June 25, 2023
With Summer, Ch-Changes
by Farmer Derek

Harvest #8 (Week B) should include cabbage, beets, kale, endive, Italian dandelion, salad radishes, hakurei turnips, head lettuce, cilantro, dill, zucchini, cucumbers, scallions, and garlic scapes. Some items may be a choice. U-pick* should include herbs, snap/string/green beans, and flowers.

Swiss chard is on hold for a couple of weeks while we wait for new growth; the spring crop was damaged fairly heavily by annoying burrowing larvae miners inside the leaves.

**If anyone has a stash of grocery bags to donate to the pick up room, we are currently in need of them. Thank you!

June 25, 2023
Workshifts for the Week of June 26th
by Farmer Derek

Bring gloves, water, a hat, sturdy shoes, and a pad for kneeling (if necessary for you)!

We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

Workshift Guidelines - Workshift Sign Up Instructions

June 25, 2023
Summer Rain
by Farmer Derek

What time is it? Tomato time! Sorry, not for ripe fruit, but for pruning, clipping, trellising, hours and hours each week. All of the tomatoes that we farmers harvest are now grown under cover in three of our tunnels. The u-pick tomatoes, all cherries, are still grown outside. Inside growing allows us to regulate the water supply and importantly keeps rainfall off foliage. All of the tomatoes are pruned to one main trunk and elevated off the ground. This allows for increased airflow and helps leaves dry off quicker, all attempts to keep disease at bay for as long as possible. It also makes harvesting a lot easier.

In June, tomato plants grow super quickly so each plant requires weekly maintenance. By mid-July we might go in there every other week. In the tunnels the plants will (hopefully) outgrow the space and will be lowered and leaned, i.e. more twine that they're connected to will be unspooled and the spool hardware will be moved a couple of feet down the wire it's suspended from. For the cherry tomatoes we try to buy time by leaning them as we go, so instead of growing vertically they might be continuously clipped at a 45 degree angle.

The soil in the tunnels is primo real estate and gets amended very heavily with compost, amendments, and organic fertilizers to support three crops each growing season. Since the high tunnel is moveable we're able to rotate tomatoes on a 3-year cycle but the other tunnels will have one year off after two on. So far, as long as we're maintaining and/or improving soil health we've only seen great production from repeated use of tunnel space for tomatoes and other crops. Maybe down the road we'll feel motivated to add another tunnel or two so that we can rotate indoor crops better, but for now all seems well.

Upcoming this week we have our big strawberry planting. In case you missed it, we treat our strawberries as annuals and rotate the patch around the farm, terminating the planting after its done fruiting in late spring or early summer. We then plant seven thousand new, dormant, bare root 'tips' in raised beds for a harvest the following season. They've been kept at 28 degrees since last fall, hence their dormant state. Once they're put in the ground here, they quickly wake up, shoot up leaves to soak up the sun's rays, and even try to flower and fruit. We try to prune these off so they don't waste important energy on this task since we don't want them to fruit until next spring and would rather have them spend their resources establishing themselves with great root systems and prolific foliage. If all goes well we can look forward to a bountiful harvest next season!

June 25, 2023
Happy Summer (crops)
by Linda Dansbury

The weather has suddenly changed to summer, and with it summer veggies are starting to arrive. Here are some tips on the new veggies we are receiving now:

Cucumbers - everyone knows how they like cucumbers, but check out this site for interesting ideas for salsa, quick pickling, salads you hadn't thought of before, and even sauteing. As with so many other things, cucumbers do not like to sit sealed up in a bag all wet so dry them off and place in a plastic bag, or place a towel in the bag with the cucs. They will keep well like this for at least a week.

