2025 CSA Farm Update: Week 9
Hello everyone and welcome to Week 9 of the Katchkie Farm CSA.
The past week on the farm was very pleasant, weather-wise. We did have an unexpected deluge of rain on Thursday afternoon, which gave our crops a much-needed drink of water. Much of this coming week looks to be a hot one, so we will be back to running irrigation steadily on our summer and fall crops to keep them in peak growing condition.
This week, I will be preparing our field for fall-planted garlic. We had an okay garlic crop this year. In previous years, the garlic has been really impressive in both yield and quality. This year, the quality was there, but the garlic did not size up as I had anticipated. Thinking through the possible causes, I’ve come to the conclusion that our soils are not quite cycling nutrients properly. For this year’s crop, I relied a little too much on our soil biology to access the nutrition that is already in the soil. The smaller garlic heads told me that our soils are not yet cycling enough fertility to the plants.
My plan for now is to reduce our plant population per acre, giving the garlic roots a little more room to stretch out and find what they need in the soil. I also plan to grow a very healthy cover crop of oats, buckwheat, and cowpeas, which will be turned into the soil a couple of weeks before garlic planting. The young green plant material, along with the decomposing biomass of their root systems, will provide our soil biology with a great food source to multiply and thrive. That’s the plan for now, we’ll see how it all works out next summer!
Luckily, there’s not too much news on the animal front this week. We set up a hunting camera to track when the deer are coming into the farm, and it turns out they are night owls who like to snack on our crops around 2:30 a.m. The hunting camera didn’t catch them leaving the farm, which means they are either hiding somewhere within the fence or have another way out. The crows are still being crows, but luckily the tomatoes are ripening higher up on the vine, out of their reach, so we can start harvesting them.
This week will be the first of our larger tomatoes. The cherry tomatoes are wonderful, but there’s nothing like a big, juicy slice of tomato. After many years of trialing different tomato varieties on the farm, I’ve settled on a few that really seem to produce well here. I hope you all enjoy them. We also have Genovese basil to go with them. Our sweet pepper plants are the most fruit laden I have ever seen, and hopefully, they will make it into next week’s shares.
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
Crunch into something delightfully wholesome with Carrot Chips. Crafted from thinly sliced carrots that are baked or fried until crisp, these make a satisfying substitute for potato chips, offering a vibrant snack that’s as colorful as it is tasty. Whether paired with dips, tossed atop salads, or enjoyed solo, Carrot Chips bring a pop of flavor and fun to every bite.
A simple yet vibrant side dish, Sautéed Swiss Chard lets the greens shine. This recipe features a generous bunch of chard, sautéed with a touch of olive oil, garlic, and red chili flakes. Once the leaves are tender, a pat of butter, salt, and freshly ground pepper elevate the flavors, making it a satisfying, gently spicy accompaniment to any meal.
Sustainability
Stop Food Waste Challenge
For the month of August, we are practicing First In, First Out (FIFO) food habits at home. FIFO is a method of inventory management where the oldest items in stock are used first. The Stop Food Waste Challenge is a fun way to help you use up what you have before buying more, reducing waste and saving money.
Raid your kitchen!
Peek inside your fridge, pantry, and freezer for any forgotten foods that might be close to going bad. Jot down a list so nothing gets left behind again!
Get creative!
Use those ingredients to make a meal, snack, or dessert. Mix it up and try something new — the weirder, the better! If your looking for some inspiration check out our full list of recipes.
Share your success!
We’d love for you to share your fun, new recipes with your family and friends. Better yet, start a household cookbook to keep all your kitchen wins in one place! And don’t forget to tag Katchkie Farm in your social media posts so we can celebrate with you!