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 – We are continuing to harvest the climbing beans 'Purple King'. We are also harvesting bush beans 'Strike' (green) and 'Cherokee Wax' (yellow). We may be between bush bean plantings through the week and are unsure what the harvest of the bush beans will be. Beet Root – Bunch in every box. Capsicum – The harvest has begun. Please look at the pepper post to identify the ones in your box. We will be dividing the harvest each week. Carrots – Saturday boxes received the rest of the harvest of the first carrot planting - A big bag of 'Cosmic Purple' and a few 'Scarlett Nantes'. We have now moved into the second planting of carrots 'Deep Purple', 'Scarlet Nantes' and 'Atomic Red' (pictured below). The 'Atomic Red' are lovely carrots but their peel has a bitter after taste. If you peel them, they have a taste almost like peppermint. Celery - One in every box. 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. Coriander - Bunch in every box. If you have not yet tried the roots in curry pastes, you should give it a go. They add a rich, full flavour. 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. Fennel - Saturday and Thursday boxes will receive 1 or 2 bulbs this week (more about that below). Garlic – I forgot to include it in the photo but there is a bulb for every box. "Lazy Lettuce" – We will continue to harvest the lazy lettuce until the planting is done. This is the bag of mixed lettuce leaves. Although it has been washed and spun dry, it should be washed before eating. Onions – We will be harvesting onions this week - 'Red Burgundy' or 'Spanish White'. Potatoes – Harvesting red skinned 'Desiree'. Rocket – A bag in every box. Spinach – We are harvesting 'Perpetual Gator'. This was sold as a spinach that withstands heat...it is actually a really delicate silverbeet, wonderful raw and cooked. I am enjoying the slightly lemony flavour which makes it so light and refreshing. Works well with eggs and in zucchini ribbon salads. Tomatoes – We will do a post this week about all of the Tomato varieties we are growing. We have started to harvest the Romas and the 'Tommy Toes'. Please check the website for the post. We will continue to divide the harvest. Zucchini – Zucchini this week includes 'Nero di Milano' and 'Romanesco'.

NOTES ON WHAT'S GROWING We have fully picked the second planting of bush beans. We may be able to re-pick this week and the third planting might also be ready for picking. The 'Purple King' Climbing bean harvest continues as does the first and second plantings of cucumbers and zucchini. The first panting of zucchini has slowed down and the second is only just starting. If your box does not contain zucchini this week, that is why.

When fennel does not have adequate water, it goes to seed, leaving a very woody stem inside the bulb. Part of the fennel planting was on the edge of a bed. The combination of wind blowing the irrigation and lack of rain has left that part of the bed drier then the rest, which resulted in part of the planting bolting (going to seed) early. Thursday boxes missed out on the last harvest of fennel in December, so they will be receiving the fennel this week with Saturday pick up boxes. Sorry Tuesday share holders!! There is another planting of fennel planted and two more in the greenhouse.

Peter thinks the first planting of corn may ready in the next week or so!

We have some dill available. If you would like a bunch please email Robin (robinjkoster@gmail.com) or send a text 0434002130. Saturday pick-ups, please let me know first thing Saturday morning. Tuesday boxes, please let me know by Monday 7am and Thursday boxes by Wednesday 7am. I am unsure how many bunches are left in the planting so... first come, first served no matter what your day is.

Carrots (from left to right) - 'Scarlet Nantes', 'Deep Purple' and 'Atomic Red'

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.

GROWING... We are looking for someone to work with us on a full-time basis. The successful applicant will be a hard worker, will have vegetable and/or fruit farming experience and will be expected to work unsupervised in planting, weeding, harvesting and packing vegetables and herbs. General farm skills, knowledge of fruit tree maintenance, an understanding of time management and experience as a farm labourer would be an advantage. If you or someone you know is interested, please email a resume and/or contact us for further information petercarlyon@gmail.com. This position does not include farm accommodation.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Crunchy Salad Spinach and Feta Triangles - Perfect for beach picnics! Nikki Fisher's Beetroot, Rocket, Walnut and Feta Salad Spaghetti Vongole - Mixed Seafood

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