Cabbage - check out the cabbages in the pick up room this week - the really interesting variety that I have only seen at Anchor Run is called Caraflex - it is smallish and has a pointy shape. The tight shape helps keep pests away, plus it tastes good! As with above, check out this site for prep ideas on how to enjoy it - you may be surprised by what you find. There are a couple of recipes that call for roasting the cabbage - when roasted so that it gets brown edges, it sweetens the cabbage to reveal an almost nutty flavor - this is probably how I like it best. Store in fridge in plastic and it will keep for awhile.

Beets - the beets won't have the leaves on them, for the same reason Swiss chard is currently on a pause - leaf miners badly damaged the leaves - but the roots are still delicious. They're more elongated this spring due to the extremely dry weather in May; their roots stretched down in search of water. Store in the fridge - they do keep for a long time, but the sooner you consume them, the tastier they will be. I like roasting them and making them into or adding them into salads.

June 25, 2023
Yummy Slaw
by Linda Dansbury

Thank you to Julianna Giglio for sending me one of the ways that her family enjoyed their harvest. Julianna wrote:

"I made a version of the Asian slaw on the Anchor Run website, but with a few twists. Radishes, turnips, and kohlrabi all shredded in the food processor, chopped cilantro and garlic scapes, essentially the same dressing on the website, but 1/2 sugar, 1/2 maple syrup and the addition of lime juice. This was a topping for our spring squash/zucchini tacos with black beans and kale. It was quite delicious!"

This is what local, seasonal eating is all about - using recipes or methods as a guide and adapting to what ingredients you have on hand. Please share your ideas by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.

June 25, 2023
Chilly to Warm
by Linda Dansbury

This week has been a weather roller coaster! From absolutely chilly to ring in the Summer Solstice to humidity so high everything stays wet. My eating reflects this.

Swiss chard - I pulled a container of minestrone soup from the freezer that I had prepared last fall with all the great veggies of late summer. I sauteed the chopped stems and added to pot, then chopped up leaves and added to soup a few minutes before eating it. The chopped stems added a nice fresh texture to the soup, as did the addition of dark greens right before eating.

Scapes, bok choy, chard, turnips, zucchini, peas - made a large stir fry using all these delicious ingredients. Served over brown rice. As a side note, I also used peppers that I had frozen last fall - I will likely bring this up later in the year, but peppers freeze beautifully.

Radishes, kohlrabi, turnips, peas, cucumber - I have been eating these raw as a snack and cut up and added to salads.

Radicchio, escarole, garlic scape - enjoyed the Radicchio and Endive with Miso Dressing I added to this site last week.

Please share how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net - your suggestions will help fellow members!

June 18, 2023
Summer Arrives After Some Much Needed Rain
by Farmer Derek

Last week's rainfall quenched our collective thirst. I speak for the farmers and the crops. You probably wouldn't even be able to perceive the almost 2" of rain that fell across five days as everything slurped it up immediately, except for the small puddle that remains on the bottom of the lowest pond (glorified bird bath). It had been 6 weeks since the last soaking event and we're so thankful for the satisfying amount. Even the way it fell was just about perfect; we didn't experience any heavy thunderstorms and no erosion occurred.

The timing of the rain events was pretty good too. Based on Friday's original forecast we had expected to receive an additional inch or more of heavy rain but we got lucky I guess and only received .4" and by Monday morning we'll be rolling right along. Anticipating a deluge, I finalized 3,500 feet of beds for the 7,000 strawberry plants for a 2024 harvest that are slated to arrive the final week of June. This is probably the farthest in advance I've ever been able to have future strawberry beds wrapped up, and it feels good to have that done for another year.

Speaking of strawberries, the 2023 harvest is just about over. Peas are peaking, and while not quite as exciting as strawberries, fresh spring peas are a delicacy. Eating seasonally and locally provides waves of ephemeral treats that we can eat our fill of for a few weeks until we're fully satisfied with the immersion. Then an 11-month break ensues while we recover the desire to consume the special food again. Some produce we eat all year, like lettuce and other greens, as background nourishment, but others come and go only once on our trip around the sun.

