It’s a corner of the farm we refer to as “no man’s land,” our own “dumping ground between fiefdoms,” tucked away between the woods’ edge and the irrigation pond we’ve dug deeper and wider over the past few years. A natural landfill which nature is constantly reclaiming, where we (and the generations of farmers who have preceded us) have deposited farm detritus including blue clay from the bottom of the pond, rocks from the fields and even old stone foundations from renovated farm buildings. We mention it because in the few years we’ve been here, nature has once again asserted her rights, covering the latest layer of clay and stone with weeds and wildflowers, a luxurious vegetation that makes the spot a wildlife haven, a perfect place to relocate our beehives this year. Indeed, we are prepping for our first honey harvest of the season…so you can expect some honey pots shortly, coming soon to a drop-off location near you.
Despite the unrelenting presence of a raccoon in our corn patch but perhaps subject to his forbearance, we are looking to include our first ears of corn of the season in your baskets this week. We’ve tried everything to catch the wily fellow, but racoons are far smarter than your average skunk, and he has so far eluded all our efforts to trap him.
Remember that corn is at its absolute best if consumed within 24 hours of harvesting, preferably raw (really) or just barely blanched (i.e. dumped in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes at most). The cooking method is not mandatory, but strongly recommended.
