Week 8

When we begin work on cool, dark, mornings in August it feels for a moment like the season may be beginning to wind down. However, red potatoes, peppers, and eggplant are here to prove that the height of the season has just arrived. Not only are the summer crops notable for brightening our dinner tables, but many of them are longer season crops that we have worked on for months now, making the harvest all the more deserving of celebration. For example our seven varieties of sweet peppers were carefully seeded in slot trays in the greenhouse April 9th, just a couple of weeks after we moved to the farm. A month later we potted them up into larger celled trays to make room for growing roots and continued their care in the greenhouse. When the plants were almost ready we prepped the beds, putting down drip irrigation lines and plastic mulch. By June 4th we were prepared and found the time among our many projects to get 750 pepper plants into the ground. After planting we mulched the pathways in-between the tomatoes with straw to prevent the growth of weeds and set up irrigation. Your can imagine our excitement when we finally began to harvest the first peppers two weeks ago! In addition to the green, purple and flamingo peppers available this week we have yellow, orange and red peppers to look forward to later in the month. Despite the shorter days of August our jam packed cooler tells us that the summer harvest is in full swing!

In the CSA:

• Peppers- green, purple, flamingo
• Red Potatoes
• Tomatoes- Red slicing tomatoes will again be the stars of the distribution this week. In addition, we will have the first of our heirloom varieties available this week or next.
• Eggplant- Japanese, beatrice, and nadia
• Lettuce- The summer crisp lettuces are great at surviving the summer heat and are perfect for burgers and crispy salads.  We are now planting the more delicate lettuces again and they will be ready for September harvests.
• Nelson Carrots
• Arugula
• Red Russian Kale
• Yukina Savoy
• Tokyo Bekana- These light green ruffled leaves are great in salad or lightly cooked. 
• Kale- Toscano and curly
• Cucumbers- pickling and slicers
• Summer Squash
• Zucchini

CSA pick-your-own crops:

• Cherry Tomatoes- Sungold, Jasper, Black Cherry, Matt's Wild Cherry
• Mountain Magic Tomatoes- A "cocktail" tomato in-between a cherry tomato and slicing tomato in size.
• Sunflowers!
• Coriander Seed- For the best flavor grind just before use.
• Dill Seed
• Lemon and Thai Basil
• Oregano
• Hot Peppers: 
• Jalapeno
•  Serrano- Pictured right, Serrano peppers are hotter than Jalapenos and are distinguished by their narrower shape. We have them labeled so you can be sure to pick the hot peppers of your choice!
• Husk Cherries- Husk cherries are a sweet a relative of the tomato that grows inside a husk. The berries are ready when they have dropped to the ground and the husks appear dried. Berries still attached to the plant will not be sweet so be sure to only pick up berries from the ground beneath the plant. 

In the store:

In the store this week we will have all of the items available that are in the CSA except for some of the pick-your-own herbs. In addition, we will have tomatillos. We will also continue to carry corn from Verrill Farm.

Ratatouille

Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen

Mediterranean vegetable stew 4-6 servings

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium bell peppers, in strips or cubes

2 small or 1 medium zucchini (and/or summer squash), cubed

1 small eggplant, cubed

4 cloves crushed garlic

2 medium tomatoes, in chunks

1 bay leaf

1 tsp each: basil, marjorm

1/2 tsp oregano

dash of ground rosemary

3 tbs. burgandy or dry red wine of your choice

1/2 cup tomato juice

2 tbs tomato paste

2 tsp salt (approximate)

black pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

freshly chopped parsley

Heat olive oil in large, heavy cooking pot. Crush the garlic into the oil. Add bay leaf and onion, salt lightly. Saute over medium heat until onion begins to turn transparent. Add eggplant, wine and tomato juice. Add herbs. Stir to mix well, then cover and simmer 10-15 minutes over low heat. When eggplant is tender enough to be easily pricked by a fork, add zucchini and peppers. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper, tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix well. Continue to stew until all vegetables are tender. (How tender is tender? Do a taste test and decide what seems right to you).

