Ever since we moved to California everyone has assured us that the weather is not normal. The torrential rains we got this winter were unheard of, the late rains in spring were bizarre, a cool cloudy July was strange. We don’t have a basis of comparison there, but we’re told it’s not usual.
My only real problem with the weather is that we don’t have tomatoes yet. Until this week! The tomato plants were getting enough hours of sun, but not enough heat to ripen the fruit. Finally, they’re arrived!
…. and I’m in Minnesota. Mom and I hit the farmer’s market this morning for potatoes, and she picked up beets and summer squash on Sunday. Two posts are forthcoming from the trip already. However, my brave spouse is on CSA retrieval duty while I am gone and is not supplying us with photos. I’ll recycle the few repeats I’ve got!
Arugula
Red Monarch Kale
Dill (for pickles?)
The rest…
• Socrates Bell Pepper
• Bloomsdale Savoy Spinach
• Zefa Fino Fennel
• Cucumber Mix
• Tomatoes
• Mixed Summer Squash
• Basil
• Melons
This list has me imagining some really nice pasta dishes, pizzas, or even potato salads.
What was in your CSA share this week?
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Add fresh dill to bread doughs, salads and a variety of dishes, its not just for pickles. I love cool cucumber dill salad – chop cucumbers, zuchini, and tomatoes add plain greek yogurt and fresh dill. Great side dish, add cooked cooled white beans and you have a meal.
If it’s actually hot when I get back that might make an appearance! I just can’t do cucumbers when I’m cold already.
Are you sure you were talking to Californians? This year’s weather has been pretty normal. The super hot 90 degrees in the winter stuff of the last few years? Wrong on all levels. I’m not sure what San Diego is like, but Santa Barbara has had years where most of the summer is foggy.
Most people living in California were not born here. A lot of people who have been here less than a decade call themselves locals. So… good news Stacey, you are practically a local now, lol!!
Pretty veggies!
The guy on the plane next to me said there hasn’t been a cloudy 4th of July in the 10 years he’s been there. And there was a heat wave when we arrived last summer (it doesn’t get to 90 degrees on the coast normally). And the rain we got in January — there were tornadoes in Orange County — was crazy. So yes, they were “real” Californians and it’s not been typical weather.
But we haven’t been there for a whole year to compare!
Lol!! there you go. There wasn’t a cloudy (foggy) fourth of July in his ten years in California.
Around fifiteen years ago a friend who attended UCSB from Washington State stayed for the summer. The school year was so sunny and pretty that he thought for sure the summer would be way better here than in Washington. It was foggy all summer that year. He was pretty upset, especially when we laughed at his misfortune. We all loved the weather. It was pretty typical, at the time… (I consider everything you just mentioned to be proof of global warming. The first half of 2010 just broke heat records). You’re right. The weather is wrong in general, but fog along the coast during the summer is correct. It is called June gloom and sometimes it lasts into the rest of the summer. Further north, (Bay area) they say the summer really starts in fall.
My CSA: Beets (red and gold), Swiss chard, kale, spearmint, little yellow cherry tomatoes (first of the year), peppers, and a zucchini.
Farm finally drying out a bit.