View from the Tractor
Well, here we are at lucky week 13 of the CSA. Labor Day is right around the corner signaling the end of the summer vacation season with school back in full swing. Labor Day for the farmers is a marker on the calendar where we continue to labor away. The summer crops are coming in strong with some of my most favorite peppers just starting to roll in. I love it when the mini bells and sweet Italian start to ripen. Hopefully the red bells will also start coming in.
Even though the nights are cooler, the tomatoes are just about to explode in the fields. Soon it will be time to make your tomato sauce for amazing dinners all winter long. As we approach fall we are now starting to harvest our winter squashes, with the delicata squash being the first to hit your shares. The rest of the winter squashes will be curing a few weeks before they are ready to eat.
This week we are also starting to harvest our fall brassicas with green cabbage first in the lineup. I am very excited to see how well the fall crops are doing now that we have moved past the triple digit temps.
Before you know it we may be wearing our jackets for the first few hours of the day. Until then we will keep sweating in the fields, bringing in the bounty of 2022.
Have a safe and enjoyable last week of Summer.
Michael
Product Highlights
Okra
Let's talk about okra! This underrated veggie is not commonly grown in Colorado and can be hard to find, but it sure is a special one.
Packed with nutrients and flavor, this crop is very versatile in the kitchen and can be used in more ways than you would think!
Like fermenting veggies? Okra is the perfect vessel if you're looking for something that maintains it's crunch on the outside and juicy flesh on the inside. This sweet little veg can be baked, thinly sliced and added to stir fry, dehydrated or air-fried to make veggie okra "chips", and let's not forget using okra as the star ingredient in a warm bowl of Gumbo, soups, or stews (think: tomatoes, eggplant, chiles, and more).
Okra is the nickname for ngombo, and is deeply embedded in Black history of the south-- Originating in Africa, ngombo acquired the nickname "gumbo" when the crop made it's way to Louisiana. This name grew to describe any dish that had okra in it, and since it was most commonly used as a thickening agent for soups and stews, the famous Gumbo dish you know and love today got its name.
To us, okra is the perfect example of why it's important to know where your food comes from. "Know your farmer" indicates knowing the people and practices behind the food on your table on a small scale, but it can also be understood on a much larger & historical scale. Knowing this okra is grown by us regeneratively and being able to have access to it is a privilege and we are honored to be able to grow and share this amazing veggie with you-- But learning the origins of our food, it's people, it's purpose, and it's significance and meaning as it is embedded in history is truly how we can learn to honor the very food we prepare and put on our table.
If you'd like to learn more about the history of okra, this article provides a great background on the history of okra and why it is so important.
We hope you try this wonderful veggie and share in the amazing experience of honoring the food we eat by understanding where it comes from.
Fruit Share
This week's fruit share will be another amazing round of Cresthaven peaches. The pears are starting to come in from the orchards but we will wait a bit as it is so hard to let go of the amazing flavor of the Colorado peaches.
Of course, these will also be available as add-ons for those of you without a fruit share!
While there's still a little time, we are still offering peaches as 20lb boxes for all of you canning folks out there (see our most recent Farm Happening for an easy canning instruction link). Put these freestones to good use and have plenty ready for the future when stone fruit season is over!
Add-ons and Extras
And as always, don't forget to check out our SkyPilot pasture raised eggs, Pueblo Seed & Food Co grains and goodies, organic Hazel Dell Mushrooms, heirloom Pastifio pasta, add-on fruits (and 20lb boxes of peaches for canning!), and beautiful Fresh Herb Co bouquets!
We hope you enjoy this week's CSA-- Let the fall and summer mashup begin!
