VISIT Where to find our produce FOR INFORMATION ON WHEN AND WHERE THEY ARE HELD
Fresh basil is a summertime staple. A perfect compliment to tomatoes, of course, but also cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, squash, and most importantly the key ingredient of pesto.
top right: a variety of tomatoes for sale at the market
left: our cabin proves to be the best place to keep tomatoes until time to sell them because it is climate controlled, but not too cold; once again vegetables come first
When I open my eyes I see tomatoes
One of our favorite summer rituals is to sit on the breezeway steps of our cabin after the morning shift with half of a watermelon cut like a bowl and a spoon each. We chow down while also refining our seed spitting skills. The rejuvenating effects are amazing. Nothing tastes as good.
It is a tricky thing to know when a watermelon is ready for harvest. A cantaloupe will turn from green to tan to let you know, but watermelon look the same. Our tricks are that the stem should be crooked and there should be a nice yellow spot where it was sitting on the ground. Of course, all the farmers talk about how you thump it and know, but we have tried that and cannot tell one thump from another. I delicately navigate through the jungle of vines and toss the ripe ones to David in the walkway. The whole time thinking of the one waiting for us in our refrigerator as a reward once we bring in the harvest.
We will simply harvest an ear of corn in the field, shuck it, and eat it in the same spot it was picked. The sugars are at their highest and it doesn't get any sweeter or crisper than that.
Okra is a member of the same family as hibiscus and the flowers are gorgeous. Hummingbirds will often visit them while we are picking. You must wear gloves and long sleeves when picking okra, otherwise the 'okra itch' will set in and not leave you for a while. There are so many ways to prepare okra, but the common southern style is battered and fried. Since we are not deep fryers in general, we will slice the okra as done for fried okra, coat with olive oil and salt, place on a baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes. The result is crispy okra that can be eaten like popcorn, added to salads in place of croutons, or just eaten as a side dish. It has made converts out of many.
As mid-summer turns into late summer the 'dog days' set in. No more cool mornings or evenings. The heirloom tomatoes fade out and successions of hybrid tomatoes are productive, but not as much as in the early summer. Some crops thrive in the stifling heat, like okra, eggplant, watermelons, and sweet potatoes.
The cantaloupe are delicious, too.
