Rain

While I watch it continue to pour over the farm I am struck by the duality of a rainy season. Rain can be such a gift, without it our wells run dry and the fauna and flora of our ecosystems suffer. The forests are lush and the river is healthy and high. But too much rain on a small farm can also be devastating. With rain comes disease which is mostly impossible to fight organically. It makes it impossible to work soil so that we cannot weed or plant with our tractors. It makes the fruit of farm ripen slowly and crack, and fills them with more water than sugar. While every season comes with it's own challenges, a rainy season is hard because it requires so much waiting and seeing. Seeing how long the plants will survive with disease, waiting for the soil to dry out to plant our successions, waiting and watching the weeds grow. Waiting and seeing is hard for farmers. But wait and see and hope we must. 

Scenes from the farm: A sunny moment at the PYO garden, planting into the evening before another day of rain, diseased tomato plants, Duma helping plant, a small bounty of tomatoes despite the blight (coming your way this week).

The Share:

salad mix

head lettuce

swiss chard

string beans

summer squash

celery

sweet peppers

hot peppers

eggplant

parsley

basil

italian dandelion

cherry tomatoes

heirloom tomatoes

carrots

beets

tropea onions

Recipe of the week:

Tomato, Sweet Onion, and Celery Salad

from Martha Stewart

INGREDIENTS 

  • 2 to 3 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced crosswise 1/8 inch thick 
  • 1 sweet onion, preferably Vidalia, sliced crosswise 1/8 inch thick 
  • 3 celery stalks with leaves, thinly sliced crosswise 
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil 
  • 1/4 cup olive oil 
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream 
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 

DIRECTIONS 

  1. Arrange tomatoes, onion, celery, and celery leaves on a serving plate. Sprinkle with basil; set aside. 

  2. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and cream; whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad; serve immediately. 

 

Malaika SpencerComment