June 18, 2023
Mix of Spring and Summer
by Farmer Derek

Harvest #7 (Week A) should include kale, lettuce mix, swiss chard, salad radishes, hakurei turnips, kohlrabi, radicchio, head lettuce, cilantro, dill, escarole, endive, zucchini, cucumbers, and garlic scapes. Some items may be a choice. U-pick should include herbs, snow and snap peas, and the last of the strawberries.

June 18, 2023
Workshifts for the Week of June 19th
by Farmer Derek

Bring gloves, water, a hat, sturdy shoes, and a pad for kneeling (if necessary for you)!

We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

Workshift Guidelines - Workshift Sign Up Instructions

June 18, 2023
Spring Meets Summer
by Linda Dansbury

I mentioned the transition of veggies last week and a couple of means that we prepared reflected the combination of seasons. Please share how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at Lindadansbury@comcast.net - and please put Anchor Run in Subject so I can find your email.

Snow peas, radishes, kohlrabi - once again we enjoyed the Radishes with Goat Cheese Dip - as I have said before, it is easy to make (I don't use the food processor as the recipe states - I normally make a half batch at a time and hand mixing is simple) and is delicious with all of the fresh veggies we are receiving.

Snow peas, zucchini, Swiss chard, garlic scapes - pasta is an easy, 2 pot meal! In this case, sauteed wild mushroom mix with onions and Swiss chard stems, added wine and reduced a bit. Then added peas, zucchini and scapes and simmered for about 2 minutes. Chopped chard leaves were then added. Cooked pasta was added to the pan along with parsley and a generous grating of cheese. Yummy!

Radicchio, endive, garlic scapes - I am always looking for new ways to enjoy salad greens. After all of these years of "playing" with my farm share, it is more difficult for me to find different preps, but this Radicchio and Endive Salad with Miso Dressing is easy and delicious. You can use any combo of salad greens for this dressing, but it really helps cut the bitterness of greens. Add nuts and/or thinly sliced fennel (coming to your share soon) for added deliciousness.

Romaine - love the large heads of romaine we sometimes get from the farm. I don't hesitate to enjoy them by quartering the head, leaving the core in tact. Brush with olive oil and then place cut side down on the cooler side of the grill - do not walk away, this doesn't take long. Barely char the lettuce, then turn and repeat on the other cut side. Remove from grill, chop and dress with your favorite Caesar or other dressing.

June 11, 2023
More Veggie Transitions
by Linda Dansbury

We are starting to see the transition from spring to summer with the changing of the crops. Here are a few tips on new and recent additions to the pick up room.

Kohlrabi - a member of the cabbage (crucifer or mustard) family. The part we eat is the enlarged stem from which the leaves develop. Kohlrabi may be white, green or purple in color. The taste and texture of kohlrabi are similar to those of a broccoli stem or cabbage heart, but milder and sweeter, with a higher ratio of flesh to skin. Kohlrabi is a great source of vitamin C and potassium. They store for a long time in the crisper drawer of the fridge. I like to eat them raw - sliced thin and added to salads, they are nice and crunchy, or as a healthy snack alone or with your favorite dip. I also like it sliced julienne and added to cole slaw. It is delicious sauteed along with greens as in the Sauteed Kohlrabi and Greens recipe on this site.

Garlic scapes - flower stalks found on all members of the Allium family (onions, leeks, chives, and garlic). If the scape is left on the plant it will harden and transform from green to the familiar opaque white/beige color of garlic peel. Keeping the shoot attached will curtail growth of the bulb. So, in an effort to allow the garlic to keep growing, the farmer picks the scape off the plant and we benefit with a wonderful mild tasting garlic. When cooking with it, add it at the end of the recipe so you don't use the taste. It is great raw, as in Garlic Scape Pesto and Garlic Scape and White Bean Dip.

