Happy September!
Over the past week we have seen some record breaking temperatures here at the farm. We have been hustling to take care of ourselves, harvest like mad, all the while preparing for fall. Fall is coming, at least by the calendar if not by the temperature. Our peppers are completely blowing up right now. This means it is time for Salsa. In this weeks share you will have the ingredients to make a kick butt salsa. Peppers are a harbinger of fall but watermelons are a good end to the summer in Colorado.
Along with the salsa ingredients, we have Moon and Stars and Orangeglo watermelons. We are sending 3200 pounds of watermelons to Boulder Valley School District this week. We promise we won't give you that much melon but some of these babies are on the heavy side. We will also have a few of our cantaloupes.
One other thing that says fall is the fact that we are harvesting and curing our winter squash. In a few weeks you are going to see some amazing winter squashes coming your way. Plus we will have potatoes, onions, chicories, and so much more over the final six weeks of the CSA.
Fall Pumpkins - We are going to have an open house pumpkin patch party for our CSA members. Save the date of October 12th to come to our farm and choose your very own pumpkin.
Eggs - This week we will have 10 dozen eggs from Sky Pilot farm to add to your shares. This is a first come first served situation. We are still talking to other farms to rustle up high quality eggs but the outlook is not so good. I will keep you posted.
Fruit Share - This week we have freestone peaches and Barlet Pears. Pears need to be picked green and then ripened. Here is a tip from Ela Family Farms:
Unlike many other fruits, pears ripen from the inside out, so by the time they feel soft the flesh will be overripe and mealy. Because of this quirk, pears are not allowed to fully ripen on the tree. There is no “right” time to eat a pear. Some people like theirs as crunchy as an apple, and choose to eat them when they are green. Others like them soft as butter, with fully yellow skins. Most people fall in between, choosing a pear that’s mostly yellow on the outside, with a smooth, not overly soft flesh. If you don’t already know what ripeness you like, experiment with a few pears and eat them at all the stages of green to yellow!
To speed up the pear ripening process, you can put pears in a closed paper bag with an already-ripe apple or banana. Check daily. Pears are considered ripe when they yield slightly to gentle pressure at the stem end, but again, you might like them softer or crunchier than that. To slow down the ripening process, store them in the refrigerator.
Peach Pre Order - If you have not had your fill we will have freestone peaches available for sale. 10# for $28 or 20# for $52. These peaches will perfect for caning, freezing or just eating. Please let me know if you are interested and how many peaches you would like to order.
That's all for now. Have a great weekend and thanks for being a member of Kilt Farm.
Michael
