This Week's Vegetable Notes - by William Martin, our intern from Kentucky by way of New York University, in his final week before he returns to school.

If you ever really want to get under the skin of someone in their early twenties, just ask them what they want to do with their lives. It doesn’t always work. A few might actually have an answer, a plan that they’ve been nursing since they played school or doctor as a child. Another possibility is a rehearsed generic answer that shows just about as much resolve as a shrug of the shoulders. Responses that I have actually used that would fit into this category include: “ I’ve been thinking a lot about grad-school lately,” “I’m going to take a few years off to travel before I make any real decisions,” or “I just want to do something where I can give back to the community.” The less specific, the better.

The trick to getting to these commitment fearing, indecisive young adults, myself included, is to catch us off-guard. You’ll know you’ve gotten through by the telltale awkward silence, fumbling of words, and defensive accusations or attempts to change the subject. “YOU SPENT YEARS WORKING ODD JOBS AND BACKPACKING THROUGH EUROPE FOR @?!&%#!! SAKE! WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE,” was what I embarrassingly resorted to the last time my dad managed to get under my skin by simply asking, “So what do you think your going to gain from that?”

What was it that brought about the inquisition by my father you might ask? He’s posed the question a number of times. Once when I told him that I was planning on attending one of the nation’s most expensive institutions of higher education, and again whenever I chose history to be my major at said institution. Most recently, however, the subject was breeched when I decided to intern at Angelic Organics this summer. It isn’t that my father is not supportive of my decision. I’m sometimes even surprised at how supportive he has been considering I never showed the slightest interest in agriculture during my first 18 years of life. After leaving a small, farming community to go study in New York City, I left everyone I know a little confused when I decided to spend this summer farming.

As I sit in my little green trailer parked alongside the farm driveway (a.k.a. the Gypsy Wagon), I don’t pretend to understand what I was thinking in the past that brought me here from an even smaller room in the East Village. With one week left, though, I’ve started to think seriously about the question I always avoid. More specifically, I’ve been thinking about what I’ve gained from my experience at Angelic Organics. I’ve come to love the work I do here. I work long hours, often spending most of the day doing some pretty monotonous tasks, but it’s rare that I don’t end a day with a sense of accomplishment. It’s rare, I think, to be able to see the fruits of one’s labor in such a tangible form. It wouldn’t be too out of the question then to imagine a future for myself in farming. But even if that doesn’t work out, there are so many skills I’ve picked up from being on the farm. Nothing teaches patience like weeding a bed of herbs that seems to never end or builds strength like stacking and restacking crates of cucumbers just to name a few. More than all that, though, is the fact that it just feels right that I’m here now on this farm.

If, for some strange reason, being skilled at harvesting peppers or washing lettuce doesn’t pay off in my future career, it won’t matter because there are other things that tell me that I’m supposed to be here. The fact that I’ve made such good friends this summer, that I sleep well every night, looking forward to the next day, and that when friends come to visit, I’m proud to show off that what I do is important to me. I think if you were to ask my dad what he thinks about that time he spent wandering across Europe, he would tell you that it was one of the most worthwhile things he’s ever done, not because of how it shaped his future, but because it felt right then. Then next time someone asks me what my plans are for the future, there still might be a bit of hesitation, but it will only be because working at Angelic Organics has taught me that that question doesn’t really matter as long as you know what you’re doing in the present is right.

Please note: this box summary is written the week before you receive your box. It is updated but not all the boxes packed for your delivery day will be exactly the same, although it is likely that all the boxes at your dropsite will be the same. Some things may be in your box that are not listed, and some listed things may not be in your box. As always, be sure to thoroughly wash all your vegetables.

The page numbers listed below refer to cooking tips and recipes in Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables as provided to all shareholders. Some recipes are listed at AngelicOrganics.com/RecipeService

FRUITING CROPS

Sweet Corn-Bob feels that while this wave of sweet corn has less insect damage, it is also less sweet. he would be more inclined to add to recipes that eat off the ear. If there are still some ears that have insect damage, we hope you are able to cut off the offending portion, toss it, and eat the rest. pp. 223-227.

Heirloom Tomatoes-2

Tomatoes--in a brown paper bag, pp. 228-235

Peppers-Bells, pp. 215-222

Hot Peppers-unlikely, jalapeno, Hungarian hot wax, and/or banana peppers; bagged with tomatoes

Eggplant-pp. 174-180

Melon-likely

STEMS

Celery-pp. 169-173, great robust celery flavor, use the whole plant, best when used for cooking. See last year's newletter for more information on our celery.

ALLIUMS-pp. 121-128

Leeks

COOKING GREENS-pp. 81-94

Red Russian Kale-young, for cooking or raw in salads for hearty folks.

HERBS-pp. 102-120

Basil

SALAD GREENS-pp. 136-141

Lettuce--Red Salad Bowl (a red oakleaf), Nevada (a green summercrisp) and/or Green Star (a green leaf) along with a head of red oakleaf

Swap Box Note: Each location will have three swap boxes--2 with sweet corn and 1mixed. Please only take 1 or 2 ears of sweet corn to ensure that all shareholders get a opportunity to enjoy the bounty.