Just before serving mix in the fresh parsley.

Serve on a bed of rice, or in a bowl, accompanied by some good french bread. Top with grated cheese and chopped black olives.

Week 7

While the hot sunny weather of the past couple of weeks brings certain challenges, it also creates the perfect opportunity for attacking weeds. This is because pulled weeds are dried out by the hot sun and cannot re-root in the dry soil. We took advantage of the weather last week by hoeing a large chunk of our fall brassicas and cultivating many other crops with the tractor.

Sunday and Monday brought us some much needed rain (and a much needed reprieve for Melissa from irrigation). As a result, many of our crops appear to have some added vigor today. Even with several soaking downpours, we've been able to continue to chip away at plowing our westernmost field in order to plant an early fall cover crop of peas and oats. The bottom-most layers of soil flipped over by the plow were still completely bone dry!

The combination of heat and rain is good news for most of our crops. This week should produce a bountiful harvest for the CSA and store.

In the CSA:

• Red Gold potatoes - These potatoes have a very thin skin and buttery flavor. Cut them up and roast them or boil them to use them in your potato salads.
• Purple Carrots - While purple carrots aren't quite as sweet as the regular spring carrots we grow (Nelsons), they are still pretty tasty and add unexpected color to your salads!
• Purple Peppers and Flamingo Peppers - The first colored peppers of the season. They are smaller than other bell peppers we grow, but they pack a sweet punch. Flamingo peppers are a pale yellow.
• Green Peppers
• Eggplant - Nadia, Beatrice and Japanese
• Cucumbers - Check out the Green Gazpacho recipe below for a refreshing use of cucumbers.
• Summer Squash
• Zucchini
• Nelson Carrots
• Fennel
• Lettuce
• Kale - Toscano and Curly
• Swiss Chard
• Arugula
• Red Russian Kale
• Mustard greens
• Yukina Savoy

CSA Pick-your-own crops:

• Cherry Tomatoes - This week in addition to Sungold (orange) and Jasper (red), we have Black Cherry (reddish purple) and Matt's Wild Cherry (red). They all have terrific flavor, but the Sungolds are always a particular favorite, which is why we planted two rows of them!
• Beans - green beans and Dragon Langerie
• Jalapeno peppers
• Sunflowers - the next planting is coming on strong, so there will be even more to pick from!
• Herbs - basil, cilantro, dill and parsley

In the store:
Most CSA crops will be available in the store, although cherry tomatoes and beans may only be available on Saturday. In addition, the store will likely have scallions, cabbage, sweet corn from Verrill farm and the first red slicing tomatoes of the season!

Green Gazpacho

Adapted from “Plenty,” by Yotam Ottolenghi.

This is my favorite summer dish - I make this delicious cold soup at least once a week in August. Celery is coming a little later in the season, but the rest of the fresh vegetable ingredients are available now at the farm!

2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
2 green peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
3 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
1 mildly spicy chili (such as jalapeño), roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups walnuts, lightly toasted
1/4 pound spinach (or Yukina Savoy!)

1/2 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup parsley
1 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground white pepper
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 cups water
Ice cubes

1. Combine the celery, green peppers, cucumbers, chili, garlic, sugar, walnuts, spinach, basil, parsley, olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, pepper and 1 cup water in blender and puree until smooth. Check seasonings, and add more water if you feel it needs it. Let chill in refrigerator.

2. To serve, divide into six bowls, and garnish each with a dollop of Greek yogurt, two ice cubes and a drizzle of olive oil. Serves 6. 

Week 7

While the hot sunny weather of the past couple of weeks brings certain challenges, it also creates the perfect opportunity for attacking weeds. This is because pulled weeds are dried out by the hot sun and cannot re-root in the dry soil. We took advantage of the weather last week by hoeing a large chunk of our fall brassicas and cultivating many other crops with the tractor.

