We’re harvesting three new veggies for you this week! The first of these is our Salt and Pepper cucumbers. They get their name from the fact that they produce white to light green cucumbers with black spines which can be seen in the photo above. These specialty cucumbers are a pickling variety that is perfect for your next batch of dill or sweet pickles. Or, you can snack on them with your favorite dip like Farmer Anna! You can find these cucumbers at the Farm Stand. 

After a curing period in the greenhouse, the first spaghetti squash will be available for you in limited quantities this Saturday! Since spaghetti squash is a storage squash, you don’t have to enjoy it right away. It can be stored in a cool, dry place for 1-2 months. Curious where this squash gets its name? Once you cook the flesh, it becomes stringy and looks similar to spaghetti noodles. Farmer Anna recommends cutting your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds, then roasting the halves cut side down on a baking sheet until very tender. Scoop the flesh out and toss it with some butter and fresh herbs for an easy side dish. 

Have you ever eaten celeriac? Sometimes referred to as “celery root”, celeriac (pictured below) is a variety of celery grown for the bulbous stem rather than the stalks. It has a sweet and mild celery flavor with a texture similar to a turnip or a potato. Before using celeriac, make sure to cut away the fibrous outer skin and roots. If you’d like to enjoy it raw, try thinly slicing it and adding it to salads. Or, you can sear thick slices of celeriac and enjoy them in sandwiches or burgers. Make sure to pick some up at the Farm Stand so you can try it this weekend!

In Season at the Farm Stand: Spaghetti Squash (limited), Cherry and Slicing Tomatoes, Banana Peppers, Bell Peppers, Onions, Celeriac, Celery, Summer Squash, Leeks, Cucumbers, Kale, Basil, Cilantro, and Cut Flower Bouquets (limited and only on Saturdays).

We’re almost ready to make our first spaghetti squash harvest! These squashes are ready for harvest once their skin turns yellow and has toughened up enough to pass the thumbnail test. This is a simple process that involves pressing your thumbnail against the skin of the squash. If it leaves a dent, the squash isn’t ready for harvest. Once harvested, we’ll be curing our spaghetti squashes in the greenhouse to allow their skins to toughen further and prepare them for storage. We can’t wait to pair them with some of our tomatoes!

As we transition from spring to summer on the farm, we’ll be gradually phasing out our remaining spring crops. The first of these to make their way out of season will be our collard greens, beets, and green garlic. Make sure to stock up on what we have left at the Farm Stand because you won’t see these again until winter/spring. Luckily, we have plenty of summer veggies to take their place like our tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and squashes!

Remember the artichoke seeds that we soaked and planted at the beginning of the year? You can see what the plants look like now in the photo below! Since this is an experimental crop, we have them planted in a small section of one of our beds. Our hope is to see them begin flowering soon as these plants have a tendency to go dormant in very hot temperatures. Even if we aren’t able to harvest any artichokes, this has been an insightful experiment from which we’ve been able to glean knowledge for future plantings!

In Season at the Farm Stand: Slicing Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Purple Bell Peppers, Banana Peppers, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Leeks, Onions, Celery, Kale, Carrots, Beets (last chance), and Green Garlic (last chance).

Flowers and Mother's Day are a near perfect combo and we will have a few special bouquets available at this Saturday's Farm Stand (while supplies last). If you can't make it this Saturday, we invite you to come out and see them in person at our next Farm Tour on Saturday, May 20th at 10:30am! Since we’re in tomato season, we’ll be discussing all of our different tomato varieties in addition to how short their season is in our climate. You’ll also get to enjoy some samples! We hope to see you there!

Last week we planted two different specialty cucumber varieties: Mexican Sour Gherkins and Salt and Pepper cucumbers. The Mexican Sour Gherkin, sometimes called a “cucamelon”, produces small grape-sized fruits that resemble tiny watermelons with a sour cucumber flavor. If you look at the photo above, you’ll see one of the first tiny yellow blooms of this variety! Salt and Pepper cucumbers get their name from the fact that they produce white fruits with black spines. This variety yields fruits that are about 3-5 inches long with a mildly sweet flavor. We can’t wait to share these fascinating crops with you!

We’re already beginning to see the first spaghetti squashes maturing in the field! Since spaghetti squashes are grown as a storage (winter) squash, we wait to harvest them until their outer skin hardens and they turn from green to yellow. If you look at the squash in the photo above, you’ll notice that it’s in the process of turning yellow. Once harvested, spaghetti squashes have to be cured in the greenhouse in order to allow their skin to toughen up and prepare them for storage. We expect to have the first spaghetti squashes for you in about a month!

In Season at the Farm Stand: Flower Bouquets (this Saturday only!), Tomatoes, Purple Bell Peppers, Banana Peppers, Cucumbers (pickling and slicing), Summer Squashes (Zephyr, Magda, and Zucchini), Bulb Onions, Leeks, Green Garlic, Celery, Kale, Collards, Cabbage, and Beets

As much as I love pasta, it can sometimes feel a little too heavy in the middle of summer. Spaghetti squash makes a great pasta stand-in that is both grain free and incredibly delicious. After being roasted the squash is scooped away from the skin and tossed with pesto, fresh tomatoes, and creamy cannellini beans.