Produce Pickup is Today--Tuesday July 3rd

Delivery Schedule Changes
Due to the holiday, everyone except Allstate members will pick up produce on TUESDAY this week. Please pick produce during regularly scheduled hours. We will revert to the Wednesday/Thursday delivery schedule next week.

This Week's Vegetable Harvest:

• Cucumbers
• Sweet Corn (not grown on our farm. See Notes from the Farm Kitchen.)
• Garlic
• Green Onions
• Cabbage
• Lettuce
• Broccoli
• Zucchini
• Arugula

This Week's Vegetable Harvest:

• Peaches (woohoo!)
• Sour Cherries
• Blueberries

Some Thoughts on the Weather

A couple of weeks ago we attended the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair near Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Each year thousands of people gather to share information about solar, wind, geothermal and other types of renewable energy. One of the workshops I attended was taught by a young couple who live off-grid with their 3 small children in the upper peninsula of Michigan. One of their comments left a real impression on me. They said what they value most about living off-grid is the way that it helps their children develop a real connection to the living world outside their door. Their kids have become intuitively aware of how the weather will affect their activities each day. For example, if it's cloudy when they wake up they know they'll have to be extra-careful about conserving energy because the solar panels on the roof won't be charging the batteries they rely on for electricity. In a similar way, I think living on this farm gives our kids that same sense of needing to work with whatever Mother Nature sends our way. For the most part, we are all mainting a positive attitude during the current heat wave, but this picture drawn by one of the kids, is an illustration of how I think we're all starting to tire of the blazing sun. Let's keep our fingers crossed for some cooler temps next week!

Farm Photo Journal

This week continues to be all about providing adequate water to our plants. Some plants, like lettuce and broccoli need lots of water in order to maintain good flavor during a heat wave. Other plants, like fall cabbage, are being transplanted from the greenhouse into the field this week and need water immediately after being planted to help them survive what we call 'transplant shock'. Then there are crops, such as your fall carrots, that are being seeded this week, and they need water to get the seeds to germinate in the ground. Here a some photos of Matt moving irrigation equipment around the farm. He'll be glad when we finally get some rain so he can move on to other tasks!



  

Notes from the Farm Kitchen

Due to the damaging spring frosts, I had fully prepared myself for a summer without Mick's delicious peaches, but it looks like we won't have to go without peaches after all. Like the sour cherries, the crop is quite small this year, but there will be just enough for us to include some peaches in the fruit share. Speaking of cherries, these are the last sour cherries for 2012. Since there aren't enough sour cherries in this week's share to make a pie, I recommend either mixing them with blueberries to make a pie or using the cherries to make muffins or cobbler.

Cucumbers seem to be loving this heat. They really started coming on strong this week. Yesterday we harvested almost a thousand of them, which means each member will receive three cucumbers in this week's share.

Broccoli is one of those crops that would appreciate more moderate temperatures than what we've been experiencing, but the crop is still performing satisfactorily. There will be a modest amont of broccoli in the share this week, and maybe a bit next week, then probably no more until fall. Because this week's broccoli came to maturity during the heat wave, its flavor will not be as mild as spring or fall broccoli. Instead of eating it raw, try steaming, roasting or sauteeing it.

This Week's Recipes

Stir-Fried Chicken with Broccoli, Green Onions and Zucchini
from Myra Goodman's Food to Live By

½ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Asian chile garlic sauce, or ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 medium-size zucchini or summer squash, cut into ½-inch dice (about 1½ cups)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
4 cups bite-size broccoli florets (about 8 ounces)
1½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes or ¼-inch strips
½ cup thinly sliced green onions, including whites and 3 inches of green
About 3 cups cooked rice or soba noodles, for serving
½ cup cashews, for garnish

1. Place the soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, chile sauce, cornstarch, and ¾ cup of water in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set the soy sauce mixture aside.
2. Place a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring constantly, until it is tender and golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the zucchini to a large bowl.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil to the wok. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the broccoli and ½ cup of water and cook, stirring constantly, until the broccoli is crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli to the bowl with the zucchini.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon each of the sesame oil and peanut oil to the wok. Add the chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture and stir until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add the reserved zucchini, broccoli, and the scallions to the chicken. Cook until the vegetables are just heated through, about 3 minutes.
6. Serve the stir-fried mixture immediately with the rice and sprinkle the cashews on top.

Cherry Blueberry Pie
from http://www.tasteofhome.com/

1 (15 ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
1/2 cup white sugar2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
1 egg white1 teaspoon water
2 teaspoons sugar

1. Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust; trim pastry even with edge. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, gently combine cherries and blueberries. Combine the sugar, flour and nutmeg; stir into fruit. Let stand for 10 minutes. Pour into crust; dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry; make lattice crust. Seal and flute edges. Sprinkle with additional sugar. Cover edges of pastry with foil.
3. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake 30-35 minutes longer or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. 

Zucchini-Cherry Muffins
adapted from Cooking Light

1 cup whole-wheat flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup fat-free milk
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons honey 1 large egg
Cooking spray
24 fresh, pitted sour cherries
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine whole-wheat flour and next 6 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine zucchini, milk, oil, honey, and egg in a small bowl; stir until blended. Make a well in center of flour mixture; add milk mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Poke 2 cherries down into the center of each muffin.
3. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over tops of muffins. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.

Fun Farm Photo of the Week: 'Piglet Comes to the Fence to Say Hello'

Next Week's Harvest (our best guess...) potatoes, lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, blueberries, sweet corn, kale and more!