Hello CSA and Friends of Shalom Orchard and Winery,

Blueberries are here!  We started raking last week and we need some dry weather now, as we can’t rake wet berries.  Please do a sun dance as all of this moisture is starting to be problematic.  It has already caused severe scab in the apples and can affect the vegetables and other fruits by causing molds and other unpleasant problems. However, we are very thankful that we did not have the high winds and hail that some parts of Hancock County got yesterday!

We are also experiencing a strike by our hens.  Their egg production has dropped off suddenly and severely.  We believe they started to molt, an annual, normal loss and replacement of their feathers along with a drop in egg production.  This usually occurs later in the fall, but may have been triggered by the shortening of the # of daylight hours plus the lack of sunny days. We are giving them a couple of weeks with additional light to bring them out of it.  It will mean we won’t have eggs this week, to accumulate some.

We also, for the first time ever since starting Shalom Orchard, have run out of chicken!!  We have birds going to the butcher on 8/18 and 8/25, but we will be out until the 8/19 pickup.

I am sorry for these outages, but we have a lot of wonderful veggies this week:

green beans        $4/#
blueberries        $6/qt
broccoli            $3/# (there is limited broccoli as it is starting to put out side shoots)
peas            $3/#
pie cherries        $5/qt
Boston lettuce    $3/bag
parsley            $1.5/bu
cilantro            $2//b
dill                $2/bu
basil            $$2./bu
chard            $3/bag
Napa cabbage    $2.50/head
scallions        $2/bu
green cabbage    $2/#
Blueberry syrup    $8/10oz bottle (our fruit and all organic ingredients)
Raspberry jam    $7/10oz jar       (same)
Cider syrup        $10/10oz bottle (ask to taste this – unbelievable!)
frozen pesto        $1.50/oz

BE SURE WE HAVE YOUR FROZEN BLUEBERRY ORDER!  Frozen berries are packaged in 5# bags, at $3.25/ #.

So let us know what you want included in your order and we look forward to seeing you Wed., between 3:00 – 5:30 PM.

Thank you,
Charlotte