This is the time of year when we are harvesting every last summer vegetable from the field.  The weather is still warm, but most of the summer crops have been producing for so long.  There will be bits of this and that as we clean the fields of the remainders of a wonderful summer harvest.  We don’t waste a thing.

You will see that some of the tomatoes are getting really ripe and will not hold as long as they had been.  You can easily freeze them for use in cooking this winter by washing, slicing and putting them in zip lock freezer bags.  That is it.  So easy and they will taste like summer when you take them from your freezer to use.  If you go to the farm website and look at the Photos section you will see that we are very proud and so happy to have such a great tomato harvest.  I think we each took a turn posing with a tomato. 

The Farm Festival is fast approaching, September 11 from 11-3.  Jen has done a fabulous job on the Farm Festival Newsletter and you can find it on the farm website www.stoneledgefarmny.org under the Newsletter listing.  If you are planning on attending please bring a dish to share, your own place setting and be ready for a great day at the farm.  There will be other local farmers and producers that are involved with the farm there as well.  The complete listing of those that will also have their products at the Farm Festival can be found in the Newsletter.  There is also a downloadable PDF order form for members that will be attending to order pastured meat and eggs from Heather Ridge Farm, our neighbors.  Please contact Heather Ridge directly if you would like to pre-order.

Enjoy the Vegetables-
Deborah for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

Fruit Share
Peaches
Donut Peaches
Bartlett Pears

Hi,
 
I signed up for a CSA share this year and I just wanted to tell you that I love it. The quality of veggies and fruits is so consistently superior that I quite wish I had known of it earlier. Nevertheless, I am happy to be finally part of it. J
 
I write a food blog at Fork Spoon Knife (www.forkspoonnknife.com) and inspired by the CSA baskets I have created a Farm to Table series of recipes featuring the fresh weekly produce. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did the produce..
 
Thanks
Asha

Carnegie Hill Newsletter 12

This post won’t be moderated, so it’s best to be in touch directly if possible.  This is open to all Stoneledge CSA members!

This is the time of year when we start to look forward to the change in seasons. The insects have a continual chirp song  in the evening and we know that summer is coming to an end.  

Summer vegetables will continue to fill your share for the next couple of weeks and the tomatoes are brilliant.  We are starting to make our way through the summer crops and pick some of the last harvests of some of them.  Please enjoy the full flavor of the endless sunshine.  I am writing this on Sunday and we are finally getting a good drenching rain.  Things are very parched but with the irrigation that we have and finally some rain, continue to grow.

We are also getting ready for our annual Farm Festival Visit.  It is scheduled for September 11 from 11-3.  I will be sending more information next week.  It is such a great chance to see the farm, meet all of us and also other CSA members.  Hope you can make it.

Enjoy the vegetables-
Deborah for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

Fruit Share
Peaches
Nectarine
Bartlett Pears

 - Tapenade
 - Shrimp, Cucumber and Mango Escabeche
 - Basil Lemonade Iced Tea

Carnegie Hill Newsletter 11

It seems that a farmer is never satisfied.  It is too rainy, it is too dry, it is too cloudy, it is too sunny, it is too hot, it is too cold.  Mother Nature is always in charge and all of our complaints make no difference.  In the big picture, things balance out.  Last summer we had nothing but rain and cold weather.  This summer there has been endless sunshine and no rain.  Put the two together and you have a perfect summer. 

The heat and lack of rain bring with them their own challenges, but no mosquitos.  We are moving irrigation pipes every day and irrigating the fall greens to keep them growing.  The summer crops are at their peak and full of flavor but their growth has stopped and so they are not on the irrigation priority list.  The vegetables  that you receive in your share do not change much during the summer because we need to pick the summer crops on a very regular schedule.  Summer squash is picked every other day.  Miss a picking and the zucchini is the size of a base ball bat.  Some members are asking about carrots, winter squash potatoes and beets.  They will come in their time.  Please try to savor the summer crops because as quickly as they came, they will stop.

Our second Farm Work Visit is scheduled for next Saturday from 11-3.  If you can make the trip please bring your own lunch, plenty to drink, a hat and sunscreen.  Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.  If the weather holds we will also open the raspberry patch at the end of the visit for members to pick their own raspberries.  The cost will be $4/pound and you will need your own container.  We just can’t transport the raspberries to the CSA because they are so perishable so this will be an opportunity for members to pick some of the berries.  I would also suggest stopping at the Malden Rest Stop on the NYS Thruway to use the rest rooms before you exit the Thruway.  It is the last stop before you get to Exit 21, Catskill.  We have a port o let, but the rest rooms at Malden are much more spacious and also are inside!  If you have questions you can give us a call at 518-291-2467.  Directions to the farm are on the farm website www.stoneledgefarmny.org, Email and Directions link.  Use the 145 Garcia Lane, Leeds address to reach the farm.

Enjoy the vegetables.
Deborah for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

Summer Squash – 1 pound

Hot Peppers – take 2 if you would like

Sweet Peppers – 3

Basil – 1 bunch – Walking around the garden I thought we had really over done it with Thai Basil.  When the basil was harvested we noticed the aroma of cinnamon and remembered that we had planted both Thai Basil and Cinnamon Basil.  They look very much alike except that the Thai Basil has green stems and the Cinnamon Basil has purple stems.  They are all mixed up in the crates so if you have a preference, look at the stems.

Walla Walla Onions – 2

Slicing Tomatoes – 3 pounds

Cherry Tomatoes – 1 basket

Bright Lights Swiss Chard – 1 bunch

Tomatillos – 1 pound

Fruit Share
1 bag of Clapp Pears and Peaches together
1 basket of Apricots