2025 CSA Farm Update: Week 10
Hello everyone, and welcome to Week 10 of the Katchkie Farm CSA.
After another week of hot summer weather, we’re finally getting a welcome break with cooler temperatures and less humidity. During this morning’s carrot harvest, I had the sun warming me on one shoulder while the wind from the northwest cooled me on the other. It was refreshing, a hint of the weather yet to come.
Our tomato crop started producing very well this week. This year we grew mostly the varieties that have done well for us over the last few years, along with a mix of heirloom varieties from Baker Creek Seeds. Last winter, I was only a short distance from their seed shop in Missouri, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit and bring some seeds back to Katchkie. Many of these varieties have the most unique colors and shapes I’ve ever come across. There are definitely a few gems in the mix that will be added to next year’s tomato crop.
Something I’ve found especially interesting is how all these different tomato varieties interact with the soil. Some show slightly green shoulders, which means they aren’t getting enough potassium to color the entire fruit. Others ripen fully with no problem finding what they need in the soil. Some plants have had no trouble with verticillium wilt, which turns older leaves brown and crispy (not ideal for photosynthesis), while others show good resistance to the disease, even though they weren’t bred for it. All of this tells me there’s much more than meets the eye when it comes to plants in general, and food crops in particular.
Unfortunately, I can’t get in contact with the folks who grew the seed for these tomatoes, but if I could, I’d have a long list of questions for them. The main question I ask myself is: Are the variations I’m seeing in these tomato varieties related to how the seed crop was grown, or are some varieties simply better at making connections with the soil and finding what they need? I imagine the answer lies somewhere between the two. All these questions must also mean that the crows have been busy elsewhere on the farm, leaving me more time to ponder the finer aspects of farming!
We’re still waiting for the peppers to ripen fully. Hopefully, they’ll make it into next week’s shares. The ones I’ve been snacking on have been delicious, and I look forward to sharing them soon. The basil this week is a spicier variety, very different from the sweet Genovese. My favorite place for this basil in the kitchen is in a curry, though it can also give a fresh twist to a tomato salad. I highly recommend both.
Fall plantings of radishes, turnips, and kale will continue this week, along with our final seeding of beets. Our cover crop for garlic has already started to germinate, and I’ll be seeding one more cool-season pollinator mix in the harvest lanes of our fall brassica crops. There’s still plenty of work ahead, but days like these remind me to keep busy, as fall weather is just around the corner.
Until next time,
Farmer Jon
Weekly Harvest Includes*
*We try our best to provide the most accurate CSA list in the newsletter! However, there’s always a chance of last minute substitutions in some bags if we don’t harvest enough of a vegetable.
Delicious Recipes to Try
Beat the late summer heat with this Watermelon and Tomato Gazpacho, a vibrant chilled soup that balances bright, juicy watermelon and ripe tomatoes with savory depth. This no cook delight is both refreshing and satisfying, perfect as a starter or light meal. The watermelon adds natural sweetness that beautifully mellows the tomato’s acidity.
The Eggplant and String Bean Stir Fry brings seasonal vegetables to life with a simple yet flavorful technique. Tender eggplant and crisp string beans are sautéed alongside onion and green garlic in fragrant sesame oil, then brightened with a splash of mirin or honey sweetened rice vinegar and tamari. A drizzle of toasted sesame oil and a sprinkle of scallions finish it beautifully, delicious on its own or served with rice.