Endive/Escarole - Endive has two forms, narrow-leaved endive called curly endive and the broad-leaved endive which is often called escarole. The outside leaves of an endive head are green and somewhat bitter. The inner leaves of the endive head are light green to creamy-white and milder flavored. Endive is rich in many vitamins and minerals, especially in folate and vitamin A and K, and is high in fiber. Endive is one of those wonderful greens that can be enjoyed raw or cooked. I like to add a few leaves to my mixed green salads to add textural and taste variety. It is also delicious chopped up and sauteed with garlic, white beans and chili flakes or a hot pepper. As with other greens, don't let it sit in water or it will quickly rot.

Radicchio - is part of the chicory family. "Chioggia," the most common variety of this intensely flavored vegetable, grows in heads of wine-red leaves with bright white veins. Treviso is a type of radicchio that grows in elongated, rather than round, heads. Like all chicories, radicchio has a structural sturdiness and a distinct bitterness that balances the sweeter, more delicate lettuces with which it is often combined. Radicchio mellows considerably when roasted, grilled or sautéed in olive oil and tossed with pasta. It is also great with cheese, salami, nuts and dried fruit and citrus. I am looking forward to trying it in this salad Chopped Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette, Feta and Dill. Change it up with whatever veggies you have from the farm.

June 11, 2023
Yum!!
by Linda Dansbury

Hope everyone is enjoying your harvest as much as we are! Please share your dishes with membership by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. Please put Anchor Run in Subject line so I can find your email. Here are a few things I have recently made.

Green garlic, dill - made a white wine, garlic, butter sauce and drizzled it over grilled clams - so delicious we had it twice in a week!

Swiss chard, green garlic, turnip, cilantro - cooked up homemade eggrolls with leftover pulled pork. The veggie part of the dish used lots of farm veggies. Enjoyed with a dipping sauce that included cilantro.

Bok Choy - Grilled the bok choy (one of my favorite ways) and made an Asian dipping sauce to drizzle over it.

Kale - enjoyed a Kale Caesar Salad. There is something soothing about massaging the kale to make the leaves tender!

June 11, 2023
Growing Strong
by Farmer Derek

Harvest #6 (Week B) should include romaine lettuce, kale, lettuce mix, swiss chard, salad radishes, hakurei turnips, kohlrabi, radicchio, head lettuce, cilantro, dill, escarole, and garlic scapes. Zucchini is just starting in small quantities (don't worry, you'll be inundated soon hopefully). Some items may be a choice. U-pick should include herbs, snow peas (lots), and strawberries (fewer).

June 11, 2023
Workshifts for the Week of June 12th
by Farmer Derek

Bring gloves, water, a hat, sturdy shoes, and a pad for kneeling (if necessary for you)!

We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

Workshift Guidelines - Workshift Sign Up Instructions

June 11, 2023
Peek at the Peak
by Farmer Derek

So far, so good. Shares have been plentiful, crop growth is healthy and robust, pests and diseases have been at a minimum. Of course, we're only entering harvest week #6, with 22 more to go afterwards. But farm work and field prep wise we're a solid 40% of the way through the growing season and thus far things have been good. It's been very dry, yes, but we're able to irrigate (not everything though). Other than the drought, the late frost, and the wildfire smoke, the weather has been fairly kind. We're desperately hoping for a nice soaking rainfall this Monday and I plan to stay positive until then. We're not quite at peak produce just yet (that comes in July or August) but some crops have already shown their full potential. Strawberries have been particularly plentiful this season; snow pea vines are the tallest I've ever seen (which hopefully translates to lots of fruit); lettuces and chicories have been large, crisp, and bolt-resistant. Spring spinach was simply harvested, a miracle, for just about two weeks. Overall only the tiniest amount of spring crops had to be regarded as pure fertilizer, such as the first outdoor planting of arugula, which went to seed too quickly. A portion of the second outdoor bok choy did the same. But other than those, it's been a complete harvest. I'm satisfied.

June 11, 2023
Another Two "Now What?!" Workshops June 24th & 25th
by Gia Yaccarino

Maybe you are a new member, maybe you’ve been a member for a while. Either way – this workshop is for you!

