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Hello

We joke around the warehouse about "body by Fresh Fork." It's a very physical job and some weeks the weight of the totes becomes exhausting. This week is one of them.

This week we will feature yellow doll seeded watermelons - a smaller, sweet yellow watermelon that comes earlier in the season. It is also a variety rarely grown or offered at grocery stores.

Which made me think of David. David is the Swartzentruber Amish gent that grows these delicious watermelons. When I tell the drivers they are going to David's, I get the look that says, "Oh no."

David's Original Sin
In the early days of Fresh Fork, the "David's" were all I knew in terms of small farmers. I didn't quite understand why though.

About 7 years ago, David was looking to move away from the home farm and buy his own land just up the road (on the same road). I stopped in one day for a small order. He informed me it was at the "new farm." I said, 'hop in' and he gave me a weird look.

He climbed into my Chevy with a look of discomfort. I still remember him squirming in the seat like he was sitting on my lunch or something. He didn't really settle nor sit back.

We got to the new farm - about a half mile away - and he got out and helped me load the items. The next time I saw David, he informed me that he was "talked to" about riding in the truck. It wasn't an emergency, and he shouldn't have gotten in the truck. His father, a respected elder in the church, simply told him never again. I joke about it but getting in my truck was David's original sin.

Anything that is Un-Handy
To this day, working around David's church's restrictions is a challenge. Communication is obviously difficult - we use snail mail or physically show up to talk - but there are other challenges, including logistics.

David's particular group doesn't permit loading docks at truck height. They can have, however, a dock at wagon height. They don't have tow motors or skid loaders, or any other motorized equipment for loading.

As a result, I limit what we grow with David because it absolutely kills my staff to hand load a truck - lifting from ground level to 50 inches off the ground. It takes a lot of time and is exhausting.

But there are a few items that we work with him on - yellow dolls and sweet potatoes are a few. This week, be sure to thank Zach if you see him on the truck (Lakewood, Beachwood, Mayfield Tremont) for hand loading over 2,000 watermelons this week with David. In the fall, when we pick up 4# bags of sweet potatoes, that's 2,000 of those that we hand load.

I remember the loading scenario at David's old farm. He had a small "packing shed" for his produce opposite from his barn. It was on a steep drive with little gravel. You would back the truck between the two buildings hoping to not take out the gutters. He had a plank that was mounted to the side of one building, and it would lower between the two buildings to create a narrow walkway for loading. We would walk one box at a time from the packing shed out onto the plank and load it onto the back of the truck where we would build a pallet. When the pallet was complete, you wrapped it and pulled the truck up on the level where you could move the pallet into place. You would then back the truck down into the "dock" and start the same process all over again for the next skid.

David's new farm isn't much better, it's just level. We now load from the back of a wagon up onto the truck one box at a time.

As I've got to know the Amish more, I once asked someone about their rule book. They said there isn't a book, but they read it at church twice a year and discuss the rules and interpretations. It takes quite some time.

I asked, knowing this guy was an Old Order Amish (not as strict as David's church), if his "rule book" took quite some time, how long does it take to read the rules for a church like David's (Swartzentruber). He laughed and said back, "Their rule book is real short. Just one sentence. Anything that is un-handy."

Trevor
Please Be Careful with your bag
Please remember a bag, or box, or something to transfer your bag contents to.

The plastic liner bag is not intended for carrying your bag to your car or home.

I'm particularly concerned with how incompatible the watermelon is with soft peaches and tomatoes in the shares this week. This is a team effort. I don't want to get hundreds of emails about damaged tomatoes.

We will be adjusting how we pack this week, and the watermelon may be offered separate from the tote at the back of the truck. Or if in the tote, it will be packed in such a way to protect the tomatoes and peaches. Please be sure you get your watermelon.

The heirloom tomatoes naturally have scars, cracks, and unusual shapes. They are also very delicate and difficult to handle. The range in size from 4 oz to almost 3# each. Portioning the tomatoes this week is very difficult, and these tomatoes are not cheap! The farmer gets a very low yield due to how delicate they are.

But without much explanation, one bite will help you understand why the heirloom tomato is so special. It tastes absolutely amazing.

Again, please care for your bag as much as we do and please carefully unpack your bag at the table and transfer it to a separate bag or bags. Please take caution with the peaches and tomatoes.

I am writing this statement as this is a team effort. I don't want to get hundreds of emails about damaged tomatoes if this can be avoided.

Thanks
Trevor
Still Time To Join this Season - Prorated
As our season continues, please tell a friend to join us for the remainder of the season.

All subscriptions are prorated for upfront payments or on the weekly payment plan, so you only pay for the remainder of the season.
A few online order items
If you are thinking of canning tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa, etc., now is a good time to start. Romas are coming on strong and the blight (natural fungal stress on tomato plants due to wet conditions) is just starting to settle in our area. Quality is at its peak right now.


Noteworthy Products this week:
Roma Tomatoes - 3# bags - The romas are looking great right now, perfect for homemade salsa or sauce.

Roma Tomatoes - half bushel, approx 20# - a more economical way to shop

Blackberries. We have two sources for blackberries this week. Blossom Creek, our usual blueberry grower, has a hoophouse with a dense planting of very sweet blackberries. They are not sprayed at all and are fed only organic fertilizer. They are large, sweet/tart, and worth the extra dollar.

We also have more traditional "backyard" blackberries for Jonas Hershberger in West Salem. They are a bit firmer with an old fashioned tart taste.

Both berries are in full force this week.

Blueberries. We have fresh packed pints and boxes of the last blueberry variety for the season, Elliot. Elliot is a nice size, firm berry with good flavor and acid. It will be more firm than last week's berries even with all the rain we have had.

Peaches. Freestone Red Haven peaches -- great for eating, pies, and canning.
Bag Contents
Small Omnivore
Chicken Thighs (4 pack)
Kohlrabi
Red Potatoes (3#)
Candy Onion
Delicata Squash (2)
Sweet Peppers
Tomatoes
Peaches
Yellow Doll Watermelon

Small Vegetarian
Kohlrabi
Red Potatoes (3#)
Candy Onion
Delicata Squash (2)
Sweet Peppers
Tomatoes
Peaches
Yellow Doll Watermelon
Lettuce
Green Beans
Basil
Mini
Kohlrabi
Red Potatoes
Candy Onion
Tomatoes
Delicata
Large Omnivore
Chicken Thighs (4 pack)
Kohlrabi
Red Potatoes (3#)
Candy Onion
Delicata Squash (2)
Sweet Peppers
Tomatoes
Peaches
Yellow Doll Watermelon
Zestar Apples
Green Peppers
Eggplant
Kale
Smoked Andouille Sausage

Large Vegetarian
Kohlrabi
Red Potatoes (3#)
Candy Onion
Delicata Squash (2)
Sweet Peppers
Tomatoes
Peaches
Yellow Doll Watermelon
Lettuce
Green Beans
Basil
Zestar Apples
Green Peppers
Eggplant
Kale
Blackberries







Small Vegan
Kohlrabi
Red Potatoes (3#)
Candy Onion
Delicata Squash (2)
Sweet Peppers
Tomatoes
Peaches
Yellow Doll Watermelon
Lettuce
Green Beans
Basil


For more recipes, visit our archive at https://freshforkmarket.com/recipes/
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