CSA Weeks 6-8
Whew! Summer is officially in full swing and things are really buzzing here. Its my favorite part of the season where each day I get excited to see how many squash blossoms there are, if the cucumbers are ready to pick, and whether the tomatoes are finally ripe! I hope that you are getting excited for more varieties, I know I am!
The last few weeks have brought some good rain and with it lots of weeding. This week the goal is shading the plants that have shallow roots and making sure things get ample water. I have been experimenting with pulse watering this year and it seems to be going well! The idea is to give the garden short but frequent bursts of water throughout the day. It is contrary to the conventional wisdom of watering deeply and less frequently (although that still stands true for trees, shrubs and deep rooting plants like tomatoes). Pulse watering is a more recent approach to watering in dry areas where water is not abundant; the idea is to make sure that the water you are using is going just to the roots of the plants rather than being lost to the ground below and to evaporation. Ideally plants are less stressed when receiving water more often, even in smaller amounts. We are on a well so it is hard to quantify how much water has been saved this year, but the plants seem happy! Maybe next year I’ll invest in some flow meters and soil moisture monitoring equipment.
We experienced a very sad 4th of July this year as our favorite, most lovable duck passed away unexpectedly due to a prolapse (likely from becoming egg bound). We tried getting ahold of every avian vet in the area but due to the holiday we came up short. Rest in peace Puddles. We like to imagine her as a greeter in heaven- giving all who arrive a big duck hug (she’d wrap her neck over our shoulders when we would carry her). Prayers appreciated for the kiddos as they still miss her very much!
We hope you are enjoying your summer and your produce!
This week’s recipe ideas:
Amarath and spinach salad:
https://www.saffrontrail.com/healthy-lunch-salad/
Onion Top Pesto, Hummus and Drying Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7FJUa83HbM
Fig, Walnut and Squash Kale Salad:
https://www.wyseguide.com/fig-walnut-squash-kale-salad/
-The above blog has some amazing recipes!