Abbe Hills Farm CSA

Greetings shareholders,

This Saturday, we will have watermelon, three kinds of winter squash, the last of the tomatoes, probably the last of the peppers, onions, cilantro, parsley, basil, kale, collards, stir fry greens, lettuce, and arugula.  Still no potatoes, but the Coe contingent is coming Sunday afternoon and we hope to get nearly all of them harvested so you can have them for the rest of the month.  Sorry I left you without onions for two long weeks.  We should have enough to get to the end of the season now.

The squash are lovely.  I'm pleasantly surprised.  It's a nice treat at the end of a difficult growing season so see all those pretty squash popping out as the weeds and leaves die down.  This week, there is Honey Bear, a trendy new single serving acorn, Sweet Dumpling, which I think tastes like fresh bread, and a very nice butternut.  Here are some good squash pictures and facts.  If you want to eat some now and save some for later, save the butternut.  It will store until Thanksgiving, maybe even until Christmas, much better than the other two types.

Five kinds of watermelon.  Be surprised.

Remember to let me know if you want the organic whole wheat flour or organic corn meal from Kalona.  I have to know by Saturday so the people from Kalona know what to bring for me on Sunday.  Three pound bags are $4 each.

The Mt. Vernon / Lisbon CROP Hunger Walk is Sunday, October 10.  Actually, it's an anti-hunger walk!  Walkers raise awareness of hunger issues, and money to provide food for people at home and far away.  A portion of the money raised will go to our own Southeast Linn Community Center's food bank.  There are donation jars all over town to which you can contribute, or you can sign up to support one of the many kids who will be walking and asking for your contribution.  Call Cindy Strong if you need more information or want to walk.  cstrong@cornellcollege.edu   

I've finally decided that I won't be able to offer the late fall CSA this year.  There's just not enough green stuff growing in the hoophouse to support six more weeks of harvesting after we get done with this CSA.  I am growing greens in there, and they will be for sale, but mostly at farmer's markets is what I am imagining right now.  I'll keep you posted about what I have available and how to get some of it.  I expect to have salad greens available until Thanksgiving, maybe longer.  I've got lots of spinach planted with the idea that it will be ready to take to the winter markets in early March, when everybody is really hungry for something green, crunchy, and locally grown.

Pickup time this week is Saturday, October 2, from 10:00 until 3:00.  But be here by 2:00 if you can; the leafy vegetables will be in much better condition then.  It's going to be hectic.  Remember to sign in, and if you need help with something, ask my dad if you don't see me around.  This week, since it won't be raining, a lot of things will be outside on hayracks, so take your time and look around to make sure you pick up everything we have.  I'll likely be running back and forth getting more greens from the garden, so I'll need you to keep the driveway open.  The way to do that is to make sure that we only park cars on the right side of the driveway.  I'll have the signs out to help you out.  If there are more cars than can fit on that side, there is plenty of room in the field on the east side of the house driveway.  I've mowed and it's not muddy there.  It can be our overflow, at least for this week.

The other thing that will make it hectic is that I have a crew of college students coming to help me harvest squash at 2:00.   If it really is going to freeze Saturday night, we have to get the squash out of the field and onto hayracks that we can cover with blankets over night.  (Remember that last fall we had a surprisingly cold night very early and the squash didn't store well because of the damage to their shells.  Don't want that again.)  We're going to start at 2:00 and work like crazy until we are done or it is dark.  If you want to join us, you are welcome to!  Just put on your long pants and a jacket and come out to the fields around my house.  You'll see us there somewhere.

Saturday's going to be great.  See you then.

Laura