WHAT’S IN THE BOXThe following are the items in your box this coming week. Some items and quantities may vary depending on your harvest day. The photo is of a full share.

NOTES ON STORING THE HARVEST Please check out our Vegetable & Fruit page on the website to find tips on maximizing the life of your veggies.

NOTES ON THE SHARE Basil – Small bunch in every box. Beans – I am happy to finally write that we have something in surplus...BEANS. Your box will contain an ample share of the harvest of yellow beans 'Cherokee Wax', green beans 'Strike' and climbing beans 'Purple King'. Broccoli – There is a bit more to harvest from the current planting and this will be divided into boxes. The harvest may finish before Thursday. Cabbage- Green or Red. We are harvesting the last of the Spring cabbage plantings this week. Capsicum – The harvest has begun. We have done a post on the varieties and will be dividing the harvest each week. Carrots – Big bunch mixture of ‘Scarlett Nantes’, ‘Cosmic Purple’ and ‘Red Core Chatenay’. Chillies - The harvest of 'Padron' chillies will continue to appear in some boxes. There are 'Hungarian Hot Wax' and 'Long Thin Cayennes' being harvested. Please look at the pepper post to identify. Cucumbers – We are growing long cucumbers and short cucumbers. The shorter are sweeter and apparently "burpless". This week each box should receive two/three cucumbers. "Lazy Lettuce" – We will continue to harvest the lazy lettuce until the planting is done. This is the bag of mixed lettuce leaves that you received last week. Although it has been washed and spun dry, it should be washed before eating. Leeks – One for the half share and two for the full. Parsley – Either 'Italian Flat Leaf' or 'Curly' - Bunch in every box. Potatoes – Harvesting red skinned 'Desiree'. Rocket – A bag in every box. Thyme – Bunch in every box. Cherry Tomatoes – The harvest has begun and while each share is small (more on that below), we hope every box will receive some this week. Zucchini – Zucchini this week includes 'Nero di Milano' and 'Romanesco'.

NOTES ON WHAT'S GROWING We have begun to harvest tomatoes. We harvest them before they are fully ripe and ripen them in the shade of the shed, to preserve their flavour. The harvest in the beginning weeks of any new crop is always modest. It is the mid-life of the plants when they just produce like crazy...we hope. The second corn planting, a red variety, is tassling. It looks so beautiful. I will be posting a picture walk around the farm this week so if you do not receive our newsletter, you can check the webpage. The second bean planting has been picked once with a great harvest! The purple climbing beans are producing and should continue for awhile. We have continued to plant spinach, rocket, lettuces and other greens, to try and have variety in the boxes each week. We are trialing some different types of spinach which can withstand the heat better then the English spinach. The first planting of carrots is almost done and then there is a second ready. The onions are bulbing up beautifully. The cucumbers are starting to have a really good harvest every other day. Our second planting of zucchini is ready for harvest which is great as the first one never really went bonkers. We are happy with how things are growing and continue to make notes about changes we might make for next year. Please send through any feedback you have about crops you are receiving and/or amounts.

We have had to set priorities for water distribution. The autumn crop seeding began in mid December and with the greenhouse full again of seedlings ready to be planted, they have received first dibs on water with corn, tomatoes, zucchini, beans, melons and pumpkins coming in next. By rotating the irrigation throughout the days of intense heat, we have been able to minimize damage thus far.

U-PICK FLOWERS We have cosmos, zinneas, scabiosa, fever few, snap dragons, calendula, nasturtiums, statice, helichrysums and many other flowers growing. Every member is welcome to come and U-pick some edible flowers and a bouquet each week on Saturdays from 8am-11am. If you have not been to the farm yet, this is a great chance to walk around, see your food growing and leave with a wonderful posy.

SEASONAL EATING - SHARING INSPIRATION Please keep sharing your inspirations. True seasonal eating has lost its definition, due partly to the fact that the grocery stores and fruit and vegetable shops seem to have everything, all the time. It is great to be a part of the re-awakening of eating with the season and I am enjoying compiling what that looks like for so many different families.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Poached Baby Vegetables with Caper Mayonnaise Carrot and Radish Salad with a Morrocan Inspired Dressing Roasted Radishes Szechwan Green Beans

You can also search by key ingredient on our website recipe page for many more ideas.