Open Hands Farm

Open Hands Farm: Updates & Offering

Hello from Open Hands Farm!

Tomatoes are ripening! It brings a lot of joy to my heart. Some of the tomato varieties ripening are ones I have been growing for many years now so they feel like old friends. I can recognize the growth patterns and leaf structure of each individual variety, and I know when their thriving or struggling just by observing the plant. It is so much like being in tune with humans, learning their character and how to serve them well.

In addition to tomatoes this week we have lots of tasty herbs to spice up the summer menu as well as the usual offering of cucumbers, zucchini and the like.

We made it through the heat this week and are carefully making our way through the smoggy days to bring you fresh vegetables. Read on for a glimpse at the farm life this week.

What's Available at Market?

Greens
Summercrisp head lettuce
Butter Head lettuce
Red Curly Head lettuce
Curly + Dino Kale
Dandelion Greens
Collards

Herbs
Mint
Parsley
Thai Basil
Italian Basil

Veggies
Cabbage
Fennel
Radish
Broccolini
Onions
Celery
Cucumber (From Seed & Star Farm)
Zucchini (From Seed & Star Farm)
Cherry Tomatoes

Flowers
Mix bouquets zinnias/marigolds/sunflowers

Markets We Attend

Market on Market (https://www.camphillborough.com/departments/downtown_camp_hill/farmers_market.php) Tuesday afternoons from 3 - 7 pm
Camphill, PA
Trinity Lutheran Church

Adams County Farmers Market (https://www.acfarmersmarkets.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=16068586957&gbraid=0AAAAAoaEKqcVEr9MIRKxd5NGMHaEvbOdv&gclid=CjwKCAjwu53SBhAhEiwAJzSLNhuOXnQZdo3O8L6xcz03N4KHlROMDyjtsgF8KLLEJWC-PPVn2DZIcBoCGwQQAvD_BwE) Saturday mornings from 8am - 1pm
Gettysburg, PA
Gettysburg Rec Park

This week we had a fantastic dinner with our friends Marc and Juli at their beautiful home. Marc is a baker, builder and artist and he spoiled us with homemade, wood-fired pizzas in their pizza oven. Pictured here, we are about to enjoy his pizza crust topped with Open Hands Farm fresh tomatoes with a side of our salad. It was outstanding.

This is a new tomato variety for me. It is a very sweet tasting roma-type tomato which I'm excited to include in my tomato baskets this year.

Above are pictured my favorite yellow cherry variety. They are sweet and tender. We like them as a snack or included in scrambled eggs and salads.

One more tomato that is coming ripe right now are these sweet pink cherry-type tomatoes. They are larger than the yellows and my favorite type of tomato that we grow.

Tuesday market was a great success this week. I was excited to see some familiar faces this week and connect with new folks. Breaking into a new market can feel like an uphill battle, but new connections and reoccurring faces are a huge win. Our goal at Open Hands Farm is to feed everyday people good food, so every bite shared is a victory.

Flowers above and below are offering a beautiful addition to the tables at market. I love making up the bouquets--and this week we even have sunflowers to bring some sunshine into your space.

I like to grow a range of flowers, marigolds, zinnias, scabiosa, yarrow, and celosia just to name a few. I try to lean towards edible, pet friendly varieties for my customers who have little munchers so you can purchase at ease.

I am a big believer in the purpose of the aesthetic, beauty for beauty's sake, but the flowers do serve a functional purpose on the farm as well. All of them are pollinators bringing beneficial bugs onto the property. Other flowers like marigolds act as deterrents for pests. It is a win-win scenario!

Item Spotlight

Check out our website for fun ways to support the farm from afar or rep Open Hands Farm merch.

Thank you for reading along! Please visit us at the market this week or stop by at the Lion Potter to pick up some produce. We love to serve you fresh, local veggies!

Kindly,
Cate Kandle
Owner/Operator of Open Hands Farm

Tomato City

Open Hands Farm: Updates & Offering

Hello from Open Hands Farm!

