Our Farm Share season ends November 20th. Some every-other-week members will end the week prior. Looking ahead to 2022...This week we have sent you the second of about 5 emails about the 2022 Farm Share season. We'll auto-renew any members that wish to stay with us, and you'll receive about 5 advance emails telling you when that will happen (so that you have plenty of time to make changes to your type of share or frequency, opt out if needed, or prepare for the 25% deposit to be charged to your card). Only after all current members have the opportunity to auto-renew will we open sign-up to new members. Stay tuned!
There's still no frost in the extended forecast, but there's a cold front moving through this evening. We're still harvesting sweet peppers (thank goodness!) but this week is likely the last week for those. Early November will likely see freezing/frosting temps. That will cause our root crops and brassicas (kale, cabbage, etc.) to sweeten up even more (yay!). It's delicious to move through the seasons like this! Thanks for eating seasonally with us. Tomatoes and Cucumbers will be back next May and it will feel like time has flown. We're ready to savor the upcoming soups, stews, cozy fires, and brisk weather days.
Our crop planning for 2022 is well underway, we will place our seed order soon, we will take soil tests soon, and cover crops are creeping taller in our fields. In about 4 weeks, we'll put most of our fields to rest for the winter. That means mulched, cover cropped, or a combination of mulch and rooted plants. As part of our pledge for Soil Health, we keep soil covered and maximize living roots at all times - including during the winter months. Our fields will look dormant, but we manage them to allow for biological activity in the soil to keep cranking.
We have one more workshop opportunity for you this fall:
Hands-On Hearth Cooking Workshop
Nov 6th, 10:30 – 4:00
* Are you interested in exploring Foods and Recipes of the past?
* Would you like to learn historically accurate cooking techniques?
* Does cooking on an open fire appeal to you?
Then sign up today for this Hands-On Workshop and learn how to cook like our ancestors did.
Recreate recipes from 17th, 18th and 19th century sources and taste everything you make in class.
Class Size is limited so sign up early. Pre-registration required. Ages 16+ (Under age 16 allowed to register with paying adult participant.)
$165 ($145 tuition paid in advance + $20 materials fee to be paid at check-in)
Workshop organized and led by culinary historian Rebecca Suerdieck. Suerdieck is a second generation Colonial Williamsburg Educator, with many years of experience in 17th and 18th century Living History Interpretation. Details here as a Facebook event and registration is here: 
cookingandfire.com
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.
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:
Cucumber Kimchi
And - There are EGGS available this week.
Blessings on your meals ~
