- Green Cabbage
- Cucumbers
- Green-Top Carrots
- Snap Peas (from Tipi Produce in Evansville, WI)
- Head Lettuce
- Broccoli
- Green Onions or Red Onions
- Gold or Rainbow Swiss Chard
- Newly-Dug Garlic Bulbs
- Fresh Basil (on-farm pickup only. Next week, those who pick up at other pickup sites will receive basil. We will alternate like this for the duration of basil season.)
This Week's Fruit Share:
- Blueberries
- Sour (Pie) Cherries
- Red Raspberries
Announcements and Reminders
Empty boxes should be returned to your pickup site each week. Vegetable boxes should be unfolded so we can store them flat. Fruit boxes should NOT be unfolded because the unwaxed cardboard of the fruit boxes is sort of fragile. Also, some of you have asked about pint and quart containers. We can reuse the paper and wooden containers but not the plastic ones. Thanks for your help!
This year's CSA Tomato Jubilee will be held on Sunday, August 29th from 2 until 5 p.m. This is your opportunity to pick tomatoes for freezing and canning. We welcome you to pick your own tomatoes, feed the chickens, see the sheep, meet your farmers and take a stroll through the vegetable fields. There will also be music and refreshments. During the Tomato Jubilee the first 10 lbs are free for CSA members. All additional tomatoes are only $1 per pound for members. (There is a limit of 40 pounds per family/CSA share.) This year there is one tomato field next to the greenhouse and another tomato field farther out on the west side of the farm. The far field is about a 10-minute walk from the farmstead.
Farm Journal
June 21st marked the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year and the official beginning of summer in the northern hemispere. On our farm the approach of the Solstice each year generally means that the dominance of leafy greens begins to wane as we start to harvest fruiting crops such as zucchini and cucumbers. In the next couple of weeks we will eagerly watch the development of other fruiting crops such as peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes.
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Above: Our earliest pepper varieties will be ready to harvest in a week or two.
The field tomatoes are still approximately 5-6 weeks from harvest, but the hoophouse tomatoes (in the background) will be ready even sooner.
Pale purple eggplant blossoms are some of my favorite flowers. Each tiny eggplant begins as a flower before the fruit starts to form. Eggplant harvest will begin in August.
Notes from the Farm Kitchen
If you are a pie-baker, then these sour cherries are what you’ve been waiting for! If baking pies isn’t your thing, try adding a handful to your favorite muffin or quick-bread recipe. On a different note, don’t forget that tart cherries can be useful in creating savory dishes. There's a great sour cherry glaze on our website that can be used for pork and other meats. If you aren’t going to use your cherries this week, pit them and pop them in a freezer bag for use later. Remember, sour cherry season is very short. This may be the only week you receive them.
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Blueberries are also extremely easy to freeze. Simply wash them and put them into a freezer bag. Once they've been thawed, they're great for pancakes, smoothies, waffle topping, ice cream, crepes and so much more.
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Fresh raspberries are somewhat fragile and highly perishable. They are best enjoyed within the first couple of days. Store them in the refrigerator on a plate lined with a paper towel.
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Now that the season for spring spinach has ended, Swiss chard is the leafy vegetable I use in its place. Chard has a mild flavor, is extremely nutritious and can be substitute for spinach in most recipes.
Most garlic that you are accustomed to using has been cured in a warm, dry place for some period of time to ensure that it stores well. Since we just harvested this garlic yesterday, it has not had time to cure. Also, you'll notice that the layers of tissue between the cloves hasn't yet turned papery. We hope you enjoy the extra-pungent, delicious flavor of fresh garlic. As the season progresses you will receive garlic that has been cured and will store well for several months. Use fresh garlic within a couple of weeks. Your best bet for storage is to keep it in a dry, cool place.
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Above: Jessie shows off a bundle of freshly-dug garlic bulbs.
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Above: We tie the garlic into bundles and let them cure in our greenhouse.
This Week's Recipes
Cherry Cobbler
Broccoli Garlic Quiche
California Garden Rolls
Cucumber Salad
Swiss Chard Tzatziki (Greek Yogurt Dip) with Pita Bread
Rick Bayless' Swiss Chard Tacos
Next Week's Harvest (our best guess)... peaches, plums, green beans, red potatoes, sweet onions, carrots, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers and more!
