10/02/2025
Pop-up - This Saturday, October 4, 9am - 1pm
What a difference a few days, a few degrees, and a couple of inches of rain makes! Fall is officially settling in. Work in the farm now is done in quick bursts between rain showers, with harvesting, last bits of fall crop planting, and habitat restoration work all clamoring for our attention.
Luckily I love soup and stew season, so the heaps of carrots, potatoes, green beans and peppers are making fabulous meals at the end of the long days outside.
This week we’ll have lots of green beans, peppers, onions and potatoes. I harvested tomatoes before the rain could split them but they might need a few days to finish ripening up indoors. We will also have lots of bouquets and some ornamental gourds to get your fall decorations started.
Reminder—this is our second to last official weekend so plan your menus now! Thanks to those who have been sharing recipes. We love to be inspired!
Jenny and Brian
7707 28th Ave NW
Seed Garlic Available!
For those of you interested in growing your own garlic, late October is the time to do it. All Tree Swallow Farm garlic is an excellent option for purchasing as seed garlic. Unlike supermarket garlic, our garlic is never treated, either with chemicals during its growing season or with growth inhibitors after harvest. We also have not experienced any disease problems while growing.
When selecting garlic to plant, look for the largest heads since bigger cloves will give you a potentially bigger plant. Hard-neck varieties will also give you garlic scapes in June.
Happy planting!
This Week’s Offerings
Tomatoes (possibly needing some ripening time)
Romano and green beans
Carrots
Zucchini
Peppers Eggplant
Cucumbers
Salad greens
Mustard mix
Kale
Possible other greens
Radishes
Potatoes
Garlic
Onions
Apples
Pears
Bouquets
Ornamental gourds
Cook’s Corner
We’ve been lucky to have a new crop this fall of the Slovenian radishes. Everyone admires their beauty but asks what the heck to do with them besides putting them in their salads. Well, we have some answers for you.
Our wonderful customer NP sent this magazine worthy picture of a poke bowl she made with our radishes and cilantro and added avocado, edamame, sesame seeds and other yummy seasonings. Looks delicious!
For a hot meal I tried roasting the radishes when I was making a sheet pan meal of potatoes and other roasted veggies. It turned out great! The roasting mellows and sweetens them out. It would be a fabulous side dish or complement any time you are roasting up root vegetables.
Give it a try!
Ask a Farmer
Our question this week came from customer HC who asked what to do when you have limited garden space but want to plant after peas are removed mid-summer to get another harvest in.
This is an excellent question and one I had to get very adept at when I only had backyard space to work with.
First I would say take some time in the winter to map out the garden for the year (and yes, I’m sure there are apps or something for this but I use a plain old notebook).
Next, put in your non-negotiables. What does your family absolutely love that the supermarket cannot come close to? For me it was tomatoes, snap peas and green beans.
Then take a look at when those need to be in the ground and how long they take. If you love peas, they can go in in March but you’re pulling them by the end of June or early July. That’s too late to put tomatoes in, but bush green beans, quick maturing zucchini, lettuce, carrots, herbs, late onions and leeks, kale, chard, arugula, Asian greens and my new winter favorite, Radicchio, can all work.
Another tip is to be on the lookout for veggie starts. I like to grow by seed if possible but I’ve started tons of plants indoors or purchased seedlings if I need plants to start growing before I have the bed space available.
Finally, the toughest lesson I am still learning is Knowing When Call It Quits! You can keep trying to milk out a few more dry starchy peas out of the plants…. Or, you can call it good and free up the bed space for a brand new crop just a bit earlier. It’s tough but you’ll appreciate the bounty come fall.
Thanks for the question!