This week we are emerging from the extreme heat of the end of June. The rains have followed. The overcast, if not the humidity, has been very welcome--although it has been a pretty nice balance of sun and cloud.
I harvested the first of my own cucumbers and zucchini this week, the first ripe tomatoes were found on the vine (celebration!!) and other tasks like weaving, weeding and seeding have been moved to completion.
I try to combat that old saying, "the baker's children have no bread" by really enjoying the bounty we are harvesting. This life is a real blessing. I am surrounded by such a good community, everyone working toward the goal of creating beauty and supporting others. It feels something like building a castle. To that end, I cooked with fennel, tossed many salads and used zucchini, cucumber, green beans and collards this week. It feels like such wealth to have so many options. I hope to share the bounty with you this week.

What's Available at Market?

Greens
Summercrisp head lettuce
Red Curly Head lettuce
Curly + Dino Kale
Dandelion Greens
Collards

Herbs
Mint
Parsley
Dill
Thai Basil
Italian Basil

Veggies
Cabbage
Fennel
Radish
Broccolini
Onions
Celery
Green Beans (From Seed & Star Farm)
Cucumber (From Seed & Star Farm)
Zucchini (From Seed & Star Farm)
Limited Cherry Tomatoes

Flowers
Small mix bouquets zinnias/marigolds

Markets We Attend

Market on Market (https://www.camphillborough.com/departments/downtown_camp_hill/farmers_market.php) Tuesday afternoons from 3 - 7 pm
Camphill, PA
Trinity Lutheran Church

Adams County Farmers Market (https://www.acfarmersmarkets.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=16068586957&gbraid=0AAAAAoaEKqcVEr9MIRKxd5NGMHaEvbOdv&gclid=CjwKCAjwu53SBhAhEiwAJzSLNhuOXnQZdo3O8L6xcz03N4KHlROMDyjtsgF8KLLEJWC-PPVn2DZIcBoCGwQQAvD_BwE) Saturday mornings from 8am - 1pm
Gettysburg, PA
Gettysburg Rec Park

I am impressed by our broccolini, or sprouting broccoli, which continues to send out happy, tasty shoots. You can use them the same as regular broccoli.

Below, Ms. Kay holds the first fruits of the tomatoes. As the owner of the land that I farm, I wanted her to have the honor of enjoying the first yellow tomatoes which also happen to be her favorites. She is an amazing lady, I enjoy walking the property together and sharing the abundance.

This is my first season growing (and cooking with!) fennel. The plants have impressed me, but I also love the taste and versatility of the veggie. Read on to see the recipe card Katherine produced this week.

More beautiful radishes will adorn the market table this week. Both purple and red! Root veggies, and radishes particularly, are some of my favorite crops to grow.

The farm is looking really lovely right now. Each week rows have to be flipped from one crop to another and then comes the joy of waiting for the little sprouts.

The tomatoes have me waiting with bated breath, checking in on them each day. The vines are heavy with fruit. We do the tomatoes on the "Florida Weave" which keeps them upright and compact, increasing airflow and decreasing rotted fruit and disease. See the plants below intercropped with thai basil.

Below are two new recipe card additions from Katherine. I just love the art this week! And both recipes are very accessible and tasty. Fennel is growing into one of my favorite vegetables, and dandelion greens grow in my esteem with every meal.

Item Spotlight

Check out our website for fun ways to support the farm from afar or rep Open Hands Farm merch.

Thank you for reading along! For anyone new, we are glad you're here! Always feel free to respond to this email with thoughts, encouragement, feedback and the like. We hope to see you at market this week!

Kindly,
Cate Kandle
Owner/Operator of Open Hands Farm

Tomatoes Around the Corner

Due to the storm damage and widespread power outages affecting many of our vendors and our direct community, tomorrow’s Market will be cancelled. Market on Market will be closed on Tuesday, July 7th, and we will reopen on Tuesday, July 14th.

Thank you for your understanding as everyone works through cleanup, repairs, and power restoration. We look forward to welcoming you back on July 14th and appreciate the support you continue to show our makers, bakers, and growers during a tough week for Camp Hill and our surrounding communities.