After lots of waiting and plenty of pleading summer has finally made it to our vegetables fields. True, it is just in time to catch the tail end of August, but I’ll be happy for what I get this year. Our third succession of green beans are finally plentiful, the tomatoes are coming in, big, beautiful melons are almost ripe on the vines and the eggplants are loaded with fruit. After the roller coaster that the early summer brought our way I’m extra grateful this year for the sweet tasty fruits, whenever they choose to arrive. The hot temperatures seem to be sticking around for a while yet, so at least we can enjoy some summer foods during the summer-like weather. The fall looks promising with huge winter squash, loads of dry beans finishing up on the vines and good looking broccoli and cauliflower plants coming along.

Last week’s work party and barn raising were a huge success and lots of great fun. Many hands were kept busy preparing the lumber—chiseling mortises and tenons into beams and posts, cutting everything to length and getting the concrete footers and barn site ready for the raising itself on Thursday. The unseasonably hot, sunny days made evening swims even more enjoyable, followed up with great food and company. Thanks so much to all who came out, from across the country and those closer to home. Every bit of help was greatly needed and well appreciated. (For those who missed out on the fun, there’s still work to be done preparing and raising the rafter trusses and eventually roofing. Let us know if you want to lend a hand as we chip away at the project over the fall.)

In the Farm Shares

In the veggie share: Tomatoes, green beans, eggplant, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, chard, kale, basil, onion, scallions, broccoli, green, red and savoy cabbage, carrots, beets, lettuce mix, mesclun mix, wheat berries, whole wheat regular and pastry flour, cornmeal. We do have extra basil and summer squash and a ridiculous number of cucumbers for putting up if interested, just let us know at pick up.

In the meat share: Beef, pork, broilers and stew birds in the freezer. Beef stock, chicken organs, lard and leaf lard are available. Fresh broilers next week.

Related articles

• Full and By Farm: Wet and Muddy (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
• Full and By Farm: Dogged By Heavy Rains (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)