Picket Fence Farm Newsletter #13

Picket Fence Farm Happenings
Season 2 Issue #13

What’s Happening on the Farm

We have had some cooler temps this week and we are starting to think about Fall! We have some pumpkins turning orange, although the crop hasn’t faired well this year (all the rain and weeds, I guess). Hopefully we will have enough for everyone to have one. We lost all of our winter squash, which is a major disappointment. We planted some fall spinach and lettuce this week, and the lettuce is up and growing already. We were able to make low tunnels to cover them. We have insect barrier on them now, and can add frost fabric when the weather turns colder (which hopefully won’t be for awhile). We were able to have the corn and potato fields plowed up this week...we need to get some green manure crops planted to improve soil and add nitrogen. Also on the agenda is to get our fruit trees protected from deer that like to munch on the leaves...we lost two peach trees last year to a buck scraping them and we don’t want that to happen again either!

What’s in the Box?

Tomatoes-Big Beef, Celebrity, Roma, Lemon Boy
Cherry Tomatoes, assorted varieties
Okra- Clemson Spineless
Cucumbers-Tendergreen, Diva, or Lemon
Some will have Zucchini - assort. varieties
Basil- Genovese
Chives-Garlic or Onion
Green Beans--**new crop for Friday pickups only, Saturday deliveries will receive them next week**

Recipe Ideas

Idea for Basil-- if you want to preserve for later use, chop up and freeze in ice cube trays with some water...use later in pasta sauce, pizza sauce, soups, etc.

Basil Pesto
This freezes well, use the ice cube tray trick again! Great on pasta or as a sauce for pizza.
1 cup packed basil leaves
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley, spinach, or additional basil
1/2 cup grated parmesan or Romano cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds
1 large clove of garlic, quartered
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil

In a blender or food processor, combine basil, parsley or spinach (if using), cheese, nuts, garlic, and salt. Cover and blend or pulse until a paste forms. With machine running slowly, gradually add oil and blend until it is the consistency of soft butter. Can refrigerate for 1 to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months.