Happy Fall.
The countdown is on. We have just four more weeks (including this one) of this 20 week CSA season.
It is so wonderful having some cooler temperatures at the farm. The air is a little clearer and we can sleep with our windows open. So refreshing! Earlier in the week, we had a light frost at both farms. The frost ended the season for a few of our crops, like basil, but the tomatoes and peppers are still coming in strong as they strive to finish off the amazing fruit.
We pushed hard last week to get the winter squash out of the fields before the potential frost. After curing, winter squash are hardy and can last all winter if stored properly. But before curing, they are very sensitive and thin skinned. Gratefully all of the winter squash are nice and cozy in our greenhouse where we can keep them at a safe temperature. Over the next four weeks, we will be adding a different winter squash to the shares with two varieties on the final week of the CSA.
If you can you believe it, we are now squarely looking at the end of the season in four weeks. Hopefully the nice weather will help the broccoli and cauliflower to finish off. The fall bounty is going to over lap the summer bounty for sure. Enjoy.
Fruit Share: This week will we will have Bartlett pears and Golden Delicious Apples. Pears take a little practice to perfectly ripen. Here is a little explainer:
Pears ripen from the inside out, so you can’t judge their ripeness by looking at the skin. To test if a pear is ripe, apply gentle pressure near the stem end. If it gives slightly, it’s most likely ready to be eaten.
The pear’s unusual ripening process also has its advantages, however. It offers you the opportunity to ripen pears as needed. A couple of days before you plan to eat them, put the pears in a brown paper bag. The bag will capture the ethylene, a gas that most ripening fruits give off. Ethylene also affects changes in color and flavor, converts starch to sugar, and causes the fruit to soften. After a couple of days in the bag, the pears should be just right. Once pears are ripe, they have a relatively short shelf life, so eat them right away or refrigerate them and eat them within a day or two.
Add-ons: This week we will have Peaches by the bag or case, Honey Crisp Apples, Bartlett Pears, Golden Delicious Apples, Honey, Shiitake Mushrooms, Pasta and flowers. Plus we still have lots of 2021 honey and calendula body butter.
We also have plenty of cases of sauce tomatoes and peppers ready for preserving.
Thank you so much for being a part of the farm. We have come a long way this season and we are going to finish strong.
Have a great weekend.
Michael, Cayla, Aiden and all of the farmers at Kilt Farm
