Middle of the Lake

A plentiful harvest at Native Hill Farm! (Photo by Claire Burnett)

Hello Folks,
And happy end-o-July!  Ok, if your a teacher, you are probably rather annoyed, but for a farmer, the end of July marks the middle of the lake.  After this week, we can stop pushing the rock up the hill and start the gentle decline of the rest of the season.  Not that the hard work stops here, au contrair, we still have A MASSIVE amount of food to get out of the fields but much of the babying, worrying, and heat waves will be seen from the review mirror of the tractor so to speak.  The last week in July has been busy with much of the late fall transplanting. The last of the fall broccoli, storage kohlrabi, napa cabbage, and chicories have gone into the ground and while there is still much seeding left, the fall beets and carrots have germinated, and much is as it should be this time of year.  If you are keeping score on the wildlife vs. NHF Olympic games, the current event is the tomato race and the score is tied. Once we covered the lettuce, the deer decided that the tomatoes were looking awfully enticing.  We have to get them out of the tomato tunnels before the deer can start nibbling on the ripe ones.  If I had to guess, they must be Russian deer (no offense to any decedents) as they cheat and have the audacity to stroll in the tunnels in broad daylight.  Need to make a call to the embassy.

Native Hill Farm Interns working hard to lay drip lines. (photo by Claire Burnett)

Here in Colorado, our season for fruits is so short that I feel like it is a race to see how much I can eat while it is here.  Mouth sores are ignored as acidic summer fruits are made part of every meal.  I have two lunches that I tend to obsess over this time of year.  They are practically identical except I tend to alternate between heirloom tomatoes and fresh peaches.  First is a bed of head lettuce.  Then add some lemon cucumber, a few slices of fatty heirloom tomatoes or delicious peaches.  Top with basil and some fresh mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil and sticky balsamic reduction glaze.  Some times I use goat cheese with the peaches...Green beans are here to stay for a while.  Lovely steamed until brilliant green and served with good salt.  Butter is optional. Purple potatoes are a fun and a treat this week. They might even make your kids squeal.  We don't have many, so don't procrastinate.  Cheery tomatoes are just starting.  Sun golds are sweet enough to get a scolding from your dentist, but maybe get an extra pint for her to ease the finger wagging. Don't store any tomatoes in the fridge, but don't store them long on  your counter either.  Just eat them quickly and often.

Join us for chicken and given at the Farm House this Sunday from 5-7!  The Poudre Valley Community Farms board will be the to share the table and enjoy the finger licking goodness.  Don't eat fried chicken?  You can order off the menu as well.  A portion of the proceeds goes to the Land Cooperative and it is the last July date, so come on down!

See you soon!

Katie

This Week's Harvest
Kale
Chard
Head Lettuce
Salad Mix
Beets
Carrots
Sweet Onions
Cucumbers
Summer Squash
New Potatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Green Bean
Bell Peppers
Eggplant
Basil
Garlic