Farm Share 2008 Week 4

I can't believe it's our fourth farm share already! Before I reveal this week's bounty, though, I'll recap our exciting holiday weekend.

Friday was absolutely perfect weather-wise. Sunny, but not at all humid. As long as I stayed in the shade I was totally comfortable outside, which I usually don't feel until around... October. Earlier in the week, I had bought the kids an inflatable pool and a slip 'n slide. The pool was a big hit, but they couldn't quite figure out how to really move along on the slip 'n slide and I wasn't in the mood to demonstrate for them.

Saturday, we went to Sebago to visit my friend Todd and his family. Todd is in the Army and is not around very often, so it's a rare treat to get to hang out with him. My two girls are 2 and 5 and Todd and Judy have two boys that are 2 and 5, so the kids had a lot of fun playing together. My kids were pretty tentative about swimming in the lake at first, but they eventually got over it and it was hard getting the little one to get out when it was time for lunch. I don't know if it was the sun, all the laughing or the Miller Lite, but I fell asleep at around the same time as the kids that night and got 11 hours of shut-eye for the first time in a long time.

Sunday, I spent most of the morning in a cleaning frenzy and got rid of lots of things that kids hopefully won't miss. Later in the afternoon, we all went out to Toot's for ice cream and then walked some of it off along the Royal River. We found the old tree that Todd, Eric and I used to swing out into the river from some 15+ years ago. The climbing pegs are still stuck in the tree, but the remains of the ropes are hanging from branches that don't look too sturdy any more.

When we got home that night, I took a peek in my abandoned garden and discovered that I actually had SOME radishes that had reached an edible size. Another lesson learned for next year: thin out my radishes or they will never plump up! My pumpkin and watermelon aren't doing too badly either, and I thought there might still be hope for my carrots and beets so I did some weeding Sunday and Monday nights after the kids were put to bed. Tonight was too muggy to be out there, but it's going to take me at least a week of weeding to get things back in order.

I've got plenty of radishes from my farm share, so I gave these ones to my grandfather. His radishes were a total flop this year, so just like when it comes time to put venison in the freezer, the old man has to rely on the young pup to take care of business!

Speaking of farm shares... here's what the girls picked up today:

1. beets

2. kohlrabi

3. kale

4. bok choi

5. red-and-green leaf lettuce

6. scallions

7. broccoli

8. a colorful assortment of radishes

9. dill

10. cilantro

Last week, Angela made a great "kohl slaw" using just kohlrabi and radishes, so we'll definitely be having that again this week.

Comments

[Lisa Belisle]

We go for our farmshare today. You guys seem to be getting everything just a bit ahead of us--wonder if things are growing better inland, as opposed to coastal Freeport?