News from Terra Firma Farm

Here at Terra Firma, we try our best to be good employers. Farm work is hard work -- hot, sweaty, dirty work this time of year -- and the pay isn't great. Still, we try to pay our employees as much as we can responsibly afford, listen to their concerns, and provide a safe and friendly workplace.

In recent years, the powers that govern farm labor have put a focus on protecting outdoor workers from heat illness, enacting new rules after a rash of worker deaths. New rules from the Occupational Safety and Hazard Agency (OSHA) make it clear that employers should do everything possible to get outdoor work finished before the hottest part of the day. This is a commonsense way to avoid the worst risks of heat illness. At many farms, this is done this by having most employees work in the field in the morning, and then in the shade of the packing shed in the afternoon.

Unfortunately for both workers and employers, well-intended but seriously outdated regulations from another government department -- Labor -- provide a huge disincentive to this otherwise positive solution. Decades old rules require agricultural workers to be classified as either 1) fieldworkers, or 2) packing workers. I won't go into the details here, but suffice it to say that employers face massive economic penalities by moving their field workers into the shade of the packing house in the afternoon.

My father was a lawyer. I have a college degree in Political Science. And the first time I read the text of these regulations, I had to call a lawyer to clarify what I was reading. I have a hard time imagining that a first generation farmer from Laos or Mexico would be able to make any sense of the rules, even if they were translated into their native language.

In an inspection campaign this summer aimed at heat safety, government regulators penalizing farmers all over the state, big and small, for not filling out the right forms when their fieldworkers spend an hour or two working inside. If regulators could think outside the box, they would work to change the law. Instead, they are taking advantage of the situation to squeeze money from employers to help make up for budget cuts.

Thanks,

Pablito

Watermelons and Melons
From the outside, it looks just like any other small Watermelon -- pale green with dark green stripes. But lo and behold, when you cut it open, instead of pink or red flesh, it's a clear bright yellow. Yellow Watermelons have been around for decades, and we've been growing them for over ten years. They have a slightly different flavor than red watermelons -- some say they are sweeter, some say less intensely sweet -- and a juicer, less sugary texture. As the summer progresses, you will sometimes get a red; other times a yellow. When possible, we will identify the color on the box list, but if the list simply says "watermelon" you might get either.
   There are several important differences between watermelons and other melons. The former have smooth, hard rinds and no seed cavities. The seeds, in seeded varieties like the ones we grow, are a different shape and size. But the most important difference is that watermelons are harvested when fully ripe, and do not ripen once removed from the vine. Melons like Cantelope or Galia, which I will discuss more in a minute, continue to ripen after harvest. In other words, there is no reason to let your watermelon sit before cutting it open. And if left in a warm spot for more than a day or two, it will begin to get soft and mushy. Best to cut it quickly, eat some (or all) and refrigerate the rest. Place it in a plastic bag , or cover the cut side with plastic wrap. To save space, remove the rind and compost or discard it, then store the edible melon in chunks or slices in a plastic container for easy snacking.
Galia Melons, also called Passport or "tropical" melons, were developed in Israel. They have the size, shape and outward appearance of cantelopes, but their flesh is yellowish green. I'm not going to try to describe the flavor, but I will say that they don't taste much like the other green fleshed melon most people are familiar with -- honeydew. Galias are particularly special for their ability to ripen a week or more before any other non-watermelon type of melon. For this reason we grow them only early in the season.
   Galia melons that are ready for harvest, like cantelopes, Sharlyns, and other melons, literally fall off the vine when touched. At this point they are not quite ready to eat -- unless you like your melon slightly crunchy. If you like your melon silky smooth and melt-in-your mouth, leave it on your counter overnight or two nights if your kitchen is chilly. Cut it and eat it warm, the way we do in the field, or chill before eating. Like watermelons, Galia and other melons should always be refrigerated after cutting.

In your boxes
We do our best each week to make sure that the box contents don't change from day to day -- that Wednesday subscribers get the same Medium box as Friday ones, etc. This summer it has been more of a challenge then ever, with yields from our fields on peaches, melons, corn, and other crops being lower than ever on a daily basis.
So we apologize if anyone is unhappy with the two different item lists this week: Green Beans in the boxes Weds. and other items on Thursday and Friday. What seemed like a promising harvest when we started on Tuesday did not pan out that way, and we were left with no beans left to pick for the rest of the week.
We have lots of green beans growing in our fields, but the next planting will not be ready for at least two weeks. After that, green beans will be a regular feature of your boxes through September and well into October. Some years we are still harvesting in November.

Bulk Tomatoes Now Available
Our tomato season is in full swing now, so we're offering subscribers 12 lb. boxes of Early Girl tomatoes for $15. If you're interested, log into your account and go to the "Store" section on the account screen to buy a box...or five!

Recipe -- Zucchini Treats
We've been trying not to overload subscribers with zucchini. But if you've got extra in the fridge, you may want to turn make a pile of these crunchy, relatively healthy sticks.
Preheat the oven to 400.
Lightly grease a heavy baking sheet with 1 T. olive oil.
In a shallow dish, combine 1/4 C. bread crumbs or fine cornmeal, 1/3 C. good Parmesan cheese, 1 finely minced garlic clove (optional), 1/2 T. finely chopped fresh rosemary, cayenne pepper to taste plus 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper.
In a separate shallow bowl, beat 1 egg.
Cut 4 zucchini or summer squash into 2 inch strips (like steak fries).
Dredge each piece in egg, and then in the dry ingredients.
Arrange well spaced on the baking sheet.
Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, then turn the squash and bake another 5-7 minutes. The strips should be crisp and browned.