Austin 2016 Summer Farm Share/CSA – Week 10

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Mark

This is 10th and final week of the Summer season for our CSA Farm Share.  Hard to remember 20 weeks ago when our Spring season began and the cool temperatures were slowing down the garden growth.  How we’d love a couple days of that right now!

As the Summer season ends, the start of the Fall season is just a month away.  We’ll have a limited number of shares available during the 4 week gap for those who can pick up at Svantes in Round Rock or who live in Taylor, Hutto, Pflugerville, and Round Rock.  For Fall, we’ll offer our usual full delivery route from Bee Cave to Elgin, Austin to Liberty Hill. If you haven’t signed up for Fall, we urge you to do that now and take advantage of the discount for those who sign up and pay before the season starts.  Contact us if you’re interested in the “gap” mini-season.

Here’s our expected harvest this week:

Full Share: Squash, Cucumber, Basil, Onions, Melon, Okra, Winter squash, Black eyed peas, Extra melon, Tomatoes or eggplant, Pea sprouts, Peppers

Half Share: Squash, Cucumber, Basil, Onions, Melon, Okra, Winter squash, Peppers

Check back later this week for a photo as we harvest and pack shares

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Austin 2016 Summer Farm Share/CSA – Week 9

Posted on August 2, 2016 by Mark

Here’s our expected harvest this week:

Full Share – 2 Melons, Onions, Cucumbers, Okra, 2 Winter squash, Rosemary, Peppers, Squash, Marigolds, Tomatoes, Eggplant or extra peppers, Sunflower or pea sprouts, Basil

Half Share – Melon, Onion, Cucumber, Okra, Winter squash, Rosemary, Peppers, Squash, Basil

Blessing Falls Summer Week 9 Full Share: Small melon, tomatoes, marigolds, large watermelon, eggplant, onions, okra, Rosemary, basil, peppers, sunflower sprouts, winter squash, cucumbers, squash

Blessing Falls Summer Week 9 Full Share: Small melon, tomatoes, marigolds, large watermelon, eggplant, onions, okra, Rosemary, basil, peppers, sunflower sprouts, winter squash, cucumbers, squash

We are so excited that everyone will get a watermelon this week! Some of our melons are actually a yellow variety so if you happen to get one of them, just know that it’s ripe and supposed to be yellow!

Recipe

We love this refreshing watermelon slush! It’s a delicious way to use your huge watermelons!

Watermelon Slush Recipe

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Austin 2016 Summer Farm Share/CSA – Week 8

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Mark

Fall planting continues as we hope for a little rain this week.  We’re grateful for the showers in the area that have reduced the temperatures a little and the clouds that shade the ground and slow the evaporation.  We’ve had just a few sprinkles so far, which is more than normal for July.  A downpour would be a wonderful extra blessing.

Here’s our expected harvest this week:

Full Share – Sunflower sprouts, Squash, Cucumbers, 2 Winter squash, Large Melon, Okra, Peppers (double portion), Tomatoes, Eggplant, Garlic, Onions, Basil,

Half Share – Sunflower sprouts, Squash, Cucumber, Winter squash, Melon, Okra, Peppers, Onions, Basil

Blessing Falls Summer Week 8 Full Share: Tomatoes, sunflower sprouts, watermelon, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, garlic, onions, squash, basil, okra, winter squash

Blessing Falls Summer Week 8 Full Share: Tomatoes, sunflower sprouts, watermelon, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, garlic, onions, squash, basil, okra, winter squash

Recipe

Spaghetti Squash with Herbs and Feta

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized spaghetti squash
  • 1 t. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 t. garlic powder
  • 1/8 t. black pepper
  • 1/4 t. kosher salt
  • 1 T. fresh flat leaf parsley
  • 1 T. fresh basil
  • 1 T. fresh oregano
  • 1 t. lemon zest
  • 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray.
  3. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, spray the flesh with cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Roast the squash on the middle rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes.
  5. Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool long enough so that you can handle it.
  6. Using a fork, scrape the flesh out and put it in a bowl.
  7. Add the remaining ingredients to the squash and stir everything together.
  8. Serve immediately.
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Austin 2016 Summer Farm Share/CSA – Week 7

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Mark

Our Texas summer heat is in full force now and the garden is fighting its way through as best it can. Some veggies are thriving in this weather such as melons and Armenian cucumbers. Others are struggling. Tomatoes and peppers don’t fruit well in this heat. The plants have a great root system that has been established since the spring so when the weather begins to cool they will be ready to fruit again.

This week our harvest is less than usual due to the heat. CSA members experience the ups and downs of the farm together with us and understand how weather patterns effect the harvest.  We’re supplementing shares this week with some produce grown by some of our local farming friends. Your potatoes were grown by Skinny Lane Farm in Elgin and some of the okra and spaghetti squash were grown at the Bernhardt’s farm also in Elgin.

Fall planting had begun this week as we look forward to cooler temps. In the meantime we are doing everything we can to beat the heat! We are growing some sunflower and pea sprouts to supplement shares in the coming weeks!  We trust you’ll still have plenty for your summer meals.  Thanks for participating with us in this farming season!

