Birdsfoot Farm

Dear All,
I just came in from the gardens.  I was going to harvest the last round at 6.30, but then Steve called me in for warm dinner and I could not resist and than it is harder to get going again.  I got under the netting to harvest broccoli first, just before dark and kale in weaning light.  Then came the eggplant in starlight.  It was a very sensual experience, hugging each plant to feel for good size fruit and then cutting it off and putting it in the box, glistening in the starlight, shiny fruits they are.  The tree frogs and other chirping gave a symphony and it was so beautiful out in perfect temperature and air.  We harvested 600lb of tomatoes today, since we did not get all of them last Friday.  They are so pretty and so many of them.  I love this time of year when the harvest comes in so strong . It is the reward of   all the years hard work.  The woodchucks are still eating the head lettuce and we are in between potato crops.  But there are eggplants and beets and tomatoes of course. 

As far as recipes go I would like to repeat the idea of gliders:
cut summer squash or zucchini in 1/4 " slices,
cut tomato slices and lay on top of zucchini slice,
put salt and pepper on the tomato slice,
add a slice of cheese,
 add a leaf of basil and carefully  put gliders in a frying pan and fry with the lid on or on a cookie sheet and bake till all soft and melted. 
They glide down your throat and you want more and more.
Have a wonderful evening, I am going home to relax
Dulli

Dear All,
It's Friday morning the best day of the work week and we are about to descend on the gardens for the last few things to pick for another wonderful box to go out to you.  Thanks for the rains that made everything so happy, very different growth after a rain than from marginal irrigation.  We are putting in large plantings of Mixed Greens to have plenty for fall when the growth slows or stops and they just sit and waiting to be cut(to be honest, they probably sit and hope not to be cut).  We finished weeding the fall carrots for the second time and are filling in any gaps with little head lettuce transplants on rainy days.  The head lettuce at the other part of the garden is just totally shredded and chewed up by the wood chucks and so is the cilantro.  Interesting that they prefer head lettuce to mixed greens.  So you are getting Mixed Greens for a little while till the next batch of head lettuce comes on.  I am using the cool little infrared sensing deter spray device I got in the spring.  It works as follows :something warm in most cases me comes along and sets off the alarm and starts the hose to sent water to the spray nozzle which will spray 360 water around for 30 seconds and stop (getting me soaked) and scare off woodchucks .  With all the other watering I often forgot to put it on, but now I can put and leave on .   
Here is an opportunity for blueberry picking.  Paul is an old friend of the farm and we would like to promote his berries:

Loads of blueberries!! A blueberry grower in Pierrepont reports an abundance of berries this year, with excellent picking right now. While it is not a U-pick farm, CSA members are invited to pick at $3.50 per quart (plus all you can eat...). By appointment only, so please leave a message for Heron Hetzler at 315.386.1443 Paul Hetzler Horticulture and Natural Resources Educator Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County 2043B State Route 68 Canton, NY 13617 (315) 379-9192 ext. 232 Fax (315) 379-0926 Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities. And here another opportunity for mushrooms from Bob: Special offer to Birdsfoot CSA members, fresh to you each week from North Woods Shitake. Bob Wagner of Hermon raises these meaty mushrooms naturally - outdoors on Red oak logs and other hardwoods with ZERO chemical pesticides or fungicides. Shitake mushrooms keep fine for at least a week in a closed paper bag in your fridge and only dry out a bit. Bob offers a weekly half-pound bag (about 2 dozen caps) for just $5. The total cost for a 6-week season (ending in late September or early Oct.) of three pounds minimum will be $30, payable when you receive your first bag of shiitakes. Just send Bob a text at 315 244 0134, or email: [email protected] to reserve your shiitakes now! Quantities limited – so requests are filled ‘first-come-first-served.’   and while we are promoting today, we have a lot of basil coming in for 1/2lb $10 and 1lb for $16. I will call you as tomatoes are coming in for canning. Please let me know if you are interested in basil. peace, Dulli