Share #3 June 23rd & 25th

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Red Butterhead Lettuce, Bok Choy, Swiss Chard, Arugula, Green Onions and Basil

It is starting to really feel like summer on the farm. I'm done obsessively checking the weather for frosts. They seem to be behind us for the near future. Which is a big relief! The garden is really taking off! Everything is growing quickly. Which of course means the weeds are growing fast too.
Our crew is working really hard at staying on top of cultivating. Harvesting happens first thing every morning before the day gets hot and the greens wilt. Once the harvest is in, we turn our attention to weeding. 
We have some great tools for weed removal, but our favorite is the stirrup or hula hoe. It can be used standing up straight, with good posture, so it prevents back pain! It is shaped just like a stirrup on a horse saddle. The bottom part is a blade that we drag through the soil. It undercuts weeds and gets the job done, while standing instead of kneeling.
Weeding is the number one time consuming job on the farm. Luckily the payoff is big. The more we get weeded, the more we get to harvest. We are very grateful for our crew and volunteers that put the time in to take care of our garden! Besides the amazing work they do...they are just cool people and we get to hang out with them!

Week #3 and we already have basil in the share again! The basil looks incredible this year. In 2024 we decided to mulch our greenhouses with straw in-between the rows of basil and tomatoes. We also began experimenting with cover crops. Mulching and cover crops suppress weeds and keep moisture in the soil for longer. The tomatoes did great and we didn't have to weed as much. The basil did not do so great. But like all things in the garden...we had to double check the variables because there were some other minor things we adjusted that year too. 
So we mulched again in 2025. And we decided the basil is not happy with mulch. It might keep the soil temperature to cold for it. We're not sure the exact reason...but no more mulch! The basil already looks about the same size it was in August last year, but even healthier! I don't want to jinx it...but you might want to find a favorite pesto recipe. Pesto freezes great for the winter. It's shaping up to be a great basil year...which can translate to a great basil winter if you store what you can't eat now.
A simple internet search for how to preserve basil will set you up with lots of ideas. I think the easiest are:
1. Making pesto and freezing in ice cube trays (transfer to bag after frozen), then you have portioned out cubes.
2. You can skip the whole pesto process and use a food processor with only basil and a bit of olive oil. Process until you have a paste. Freeze it with the same ice cube method mentioned above.
3. Make herbed butter. Recipe on our "basil" page, follow the link below.
4. Dry it! Herbs dry so easy in our climate. I just spread an herb out on a baking sheet and put it out of direct sunlight for a few days (you can use your oven too). When they are dry, crumble them into an airtight jar. (works for mint, oregano, sage, thyme and marjoram too!)
If any of these methods seem overwhelming, there are detailed recipes online. Just search whichever one floats your boat! Or get serious about consuming fresh basil...a great summer goal!

Recipes

Recipe Ideas: Swiss Chard with Pine Nuts, Parmesan and Basil;  Basil Marinade; Bok Choy, Swiss chard With Noodles; ​Green Onion Dip

Join us for our 30th Anniversary Party!

We have lots of extra goodies available at your pick up. Dinner just got easier!
The coolers at your site are stocked with a selection of Lifeline Cheese, Cosmic Apple Eggs, Pork and Beef (availability listed below).  If you want something specific, please email me and I will make sure it is in the cooler, reserved just for you. I don't send every cut every week, they simply won't all fit, but I love putting together special orders!

​Pork Available: Tenderloin, Grandpa’s Sausage, Breakfast Sausage, Bacon, Boneless Chops, Shoulder Roast, Spare Ribs, Boneless Pork Loin, Neck Bones, Back Fat, Leaf Fat, Hock, Liver, Heart and Kidney

Beef Available: Tenderloin, New York Steak, Rib Eye Steak, Sirloin Steak, Eye of the Round Steak, Skirt Steak, Tri-tip, Patties, Stew Meat, Heart, Ground Beef, Short Ribs, Brisket, Round Roast, Sirloin Tip Roast, Liver, Kidney, Marrow Bones, Knuckle Bones, Fat and Tongue


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. 
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Members get 10% off at the Farmer's Markets!
The People's Market: Wednesdays, 4-7 Center for the Arts
The Driggs Market: Fridays 9-1, Driggs City Center
Jackson Hole Farmer's Market: Saturdays 8-12, Jackson Town Square

Questions? Comments? Recipes to share? [email protected]