Hello Members- (click on Continue Reading to see newsletter)-
NOTE: Make sure to customize if you want something that is not in your box- I have extra inventory, so you can swap quite a few items.
This week looks like its going to be a lot cooler with no rain in the forecast. What a quick change! The nights are hovering around 45 degrees which is definitely going to affect the growth of summer crops. But it is nice to get a relief from the humidity and heat on the farm!
This week, again, is a summer filled box with tomatoes, sweet corn (less this week- smaller ears), peppers and hopefully a melon for everyone! The melons had some pretty severe pest damage and are not what we hoped this year. The cantaloupe fared much better and you will definitely see them for a couple weeks. Watermelon can be finicky and have issues with fungal and pest pressures, in addition to it being a really wet year, which they don't like.
On the farm these days, you'll find us mowing old crops and cover crops, moving the animals, harvesting, weeding, planning and planting for fall and harvesting some more.
A reminder we have chicken for sale! These are whole or half frozen birds. Please make sure you can pick up your box in a timely fashion if you order chicken, as we do not want it to thaw out. We keep our chickens in a 0 degree walk in freezer, so they are very frozen going out the door! Bratwurst and hot Italian brats are back! In another week we will have all-pork hot dogs, wild rice brats and breakfast sausage, too!
Also, Fall shares are open! These will run the first 4 weeks of October. If you sign up for a full share you get 4 weekly boxes and if you sign up for a half share you get 2 bi-weekly boxes. You can expect fall crops like cabbages, broccoli, winter squash, turnips/radishes, salad greens and spinach, onions, garlic, carrots, beets, collards/kale, savory herbs, celeriac, potatoes, popcorn and more... Find the sign up here https://www.harvie.farm/signup/blackbrook-farm
In the box this week: (I will update again on Wednesday):
Sweet Corn- smaller and less ears this week, just as sweet!
Melon- most likely a cantaloupe or honeydew (green on inside). Refrigerate and eat soon! These are ripe.
Cherry tomatoes and large tomatoes- Keep your tomatoes NOT in the fridge, it changes their texture. Pico Di Gallo
Bell Peppers- 2 peppers. Great for kabobs, grilling, stir fries or in a pico di gallo ( not always in the recipe, but adds a great crunch as well as cukes finely chopped) Chicken and Pepper Kabobs
Hot peppers- mixed- a few hot peppers, both hot wax (yellow to orange to red) and jalapeno (green) for you to make salsa or spice up a dish!
Potatoes- yukon gold- A favorite for its creamy texture. Great for roasting, making grill packets, frying.
Tomatillos- 2 lbs. I realize a lot of folks might not know what to do with tomatillos. They are actually really versatile as they act like a tart tomato. You can de-husk, wash and chop them into eggs, stir fries, potato hash, but they are best known for making salsa verde! Salsa Verde
Cilantro- to make salsa!
red cabbage- small but tasty! Great in a fresh salsa, too! Fish tacos with red cabbage slaw/salsa
Broccoli- The broccoli is appreciating this cooler weather. The cauliflower has taken a hit with pests, but it will be back!
Fennel- https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/spicy-grilled-chicken-with-crunchy-fennel-salad
garlic- Fresh garlic is so potent, a little goes a long way! Pretty much cured at this point, so it is easier to break apart.
Squash- The squash is slowing down and little and by the beginning of September we'll be on to winter squash believe it or not. Thinly sliced and marinated zucchini is great on the grill!
cucumbers- Cucumber salsa
Snap Bean Mix- Green with a splash of Dragon's tongue heirloom beans this week. These are very crisp and sweet!
part of our garlic harvest!
Second batch of baby chicks came in to make sure we have enough chicken to get ya'll through to next year!
Have a great week-
Your farmers,
Ayla, James, Ronia Edwin and crew
