5th CSA Week

Well, after four weeks of pretty much no rain....it's raining.  I was in a rush as usual to get to the Charlottetown pick-up and I didn't take my rain pants, I figured the forecast was wrong again so no need for extra rain gear.  Thankfully I had enough sense to grab my rubber boots and my rain jacket was already in the truck. 

It rained cats and dogs from the minute I got there till the minute I packed up my second CSA pick-up location and headed home.  It poured most of the way home until I got close to Bedeque.  I was a bit disappointed to only see 6mils in my rain gauge but I have to remember its 6 more than we had this morning.  I can hear the rain softly falling as I type this blog so I'm happy to see we're getting more than the 6mils.  Vegetables like about an inch of rain a week (in a perfect world) which is 24 mils and we have only gotten about 1mil in the past four weeks.  The ground is so dry and the plants are really feeling the stress.  Compared to my records from the last few seasons some vegetables are 2-3 weeks behind. 

I try not to get too freaked out about things like the weather as its something that just can't be controlled (well not easily and not without high costs) but its still a worry.  We currently do not irrigate but that is something we know we need to look at seriously.  We spoke to a sales rep last year in regards to our options and they are all expensive, but looks like the discussion will be back on the table.

This weeks large share has lettuce mix, spinach, baby carrots, red salad onions, green onions, dill, zucchini, daikon & watermelon radish, cucumbers, lettuce head, broccoli and snow peas.  The small share has lettuce mix, beets, baby carrots, green onions, dill, zucchini and cucumbers.  The grab box has red and white turnips, cilantro, basil, summer savory, sage, green cabbage, swiss chard, kale, garlic scapes and more of the above mentioned veggies.

The peas have come to a rather quick end.  Last week we were over run with super sugar snap peas and this week, done like dinner.  It's funny the amount of work some crops take and the short harvest window that can follow.  But peas are popular so I'll continue to grow them. 

Daikon radish.  What?????  I know, kinda strange.  We grew them in Guelph and I always thought they were rather strange.  I haven't grown them in a few years but decided to put them back on the menu after someone mentioned them on last years CSA survey.  So, what do you do with them?? Here are two websites with great suggestions.  Daikon Site #1, Daikon Site #2

The large shares also got two watermelon radishes.  They look a bit like the white turnips but cut them open and you'll find they are bright pink inside. This is my first year growing them, the catalogue had me at "watermelon".  Just slice them up and enjoy like a regular radish.

The carpenters left today with instructions that I can officially move into my new wash station!!!  There are still some things left to do on the main building and they are waiting on some materials but the lean to is all mine!!  Of course the plumbing is not finished nor the electrical but hoses and extension cords from the house will have to do for now.  I found some used stainless steel items on the weekend including a nice sized table and two smaller wash basins.  I'm still on the hunt for some more tables and other stainless steel items but its nice to have a few things now.  I'm planning on having as much stainless steel items as possible in the new wash station to be more professional and to be more food safety conscious.   

I'm so excited to get all of the "vegetable stuff" out of the garage and away from the front of the house and down into the new wash station.  CSA bins, black harvest crates, barrel washer, etc etc etc can all be moved permanently to their new home.  Oh happy day!!!

Enjoy your veggies :)