Here’s our expected harvest this week:

Full Share: Tomatoes or Eggplant, Squash, Cucumber, Melon, Potatoes, Basil, Okra, Peppers, Onions, Winter squash, Rosemary

Half Share: Squash, Cucumber, Melon, Basil, Okra, Peppers, Onions, Winter squash, Rosemary

Blessing Falls Summer Week 7 Full Share: Armenian cucumber, tomatoes, melon, winter squash, peppers, basil, garlic, onions, squash, Rosemary, potatoes, okra

Blessing Falls Summer Week 7 Full Share: Armenian cucumber, tomatoes, melon, winter squash, peppers, basil, garlic, onions, squash, Rosemary, potatoes, okra

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Austin 2016 Summer Farm Share/CSA – Week 6

Posted on July 11, 2016 by Mark

All the new turkeys made it through the week.  They’re growing and trying to fly.  We’ll move them out to the pasture coop next week.  It’s shaded and offers protection from chicken hawks and owls.   In a few more weeks after they’re too big for a hawk to take down, we’ll open the coop and let them free range.

Here’s our expected harvest this week:

Full Share: Melon, Peppers, 2 Squash, Okra, Tomatoes, 2 Onions, Basil, winter squash, Lemon balm, Cucumber, Marigolds, Eggplant or extra peppers, Garlic, Rosemary

Half Share: Melon, Peppers, Squash, Okra, Winter squash or tomatoes,  Onions, Basil, Cucumber or extra peppers, Lemon balm, Garlic

Blessing Falls Summer Week 6 Farm Share: Okra, marigolds, tomatoes, squash, lemon balm, peppers, garlic, basil, Rosemary, Armenian cucumber, peppers (or eggplant), winter squash, watermelon, onions

Blessing Falls Summer Week 6 Farm Share: Okra, marigolds, tomatoes, squash, lemon balm, peppers, garlic, basil, Rosemary, Armenian cucumber, peppers (or eggplant), winter squash, watermelon, onions

Recipe

Waste not, want not! Watermelon Rind Pickles!

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Austin 2016 Summer Farm Share/CSA – Week 5

Posted on July 4, 2016 by Mark

poultsThe turkeys arrived safe and sound and are settling in well.  Three of the original 16 have died, which is about the usual attrition rate the first week, unfortunately.  A fourth is growing slowly but is eating OK so hopefully will strengthen.  The rest are growing quickly, running around, and look very healthy.  These are heritage breeds – Black Spanish, Bourbon Red, and Royal Palm and will be raised on pasture.  As you can see we won’t have a great many this year so let us know soon if you’re interested in reserving a turkey for Thanksgiving.  We’ll get back to you about a deposit after these are safely past the 3-4 week period when they are most fragile.

Here’s our expected harvest this week:

Full Share: Okra, Potatoes (2 lbs), Basil, Squash, Cucumber, Onions, Eggplant, Peppers, Tomatoes, Garlic, Edible marigolds, Melon, Garlic chives, Rosemary

Half Share: Okra, Potatoes (2 lbs), Basil, Squash or cucumber, Onions, Eggplant, Peppers, Tomatoes, Garlic

Blessing Falls Summer Week 5 Farm Share: Marigolds, cucumber, potatoes (from Skinny Lane Farm), tomatoes, melon, onions, garlic, eggplant, garlic chives, squash, Rosemary, Thai chilies, basil, okra

Blessing Falls Summer Week 5 Farm Share: Marigolds, cucumber, potatoes (from Skinny Lane Farm), tomatoes, melon, onions, garlic, eggplant, garlic chives, squash, Rosemary, Thai chilies, basil, okra

Recipe

This week’s share will feature Basil.  Here’s a post from an earlier season sharing several ways to cook with basil along with tomatoes and garlic.

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Austin 2016 Summer Farm Share/CSA – Week 4

Posted on June 27, 2016 by Mark

We’re expecting our turkey poults to arrive this week.  They are of various heritage breeds and should be just days old when they arrive – in the mail!  Hopefully we’ll have a photo next week.  After these are a few weeks old, we’ll take orders to reserve your holiday turkey.

Winter Squash?

We have “winter” squash in our summer shares this year.  You may ask: Winter?  in June in Texas?  Well winter squash just means a variety that will keep for several weeks or even a couple months in cool, dry storage.  They are usually harvested in fall and stored.  That way you can have garden produce even in the dead of winter.  They grow year-round and we have them now and should continue to have various types through the fall.  So if you have extra produce in your share, you might set aside the winter types, knowing you can use them at your leisure.  Many summer vegetables won’t keep long so it’s best to use them quickly, while these winter varieties will give you more flexibility in meal planning.

Here’s our expected harvest this week:

Full Share: Squash, 3 winter squash, Basil, Okra, 2 Tomatoes, 3 onions, Eggplant, Peppers, Melon, Cucumber, 2 Garlic

Half Share: 2 winter squash, Basil, Okra, Tomatoes, 3 onions, Eggplant, Peppers, Garlic

Blessing Falls Farm Share Summer Week 4, Cucumber, squash, tomatoes, watermelon, eggplant, okra, onions, garlic, peppers (Thai chilies), basil, tomatoes, winter squash (acorn)

Blessing Falls Farm Share Summer Week 4, Cucumber, squash, tomatoes, watermelon, eggplant, okra, onions, garlic, peppers (Thai chilies), basil, tomatoes, winter squash (acorn)

Recipe

We love pickled red onions and we are planning to make some homemade this week! Here’s an easy recipe you can try too:  Quick Pickled Red Onions

Updates Throughout the Week

Check out our Instagram (@blessingfallsfarm) or Facebook page to keep up with our farm.

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