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It was a hot one on the farm yesterday – quite the antithesis of last week. And I loved it. Hot blazing sun? Bring it. (A nice breeze doesn’t hurt.)

Because of the forecast for a heat index of 107, we got started early and the greens were the first to get harvested, bathed, and into the coolers. Talk about some dense, hearty heads of lettuce. Oh my gosh, gorgeous. And I was excited about adding a new kind of kale to the bouquets going into the CSA boxes. It was a fatter, wider leaf with a very purple spine.

The kohlrabi got really fat since last week, the radishes were so multi-colored and gorgeous I wanted to cry, and the turnips were just as bulbous, if not a little smaller than the radishes. And beets! We got to harvest beets this week. More jewel-toned gorgeousness. Have you enjoyed roasted beets in your salads? With a little goat cheese? You should try it.

And don’t waste those green tops! Beet, turnip, and radish greens are some of the most nourishing, nutrient-packed foods you can eat. I don’t recommend them raw, but you can easily get ‘em in a smoothie or a stir-fry.

The most exciting part of the day was harvesting garlic scapes. Don’t know what garlic scapes are? You’re not alone. They’re the beautiful curly-q tops of garlic plants, just as edible and delicious as the bulbs. And they can be used just as you would garlic bulbs. But my favorite way to eat them? Just like crispy kale. Gently toss in olive oil and sea salt and roast. My next experiment? Garlic scape pesto.

In the box this week: lettuces, kale, chard, green onions, beets, turnips, radishes, kohlrabi, and garlic scapes. Have we finished off last week’s bounty? Almost. As long as we’re CSA members, it will always be a challenge. But no guilt allowed.

By the time 12:30 rolled around, I was overheated, getting pink from the sun, and ready to be done for the day. There’s nothing like a little classic country on the radio on the way home to remind me of my grandparents and how farming got into my blood in the first place.