Beach Crabs and Compost, CSA

Today the half share included the following:

• Jam or Bread (I chose Raisin Bread)
• 1 bunch Spring Onions
• 1 head of Lettuce
• Strawberries, 1 pint
• sm bunch of Kale (.5 lb)
• sm bunch Chard (.5 lb)

I also picked up 2 lbs of yellow and green Summer Squash @ 2/lb. The share was light this week. (Full share members had Scallions and Field Greens as well.)

Last week I cooked down the chopped Kale in a bit of Olive Oil and mixed it with some of the Sweet Onion Preserves as a pizza topping along with some locally made Feta. It is my new favorite pizza, I can't wait to make it again!!

While at the beach today I collected some seaweed and crab shells to mulch with, or add to the compost pile. I have to do some research and see which would be more beneficial. There are so many things I overlook when composting, some of which are in this list of 163 Things You Can Compost. This is one crab that won't be making it to the compost pile!

Tomato Talk

This is the first Juliet to ripen. The flavor was good but its size is closer to a cherry than a plum. Will I be surprised by the miniature plum tomatoes that continue to come or is this a temporary consequence of a cold and rainy Spring? I have never experienced a fuzzy tomato before, but it was easily removed with a swipe of the thumb.

I may have ruined this Big Beef with the nylon. I was trying to be proactive and prevent any small creatures from enjoying the ripe tomato before me, but all the rain and it's tight cover left behind some scars. I picked it, not being convinced it was going to ripen on the vine at this point. This tomato has spent months growing, and hanging, and being green.

The Sungold tomatoes are so delicious, I wish I could pick more than one at a time. All of the plants are growing fruit with the exception of the Yellow Pears. They seem to be on their own schedule and have just begun to flower.

CSA Starts Next Week!

Our 1/2 share CSA pick-up begins next week. This size share is listed as feeding 1-2 people (example of 1 week's 1/2 share in photo), I have often regretted not getting a full share for our family, BUT I am the only true veggie lover and we will have some produce from the kitchen garden if all goes well......so a 1/2 share it is. They have unfortunately decided not to do bread this year due to all of the special requests from past shareholders, I guess some people just can't be happy with a homemade loaf, go figure. Next week's pick-up will include the following:

• fresh, free range eggs
• salad greens
• strawberries
• kale
• cheese
• kohl rabi

I need to do some investigating on the kohl rabi, that will be a first for our household. This is where I am hoping all of those vegetarian and seasonal ingredients based cookbooks I have acquired will come in handy. I will of course post any recipes I find interesting or 'taste test approved' for my own future reference and for you few fab followers out there.

Tomato Love

Ironically today feels more like Fall than the last week of Spring, but I just had my first bite of home grown tomato- just now- and it was fabulous! I love how the cherries burst when you bite into them and this little garden hero did not disappoint. Sungold, you have earned a permanent place in my garden. The months of living with a seed station in the bedroom, more hours of light than dark, constant watering, and bi-weekly feedings has finally paid off with a June tomato. Life is good.