Dear Farm Community -

Summer is the heart of the growing season ~ a time of thriving plants, abundance beyond imagination, and such incredible flavors!! It’s peak season at its finest, when our CSA shares are overflowing with the best variety and quality of vegetables and fruits all year. If you missed last night’s deadline to sign up for our discounted full season shares, you can still hop on board for a weekly-pay CSA share and enjoy the rest of the season!

Lately, new crops have been coming into season fast. What started as a trickle of summer squash and cucumbers quickly turned into a tidal wave, with hundreds of pounds coming out of the fields. Beans joined the rush last week, and now we’re deep in what we call “HEAVY SEASON!” ~ a time when our bodies are put to the test by the sheer weight of the crops we’re harvesting: squash, cucumbers, cabbage, tomatoes, okra, beans, and more. The weight really adds up! Our summer muscles come in gradually as we lug around around harvest totes and haul transport bins of these summery delights, and fortunately it’s easy to remind ourselves that as heavy as they are - they are even more delicious.

It’s not just the crops thriving on the farm right now ~ we’ve been spotting hundreds of tiny baby frogs and toads hopping through the fields, freshly transformed from their tadpole days. If you know our farmers, you know how much we love a good frog sighting, so these little visitors have been a real joy to spot! Meanwhile, the weeds are thriving too, fueled by warm, wet weather ~ and our race against them is in full swing. In the thick of summer, weeding becomes a full-on battle. Without herbicides, we rely on our “arsenal of hoes” (scuffle hoes, hand hoes, & wheel hoes), strong hands, and grit to keep the fields clear. It’s hot, repetitive work, but essential - every row we weed gives our crops a better chance to thrive. Despite the wild weeds and sweaty days ahead, we’re feeling optimistic and ready for the work that brings all this summer abundance to harvest.

We’ve got cucumbers in your shares this week, and while many of the varieties we grow look like what you’ve come to expect from a cucumber, there are two you might see that are a bit different - the suyo long and striped armenian cucumbers! The Striped Armenian cucumber, with roots in the Middle East and Mediterranean, is a large, long cucumber with brightly striped skin prized for its crisp texture and subtly sweet flavor. Its tender skin and crunchy flesh make it perfect for salads, quick pickles, or cucumber-based recipes! The Suyo Long cucumber is a slender, crisp Asian variety known for its mild, refreshing flavor and delicate texture. With its light green skin and subtle ridges (that make its slices look like little flowers!), it’s perfect for adding into salads or enjoying as a crunchy snack. The other day, we had a good laugh comparing the twisty bumpy Suyo Long to the Big Friendly Giant’s “snozzcumbers.” While the resemblance is up for debate (you be the judge!), we promise the flavor is worlds beyond Roald Dahl’s fictional veggie.

Whichever cucumber you come across, there are so many delicious ways to enjoy it. Try smashing it for a quick, refreshing smashed cucumber salad tossed with garlic, chili oil, and sesame seeds. Or slice it thin for a crisp and vinegar-y cucumber and dill salad, perfect alongside grilled dishes. You can even mix them into creamy tzatziki for a tasty dip. We wish you many moments this summer savoring the refreshment of a cool cucumber on a hot day!

To a Fruitful Summer!!
Diamond Hill Farmers

ditch the snozzcumbers, theres something better:

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