. It's a joyous time, because once those cover crop seeds are sown, that field is effectively put to bed until next season and can be safely ignored until we begin updating our crop plan and rotation this winter. The cover crop plants will scavenge for and absorb nutrients and photosynthesize the sun's energy, adding to the soil food web, which will then nourish the produce crops next spring as the cover crop plants break down in the soil.

Last week we also sowed the final produce seeds of the season (lettuce mix, endive, arugula, mustard, bok choy, swiss chard), completed the final outdoor crop planting (bok choy, arugula), and transplanted the first round of tunnel greens (lettuce mix, head lettuce, endive, radicchio, curly kale) for November and December harvests. So far 2.5 of the 6 tunnels are planted. Over the next month we'll fill the rest of the space with successions of swiss chard, spinach, lettuce mix, arugula, mustard, and bok choy.

September 12, 2021
Slowly Transitioning
By Linda Dansbury

The crops continue to show that fall is approaching, even though summer weather is returning this week. We have a few more new veggies to enjoy this week:

Butternut squash - as with the edible pumpkins we received prior, these are very high in nutrients, especially carotenoids, which are powerful antioxidants. They store well in a cool location - up to 3-4 months, but should be checked frequently for spots that are turning bad. They cook up beautifully - typically, I cut in half and scoop out the seeds (clean them up and roast with a little oil and salt and they are a delicious snack, so you actually get 2 meals in 1!), then bake cut side down in a pan in which I have added a bit of water. When tender, the flesh will easily peel away from the skin and you can proceed with recipes, including Roasted Chicken with Butternut Squash, Potatoes and Leeks and Roasted Squash and Kale Salad with Lemony Tahini Dressing.

Leeks - are another harbinger of Autumn and bring a subtle onion flavor to soups, stews and even by themselves. They store fairly well in a plastic bag with a few holes in the fridge- make sure there is not a lot of moisture or they will start to rot faster. I like the farm leeks because they are far easier to clean than those you get at grocery stores. Enjoy your leeks in such dishes as Braised Salmon with Leeks, Baked Risotto with Kale, Leeks and Mushrooms and Leek-Tomato Quinoa.

Green Tomatoes - we get this treat as the farm shuts down tomato beds. Instead of plowing them under, they distribute to us as an additional fun crop. You can just leave these on your counter for up to about 10 days. Some may start to ripen and as with other crops, keep your eye on them for patches that are starting to go bad. Make a Green Tomato Relish or the classic southern dish in Sauteed Shrimp in Remoulade Sauce over Fried Green Tomatoes.

September 12, 2021
Still Loving all the Veggies
By Linda Dansbury

It sure was fun cooking with cooler weather! What have you been cooking? Please let me know by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and put Anchor Run in subject line to make sure I see your message. Here are a few things I made that were a little different from my norm. This time of year I tend to make things that can go in the freezer for use in the winter when fresh local veggies are not really available.

Tomatillos, garlic, poblano and jalapeno peppers, onion - made the Slow Cooker Chicken or Pork Chili Verde - I made it one day and enjoyed it the next - really delicious - the heat is just about perfect.

Okra, tomato, pepper, onion, eggplant, carrot, summer squash (end of my own crop, recipe also includes winter squash) - made the Mediterranean Stew that a fellow member submitted a couple of years back. This time of year it seems there are bits of so many different things and this uses a lot of different veggies, and it freezes well. Served it alongside locally made grilled sausages.

Kale, onions, tomatoes - made a kale salad using a balsamic dressing and topped with feta cheese I had in the fridge. Yum

September 12, 2021
Workshifts This Week (9/13/21)
by Farmer Derek

We could use some help at workshifts again this week! If the weather's bad outside we'll process garlic inside. Please consider joining us soon!

Workshift policy reminder: If you signed up for a share with work discount your share cost is reduced by $15 per worked hour (8 for Full, 6 for Medium, 4 for Half). If you're unable to satisfy the work requirement for the discount please remit a check to cover the share cost.

This week's workshift schedule:

Please bring gloves, water, a hat, and sturdy shoes! We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

Workshift Guidelines. Workshift Sign Up Instructions.

September 12, 2021
Towards Autumn
by Farmer Dana

Harvest #18 (Week B) should include potatoes, butternut squash (Autumn Frost variety first, then Honeynut, then traditional), tomatoes, lettuce, sweet peppers, onions, leeks, kale, swiss chard, eggplant, hot peppers, okra, shishito peppers, and cured garlic. Some items will be a choice. U-pick is winding down but should include flowers and herbs and the gleaning of tomatillos and cherry/grape tomatoes.