Sunday and Monday brought us some much needed rain (and a much needed reprieve for Melissa from irrigation). As a result, many of our crops appear to have some added vigor today. Even with several soaking downpours, we've been able to continue to chip away at plowing our westernmost field in order to plant an early fall cover crop of peas and oats. The bottom-most layers of soil flipped over by the plow were still completely bone dry!

The combination of heat and rain is good news for most of our crops. This week should produce a bountiful harvest for the CSA and store.

In the CSA:

• Red Gold potatoes - These potatoes have a very thin skin and buttery flavor. Cut them up and roast them or boil them to use them in your potato salads.
• Purple Carrots - While purple carrots aren't quite as sweet as the regular spring carrots we grow (Nelsons), they are still pretty tasty and add unexpected color to your salads!
• Purple Peppers and Flamingo Peppers - The first colored peppers of the season. They are smaller than other bell peppers we grow, but they pack a sweet punch. Flamingo peppers are a pale yellow.
• Green Peppers
• Eggplant - Nadia, Beatrice and Japanese
• Cucumbers - Check out the Green Gazpacho recipe below for a refreshing use of cucumbers.
• Summer Squash
• Zucchini
• Nelson Carrots
• Fennel
• Lettuce
• Kale - Toscano and Curly
• Swiss Chard
• Arugula
• Red Russian Kale
• Mustard greens
• Yukina Savoy

CSA Pick-your-own crops:

• Cherry Tomatoes - This week in addition to Sungold (orange) and Jasper (red), we have Black Cherry (reddish purple) and Matt's Wild Cherry (red). They all have terrific flavor, but the Sungolds are always a particular favorite, which is why we planted two rows of them!
• Beans - green beans and Dragon Langerie
• Jalapeno peppers
• Sunflowers - the next planting is coming on strong, so there will be even more to pick from!
• Herbs - basil, cilantro, dill and parsley

In the store:
Most CSA crops will be available in the store, although cherry tomatoes and beans may only be available on Saturday. In addition, the store will likely have scallions, cabbage, sweet corn from Verrill farm and the first red slicing tomatoes of the season!

Green Gazpacho

Adapted from “Plenty,” by Yotam Ottolenghi.

This is my favorite summer dish - I make this delicious cold soup at least once a week in August. Celery is coming a little later in the season, but the rest of the fresh vegetable ingredients are available now at the farm!

2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
2 green peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
3 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
1 mildly spicy chili (such as jalapeño), roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups walnuts, lightly toasted
1/4 pound spinach (or Yukina Savoy!)

1/2 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup parsley
1 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground white pepper
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 cups water
Ice cubes

1. Combine the celery, green peppers, cucumbers, chili, garlic, sugar, walnuts, spinach, basil, parsley, olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, pepper and 1 cup water in blender and puree until smooth. Check seasonings, and add more water if you feel it needs it. Let chill in refrigerator.

2. To serve, divide into six bowls, and garnish each with a dollop of Greek yogurt, two ice cubes and a drizzle of olive oil. Serves 6. 

Refrigerator pickles and cucumber soup!

If you love pickles but want a simple option, refrigerator pickles are for you! Our friend Allaine says they taste just like the cucumbers her mother in law used to make and they are a big hit at potlucks all summer long! She suggests using less salt than listed and rinsing the cucumbers very well after salting.

Japanese Pickled Cucumber

By Sue Lau on May 21, 2002 on food.com

Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons salt ( to sprinkle)
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt


Directions

Place cucumbers in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
Rinse cucumbers under cold water to remove salt.
Mix together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve.
Pour over cucumbers.
Marinate cucumbers overnight in refrigerator in sealed container.

Photo by Peter Caswell

Lise's friend Marta is visiting today! They first met while in the Peace Corps in Bulgaria and so when we got talking cucumbers this morning they both immediately thought of one of their Bulgarian favorites- cucumber soup!

