FIELD NOTES:

The daytime temps are perfect and the nights have been taking a dip into the 50s. It really feels like the season is turning and our fields are fully reflecting that as fruiting crops have come to the sudden slow we’ve been anticipating. We are on track to start removing tomatoes from the high tunnels in the next few weeks and soon they will be turned, steamed and planted with winter produce!

This time of year can feel jarring to a farmer. Suddenly the temps dip, weeds slow down and all of the hard fought summer battles are seemingly over. You’ve won some, you’ve lost some and it’s a bit of “it is what it is” now. It’s an era of acceptance that is liberating to some degree but there’s a bit of grief that lives there too. It’s a bit too early to start thinking about next season so the focus centers on what’s left to prioritize before winter?  So we look to squash and storage crop harvest, winter crop plantings, turning in the old crops and weeds and getting cover crops in where we can to set us up well for next year. 

On the subject of shifts, big news on the farm these days is that we will be saying goodbye to our Farm Director Leon Vehaba. He was the first farmer on the ground here at Titusville and he’s laid out some great plans the team is privileged to carry forward in the seasons to come. Reflecting on where we began 5 years ago is something to behold. From a small team of 3 farmers, we are now a farm chock-full of capable, committed folks ready to bring ideas and action to our growing farm. While it can feel overwhelming to operate without a captain at the helm, it feels pretty great knowing we’ve got a whole crew of first-mates ready to work together to keep things moving forward. Let’s take a minute to learn more about one of those fine farmers this week! 

STAFF SPOTLIGHT:

Natasha is a returning flower crew member from last season and brings joy wherever she goes! You can see it manifested in the floral work she’s done. Perhaps you’ve bought a mixed bouquet from Kitchen + Coffee? Or Golden Hour Grocery? She designs all of our cafe/grocery bouqs and ensures they are ready to go out the door. She has also stepped into a majorly important role this season - tracking our harvests. Tedious work that is always hard to prioritize when there is plenty to get done, these numbers are vital as we look toward next season, planning what we want to eliminate and choosing what’s worth doing more of! In addition to the flowers that go direct to markets, we sell a good chuck of blooms to our local designers through the Hudson Valley Flower Collective. Natasha packs out and organizes all of these orders each week ensuring each buyer gets what they need and communicates with the collective about booms or busts we’re having. She loves a system and thrives in the black and white but loves an opportunity to bring her creativity and vision to the table and we are grateful to have it. She’s everyone's favorite flower gal about town and we’re lucky to have her on our team!

FARM HAPPENINGS:

Titusville Applefest! Dreaming up some fun fall things… pending approval… stay tuned for details! 

HOW TO EAT YOUR VEGGIES:

We’re in the final phase of tomatoes and so it calls for a highlight centered on preservation:

Canning whole tomatoes – Preserve whole or halved tomatoes in jars for use throughout the winter.

Make tomato sauce – Cook tomatoes down into a simple sauce and can or freeze it.

Freeze whole tomatoes – Wash, dry, and freeze tomatoes whole in freezer bags. The skins will slip off easily when thawed - best for those with deep freezers wanting to preserve but not having the time right now!

Roast and freeze – Quick and delish. Roast tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, and herbs, then freeze in portions. You can easily turn it into a sauce later 

Make salsa – Can a batch of fresh tomato salsa for a ready-to-use condiment.

Make tomato jam – Cook tomatoes down with sugar, acid, and spices for a sweet-savory spread. Goes great on a cheese board and makes a  great holiday gift.

Freeze cherry tomatoes – Freeze them whole and use later in soups, sauces, and roasted dishes.

Make tomato soup – Prepare a large batch and freeze it in containers or freezer bags.