Weekly Abundance, Vol 19-09

This Week’s Harvest

Dumpling Winter Squash

Tomatoes – Yellow Taxis, heirloom Brandywines and Silvery Fir Tree

Peppers – Classic Green Bell Peppers and ripe, red Jimmy Nordello’s

Cucumbers – Marketmore green slicing, light green Armenians, and yellow Lemon Cucumbers

Broccoli

Beets

Silverado Chard

Parsley

Lettuce – Cosmo Savoy romaine lettuce.

Upcoming Events

Those of you that have perused the Calendar of Events know that I had planned a Garlic Planting Party on November 1.  I am cancelling this event in order to attend my grandson’s first birthday party in Bellingham, WA.  Not to worry, I will still plant the garlic.  It will just happen on a different day.

Farm Life

As you might imagine, I monitor the weather closely this time of year.  I am particularly watching for a forecast of a hard frost.  Many of our greens are fine in a light frost but must be covered with floating row cover before a freeze.

The plants aren’t the only thing that benefit from the row cover.  It also provides a toasty warm area for snails and slugs.  So, I try to wait as long as I can before covering the greens.  Otherwise, we will lose the plants to the snails instead of the frost.

If you would like to know the current weather at your farm, visit the Weather Underground web site at http://www.wunderground.com/US/OR/Laurel.html.  This “Laurel, OR” weather station is within a mile of the farm so reports pretty accurate conditions.

The forecast this week calls for rain and relatively warm temperatures.  This could mean that the tomatoes continue producing, or, it could mean that they all split and rot.  Before weeks end, I will pick all of the immature Brandywines to be sure we don’t lose them.

Under the proper conditions, the Brandywines will keep for several weeks, allowing me to continue to offer them to you as green tomatoes.  If you have any large shallow boxes to store them in, I could certainly use them.  There are hundreds of pounds of tomatoes in the field.  Boxes about the size of an Under Bed Storage Container would work well.   They do not need lids.  Think Fried Green Tomatoes…  Green Tomato Pie…  Green Tomato Chutney….  Yummm.

Plymouth Barred Rock Laying Hen

As mentioned last week, Artisan Organics has laying hens for sale for only $15 each.  These girls should continue to lay large, brown eggs through the winter.  If you are interested, please let me know via e-mail farmer@ArtisanOrganics.net.

It is time to sign up for the 2010 CSA Season.  Forms are available at the Farm Stand and at CSA pick up sites.  Current CSA shareholders will receive first priority until December 1, 2009.  After that, Registration will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis.

Veggie of the Week

Sweet Dumpling Squash

This week we have first of the season Sweet Dumpling Winter Squash.  This small, mildly sweet-tasting squash resembles a miniature pumpkin with its top pushed in. Weighing only about 7 ounces, it has sweet and tender orange flesh and is a great size for stuffing and baking as individual servings.  Sweet dumplings are tiny but great for roasting and presenting whole.  This recipe for Savory Stuffed Sweet Dumplings uses both the squash and our tomatoes.

http://www.foodreference.com/html/savorystuffedsweetd.html

I might find that an ice cream scoop makes it easier to remove the pulp and seeds.