We’re excited to report that we’ll have the first Korean melons of the season for you in the next week or two! When mature, these melons turn yellow with longitudinal white stripes. Korean melons are smaller in size than watermelons or muskmelons and can often be enjoyed in just one sitting! Both the flesh and the skin of these melons is edible and has a crisp texture with a moderately sweet, almost pear-like flavor. We can’t wait to share these delicious melons with you!

If you’ve ever been eager to enjoy the fruitiness of a habanero pepper without the intense heat getting in the way, we have just the pepper for you: the habanada! As these sweet peppers mature, they turn a beautiful peach color. They have a fruity and floral flavor with just a touch of smokiness. Habanadas are great for adding sweetness to hot sauce or salsa. We expect to have them for you at the Farm Stand in the next week or two. We can’t wait for you to try them!

Now that it’s officially the summer season, we’re focusing on planting high summer crops in the greenhouse. All of the varieties we’re seeding are able to withstand the intense heat this season can bring. So far we’ve planted summer greens like Malabar spinach (pictured above), molokhia, and amaranth. We also have the next successions of zucchini and eggplant started along with some specialty crops like roselle and Armenian cucumbers. We plan on getting these in the ground over the next few weeks as we cull our remaining late spring and early summer crops.

In Season at the Farm Stand: Cherry Tomatoes (limited), Slicing Tomatoes, Onions, Eggplant, Sweet Peppers, Banana Peppers, Long Beans, Summer Squashes, Leeks, Pickling Cucumbers, and Cut Flower Bouquets (limited and only on Saturdays).

Remember the Torpedo Korean melons we planted a little over a month ago? We made our first harvest this week! As you can see in the photo above, these melons are yellow with white stripes. Torpedo melons are what is referred to as a “personal sized” melon as they are much smaller in size. Both the flesh and the skin of these melons is edible and has a crisp texture with a moderately sweet, almost apple-like flavor. You could pair them with your favorite sorbet or ice cream for a delicious summer dessert. Or, you could try them in a simple salad with our Armenian cucumbers, mint leaves, and lime juice. Yum!

If you’ve ever wondered what a heatless Habanero pepper would taste like, we have just the pepper for you: the Habanada! These peachy colored peppers have a fruity and floral flavor with a hint of smokiness on the back end. They would be especially delicious in a batch of pepper jelly. Or, you could combine them with some of our hot peppers for a homemade batch of hot sauce! We highly recommend popping by the farm stand this weekend so you can take some home to experiment.

Oftentimes the first harvest of any crop can start slow until it really hits its stride. Our eggplants have been no exception this summer and we are harvesting quite the abundance! We have both Asian and Italian eggplant varieties. If you look at the photo below, the Asian eggplants are on the left side and are long and slender. The Italian eggplant is on the right and has a more rounded shape. Here are some of our favorite eggplant recipes:

• Miso Roasted Eggplant
• Grilled Eggplant with Peanut Ginger Sauce
• Crispy Baked Eggplant

In Season at the Farm Stand: Delicata Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Egyptian Spinach, Roselle Greens, Malabar Spinach, Sweet Peppers, Jalapenos, Habanada Peppers, Fresno Peppers, Cayenne Peppers, Bolivian Peppers, Okra, Armenian Cucumbers, Zucchini, Long Beans, Italian Eggplant, Asian Eggplant, and Basil.