Mid-August on the farm is a beautiful, chaotic, deeply satisfying kind of busy. The field is producing, the wildlife is making itself at home, and we have a community event coming up that we would love for you to be part of.
The Field Is a Jungle and We Are Not Mad About It
If you have been following along on Instagram you may have seen our recent photo of what we have started calling the jungle section of the field.
Row by row from left to right: tomatoes, butternut squash, tomatillos, and gourds. There is technically supposed to be a walkway between each row. There is not really a walkway between each row anymore. When you are busy trying to get everything in the ground in the spring it is very easy to tell yourself that the close spacing will be no problem at all. The plants, for their part, are absolutely loving it.
The wildlife is equally at home out here. We have a flock of over a dozen wild turkeys, multiple hens and poults of various ages, that like to hang around the edge of the woods and check out the field from time to time. There is also a lone deer that wanders through on its own schedule, perfectly unbothered by our presence.
Some mornings you walk out the door and have to remind yourself to look before you step. This morning that reminder came in the form of an Eastern hog-nosed snake laying right in the straw while I was harvesting tomatoes. Startling in the moment, but these non-venomous snakes are actually wonderful to have around the farm as they keep the rodent population in check and are completely harmless. But I still screamed when I saw it!
August on the Eastern Shore keeps you on your toes, and we mean that literally.
Join Us for a Cherry Tomato Gleaning on Monday August 24th
Our next gleaning event with the Maryland Food Bank is coming up on Monday, August 24th at 6:00pm right here at the farm, and we would love to see you out in the field with us.
Gleaning is a hands-on way to give back to your community. Volunteers harvest surplus produce directly from the farm and it goes straight to Marylanders facing hunger through the Maryland Food Bank’s Farm to Food Bank Program. Our last gleaning crew harvested 270 pounds of certified organic cherry tomatoes in under two hours. It was a genuinely laid back fun evening and we are looking forward to doing it again.
To participate you will need to register as a Maryland Food Bank volunteer. You can create your account and sign up at mdfoodbank.rosterfy.com/register. Registration is required to attend, so please sign up ahead of time. You are also welcome to arrive 30 minutes early for a short farm tour before gleaning begins.
Tomatoes at the Market This Saturday
Our certified organic cherry tomatoes continue to be in abundance with 13 varieties in the field, an extraordinary mix of colors, shapes, and sizes, all of them available this Saturday. You can get them by the pint or grab the bulk deal of 10 pints for $50 at quarter-acre.com/shop.
We do have a small supply of heirloom tomatoes as well, but availability is very limited this week. If heirlooms are on your list, your best bet is to check the online shop and order ahead, as we cannot guarantee what will be available once the market opens. The heirloom harvest is still building and we expect more coming in each week as the season develops.
This Week’s Taco Special: Pork Entomatada Taco
Tender slow-cooked pork smothered in a rich, flavorful tomato sauce, served on a warm corn tortilla and garnished with diced cilantro and onion. Bold, comforting, and deeply satisfying. One of our favorite ways to put the summer tomato harvest to work.
Take-Home Frozen Meal: Steak Fajitas with Cilantro Rice
This Saturday’s ready-to-heat frozen meal is a fan favorite: thinly sliced steak with sweet peppers, onions, and garlic, served with a side of vibrant cilantro rice. Pick it up at the booth, take it home, and heat it up whenever you are ready.
Order Online for Market Pickup
Place your order at quarter-acre.com/shop by Thursday, August 20th at 8pm for Saturday pickup. If you prefer to shop in person, plan to arrive before 10am for the widest selection. We will see you this Saturday at the Easton Farmers’ Market, 8am to 12pm, rain or shine. And if you can make it out to the farm on Monday evening, we hope to see you in the cherry tomato rows too!