Share #11 August 27th & 29th

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Kale, Radish, Head Lettuce, Basil, Dill, Tomatoes, Summer Squash, Pickling Cucumbers, Sunflowers, Maybe Cucumbers, Bok Choy and/or Cabbage

The farm vibe has moved to late summer. Temps are a bit cooler, the days shorter but the summer flavors are still on! A tank top feels great in the sun...but my house stays cool all day and I need slippers inside. The summer squash it abundant and yummy...but I am wondering what the potatoes and carrots will look like when we dig them. This is the time of year I never want to wish away...but at the same time I know I can not sustain my current pace for the whole year. 
I wear a necklace this time of year that has a bee on it. It is my reminder to keep going for the hive. It would be easy to ignore some responsibilities, but it is the time of year to keep bringing in the harvest. It is the season of abundance and the abundance needs management. My bee necklace reminds me that my hive is depending on me. My family, our farm crew, you, our market customers. I want to keep moving, growing and harvesting for my hive. I know my time of rest will come.
After my initial stumble out of bed in the morning and getting going, I sometimes realize how lucky I am. I cut flowers as part of my job description!! I mean, seriously, how did I land this gig? I am breathing fresh air, feeling the sunlight, watching the bees, smelling the faint scent of sunflowers, seeing the blue sky, watching hummingbirds and cutting flowers!!! Okay...I have to concentrate enough to count every stem I cut, and those buckets get heavy to move. But the downsides are few.
I was having one of those "I'm so grateful moments" watching hummingbirds, flowers and LOTS of bees while I was walking a full bucket of flowers out of the field. In that exact moment I got stung. It only happens every few years, I have learned how to move my hands safely around in the flowers. (A year in a vineyard with black widows hiding on the vines taught me how to mindfully move my hands while working!) I happened to have irrigation boots on because we just watered. I think the bee fell off a flower in the bucket I had hoisted to my shoulder to carry and landed in my boot as I walked. Ouch. The thing about getting stung is, I was now marked. When I got stung the bee injected a pheromone into me to alert the other bees I was a problem. The last time I was stung, I ended up getting stung 2 more times that day. Ugh. Now I was a bit nervous as I completed the harvest.
Bees are amazing, the ways they are constantly communicating with each other to help the whole hive. In its final moment, the bee was alerting and protecting the hive.
I can relate to bees...they work together to collect ingredients and make food, they dance, they visit flowers, they work together for protection and safety.
I truly relish my idea of a "hive mindset" this time of year, it keeps me going. Our farm community is so important. I am not just shipping this food off to a warehouse. I can see your faces, watch your children grow and bump into you around town. While we are growing food for your benefit and health, we also reap the same rewards. On those slow mornings my bee necklace reminds me it is not just about me getting out of bed in the morning. I have a hive of people to feed! Thanks for bee-ing part of our hive!!!

Lunch on the Farm this week: Tomato and Summer Squash Stew, Summer Sauté over pasta 
Recipe Ideas: Yogurt Dill Dressing; Zucchini-Basil Muffins or Panzanella Salad

Click the button below to access our collection of Cosmic Apple CSA inspired recipes!

Recipes

We have lots of extra goodies available at your pick up. If you want something specific, please email me and I will make sure it is in the cooler, reserved just for you. Dinner just got easier!
The coolers at your site are stocked with a selection of Lifeline Cheese and Cosmic Apple Pork and Beef (listed below). I don't send every cut every week, they simply won't all fit!
​Pork Available: Grandpa's Sausage, Breakfast Sausage, Pork Chops, Shoulder Roast, Spare Ribs, Tenderloin, Neck Bones (make the real deal Ramen!) Hock and Fat
Beef Available: Tenderloin, Eye of the Round, Patties, Stew Meat, Ground Beef, Sirloin Roast, Tongue and Liver
​Hunters and Huntresses: We have pork fat for your wild game sausage making. Let me know if you want to order any and I can send it to your pick up location.

WASH YOUR VEGGIES!!
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Bring Bags to pick-ups!

If you can't make it to pick up your veggies, send a friend!
Missed shares are forfeited for the week. 
Members get 10% off at the Farmer's Markets!
The Driggs Market: Fridays 9-1
JH Farmer's Market: Saturdays 8-12
The People's Market: Wednesdays 4-7
Questions? Comments? Recipes to share? [email protected]