Hello Members! (click continue Reading to see our newsletter)-
We got a lot of rain this past week! Our sandy soils can handle it, but mixed with the heat and not being able to get out and cultivate (mechanically weed) with the ground being too wet, the weeds are getting pretty big! This week we are focusing on weeding, putting another line on our tomato trellising, planting fall crops, taking out old crops (like peas!) and putting in new ones, and harvesting. Always harvesting! Summer Squash, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers and eggplant (new this week) have to be picked every other day. That is how fast they grow! And still there are plenty of squash that we end of giving to the piggos!
New this week are new potatoes!, tomatoes and eggplant. We are going to give the peppers another week to size up, but they are next up, along with sweet corn!
Our 300 broiler chickens were brought to butcher this week. Catching them all was quite the farm event, but I had my awesome crew to help. I will be adding them to the add-on list later this week for you to add on starting next week. We have already butchered a few of our own and they are really tender and yummy!
Here is what is in the box this week:
Carrots, bunched-
Golden Beets- The sweetest of the beets! Don't forget to use the greens too. They are great for wilting and tossing with other veggies or put in an salad or over rice. Roasted Beets with Bacon, Sage and Brown Butter Golden Beet Salad
Sage Bunch- I like to pair potatoes and sage together. Sage as an oddly buttery taste when cooked with potatoes and is so good! Drying sage to keep Potatoes with Sage Brown Butter
New Potatoes- The potatoes are NOT CURED- that means they will not store a long time like normal potatoes. They need to be eaten soon- this week! You can even keep them in the fridge to keep the skins from turnging brown. New Potato Salad (can use celery from last week)
Kale bunch- dino/lacinato- Kale is best kept in a plastic bag to keep it from wilting. Great as a fresh salad- melt in your mouth kale salad
Cherry Tomatoes or Large Tomato(es)- First of the year! There are lots more to come, but everyone will get either a tomatoe or 2 or a pint of cherry tomatoes. Enjoy! Don't refrigerate!
Eggplant- We are having a good eggplant year, but I know a lot of people don't know what to do with a eggplant! Ratatouille Creamy Eggplant Caramelized Onion Dip
Torpedo (purple) Onion bunch- These are very versatile and yummy. You can use the green part as a "scallion" but the main bulb is great for grilling on skewers, sauteing with other veggies, put into a stir fry or cut into rings for a burger. Quick Pickled Onions
Cucumbers- Still very tasty and not bitter at all! Creamy Cucumber Salad
Summer Squash- Try in the Ratatouille recipe above. Zucchini Bread
Broccoli and/or Cauliflower- Broccoli Salad
Green Beans- please wash these again! Dramatically Seared Green Beans
Garlic Scapes (next week garlic!)
Peppers soon!
Field tomatoes looking good!
