Beausol Gardens 2009 CSA newsletter #16

Greetings, Beausol locavores:

Summer progresses. The rain is erratic, the heat is not. It appears we did suffer some, but not much crop damage with the few 100+ degree days last week. Many of the main season crops are beginning to fade as the heat and humidity work their devilry. Many of the main season crops are hitting their stride as the heat and humidity work their blessings. The huge deluge of squash is pretty much over. The huge deluge of tomatoes never really happened, except thankfully for the wonderful cherry tomatoes. The huge deluge of peppers is just beginning.

We have begun harvesting melons. Yeehah! Though, for some reason I am having a hard time determining if they are ripe enough to harvest. I hope I am choosing correctly far more often than not. Winter squash is not far behind the melons. The third planting of squash should be ready this week... or next. There are baby squash on the vines and I hope they will find welcome in your kitchen... especially after their siblings made such a nuisance of themselves.

The second planting of tomatoes is still healthy and beginning to ripen. The cucumbers are amazing. I am delighted we have managed to have enough for everyone to have had some and that they are still producing in spite of being badly infected with downy mildew.

The grasshoppers are becoming more of a problem. It appears they were just waiting in the wings until the Japanese beetles left the stage. The cicadas still sing at dusk and the night is full of all sorts of noise I am insufficiently educated to identify. The buckwheat cover crop is blooming and covered in honeybees as intended. The crape myrtles are covered in many species of little wasps and bees - during the day the trees emit a multifrequency hum that is wonderful to work under.

The goldfinches and bats can give military pilots a lesson in high- gravity maneuvering.... I saw a goldfinch do an incredible "Z" dive maneuver that ended in a perfect landing in the blink of an eye. The hummingbirds are more frequent visitors to the flowers around the farm, especially the salvia just outside the window. The doves are still hunting for un-threshed grain in the straw mulch. And a new call has returned to the surrounding woods that I suspect belongs to turkeys. Not the stereotypical "gobble - gobble" but a rising brief "kyuk."

One order of business I would like to do this week is a brief survey, if you would not mind. It's time to start thinking about winter production (I know it seems too darn hot to think about winter vegetables, but believe it or not, it is time to get them started.) I think last year's pilot winter CSA went pretty well, I hope those that participated also think so. So we are considering doing it again on a bigger scale: longer season, more members and more variety.

If you are interested in the winter CSA, please let us know:

1) that you are interested in participating.... I am currently considering a 12 week season (Nov., Dec., Jan.) this year. There will only be one share size; the price will probably be $150. Same delivery places, days and times, except there will be no home delivery.


One complication is the Winter CSA has three major holidays smack in the middle. I would like to know your thoughts on delivery options for the winter holidays. We know that many people travel during these times. We also know that many have family and friends over for elaborate traditional feasts that would benefit from fresh produce. So...

2a) for our Chapel Hill/Carrboro members: Thanksgiving Day obviously is always on Thursday and we will also obviously not deliver on that day so would you rather have a delivery on Wednesday (the day before) OR have a double share delivery the prior Thursday (the 19th) OR just skip Thanksgiving week and extend the season?
2b) for our Raleigh members: would you rather have a regular delivery on Tuesday OR a double share delivery the previous Tuesday OR just skip that week?

Christmas and New Year's Day both fall on Friday this year. I don't think a delivery on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve will work for anyone, so:

3)
i) Would it be preferable to just skip the week of Christmas and the week after Christmas? OR
ii) Would it be preferable to do a double share delivery the week before the week of Christmas (which would be the 15th and 17th)?

[Another option is for those that want it, we could harvest and have shares for pick-up at the farm the weekend before each Holiday. There are certainly other options, please give us your ideas. ]

So back to the present:
This week the shares will contain lots of peppers again and eggplant, cherry tomatoes, green onions, garlic, melons, cucumbers (I hope) and herbs.

The flower bouquets will have gladiolus, celosia, zinnias, gomphrena, ornamental grasses, etc.

See you soon,
Harry