Even with this week as Back to School Week for many area students, Summer is still hot and real! We were reflecting recently about how different many things (including carbon emissions) would be if communities ate seasonally. Now is the time to eat "deconstructed" salads of chopped seasonal vegetables. (We have no lettuce to harvest this week! Cross your fingers for next week...) Now is the time to fully savor peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, herbs, and summer squash. Traditionally, now is the time to preserve the abundance of those crops for the winter months when we need to dip into our larder to feed ourselves. We're stewing, roasting, and canning right now while thinking about winter soups and casseroles. We know most American's don't do this anymore, but we encourage you to consider this preservation! It tastes and feels so good.
Meanwhile, fall crops are in the soil. Some are still in the greenhouse, but many are in our fields already. Amazingly, right now we are seeding winter crops and planning crops that we'll be harvesting in June 2022. A lot of farming happens well in advance of the harvest!
If you're looking to work with your hands doing something out of the ordinary this fall, mark your calendar for the Rustic Crafting Workshop we are hosting on Oct 9 & 10. Details are here as a Facebook event. Our guest instructors are talented and amazing! Join us to make you own chef's knife blade, or carve a wooden spoon, or stitch a leather bag, or make a bow-drill kit, or one of numerous other options.
Plus our instructors bring gorgeous creations that are for sale:
Vegetable Storage Reminder: keep Tomatoes and Eggplants OUT of the fridge. All GREENS and ROOTS need to be refrigerated in an AIR TIGHT bag or container to prevent going limp/wilty. If you're short on fridge space, you can also keep Peppers, Onions, Potatoes, Garlic, and Cucumbers (for a brief time) out of the fridge.
We love Flowers in August!!
The delicious fermented vegetables listed here are also from Katherine at Gathered Threads. We've been making our own fermented/cultured vegetables for years, and hers are the most delicious we've ever tasted! Give them a try. Your taste buds and your gut flora will thank you. This month's options include:
And - There are now consistently EGGS available in the Extras!
Blessings on your meals ~
