August is upon us and the whirlwind that was summer break is coming to a close. I always have mixed feelings this time of year as I love to travel, I love watching my boys enjoy the freedom of a less hectic schedule, and I love the produce that is bountiful in my garden and at the farmer’s markets. On the flip side, a part of me craves a return to a more predictable daily pattern, my body aches to be cool (I’m not a southern girl!), and this summer, in particular, has me ready to put the garden to bed and focus on some farm projects that need to be done. I’m also very much looking forward to reflecting on what has worked and what hasn’t for Table Root’s first year garden, so I can make improvements before planting again next spring.
As any gardener will tell you, the weather never seems to cooperate and the cool temperatures and excessive amounts of rain through spring, followed by the extreme heat of the past few weeks coupled with deluges of rain every other week has created a tough environment at the garden. In my attempt to make Table Root Farm a place where I use what’s available, the soil this year still lacks nutrients and is too compact for proper drainage. This has caused most of my squash vines to fall victim to fungus and I fear they will all need to be pulled in the coming weeks. Luckily, with the long summers we have here in GA, I have plenty of time to add some beautiful compost from The Art BArn, and plant some fall crops now that temperatures look like they may stay generally below 90 most days. The beans continue to do well and will hopefully begin to thrive again now that I’ve discovered the leafroller caterpillars that have been eating away at them. The tomatoes are thriving and the okra is ramping up. Most of the pepper plants are coming into their peak and assuming I can get the peppers before the insects and critters do, there will be plenty to go around!
I have successfully, with help from my husband and kiddos, created a system for moving the chickens to the unplanted portion of the garden and they are loving it there, during the day. As they scratch and peck at the soil, eat the weeds and fertilize the ground, they are contributing to soil improvement and creating less work for me in the coming months. They have also all started laying eggs and I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning every time I check the nesting boxes.
I have two zucchini recipes for you this month as I know zucchini is plentiful for many! The zucchini waffle recipe is mine and I find that depending on the amount of water left in the shredded zucchini, you may need to add additional flour until you have a thick batter. The chocolate zucchini muffins/bread is modified from Elyse Kopecky’s recipe in Run Fast, Cook Fast, Eat Slow.
If you haven’t visited the new Frik Frak Market at 2805 Lower Union Hill Rd, I highly recommend you do as it has a wonderful vibe, delicious coffee & pastries and yummy premade foods. They are aiming to support as many local producers as possible when making their foods and I would love to give them the support they need to stay in business (selfishly, I also really love having a place to grab a coffee and lunch on busy days at the farm!)
Upcoming events ( I have not added September events to the website yet, but will do so by end of day today):
School Lunches Revamped: Thurs., 8/10, 11-2 $25
Communally Cooked Lunch: Tues.,8/15, 10:30-1:30 $30
Table Root Happy Hour: Fri., 8/18, 5-6:30 $10
Communally Cooked Dinner: Wed., 8/23 6-9 $50
Table Root Talk: The importance of moderation in food and life: Thurs 8/31, 7:30-8:30 FREE
Table Root Happy Hour: Fri 9/8, 5-6:30 $10
Communally Cooked Lunch: Mon 9/11, 10:30-1:30 $30
Communally Cooked Dinner: Thurs 9/21, 6-9 $50
If you are interested in any of the above classes, please register here.
As always, please reach out to me if there is a class you would like to organize. I love doing classes for families or groups that want to cook together.
Starting in October, I will be offering a year long gardening course that will guide you on what to do each month. The course will be $200 for the year. This course will meet either every month or every other month, at the farm. Snacks and drinks will be provided. Please fill out this form if you are interested in this course. If there are other gardening classes you would like, please reach out to me so I can see what I can make happen!