Week Five | Thriving Dahlias and Fresh Harvests
Hello, Summer CSA Members!
We are upon another week of our Summer CSA - Week 5 is here, bringing with it a bounty of fresh produce and exciting updates from the farm. Our warm summer days in Alabama are filled with hard work and new experiments, ensuring that we provide you with the best farm-fresh goods.
Reminder: If we deliver your CSA, please remember to leave your empty CSA boxes at the designated drop-off point. For those who pick up their CSA, please bring your empty box when you come to collect the new week's box. We trade out boxes each week, so having the empty ones ready helps us keep everything running smoothly. Thank you!
Dahlia Pot Experiment
This week, we’ve started planting dahlia cuttings in 7-gallon grow pots as an experiment to see how well they thrive in this setting. If successful, this method will allow us to spread out our fields more effectively, reducing pest pressure and enabling us to drive our four-wheelers and Polaris through the rows for easier care instead of walking. Planting in pots also offers greater control over soil quality and moisture levels, potentially leading to healthier and more vibrant dahlias.
In other exciting news, our fourth annual Dahlia Day is now live on our website, and tickets are available for singles and families! Purchase early to ensure you don’t miss out. Due to my upcoming due date with baby boy Flowers next month, we’ve moved the event from our usual July date to September. We’re quite excited about the potential for cooler weather and believe the dahlias will also be happier. Don’t miss this beautiful celebration of our favorite flowers!
Constant Grass Cutting
With the summer heat, it seems like we are cutting grass daily. Keeping the farm neat and orderly is a constant task, but it’s all part of maintaining a healthy and productive environment for our crops.
Raised Bed Maintenance
We’ve also been busy replacing rotted wood in our raised bed garden. This maintenance ensures that our plants have the best possible conditions to grow and thrive, contributing to the high-quality produce we deliver to you each week. We use landscape timbers because natural woods tend to rot within a year. These landscape timbers typically last about five years before they begin to deteriorate and need replacing. This routine upkeep not only keeps our beds in top shape but is also useful information for those of you who may be using raised beds or are interested in building your own.
WHAT's IN THE BASKET?
From Our Farm
- Garden Carrots
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Blueberries
- Endive
- Onions
- Chive & Basil Bundles
- Rainbow Eggs
FROM FRIENDS
- Cucumbers | Love Light Farm
- Green & Purple String Beans | | Love Light Farm
- Chabata | Hinkle’s Bakery
- Pink Eye Peas | Clanton
- Butter Beans | Clanton
- Green Tomatoes | Clanton
- Fried Green Tomato Batter | Whistle Stop Cafe
Remember to check out the full list of contents on our blog, along with delicious recipes for making the most of your fresh produce. Happy cooking, and thank you for supporting our farm!
Deborah, Alexandra, and the Stone Hollow Farmstead Team
RECIPES FROM FRIENDS
1. Marinated Tomatoes | No Spoon Necessary
2. Ina Garten's Summer Pasta | The Kitchn
3. One-Pan Caprese Chicken | The Kitchn
4. Butter Beans with Lemon, Ricotta, Basil Pesto | Bold Bean Co.
5. Miso Brothy Beans with Scallions | Naturally Ella
6. Fried Green Tomatoes | Southern Living
7. Hot & Hot Fish Club's Tomato Salad | Garden & Gun (We are not quite to heirloom tomatoes and fresh corn season, but I feel like an early summer version of this is doable!)
8. Balsamic-Braised Endives | Food Network
9. French Beans with Garlic & Herbs | Bijouxs
10. Stir-Fried Szechuan String Beans | The Defined Dish
11. Simple Blueberry Basque Cheese Cake | Half-Baked Harvest
12. Frozen Blueberry Paloma | Half-Baked Harvest
13. Shredded Carrot Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing | Eat Well 101
14. Parmesan Roasted Carrot Fries | Closet Cook
