4th week of June 2010

Sungold Cherry Tomato The first day of summer was a lovely sunny day with many firsts. We ate our first Sungold cherry tomato, devoured the first cucumber at lunch and enjoyed the opening of the first sunflower. Later in the week the first green beans were ripe, we picked the first Stupice tomato and the temperature and humidity reminded us that summer was truly here. You know it's hot when the kids start eating popsicles (made of fruit and yogurt) before lunch! Afternoons are spent by a fan or in the shade and we drip with sweat just by sitting there. Several thunderstorms brought needed rain plus some relief from the heat. Just before the rain we made the final planting of sweet corn. This is the first time in three or four years that I am planting sweet corn. Corn tends to gobble up space, soil nutrients and labor for the price per dozen. So in the past I just didn't have it available for veggie baskets and for our family meals I bought corn from an Amish neighbor. My justification this year is that it is planted in the area where the tractor can cultivate it, I wanted to use up some older seed that was in the freezer and I plan to use the stalks for making corn shocks. A fun side benefit will be enjoying sweet corn meals more frequently this summer and there may even be enough to freeze.

Blueberries, Cherries, Currants, Raspberries This is also the time of year when many fruit seasons deliciously collide. A few straggling strawberries are still available from our Amish friends and on the farm we are eating cherries, blueberries, mulberries, black raspberries and currants. Tonight I made a custard topped with a jumble of fruit, it was both beautiful and delicious. We have pitted and frozen countless bags of cherries, frozen several bags of currants and are carefully putting away a few precious blueberries for winter pancakes. Fresh fruit is an expensive treat when you watch prices for some of the delicate berries so it is a luxury to be able to eat our fill when the bushes and trees are loaded. We don't have plans for large scale fruit production but I am adding to the row of berries along the back of the garden for our family. The new red and purple raspberry plants and transplanted blueberries are coming along nicely. A thornless blackberry I planted a few years ago is absolutely loaded with berries that should ripen in a few weeks. Berries aren't space hogs or difficult to grow so every yard should have a few of these tasty treasures.

Herb Bread Some of our extra produce is being used for some delicous bartering. Last week while pitting cherries during my Lehmans demo, the lamp lady came by and offered to take home the cherries to make three pies and bring two for us. I couldn't pass up that offer and the pies were incredible. I'm also swapping extra herbs for dehydrating like tarragon, lemon verbena and thyme for left overs and "uglies" from an artisan bread baker at Local Roots. Here the little guy is enjoying one of her herb baguettes plus we've tried pumpernickel, light rye, cinnamon pecan and more. This time of year I do a better job of growing things than I do with baking so the kids are thrilled with the swaps and I love tasting the extra special things that don't normally fit our budget. With bartering, I think everyone ends up more blessed which is far better than the frustration of an overabundance that you can't sell. Somehow it's more fun figuring out a produce swap than dealing with dollars and cents. Currently I have piles of snow peas and sugar snap peas so if anyone has anything fun to barter, let me know!