Last Harvest 2021 Season, Week #29 | La Finquita del Buho CSA

Leeks
fennel
radicchio
Parsley or lemongrass
broccoli
Cabbage or cauliflower
lettuce
green tomatoes or tomatillos
hot peppers
winter squash
Ornamental gourd or small pumpkin for decorating your home

It is hard to believe but this is the last harvest of the regular season for 2021. We are busy trying to finish up the last details of a long season. We still have garlic to get in the ground, greenhouse beds to plant and old withered plants to get out of the ground. We can count some successes and some difficulties as with any farming year. The extreme heat and drought caused lasting damage to production and gave some pests a free pass. We will spend some time trying to plan for next season and hopefully also get a little time to rest.

Speaking of rest, that does not come yet as we head into the winter share next weekend. We will drop to weekly harvests from biweekly and then in December shift to every other week. During our time “off” we will complete needed projects around the farm and plan for 2022. I get the amazing task of ordering all the seeds and planning which varieties were smash hits and which can be abandoned. Now is the time to chime in, if you loved something let me know. Here are some of my personal notes:

Spring lettuce line up was great
Chinese Broccoli was plenty with three long beds in narrow single rows
Sugar snap peas need protection from birds and flea beetles
Cucumber varieties that are productive and delicious: Tasty green, unagi, beit alpha
Trellis that Juve created was great for cukes – do it again for tasty green only
Plant hot peppers in more than one green house and not next to tomatoes
Indoor tomatoes: new girl, pink wonder,cosmonaut, bolseno, both cherry varieties were great
Caged tomatoes were at good distance and were great, less heirloom, more paste, mountain magic and cherry.
Spring broccoli was good, heat resistant varieties needed, stay on the aphids
Find new brassica area
Wheat needs protection from birds
Cherry tomato line up was great – supernova, blush, were great new varieties and the grape red are late but oh so sweet.
Plant radishes like daikon in early august under cover (need lighter remay)
Invest in the best melon varieties – especially watermelon (seedless) Torpedo was a nice individual melon.

I could go on, but I am getting a bit too technical. Send me your thoughts especially about what you liked and what you would like to see more or less of.

We still have a few slots for the Thanksgiving harvest November 21. The cost is $40 and is to be pre-paid. Send me an email or text if interested. We will have our annual sale of holiday wreaths, bird feeders and ceramics the Friday following Thanksgiving. I am moving on to ceramics so now is the time to place orders for holiday gift giving. I will aim to have orders ready by December 19.

It is a fine time to let us know about your intentions for the 2022 season . We have all learned that life is unpredictable. We do not know the future and yet we have to plan now for what our farm can offer next year. Let us know if you plan to continue your subscription. We would love your deposit of $100 to help us continue our 23 year farming adventure.

Here are some recipes to enjoy this week:

Lentil and Green Tomato Stew:

https://www.thekitchn.com/green-tomato-fi-4-36015

Curried Winter Squash Soup: