Week #19, 2026
Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes
Hot peppers
Fruit bar: Apples, pluots, pears, prune plums
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Basil
Parsley or shiso or thyme or rosemary
Onions
Garlic
Potatoes
Beets
Green beans
Sweet peppers
Eggplant
We continue to seed, weed, transplant and harvest. This is the cycle of year round farming. We take out one crop and the next one goes in. We are beginning to shift some of the summer crops to winter focus as we prepare the hoop houses to supply us veggies through the back side of the calendar (November - March). I planted escarole and Napa cabbage. We will pull out some of the early cucumbers and replace with beets and spinach for fall and winter. Celery will go in soon enough as will fennel to enjoy during the cold months. Soon I will be able to plant my beloved radishes again.
Juvencio weeded the fall broccoli and radicchio. The fall cabbage is already starting to form heads. We battle the pests, the gophers, squirrels, mice and white flies. Sometimes one just wants to give up! Can’t they learn how to share? The harvests are huge and take a long time. We see a few of you signed up to help and we appreciate that. There are 10 more weeks so please consider joining us one Sunday or Wednesday to help pick cherry tomatoes or bunch beets. Here is the link if you missed it last week: Harvest Help Sign up 2026
Farm to table dinner at La Finquita del Buho 9/12/2026
If any of you have had the chance to participate in a farm to table dinner you will jump at the chance to join us here with local writers, chefs and foodies. We have held this private event several times and this is the first time it is open to the public. We will tour the farm, share delicious food prepared from our produce and have stimulating conversations. There are just 10 tickets left so buy yours today!
https://www.kitchentablemagazine.com/shop/p/farm-dinner
Take action to protect our national forests today. Please submit comments before 9/21/2026. Here is where to make your comment: https://bark-out.org/roadless-rule-rescission/
Some Recipes to enjoy:
Juicy Tomatoes with Crispy Olive and Parmesan Crumbs
Yield:4 servings
2 pounds ripe tomatoes (such as a mix of cherry, campari and heirloom varieties)
Salt and black pepper
5 ounces day-old country-style bread without crust
1½ounces thinly shaved or coarsely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 ounces pitted green olives (such as Castelvetrano, picholine or Cerignola), roughly chopped
2 teaspoons finely grated orange or lemon zest (or a combination)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds or red-pepper flakes (or a combination)
2 garlic cloves
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
Step 1Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Slice larger tomatoes into ½-inch rounds or wedges, and cut smaller tomatoes in half and spread out on a serving platter or individual plates. Season them generously with salt and also black pepper, if you’d like.Step 2Tear the bread into small, 1-inch pieces, then pulse in a food processor until you have coarse crumbs. Step 3 In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, olives, zest, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes, if using. Finely grate the garlic into the bowl then add 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss everything together very well. Step 4 Transfer the bread-crumb mixture to a sheet pan and place on a middle rack in the oven. Toast, stirring two or three times, until the crumbs are golden brown, the olives have shriveled slightly and your kitchen starts to smell a little like a pizzeria, 17 to 23 minutes. Let cool completely. Step 5 To serve, drizzle the tomatoes with the vinegar followed by the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil. Just before you’re ready to serve, sprinkle the bread-crumb mixture over the top.
Zucchini Salad with feta & mint
Yield:4 servings
· 1 pound zucchini (about 3 medium), cut into ½-inch pieces
· 1½tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
· 1 teaspoon honey
· Salt
· ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
· 3 tablespoons sesame seeds (any color)
· 2 teaspoons dried mint or oregano
· Big pinch of red-pepper flakes
· 3 ounces feta, crumbled into big pieces
· Step 1 In a large bowl, stir together the zucchini, vinegar, honey and a big pinch of salt.
· Step 2 In a small skillet or saucepan, cook the olive oil and sesame seeds over medium heat, stirring often, until the seeds are fragrant and golden, 3 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the mint, red-pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Immediately scrape the oil over the zucchini and stir to combine.
· Step 3 Tsp the mixture with feta, then season to taste with salt. The salad can stay out at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or be refrigerated for up to 2 days. (The sesame seeds will lose their crunch, but not their flavor.)
Make Shakshuka- a delicious North African and Mediterranean dish using your whole harvest: https://downshiftology.com/recipes/shakshuka/
Try this delicious tomato dish: