OxBox Week!

This week I get to work my way through a box from OxBow Farms in Carnation, WA.  Let me tell you - there are moments where COOKING while faced with this heat (hey - NW girl here, 80˚F is hot  dude) has me a little worried.

On the other hand, it has me looking for options, and I might just come up with some surprising solutions.

Anyway... here's the box.  Waiting for me to get started.

This is a NICE box.  Gotta get it back to the farm.

And I got lucky...

I was able to go visit the farm:

This gave me a chance to see some of the veggies growing,

I got to see hints of things to come,

A chance for a quick science lessons,

Squash flowers -
this is a male flower
(How do I know? 2 ways)
1. It has pollen - and thus bees!)

2. It has skinny stems

 (Squash have male and female flowers - some varieties have male-only bushes and female-only bushes, and some varieties have both types of flowers on one bush.)

2.  And that pistil in the middle -
it is for collecting pollen.
The bees know there is no free pollen
and so don't visit as often.

This is a female flower
(How do I know? 2 ways)
1. See that little bulge?
That's a little baby squash

And a few things that are completely worth visiting OxBow Farm.

Check out the grape arbor!
(Part of the kids garden...
and Hey! those could be made into verjus.)

When should I visit?

At the Start of the Season for the Sow Down! (Mid-May)

Volunteer Days
2nd Saturdays of the month at the Native Plant Nursery: 10am - noon (+ a farm tour after!)

4th Fridays of the month with Ox Education in the Children's Farm:2pm - 4pm.(+ a farm tour after!)

or the Hoe-Down (Mid October!)