September 12, 2021
A Tale of Two Epic Harvests
by Farmer Derek

Last week we finished harvesting what will probably go down as the best yield of potatoes the farm has had. A big thanks to workshift attendees and our crew for getting all of tubers out of the field! I don't know the total weight harvested just yet but I'm guessing it is around 10,000 pounds. We planted 1,600 pounds in April and a decent average yield would be about 5 lbs harvested for each pound of seed planted. Throughout their time in the soil, the potatoes vigor and health was apparent. They sprouted consistently and uniformly and had the tallest and healthiest foliage we've seen. From the tractor seat while harvesting the amount of the potatoes running through the digger seemed to be more than usual. The harvest was so big that we couldn't even fit them all in their normal home in the barn. Suffice it to say we should all be enjoying potatoes for quite a while. We eat potatoes pretty regularly, almost always cut and roasted at 400 degrees for an hour on a baking sheet lathered in olive oil. They become crispy on the outside, soak up some of the oil, and really melt in your mouth. I never tire of them.

The farm crew also wrapped up the winter squash collection over a long day with a lot of heavy lifting. This crop also performed very well this year. Quite honestly I was close to giving up on growing this crop after 3-4 years of disappointing yields caused by bug, disease, and pest pressure. Each of the past few seasons we tweaked growing methods and continued to trial different types of winter squash and varieties. Quality did not improve. This year we reverted to a more traditional growing technique, covered plants with row cover immediately after planting, and narrowed down the type and varieties of squash, each bred to have powdery mildew tolerance. This year the winter squash was grown at the bottom of a field whose beds used to be incorrectly oriented which resulted in soil easily eroding downhill and probably deposited nutrients there as well. Either way, this season plants were vigorous throughout their life cycle and the retrieved fruits look great. We're hopeful they healed and cured in the field and will be enjoyed in shares for a while.

September 5, 2021
Workshifts This Week (9/6/21)
by Farmer Derek

We could use some help at workshifts again this week! If the weather's bad outside we'll process garlic inside. Please consider joining us soon!

Workshift policy reminder: If you signed up for a share with work discount your share cost is reduced by $15 per worked hour (8 for Full, 6 for Medium, 4 for Half). If you're unable to satisfy the work requirement for the discount please remit a check to cover the share cost.

This week's workshift schedule:

Please bring gloves, water, a hat, and sturdy shoes! We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

Workshift Guidelines. Workshift Sign Up Instructions.

September 5, 2021
Ida Survivors
by Farmer Dana

Harvest #17 (Week A) should include potatoes, edible pumpkins (or winter squash), tomatoes, lettuce, sweet peppers, onions, kale, swiss chard, arugula, (italian dandelion has been left for deer trap crop), eggplant, hot peppers, okra, shishito peppers, cured garlic, and herbs. Some items will be a choice. U-pick is winding down but may include edamame, tomatillos, cherry/grape tomatoes, flowers, and herbs. This is probably the final week for many of the field crops.

September 5, 2021
Tranquility after the Storm?
by Farmer Derek

What a crazy week. We hope you made it through Ida okay, considering. For us and the farm, overall, it could have been worse, much worse. No tornados touched down here and there was hardly any wind at all. Power was not lost. We received 8" of rain and about 4-5" of that came down in an hour or so. Without established waterways (thanks NRCS!) the damage would have been much greater. We endured your typical flash flooding and its effects. I hate to say it, but we're kind of used to it by now. This flood was a bit higher, a bit stronger, and a bit longer in duration, but it wasn't that much different that a thunderstorm dropping 2-3" in an hour. My homemade dam got washed away and the local creek beds were scoured pretty good, but it did make for an interesting stroll on Saturday. Seen in our little creek were frogs, minnows, and many water striders. We also saw a spicebush swallowtail. Since the rain missed us the previous weekend I was pretty eager for some wetness to help our cover crops get established. Most of our fields are covered in lush crop residue (and weeds!) and fabric so those areas survived unscathed. I was most worried about our late summer and fall crop areas which have more exposed soil but even those areas had less washout than expected. Again, praise be to the waterways! I try to pitch most of our fields slightly so excess water does drain out the aisles and not punch through the beds and it mostly worked except in a few spots. I would say that the driveway and downstream of the bridge to Field 1 sustained the most damage (see below). Best of luck with your own clean up and the stress this has caused! Let's hope it's the last of the season...