F23 (W10): First Frost!

Dear CSA Members + Farm Community,

We got our first frost! A few weeks earlier than the average date of first frost for Athens, but not totally out of the blue. We had a busy time getting the farm ready for the freeze! This winter, we’re upping the amount of outdoor (so not in a plastic tunnel) growing we’re doing. Growing in hoop houses allows adds a few degrees, allowing plants to grow and thrive even as temperatures dip below freezing more consistently during the cold months. Many of the plants we have outside will do fine with our usual Georgia cold temperatures, but some require row cover (see above pic).

Early last week, we unrolled huge sheets of Agribon row cover over fields of lettuce, salad greens, beans, chard, some flowers, and more of our tender crops. Covering the crops adds a few crucial degrees to the temp while still allowing light and water to permeate, extending the growing season. Imagine unfolding a 120 ft. by 30 ft. long bedsheet and fastening it down with sandbags as the wind is picking up and the front bringing the cold weather is approaching— you’ll have a pretty good idea of the course of events last week!

Luckily, the covers stayed on, and everything in the fields and houses seems to be flourishing still! This week, you’ll be getting the first of the fall fennel! Fennel tastes lightly of licorice when raw. The bulb is delightfully crunchy and the fronds are gorgeous as a garnish or in a salad. Try it roasted with sausage and broccoli, in a hearty soup with white beans and chili flakes, or shaved in a salad with sourdough croutons.

Happy eating!
Diamond Hill Farmers

This week’s farm share:

$25 Share: Sweet potato, watermelon radish, head lettuce, green peppers, fennel, choice of cabbage or broccoli, choice of cilantro or parsley

$35 Share: Sweet potato, watermelon radish, head lettuce, green peppers, fennel, choice of cabbage or broccoli, choice of cilantro or parsley, beets, beans