WILD HARE WEEKLY SUMMER#13/18

I believe that the term is grin and bear it? The crew is giving it their all in spite of how awful the conditions are, though we're shortening workdays as needed. There's good stuff to be harvested and plants that need to live, but I'm also fond of the people we work with. On this morning's list--Eggplant! We tried making a push to grow it this year, and the first round of picking will be for sale in the farmstand this week. You have to celebrate the small victories, right?

If you pre-ordered freestone peaches over the weekend, be sure to pick them up at the farmstand during our regular hours this week (I have 5 only cases to spare if anyone meant to order). We have pre-sold about 90% of what would fit in the delivery van on the peaches (good work, folks), so a round of gorgeous Goosetail Fire Dapple Pluots will be part of the CSA this week instead. Sweet Dream Peaches are on the CSA menu for next week--not to worry!

Saturday, August 25th will be our last Puyallup Farmers Market of the year, so everyone is welcome to come out to the farmstand to shop with us on Saturdays through September. Though we won’t return until the Spring, the Puyallup Market continues through mid-October. If you’re in and around Pioneer Park, be sure to support those vendors whether you’re picking up fall produce or a tasty Grilled Cheese sandwich from Doug and Dave at Griddlers on your way to or from the fair!

Best,

Katie

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