IN THIS WEEK’S BOX:
Beets: CylindraCelery: TangoChoi: Beijing Express (can use like choi or romaine)
Head Lettuce: assorted varietiesLeeksSweet Peppers: asst.Turnips:Hakurei
Herb It! option: Sweet Basil, Fennel & RosemaryBread Share: Asian Milk Bread or Bitter Brew Bread
Featured Recipes:
WHAT’S UP ON THE FARM?
Precipitation in the past week: 0.10"
We did experience a light frost last week and it looks like we might have the same on Tuesday morning, but so far, the only things that are really offended by the weather are the basil and some of the more tender flowers we grow. 
Farewell, basil!
Even the high tunnel basil was burned a bit with last week's cold dip, so today was the end of the line for it. We were able to find just enough for our herb share members to get one last "taste of summer" before we tore it all out, cleaned up the bed and planted winter greens. We did the same with the basil in the big high tunnel last week and the salad mix and arugula sown in that bed are already germinating.
It's a real luxury on mornings when the temperature is below 40° to be able to start our day working in the high tunnels. You can see by the clothing in the pic above, it isn't very warm in there, but it is out of the wind and it's warmer than it is outside! We took advantage of the conditions while we were there and did a little cultivating and cleanup of the new kale crop. The crew noticed they were being supervised by one of our pest management team, (a praying mantis) and later found an egg case nearby. 
We love finding both of these anywhere on the farm, but especially in the high tunnels where pest control is even more of a challenge. The praying mantis herself was carefully worked around but the egg case was relocated to a safe spot just outside the high tunnel so that the artificially warm daytime conditions inside don't trigger an early hatch during the winter when the new mantises wouldn't survive.
Besides working in the high tunnels, in the past week we've cultivated the fall crops, harvested lots of produce and a bounty of botanicals for our fall bouquets, cleaned garlic and picked up bushels of rotten tomatoes as we get ready to pull the fabric mulch from our tomato plot. Talk about no one's favorite job! Blech! We had drained the irrigation system last week ahead of the low temps but this week we reconnected it all back up and started running it again. Much of the state got some needed rain last week but sadly we missed most of it so we are back to our irrigation rotation for the fall crops.
Just 2 weeks left to order our new T-Shirts!Since most of our members aren't currently ordering through VegEmail, we wanted to let you know that we've recently kicked off a little fundraiser to help offset the budget-busting irrigation costs we've experienced this season. We have a brand new T-shirt design that is available through the VegEmail order form. It's a pre-order item, and we will be accepting orders for them through the end of October and plan to have them available for pick up at the late November VegEmail delivery. If you'd like to order one this week, here's the link to the current order form: VegEmail order form
Precipitation in the past week: 0.10"
We did experience a light frost last week and it looks like we might have the same on Tuesday morning, but so far, the only things that are really offended by the weather are the basil and some of the more tender flowers we grow.
 |
| Farewell, basil! |
It's a real luxury on mornings when the temperature is below 40° to be able to start our day working in the high tunnels. You can see by the clothing in the pic above, it isn't very warm in there, but it is out of the wind and it's warmer than it is outside! We took advantage of the conditions while we were there and did a little cultivating and cleanup of the new kale crop. The crew noticed they were being supervised by one of our pest management team, (a praying mantis) and later found an egg case nearby.
We love finding both of these anywhere on the farm, but especially in the high tunnels where pest control is even more of a challenge. The praying mantis herself was carefully worked around but the egg case was relocated to a safe spot just outside the high tunnel so that the artificially warm daytime conditions inside don't trigger an early hatch during the winter when the new mantises wouldn't survive.
Besides working in the high tunnels, in the past week we've cultivated the fall crops, harvested lots of produce and a bounty of botanicals for our fall bouquets, cleaned garlic and picked up bushels of rotten tomatoes as we get ready to pull the fabric mulch from our tomato plot. Talk about no one's favorite job! Blech!
We had drained the irrigation system last week ahead of the low temps but this week we reconnected it all back up and started running it again. Much of the state got some needed rain last week but sadly we missed most of it so we are back to our irrigation rotation for the fall crops.
Just 2 weeks left to order our new T-Shirts!
Upcoming Dates to Note:Tues, Oct. 24: Final CSA deliverySat, Oct. 28: Final Saturday VegEmail delivery Tues, Nov. 7: Fall VegEmail schedule begins, delivery every 2 weeks.
A LITTLE DETAIL ON YOUR PRODUCE THIS WEEK:
Beets- Store the beet roots, unwashed, with the rootlets (or “tails”) attached, in a plastic bag in the crisper bin of your refrigerator. They will keep for several weeks, but their sweetness diminishes with time. Just before cooking, scrub beets well and remove any scraggly leaves and rootlets. If your recipe calls for raw beets, peel them with a knife or vegetable peeler, then grate or cut according to your needs baby/young beets usually don't need to be peeled.
Celery: Separate leaves and stems for best storage. Leaves (with thin stems) can be stored like herbs in a glass of water in your refrigerator or in a zip-top plastic bag. Main stems keep best wrapped in aluminum foil and placed in your crisper drawer.
Leeks: Loosely wrap unwashed leeks in a plastic bag and store them in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator. They will keep for at least a week. Cut the leek about 1 inch above the white part, where the leaves begin changing from dark to light green. (Save the unused greens; they’ll give great flavor to your next vegetable stock.) Fan the leaves under running water to dislodge any dirt collected there, then pat thoroughly dry. You can julienne a leek by cutting it lengthwise, or slice it crosswise.
Peppers: Place whole, unwashed peppers in a plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate for a week or more. Rinse peppers just before use. For sweet peppers, cut around the stem with a small knife and lift out the core. Slice down the side to open it up and then cut out the inner membranes. Store unused portions in a sealed bag or container in the refrigerator.
Turnips: keep best if separated from their greens. Greens are stored in a plastic bag and can be cooked like mustard or collard greens (you can add them in with your Braising Greens Mix). Trimmed roots can go into a lidded container or zip-close bag. These aren't your grandma's turnips. These are a sweet, Japanese salad variety that is particularly tasty for fresh eating. They will still work great in cooked dishes, but we love to eat them raw, often right out of hand, like an apple. One of the farm crew's favorite mid-field snacks.
A few other details: All of your GREENS will keep best if stored in a plastic bag, with the top folded over and placed in the produce drawer of your refrigerator.
Is a weekly newsletter not enough for you? Do you want to read more about our life on the farm and see more pictures? Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm or on Instagram at bluegatefarmfresh. CSA members can also connect with other BGF members to share recipes or ask questions on our FB community page at Blue Gate Farm Community.
That's about it for now.
If you have any questions or comments, be sure to let us know.
Best from the farm,
Jill & Sean (and the whole BGF crew)
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