McIntosh…or wait, are they Paula Reds?
I saw lots of Chinese cabbage last week, and that seems to be over…I think the regular cabbage is still taking it’s time, but it should be ready before the last week 😉 I had my first cauliflower this week…but Glenn tells me most of them are still a ways off. Apparently, they did not appreciate the hot dry weather a while ago. I liked it. The peaches have slowed down, but man, what a run we had with peaches this year. I think I had them for my boxes on Mondays since mid-July. WOW! Also, the tomatoes have rocked AND they are gorgeous! I see a few spots showing up now, but they are only cosmetic – not even worth cutting off. We are still picking peppers heavy and the beans look great. What exactly will appear in your box is hard to say, but I expect this week: corn, tomatoes, several varieties of apples, bell peppers, hot peppers, kale, potatoes and beyond that, it’s a daily surprise, even for me.
The Paula Red apples have been lovely, but now we are enjoying some of the later varieties such as McIntosh, Redcort, Cortland, Molly Delicious, Ginger Gold, and Honey Crisp. We’ll try to tell you what’s what at the pickup. Of note, the Molly’s are an heirloom variety and amazingly tender-crisp. None of the Delicious apple varieties we grow are ever mealy, so if you were planning on avoiding them, don’t’ – they’re all great!
Boerenkool Stamppot (Kale Hash) check out the recipe on the blog (will post momentarily) – awesome this time of year.
Farm Dirt
I know you will breathe a sigh of relief when I tell you I got the salsa made 😉
Salsa after processing
Then I got some tomatoes and peaches put by…it’s a nice feeling. It is a bunch of work…but think how easy we have it now with our food processors, electric or gas stoves, and freezers. There are things I choose to freeze because they taste better and it is easier. Every year I think of my dear friend Stephanie and a story she told me about her Mother-in-law: It seems her Father-in-Law returned from market with 10 baskets of peaches that were dead ripe…meaning the next day they would be spoiling. It was late in the day, but after supper, Mother started in on them. Stephanie, being large with child, went off to bed. In the morning she woke to find all the peaches had been put up…it must have taken all night, and that was with a wood cookstove in August! I figure it would have been 150-200 quarts. Stephanie later told me she counted thousands of quart jars (of everything that had been put by) in the cellar that year. A tremendous achievement for anyone keeping the house and pantries stocked! What work ethic! BTW, Stephanie, now in her 80’s has amazing work ethic too, and raised a large family on their garden and food she put by.
Eat well, Geneviève Stillman
Stillmans Farm Blog 