Spring Hill 2009 Newsletter #10



		Week #10 Sat, Aug. 15th –Tues, Aug 18th , 2009 Downloadable Word .doc for printing In your bag Carrots, Potatoes (Purple Viking) Cucumbers Green Beans Zucchini & Summer squash Onions (Red Tropea and/or fresh white) Tomatoes – mix of varieties Sweet Pepper green or purple Jalapeno pepper, Eggplant (I think!) Basil, Parsley, Cilantro Melon – Sun Jewel This is a new melon for us. It looks something like a delicata squash. It’s bright yellow – the shape of a big cucumber and has some white stripes. The flesh is the same color as a cucumber but is crisp and sweet. You indicated on our survey that you’d like more melons so we’re trying this one since it’s an earlier melon. Let us know what you think! Tomatoes This year’s we’ve got a variety of tomatoes. You’ve been getting some Early Girls (small reds) from the hoop house and this week we’ll add Estiva, a larger red tomato. Everyone’s gotten a few of those wonderful sungold cherry tomatoes and we’ll keep those coming. We’ve also got a variety of heirloom tomatoes. This year those include, Red and Green Zebra, Black Prince and Valencia. Eventually the romas will be ready. Over the course of the season, you should get quite a mix! Fall Work Day Our Annual Fall Work Day is scheduled for Sunday, October 4th this year. It’s a day of fall farm work – usually some potato harvesting, garden clean-up, soup making and cider pressing. Mark your calendar and plan to join us! Farm News I’m thinking David should be writing these columns each week. When I mention that to him, he just laughs. (David wrote last week’s heartwarming farm news. If you missed it, you can find it here. As parents, we sure enjoyed it!) Finally, a week of summer – a couple of lively thunderstorms (but nothing severe) followed by heat and humidity. I can’t say I like working or sleeping in it, but it sure is good for the tomatoes, peppers and melons! We’re heavy into harvesting these days. Not too much needs weeding but there sure is plenty to harvest. The onions, having completed their growing, have had their tops knocked down and will soon be pulled out of the ground to begin their curing process. Even the raspberries have finally started coming along. Once again, those coming out to harvest at this point in the season are getting the extra treat of taking home some raspberries. We’re keeping an eye on the field tomatoes and peppers knowing that some of you ordered tomatoes for preserving and some ordered a mix of tomatoes, peppers and onions for salsa making. They are extra slow this year. We will keep you posted. On the political front, we are very interested in the health care debate. Health care/insurance is a huge issue for farm families. Many farm families make the decision for one person to “work out” so that they can have insurance through the work place. For others who choose to have both adults working on the farm, the options are all rather precarious. REAL change is needed. Next Week’s Harvesters Saturday, August 22nd - Rebecca Noran & Jon Dehning, Beth Wilson, Davin Lagerroos & Michelle Lee, Laura Murphy & Ian Whitney, Mary Beaudoin & Ty Chavez Tuesday, August 25th - Diane Clayton & Colleen Bell, Elaine Eschenbacher & Michael Welch, Jack McGrath & Erin Mohr, Ann Kragenbring, Molly Nicholson