CSA #16

Dear CSA-ers,

This week’s preassembled bag will contain Spring Mix, Carrots, Tomatoes, Oregano, Garlic, and Green Beans. Custom orders may be assembled between now and Tuesday evening at https://magneyfarm.locallygrown.net/market

Summer is clipping right along and we’re finally seeing some of the intense heat of a typical West Kentucky summer. This is good news for things like eggplant and peppers, but less good for those crops that prefer cooler weather like lettuce. Believe it or not, we’re just a week or two away from planting our Fall brassicas like broccoli, kale, and cauliflower. Fall will be here before we know it, but for the time being, it looks like things will be hot and dry.
Naturally, fate would have it that a waterline has broken. We are still able to limp through daily irrigation with hoses run from the house, but our farm water infrastructure is in dire need of repair. In some ways, this is a bit of serendipity as it forces us to embark on a much needed improvement that we had been delaying. In other ways, it means a week of digging ditches and tying together larger diameter water lines in the late July sun. Wish us luck!
Our highlighted vegetable this week is the Green Bean. Beans are of dietary significance globally, and the Green Bean is a staple of our own regional cuisine in the Southern United States. They are delicious prepared in a variety of ways and have good nutritional value as they contain both fiber and protein. As a plant, the Green Bean is important to the sustainability and organic goals of our farm. Green Bean plants use their roots to fix nitrogen which helps improve the health of our soil for subsequent plantings. The only downside is that beans are incredibly labor intensive to harvest at the scale of our farm since each bean must be picked by hand. We hope that you cherish and enjoy this wonderful vegetable in your bag this week.

As always, thank you for your support of our farm. You make our vision for healthy, sustainable agriculture in Western Kentucky possible.

Sincerely,
The Magney Legacy Ridge Farm Team