Summer CSA Week 5 and That's the Way That the World Goes Round

Life in the garden, which is pretty much where I live right now is kind of how my life is in general. Ups and downs. How about yours?
Thanks for the inspiration, John Prine. I hum as I pull weeds....
"That's the way the world goes round,
Some days you're up, some days you're down
Half an inch of water and you think you're gonna drown,
That's the way that the world goes round"

It's been that kind of week. We've had the downs.
With incredible sadness, I will tell you that my chickens have been under siege this last week. Roger, who was a stinker, but I loved him anyways, disappeared last Friday night.
Gone. Vanished without a trace. No feathers to indicate a battle, apparently just carted away.
The next day a hen, killed in the chicken corral.

This is sickening stuff. Stuff I cry about and I did cry some quiet tears when I didn't hear Roger's crow on Saturday morning. It is just so sad.

The chickens are all in a smaller area now and safer in a spot that is more visible. I sure hope so anyways.

But it rained and that is good...the up side. The clouds came rolling in on Saturday afternoon as Mollie and I swam at the conservation area down the road. We raced home and beat the heavy drops which pounded down forming insta-puddles in the driveway. Good stuff, in fact a soaking rain.

Consequently things have popped up a bit more in the garden.
The baskets today were pretty summery, wouldn't you say?

West Indian Gherkin

Green beans (var-Empress), garlic, basils, leaf celery, Rat Tailed Radishes, some ground cherries and mouse melons, tomatoes just beginning, peppers (the dark purple are a test variety, Royal Black, and are HOT!!). Baskets then had some of the following..summer squash, zucchini, cucumbers, the horny-like West Indian Gherkins, eggplants, beets or carrots and chard. Likely a few more things too that I'm not thinking of right now.

Be prepared. There are lots of hot peppers to come. I mean LOTS. So pull out the hot sauce recipes because they'll be up soon.

What to do with all those green beans? You could steam, or stir fry, or add to salads (especially good in potato salad), or roast. This is a fabulous way to eat them...give it a try!

Roasted Green Beans with Garlic

1 quart green beans, topped.
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss beans with oil, garlic and sea salt to taste and place on baking tray.

Roast for about 10 minutes, stirring as they roast. Transfer to bowl and enjoy!