Tarator - Bulgarian Cold Cucumber Soup

By Nelka on May 15, 2003 on food.com

Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: 3-6

Ingredients
2 cucumbers (about 1 lb)
500 g plain yogurt (1 lb)
3 -4 garlic cloves
2 -3 tablespoons of crushed walnuts (optional)
1 bunch fresh dill
oil
salt
water (optional)

Directions
Cut the cucumbers into cubes and put them in a bowl. You may aslo grate them but it changes the look and the consistency.
Beat the yogurt with a fork until it gets liquid and pour it over the cucumbers.
Add the crushed garlic, the walnuts and the minced dill as well as salt and oil to taste.
If needed add some water to make the soup as liquid as you like but take care not to make it too "thin".
Put into the refrigerator to cool or add ice cubes.
Serve cold.

Week 6

Last week we focused on fall. Lise and I planted all of our fall brassicas in the field including kale, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, cabbages, and Brussels sprouts. The greenhouse is emptying out and for the first time this season we will not be filling it up again! We will continue to seed lettuce and a few other greens for the fall but the constant planting has slowed for the summer and is replaced by increasing harvests and lots of weeding. The recent rains have been great for our crops and for the weeds! We are paying particular attention to our fall carrots and beets, hoeing and weeding up a storm to give them the head start they need. While we are always looking ahead to be sure to set ourselves up for great harvests down the road, tomorrow is harvest day and there is plenty to look forward to in the short term. Peppers, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and more!

In the CSA:

• Green Peppers
• Eggplant- We have 3 varieties, all with a similar taste which can be used in any eggplant dish! Beatrice are large and bright purple (pictured right), Japanese eggplant are long and thin, and the Nadia are the tradition looking eggplant. There should be plenty to give each a try over the course of the season!
• Cucumbers 
• Carrots
• Cabbage-purple, mini green, and caraflex
• Fennel
• Summer squash 
• Zucchini
• Lettuce
• Carrots 
• Swiss Chard
• Kale- Toscano and Curly
• Arugula
• Yukina savoy
• Mustard Greens
• Red Russian Kale

CSA pick-your-own crops:

• Dragon Langerie Beans- A colorful snap bean. This week they are the perfect size for eating raw or lightly steamed

• Green Beans- A new planting is ready for picking this week.
• Sungold and Jasper Cherry Tomatoes- The first tomatoes of the season are here! Hurray! Sungold Tomatoes are a sweet, bright orange tomato, the Japers are a more traditional small red cherry tomato. There will be just a taste this week but more to come!
• Jalapeño Peppers- Time for spice!  If you like the flavor but want a little less heat, remove the seeds before adding to your meal.
• Sunflowers
• Basil- Genovese, Thai, and Lemon
• Other Herbs: Dill, Cilantro, Parsley

In the farm store:

Most of the same veggies, with the exception of eggplant and cherry tomatoes. We will likely have cherry tomatoes in the store on Saturday. Additional vegetables available in the store only will include scallions and maybe broccoli on Tuesday.

Marinated Zucchini Salad

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN from NY Times Recipes for Health

Raw zucchini can be a dull ingredient, but when it’s very thinly sliced it marinates beautifully, especially in lemon juice. I like to use a mixture of green and yellow squash here. Assemble this dish at least four hours before you wish to serve it, so that the squash has time to soften and soak up the lemony marinade.

1 pound medium or small zucchini, preferably a mix of green and yellow

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, mint, chives, dill or a combination

1. Slice the squash as thinly as you can. Sprinkle with salt, preferably kosher salt, and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse and drain on paper towels.

2. Mix together the lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. Toss with the zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for four to six hours.

3. Remove from the refrigerator, and remove the garlic clove. Add the fresh herbs, and toss together. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: This dish will keep for a day or two, but it is best served just after the herbs are added. The lemony zucchini will lose its flavor over time.