View from the Tractor
Wow, it has been a hot one here at the farm. I hope that you and your family are finding ways to keep cool and enjoy the summer. While this weather has been hard on the spring crops, our summer crops are flourishing. This week we are really getting into our first sizable summer squash harvests. Sizable-- like hundreds of pounds out of every single row! I can officially say that we are out of spring training and into the depths of the farming season.
Over the next few weeks we will be transitioning to more summer crops. Our eggplants are showing flowers, as are the peppers and melons. The tomatoes in the high tunnel are starting to color up and we will hopefully start filling them into more shares. Our field tomatoes are also sizing up, so plan on lots of amazing tomatoes in late August.
Hopefully next week we will begin planting our fall broccoli and the first round of our Napa cabbage. Fall will be here before you know it and we have to be prepared. All of the farmers have been champs and are working so hard to move the season forward. If you pick up your share at the Niwot or Gunbarrel farm, feel free to heap praise on our amazing farm staff. Even honking your horn as you drive by helps keep our spirits high, no matter how hot the day is or how hard the work is.
Thanks so much for being a member of the farm. We can't do this with out you.
Important Updates
The Fruit Share has Begun!
If you missed it last week, we are now starting the Fruit Share two weeks early, which means your Fruit Shares begin THIS WEEK! The orchards of the Western Slope farmers are blossoming much sooner than was anticipated this year, so we have decided to make some changes as the seasons shift.
Here's what you need to know:
- The fruit share begins THIS WEEK.
- You can still add fruit to your order as an add-on till the end of the season.
- If you already signed up for a Fruit Share, there will be a shift in your Upcoming Deliveries section on your Harvie Profile with the new dates of the Fruit Share for the farm.
- Going on vacation or have plans to be out of town in the coming weeks? Please make sure you check your upcoming deliveries schedule to ensure your Fruit Shares are on the weeks you want fruit.
- If you have not signed up for a Fruit Share yet, it's not too late!
This week's fruit share will contain 2lbs of Roboda Apricots and 3lbs of Rising Star Peaches! The fruit share is not customizable, but you can still add on fruit as an extra to your share whether or not you are subscribed to the Fruit Share itself.
This is the last week for apricots, so if you're an apricot fan like we are, be sure to add these to your bag this week!
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Save the Date
We will be hosting a Summer Farm Celebration on Saturday, August 6th!
The Farm Celebration will be family-friendly with a hay ride farm tour, farm snacks, and beverages. As a small farm, the gathering of our members in celebration of land, nourishment, and community is incredibly special for us. We look forward to seeing old faces and new at this coming celebration, and we hope to have a few more gatherings in the coming months-- including a gathering at Sanitas and another farm tour celebration in the fall when pumpkins are flourishing in the fields!
More details on the Summer Farm Celebration will be provided as we near the date, so stay tuned.
Add ons
If you want to spice up breakfast, what better way than to pair fresh fruit with local honey?
Try dicing up your fresh apricots and peaches and throw them into a yogurt parfait with some local Kilt Farm Raw Honey drizzled on top! Or if you're feeling adventurous, we love making our own granola from scratch-- and it's not as hard as you might think: All you need is uncooked rolled oats, diced peaches & apricots, some seeds or nuts (think anything crunchy-- like pepitas, pecans, or sunflower seeds), and any other fillings of your choosing (dried cranberries, cacao nibs, or even coconut flakes). Toss your ingredients in a bowl with warmed up honey, spread out the mixture on a baking sheet, and bake at 350° till golden brown.
You can use this granola for cereal, in your yogurt parfaits, or as a snack for a tasty, fresh-from-the-farm, home-cooked bite!
This honey works beautifully in marinades, bases for jams and jellies, on PB&J's for the kiddos' lunches, or scooped straight out of the jar. We are grateful to be able to partner with Nimbus Road Apiary to make this sustainable, nutritious, and perfectly sweet one-of-a-kind honey.
... And of course, we will continue to offer our wonderful mushrooms from Hazel Dell, spectacular eggs from Skypilot, wholesome & hearty pasta from Pastificio, fun treats from Pueblo Seed & Food Co, and gorgeous bouquets from The Fresh Herb Co.
We look forward to sharing this week's bounties with you in the upcoming CSA. Wishing you good community, good health, and good food.