In the barn, everything made sense while you were putting your share into your bags to bring home. At home, it suddenly became very overwhelming once you began unpacking! We have all been there; it is part of the CSA learning curve.

Let us help you make the most of your farm share!

Being a member of a CSA opens the door to so many topics!

- Resources: books, websites, Anchor Run CSA website (Recipes and Veggies 202 – it has pictures)

- How to keep your veggies as fresh as possible once they are in your refrigerator.

- The pros and cons of different preservation techniques (freezing, fermenting, canning, dehydrating).

- “Tools of the trade”, which I find invaluable.

- Before you compost: radish greens are edible!

- Composting, composting at the farm; what and what not to include in a compost pile, vermicomposting.

- Solar Cooking.

Pestos - don’t limit yourself to Basil. What to do with all those greens? Veggie Hash! The list goes on!

This is a casual, enlightening event that will enhance your experience of the CSA.

Hope to see you there!

June 11, 2023
Medicinal Garden Tour with Amanda Crooke from Locust Light Farm!
by Farmer Dana

Join Amanda Crooke of Locust Light Farm for a medicinal tour of our herb garden. Amanda will walk you through the herbs, demonstrate how to harvest them, describe their medicinal qualities, and give you tips for storing and using them. You'll leave feeling inspired to visit the herb garden at every pickup! Amanda is an engaging speaker, host to an incredible wealth of knowledge of all things herbal. We are fortunate to have her share her wisdom and hope you'll join us for this fun and enriching event!

Note #1: Feel free to bring a friend! The public is welcome.

Note #2: This is a demonstration event and not a harvesting event. You may harvest herbs as part of your share allotment.

1 hour tour

Members: $10 - sign up here
Non-members: $15 - sign up here

June 4, 2023
With June
by Farmer Dana

Harvest #5 (Week A) should include romaine, kale, lettuce mix, chard, salad radishes, hakurei turnips, kohlrabi, bok choy, head lettuce, cilantro, dill, escarole, and garlic scapes. Some items may be a choice. U-pick should include herbs, snow peas, and strawberries.

June 4, 2023
Workshifts for the Week of June 5th
by Farmer Derek

Bring gloves, water, a hat, sturdy shoes, and a pad for kneeling (if necessary for you)!

We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

Workshift Guidelines - Workshift Sign Up Instructions

June 4, 2023
Driest Spell Continues
by Farmer Derek

I'm pretty sure we're in the midst of the driest stretch of weather during any growing season of the past 15 years. Fortunately it hasn't been hot too often and generally the weather has been pretty glorious. Most crops are being irrigated every 5-7 days. We still haven't set up irrigation on the garlic, potatoes, or carrots. If it doesn't rain this week we'll probably need to figure that out or sustain lower crop yields.

Overall the farm is in great shape, probably partly due to the lack of rain and the resultant lower weed, pest, and disease pressure, but also because of our great farm crew. June, July, and August are big months, although June is interesting because it's sort of a transitional period between insane intense spring planting and the big heavy harvests of summer crops. With the right mindset and a glimpse of the bigger picture it can all be fairly enjoyable (the bigger picture being autumn will arrive eventually with cooler weather and less to do).

That said, we're not quite out of the big spring planting period just yet. This week we have 3,000 sweet potato vines to plant; about 6,000 leeks; another round of beans, edamame, lettuces, and herbs; as well as the first of the cantaloupe. There will be a slight gap then we begin the 2nd half of the season's plantings at the end of June with 7,000 strawberry plants for a 2024 harvest; followed by the big fall brassicas broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, rutabaga in mid-July; as well as carrots, lettuces, fennel, greens, and much more in late-July through September. In July the big harvests should commence with carrots, garlic, and onions. August brings potatoes and winter squash. September is sweet potatoes. October is all of the other roots. But let's not get too far ahead.