CSA Week 9 - Harvest Hits Full Swing

CSA Distribution/Farm Stand Hours

Perfect conditions for a rainbow at Chestnut
 Hill Farm, a nearby Trustee's property.

Tuesdays 2:30pm-6:30pm

Thursdays 10:30am-6:30pm

Saturdays 10:00am-4:00pm

Powisset Café Hours

Saturdays 10:00am-2:00pm

Barnyard Hours ($5/person)

Wednesdays 1:00pm-3:00pm

Saturdays 10:00am-2:00pm

In This Week's Post

• Hot conditions
• Goodbye summer crew
• Pick your own
• In this week's share...
• Beef sticks/egg giveaway!
• Other activities at Powisset!

Gabe mastered the art of bunching carrots

The summer heat has stayed the same, but our CSA distribution will look a bit different this week. After adding tomatoes last week, we are excited to add spaghetti squash, watermelon, and celery this week. While heat can cause problems with growing, it has been more of a problem to the farm team than it has been to the crops. There is a certain peace that comes with accepting uncomfortable conditions, but it becomes incredibly difficult to keep one’s physical condition in good shape when so many hot days are strung together. With mindful hydration, occasional rest, and always watching out for one another, we have been able to keep the team running smoothly. Fortunately, we have received enough rainfall that drought conditions are not a big concern yet.

Despite the many months left in the growing season, we begin to say goodbye to our summer crew throughout the next few weeks. We were extremely fortunate to work with Gabe, a new farmer this year. He proved himself by tackling every job with a smile, no matter how difficult it was. We hope that he learned a few lessons during his tenure at Powisset, and we will certainly miss the excellent conversation when we are weeding carrots or picking squash. We hope that our new friend enjoys his time abroad and makes the most out of the remainder of his college experience.

Great beds of Chard and Kale to provide cooking greens
for this fall.

We are sorry that the PYO tomatoes and tomatillos were closed on Saturday due to rain. If you were unable to get cherry tomatoes, please feel free to stop by and claim your share during our CSA hours this week. In this week’s share, we will be picking Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, hot peppers, and raspberries. We close the tomatoes to both members and employees during wet conditions. Blight is a disease that lives in the soil and can quickly wipe out a farm’s entire planting of tomatoes. When it begins to rain, activity in the tomato beds causes the spores to spread far more quickly. We also limit the risk of blight by twining tomatoes to increase airflow, and cutting down on weed pressure as much as possible.

In this week's share...

• Tomatoes
• Eggplant
• Bell Peppers
• Cabbage
• Potatoes
• Spaghetti Squash
• Watermelon
• Onions

Pick your own

• Sun Gold Cherry Tomatoes
• Tomatillos
• Hot Peppers
• Raspberries

If you are wondering why spaghetti squash made its way into the share so early, you are not alone. The warm summer that we've had has caused the squashes to become ready earlier than expected. A disease called downy mildew also threatens these plants, forcing us to harvest before the risk increases. Not to worry, there are many more winter squashes coming on, and we hope they will be ready for you in the coming weeks!

If you are one of the many people that enjoys the fresh eggs we get in from nearby Moose Hill Farm, there is a promotion going on that you should know about. 

            

Hey y'all! I don't know if you've noticed, but it's been pretty hot out. In a fit of heat-induced silliness, we have started a giveaway to celebrate our new product: BBQ Beef Sticks made by Vermont Smoke & Cure. Each day we draw a too-cool -for-school chicken inside one egg carton. If you are lucky enough to find that carton, you can bring it to any of the Trustees farm stands and redeem it for a package of beef sticks made using our own grass fed beef, and with no preservatives or weirdness. And if beef really isn't your thing, you can redeem it for a dozen eggs when you finish off the first. 

-Katy from Moose Hill

If you are looking for other ways to enjoy our property, please consider attending our Friday Farm Dinner this week on August 10. You can register here for the event. Saturdays also bring the Powisset Café. The food is always excellent and it is nice to get some brunch while picking up your share of veggies before starting any weekend activities. You can also make your way to the barnyard to check out some of our animal friends. 

If you ever have any questions about farming, the property, or The Trustees, please don’t hesitate to let us know!

Hope to see you soon,

Jeff Hoodlet
Farm Apprentice