New this Week: Specialty Basils, Perpetual Spinach, Mixed Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, Green Leaf Lettuce and Clarion River Organics' Sweet Beauty Watermelons!
This Week at the Farm:
It was another hot one at the farm this week. No rain to speak of, just a few drizzles on Thursday. We continue to irrigate, but it just isn't the same as a good rainfall. If you have a garden, you know what I mean.
The farm is looking pretty good with the next round of warm season crops that are just on the verge of production. Just a few words here about the harvest of fruiting crops that are planted just once, or twice per season. This would include peppers, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes and a few others. When it comes to harvest time, there is a slow ramp up period where the plants are producing some veggies for harvest, but are not yet in full production. Then, there is peak harvest for a number of weeks, and then a slow ramp down, where production drops slowly until the plants run out of steam (or weather conditions change) and production stops. This is the very nature of how the plants grow and fruit, and we can only influence this process, as growers. We cannot completely control it. We plan, and plant, enough for every member to have each crop during the peak harvest period. Before and after peak harvest, we will still include the crops in the farm share, only in lesser volume.
As an example, over the last several weeks, we have had just a few cherry tomato clam shells that have been included in shares. If you received one, great! If not, it's ok, we were still in the ramp up phase....until now. Our heirloom, specialty cherry tomatoes are now in full production, and there should be plenty for everyone in the coming weeks! We grow over a dozen different varieties in all different shapes and colors, and if you have not tried them yet, you are in for a real treat. ;-) Our heirloom slicing tomatoes on the other hand are taking their good old time, but we're sure they will be plentiful in just another week or two.
Remember to take advantage of Harvie's customization feature for your farm share. There are a lot more items for swapping this week now that we've hit peak season.
Stay cool, and have a great week!
Farm Partner Feature: Tait Farm Foods
Tait Farm is a diversified family farm in central Pennsylvania (near State College). Tait Farm Foods, owned and operated by Kim Tait, is a multi-faceted company that includes 8 acres of certified organic vegetables, fruits, and greenhouse production that serve a CSA, an on-farm retail store, a local farmers market, and several restaurants. Tait also manufactures a line of more than 60 specialty foods, including delicious jams, shrubs, spreads, and more. Each week, we have a selection of Tait products available for purchase as "Extras," which we will deliver with your farm share.
You might be asking yourself, "What is a shrub?" Our featured product this week, a shrub is an old Colonial beverage made by preserving fresh fruit in vinegar and sweetening it with sugar. The concentrated shrub is then mixed with carbonated water (or spirits) to make a refreshing, fruity beverage. Try one this week!
If you have any questions, please reach out to jodi@cherryvalleyorganics.com or to support@harvie.farm at any time. Thank you for being a farm share member this season!
Jodi, Emily, Annie, Allie, Heather, Bo, Meghan, Nicole, Nicole, and Vanessa
The CVO Team
