Farming -- It Takes a Village

Hello Friends!

With the help of modern medicine (big doses of ibuprofen to the rescue!), Bill’s back is feeling quite a bit better. He still can’t really lift anything, and he’s avoiding too much bending, but at least he can now put on his own socks and shoes!

We had a great response to the cry for harvest help! Five people have said they’d come out for a portion of Thursday and Friday. Whoo-hoo! We are so grateful for the help, and we know more of you would have come out if it weren’t for work-week obligations. Of course, with people coming out, I guess I’ll have to clean the bathroom …

This past week has been primo weather for the cool season crops. When you come out to the market on Saturday, you will see a stunning array of fall veggies. Did you see the spread last week? It was our BIGGEST WEEK aside from two tomato weekends in August. We were floored by the amount of people that came out and the amount of vegetables that we sold – THREE TIMES what we sold on the same Saturday last year. Whoa. We plan to bring just as much this week, so please come out!! We have only FOUR MORE WEEKS of the market, and you don’t want to miss a single one. The last market is on Saturday, October 25.

What’s on this week’s menu? I’ll list everything below, but let me highlight some of the most exciting items. First, the salad mix. Ahhh. We’ve been eating it just about every day. Our kids (ages 4 and 5) eat it by the bowl-full, and then ask for seconds! What better testimonial could you have? Second, the head lettuces. The heads are just beautiful right now. Third, the four types of radishes. According to Bill, the French Breakfast radishes are awesome this week. They are in perfect condition and are much milder than usual because of the cool weather.

In addition to all that, we’ll be bringing a few butternut squash. Jackie at the Garlic Press has been very impressed with the flavor of the squash this season. (And it’s the first time we’ve brought them to the market in years – Bill usually isn’t so successful in growing them!) We’ll also have amazingly sweet and tasty carrots and parsnips. It’s root season – time to make roasted vegetables, pot roasts, and soup!

The rest of the greens will also be amazing! The arugula is in perfect condition as are the ruby streaks, collard greens, swiss chard, and kale. The various chois (bok choi, tatsoi) are also crisp and delicious. And if you can’t quite decide, pick up a bag of the mixed stir fry greens.

Bill had an ISU horticulture class come out for a tour this week, and he got to meet the new hort professor (Dr. Kopsell). Dr. Kopsell is a major fan of kale, telling his students that “it’s the healthiest vegetable you never eat.” He also noted that it has more betacarotene than carrots and more calcium than milk!

So we’re just moving into our fall routines out here. Bill and Pete have now ripped out all of the tomato plants, tilled under most of the warm-season crop beds, and planted cover crops (which are coming up already!). Pete got to “top” the brussel sprouts (which makes them mature at the top of the stalk rather than continuing to grow) – he had a great time chopping those heads off with a sharp knife. It was a bit of a samurai experience for him.

We also had our first bat-in-the-house experience. It was last Saturday night. We were sitting in the kitchen drinking beer with the Mitchells (of Mitchell Farm fame), and the kids were out in the living room watching a movie in the dark. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a fluttering shadow near the ceiling. I quickly realized that it was a bat. We were so excited! Fortunately, everyone in the house loves bats, as they are very useful little creatures (eating bugs, esp mosquitoes -- who doesn't love that??!!). We calmly herded the kids into the bathroom, and then Carson Mitchell (age 14) gently scooped the bat into a mason jar after it landed on our bed. He (the bat) was very small, perhaps only 4 inches in length. We let him out after taking pictures, which unfortunately did not turn out. Oh well. It was quite fun!

Here’s what we’ll be bringing to the market this week:

French Filet Beans
Traditional Green Beans
Dragon Tongue Beans
Eggplant
Beets (Traditional, Golden, and Chioggia)
Kale
Parsley
Swiss Chard
Cucumbers
Garlic
Leeks
Head Lettuce
Sweet Peppers
Bok Choi
Arugula
Ruby Streaks
Radishes (French Breakfast, Daikon, Rose Heart, and cute little red ones)
Japanese Turnips
Fennel
Apples
Grapes
Tatsoi
Stir Fry Greens
Celery Root
Parsnips
Carrots
Collard Greens

Bill will continue to deliver to the Garlic Press in Uptown Normal on Thursdays through the end of the season, but we’re done with Common Ground until 2009. So if you need Bill’s veggies prepared into a fabulous meal, Garlic Press is right down the road.

We’ll see you at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market on Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. – noon. BRING YOUR BAGS!!

Please let your friends know about the blog. Call us at 467-9228 or email us at blueschoolhouse@yahoo.com if you have questions.

Thanks!
Mercy Davison