As if on cue, the first of our fall vegetables were ready to eat this week.
I am always in awe to witness each season change. The days are only incrementally different in temperature and daylight, but as if on cue the weather has changed just enough to allow the cool weather vegetables to grow. We picked radishes and arugula, that were planted approximately 8 weeks ago, on the first of August.
It also marks the beginning of the end of the summer crops. Cool weather is ahead.
Eggplant - These look beautiful right now, as we have cleared off the old fruit. I find eggplant hard to manage in the early summer. One plant will produce one or two fruits in early July, and then there is nothing for several weeks. This first-growth isn’t enough for us to harvest so it gets left on the plant and then as we start picking in late August, we are sorting through the old eggplants that were hanging around.
Tomatoes - The tomatoes are officially done tomorrow. We picked just a handful today for each member. The plants are just slowly ripening the remaining green tomatoes. Unfortunately, the reduced daylight and cooler temperatures at night are making them prone to splitting and spoiling before they are ready to pick.
Cucumbers - This week we had so many cucumbers, that I am going to pull out the second planting, leaving us with one row for the rest of the fall, until the cold comes. They have been so productive and are easy to send out all summer, they are popular and simple to eat, but I think we are all tired of them.
Summer Squash - We have been getting a decent crop from the final summer planting. We will harvest more for another 3-4 weeks.
Basil - About 6 weeks ago we chopped all of our basil plants down removing the top third of the plant. This concentrated cutting allowed significant regrowth that has helped to keep it looking beautiful through the end of summer. One cold night in October will put an end to the harvest.
Green Beans - We are still picking these and still have a new planting coming at the end of October.
Melons - We had a late harvest of Crenshaw, cantaloupe, and watermelons. Unfortunately, they have not ripened under ideal conditions and have unpredictable flavor and texture. Most everyone will have a decent melon, but I did put a disclaimer in the weekly email.
Sweet Corn - We picked two ears per person today from the same planting as last week. After thinking for a few days on the labor cost of growing and then pulling out the corn stalks by hand, I think that we might be able to use a tractor. With our three acres, we have enough space to maneuver the tractor around. And with the new areas that we have started using for production, we might have enough space to do a concentrated planting of corn each summer, all in the same location, and then rotate the corn area each year, in the regular crop rotation.
Carrots - We sent out a few of our summer carrots today. I realize now we will need to hold off sending anymore for the next few weeks to build a little anticipation for the fall harvest that is coming in 2-3 weeks.
Acorn Squash - This winter squash doesn’t need to be cured and is better eaten soon after harvesting. If you are buying on in the store the time to do it is now. We didn’t grow them last year, and it has been a while since I had last eaten one. I was pleasantly surprised by the creamy and fluffy texture of the flesh. I cut the wedges like large home fries and just roasted them in the oven with salt and olive oil. They were the perfect texture, like the best baked potato I had ever eaten.
Arugula - The fast-growing first cutting from this planting was ready today, with perfect timing for the first week of fall. We did have poor germination, which is caused by the soil not retaining enough moisture in August weather, to keep the seeds wet enough before they sprout. The second planting will be ready soon to complement this first one.
Radishes - We had a few radishes today to send out today, literally 2 per person. I guess that’s enough to add to a salad. I will reseed more in the same location on Monday. These were planted in the same row as the arugula with poor germination but faired much worse. With a small vegetable like this that grows so fast, it doesn’t take many nutrients from the soil over the two months it’s in the ground. This allows us to plant again in the same location. It’s interesting to me that with the arugula, we will leave it in the ground and cut it every other week, but the radishes, which grow in the same amount of time, get pulled out, and then the ground is empty.
Have a great week,
Julie