CSA SUMMER SHARE WEEK #10This is the time of year of making big compost piles and planning the green manure crops for winter. And then there is the huge harvests still to come of storage onions, sweet potatoes, potatoes and pumpkin. The weekly harvests and plantings for the Autumn share and there is still plenty of weeding to keep us busy!

We have had several members let us know how the box is working for them and send through recipes that they have enjoyed. We really appreciate the feedback (as we start planning for next season in April) and the tested recipes are a great addition to our newsletter! Please email or talk to us on the farm. We really do want to know what you are enjoying and what you find more challenging to work with.

NOTES ON WHAT'S GROWING We have been bringing in parasitic wasps to combat the many caterpillars in the crops at this time of year. Even though they work on the eggs of the corn borers, you may still find the caterpillars in the tops of your corn. Although they can make a mess, it is usually pretty simple to just cut off the top and have the rest of the untouched ear for yourself!

The cherry tomato crop is open for U-picking during farm pick up times! Late summer is a great time to see the farm with late blooming sunflower rows, 2m high corn stalks, Autumn brassicas, beans, Autumn peas germinating, the pumpkins ripening, chickens in the buckwheat green manure crop...It looks fantastic and abundant! Please bring your own containers. Limit a 1 kilo bucket per family.

Farm pickup is 2-5pm Fridays and 8-11am Saturdays. Box pickup is available at other times by appointment only. U-pick is only available during farm pick up times.

Our third zucchini crop is flowering. We hope that the cooler nights still allow the fruit to set so that we can keep having it for another month!

Although the tomatoes have slowed a bit with the cooler nights, the plants are still healthy and producing.

The second cucumber planting is succumbing to powdery mildew so there is quite a reduction in cucumbers this week. It is hard to say how long the planting will continue for. The third planting was really hit by the winds last week and although it has begun to flower, we are unsure if it will bear fruit.

We welcomed a new intern to the farm last week! Sapote Hudd heralds from NSW. She will be with us through Autumn.

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. We envisage that many of the vegetables you are receiving this week will last for two weeks with careful attention to storing upon arrival. Although we do wash all the greens after harvest, we are washing to take the heat out of the plants and wash away some surface dirt, not to prepare them for consumption. We also spray a seaweed/herb brew about every ten days. While this will not harm you, it does have a taste. We do suggest washing your produce prior to eating.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week. Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop. The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is. We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly. 1/4 share: 5-7 items 1/2 share: 8-10 items Full Share: 10-12 itemsBeans – Green and/or Yellow. Capsicum Carrots Chilies Celery Corn Cucumbers Lettuce Onions Parsley Potatoes Radishes

Tomatoes

Extras Cherry Tomatoes Chilies Eggplant Melons Pumpkin

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Cream of Celery Soup Carrot and Radish with a Moroccan Dressing Lentil Stew

You can search our recipes by looking for the key ingredients on our website recipe page

Please note - Photo is a randomly selected full share box except fot the whole pumpkin (full shares received 1/3).