WILD HARE WEEKLY SUMMER#12/18

This week, we'll have some fresh Onions and Tomatillos to mix in with all the summer crops we've been picking as of late. Mark has been doing all kinds of cooking with Tomatillos over the past year thanks to our Electric Pressure Cooker, so we figured we’d carve out a row at the farm and plant enough to share. If you’ve never had a tomatillo before, they’re kind of like a firm unripe green tomato that is slightly sticky to the touch and grows inside of a papery husk. They’re pleasantly tart and they make incredible salsas. There are all kinds of peppers just on the brink of readiness right beside them, so take heart in knowing that there is still plenty of Summer on the way.

On Wednesday, I will turn 37 years old. When I was a kid, my birthday (though always warm and special) marked the beginning of the end of Summer. Today, as a grown-up lady farmer type, I am all too aware of just how much summer lies ahead in our fields, and I celebrate this time of year with gusto--with my loved ones, and because the season demands it, a great big juicy Bloody Mary. (2018 will get some bonus points, because this year's celery crop will be ready at the same time as the tomatoes and hot peppers for the aforementioned beverage.) I'm also a really big fan of making a great big birthday wish every year, and thankfully, last year's wish eventually came true in the form of farm ownership. Mark and I have been thinking back to where we were a year ago, scrambling to try and get fall crops planted after abrupt changes to our equipment lineup, stumbling, hoping and worrying over whether we would ever get to see to their actual harvest. They were difficult times, and while they're part of our story, they’re more like footnotes or asides on days like this. I take a whole lot of pride in seeing the solid work that the crew has already put into our Fall, Winter and even Spring crops already, and seeing Mark out cultivating in the Rutabagas today was a real gift. Their day will come soon—but not yet!

Take Care,
Katie

BIG TOMATO LOVE COMING YOUR WAY

I just walked in from the farmstand where I was sobbing big farm girl tears over the gorgeous wave of tomatoes that flowed through the barn doors today. The ardor with which I love tomatoes is almost embarrassing, and I'm probably a bit tired. But in that moment, all I could think about was eating tomato sandwiches with the people I love. For me, tomatoes mean home, and for as long as I can remember, there was always a tomato beside the toaster at my grandparents' house, a loaf of bread, salt, pepper and (depending on the decade that we're talking about here) margarine or butter. Mark prefers his with mayo, but for me (and the daughter who I'm teaching well), one of the greatest pleasures in life comes from tomatoes layered upon two slices of toast, buttered and sprinkled with nothing more than a pinch of salt and three grinds of pepper. There's a sense of satisfaction in knowing that the tomato on my grandma's counter is one of mine these days, and Kim and I were pretty proud to look up at the stacks of tomatoes on the table (and cross our fingers that the table doesn't buckle under the weight overnight). It feels like a long overdue housewarming, and I'm delighted at the prospect of you all taking a bit of our joy home with you--along with a side of crisp lettuce and peaches to boot.

You might be relieved to know that the zucchini has mellowed out a bit, but not as thankful as our crew is! There are 'bumper crops' and there are 'whatever we want to call what happened last week in the field.' Our BIG thanks are going out to Harvest Pierce County for helping us get 700 lbs of squash and cucumbers from our farm to local food banks last week.

Have a great week!
Katie

PS: Thank you in advance for your patience as I rework the newsletter format. You might have noticed that it looks a little different; however, the goal is to have all of this weekly content stored and searchable on our website over the next few months. As always, I'm a work in progress.