Summer Squash and Zucchini
Salad mix
Kale
Cabbage
Sweet Onions

Fennel bulb
Tomato (pounds and pounds more to come)
Celery
Bell Peppers ( purple, lime green and yellow which all taste like green bell peppers)
Jalapeño pepper

REMINDER: Farm Tour and Field Walk for CSA members Thursday July 11 at 7pm

Farm Notes:
One of my favorite aspects of organic farming is that the National Organic Program (NOP) recognizes the importance of biodiversity. The conservation of biodiversity is included in the definition of organic farming and several NOP regulations cover biodiversity. As a certified farm we have to prove that we are taking steps to improve or maintain biodiversity. This includes providing habitat for wildlife and encouraging abundant microbial life in the soil through our treatment of the soil.

This week we have been enjoying the wildlife. While I cut flowers I am serenaded by song sparrows, redwing blackbirds, goldfinches, and my favorite indigo buntings. This week we came upon this bird’s nest. A

After doing some research I have concluded that it belongs to an indigo bunting. The bed next to the nest is a sunflower bed and the indigo buntings have been perching on the sunflowers. I’ve been cutting the sunflowers daily, but made sure to leave some for the birds!

And earlier this week, Ben was out in the raspberry patch and saw a black slender tube. Thinking it was a line of drip tape, he reached to grab it, only to be startled as a snake darted away. It was strange because it was up in the bushes, not on the ground. And of course there are butterflies and insects everywhere. I especially like the swallowtail butterfly caterpillars that use members of the parsley family as hosts. So if you want swallowtail butterflies in your yard, plant parsley, dill, carrots, queen anne’s lace and fennel!

Hopefully we will get to see some wildlife on our field walk later this week. Hope to see you there!

Recipes for the week

cabbage, onion and summer squash salad

Bean, sausage, kale and zucchini ragout

Veggie tacos ( add bell peppers)

Caramelized fennel and onion ( if you don’t have parsley from last week, use this week’s celery greens in place of parsley)