Week #6 – July 23rd – July 26th

Swiss Chard
Red Norland Potato
Scallions
Bell Pepper
Basil
Lettuce   Greenleaf
Jalapeno Hot Pepper
Summer Squash (yellow,zucchini,or kusa)
Eggplant (japanese or globe)
Cucumber

We made it through the heatwave!! We received an inch of rain yesterday and the plants will love it. I know that we appreciate the reduced humidity here.

QUICK TIPS:  Be sure to take a look at the links for each veggie above. They take you to the vegetable directory.

Red Norland Potato- eat the skin! we love them boiled and smashed.  Eggplant – no need to peel or salt.  It will take on flavor of whatever you choose. Great with curry, balsamic, smoked paprika. Your kids won’t eat eggplant? Try “meat”balls on the Pinterest board. We love to grill ours the same as summer squash (see last week)   Tomato – They are just starting to ripen (Heirlooms in the Hoophouse and slicers and paste in the field) Your tomato may come home underripe – they travel best this way. Leave to ripen on your kitchen counter. Great to add sliced or diced tomato with squash, basil saute. Let them cook down with your veg for a wonderful addition of flavor. Scallions – toss some sliced scallions in with your boiled potato when you add butter – delicious! They can be used raw or in cooked dishes. Great in salads, stir fry, dressings, and eggs. If you are finding that you are not using them fast enough try this –  I will clean and trim then slice up my scallions and put them in a freezer bag –no need to blanch — then you can grab a handful to add to the end of stirfry or saute just at the end of cooking for a lovely addition of mild onion flavor. Cucumber – they are coming!! Wonderful as a cucumber tomato salad Jalapeno – raw or cooked. The heat is found in the white pithy part and seeds. To limit the heat avoid putting these into your dishes. Be careful when cutting hot peppers. The hot oils can stay on your fingers and it never fails you will touch your eye. Wear gloves when possible. It can be diced, sliced and frozen without blanching. Just cut as you would like to use them in any cooked dish and put it into a freezer bag. Then you can use just a bit instead of the whole hot pepper at once. Bell Peppers – cooked or raw, a great addition to salads, sandwiches, saute, stirfry, pilaf, eggs. These can be sliced or diced and frozen in a baggie- no blanching – just cut how you would like to use in your cooked dish.  Basil -will turn black if it gets too cold- store carefully, best used or preserved within a day or two. Try to keep the air in your bag to insulate from cold temps in the fridge. I like to blend it up with a little bit of oil and keep in the fridge to add to dishes throughout the week. Sometimes I add walnuts or cheese but most of the time it is just basil and oil. It will keep in the fridge for the week and zip up a quick dish of squash, pasta, or rice. Pesto – Yes, you can pesto just about anything – having trouble eating your greens?…. Pesto – take a look at this pesto basics guide and Pesto Basics 101.  Most pesto can be frozen after preparing into serving size cubes to use throughout the year.

Summer Crops are just starting to ripen this week! Coming soon……beans

Do you have a favorite recipe??  – Share it with us and we will add it to our “Member Approved” recipes on the Vegetable Directory

Veggie Notes:  We do give your veggies a rinse at the farm – however, we do recommend a second wash at home as necessary.  Decisions on rinsing are made at the time of harvest and the effect it will have on your produce. Some items just store better unwashed. We do not use pesticides; therefore, it is possible that you find inhabitants in your produce. We try to restrict our plastic usage. The bags that you receive are recyclable at grocery store drop-offs.

Thank you for supporting our small farm!!!