CSA Week 10

Hi everyone,
Another week, another bag! A cooler start to August than I was expecting, but it's made for pleasant working weather.

Here's the list for this week:
Salad Mix
Swiss Chard
Scallions (aka Green Onions)
Cherry Tomatoes
Tomatoes
Summer Squash
Beans (mixed colors) for some
Cilantro
Hot Peppers (the dark green ones are Poblanos and the pointy yellow/orange ones are Hungarian Hotwax- both are medium spicy)

You probably already saw this in the email we sent out or on the slip of paper in your bags, but please make sure to wash your tomatoes before eating them. The weather conditions are ripe for outbreaks of Late Blight (the disease that killed all the potatoes in the Irish Potato Famine- a really nasty fungus) and we're using an organix spray to try and protect our tomatoes, which are particularly susceptible. It's a copper fungicide and is permitted for use in organic farming, but it's probably a good idea to rinse off any residue.
We always want to let you know whenever we use anything out of the ordinary because that transparency is an important part of our relationship with our CSA members. And it's one of the main advantages of small farms being directly in contact with their consumers- this way you can know all the details about how your food is produced and what if any sprays or fertilizers are being put on your vegetables.

Tomatoes with Late Blight- yuck!

Not too much else to report from the farm. A little rain and some warmer weather would be good right about now- and I think we're at least going to get the precipitation.

Also, I wanted to let you know about the new Sidehill Farmers Butcher Shop in Manlius. I'm not personally a big meat eater, but I have to admire the stuff they have in there. The meat is locally raised and cut to order, and they have prepared meals cooked daily and ready to pick up at the shop.

Also, they bring in some produce from local farms as well as milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese and flour all produced locally. And then they have some unique things like lard and natural pet food.

It's really cool! This is the way to buy and consume meat- you know where the animals were raised, the butcher is right in the shop and cuts the meat to your specifications and you can walk away feeling really good about the whole exchange. I still don't think I'm going to be a big meat eater, but if I do decide to buy some, this is where I want to purchase it. You should stop in sometime- it's in the plaza behind Sno-top in Manlius, right next to the Subway shop.