First Frost

Hello Farm Friends,

Today it is balmy and I’m harvesting between thunder showers, but last weekend we had our first frost of the Season!

There are still so many tender crops that are late this year, I wasn’t ready to lose them, so I covered as much of the garden as I could and crossed my fingers. There is certainly lots of damage, but in most cases it was just on the tops or tips of the plants that froze so nothing fatal. I think even the field tomatoes were spared too much fruit damage, but it is definitely the beginning of the end, always a melancholy time in the garden, though it also brings a sort of peaceful calm.

The lovely beans that came so late were well protected and I was able to get another great harvest off them yesterday as I don’t like to harvest them wet. I’m hoping the warmer weather and rain this week will keep them producing a little longer. This variety is a French Filet Bean called Maxibel and it is the first time I have grown beans from my own seed. Last year, when we were a bit overwhelmed by beans, I decided to leave a section of one planting unharvested to try drying them for seed and although I didn’t manage to clean them all I did get enough to plant, it somehow makes them extra special as I don’t usually manage to fit seed saving into my routine. They are a bit wild for bush beans, so not quite as easy to harvest as some varieties, but they sure are productive and delicious.

The rain this week should also help our struggling lettuces, spinach and salad mix with a bit of a growth spurt but in the meantime I will harvest some green cabbages for everyone. We’ve got some fun pointy ones this week as well as the little round ones folks love.

I also pulled a ton of Basil before the Frost so for anyone who didn’t get extra last week, or even if you did, now’s your chance.

New for our CSA shares this week: French Fingerling Potatoes! I just love these simply sliced and roasted, the kids and I could eat them all Winter. Digging potatoes by hand is ridiculously inefficient though, so until they are old enough to help me, or I invest in more equipment, we will just have to enjoy them one in a while. I hope you do too.

Sincerely,
— Jenny

This Week’s Share:
🐾 Beans
🥔 Potatoes
🍅 Tomatoes
🥬 Kale, Chard, Fun Jen, or Bok Choi
🥬 Cabbage
🫑 Peppers or Cucumbers
🍆 Eggplant or Zucchini
🧄 Garlic
🌿 Herbs and Hot Peppers