In this week’s box:
Beets: Chioggia
&/or Golden
Chard: Bright Lights
Cherry Tomatoes Mix
Leeks: King Richard
Tomatoes, slicers
Watermelon: Moon & Stars (green w/ yellow spots,
red flesh) or Cream of Saskatchewan (striped w/ white flesh)
For
those with the Egg option [full]: one dozen free-range eggs (assorted colors)
For
those with the Herb option: Basil: Lemon/Lime, garlic chives, oregano
Featured Recipe(s) (see below):
Swiss
Chard Wraps
Risotto
with Leeks and Beet Greens
Watermelon
Agua Fresca
Precipitation in the past week:
1.60
” (.6” on Sat and 1.0” the previous Sunday)
What’s up on the farm?
I hardly feel
qualified to address what’s been up on the farm for the past week, as most of
my attentions have been divided between funerals and hospital rooms, in fact I
am writing today’s newsletter from the ICU where Sean is healing from his liver
surgery, after which the surgeon declared him disease-free! We hope to have him
back up on the 8th floor in the next day or so and back at the farm
7-10 days from now. Maybe I should have had the farm crew write this part of
the newsletter, regardless, we have gotten some nice rain in the past 10 days
or so. Not enough to make up for the deficit (we’re about 7” below average for the season) but enough to
make the crops, chickens and the farmers feel a bit better about things. The crew harvested all the remaining onions,
shallots and potatoes over the past week, while trying to keep up with the
crazy tomato production. As the mid or long season crops are finishing up, we
are re-prepping the gardens and sowing a number of fall or cool weather crops.
Among those already sown include: turnips, beets, choi and carrots. The weeds
have also appreciated the recent rains, so we will have to attend to those in
the coming week as well. We were very pleased to have missed our first farmers
market in 8 years, as this Saturday’s storms wreaked havoc with the tents and
wares of many of our friends. From the windows in the ICU, it looked pretty
wicked out there!
Early in the
season our melons were doing so well, it was the best looking crop we’d ever
had, but the lack of moisture and hot temps were really hard on the vines. Most
of them are dying back, so the harvest is now or never. We did not get enough
for everyone to have a whole melon, besides some of them were so huge that we
couldn’t get them in the box anyway, so some of you will be receiving half of a
large melon, wrapped in plastic. Please note that one of our varieties has
white flesh, so don’t be dismayed if yours isn’t the standard red, our
experience is that the flavor is out of this world. Please put them (cut or
whole) straight into the fridge as melon is very perishable.
A little detail on your produce this week:
Watermelon:
Handle watermelons carefully. When harvested at their peak ripeness, they can
crack or split easily if bumped. Refrigerate watermelons right away.
(Watermelons do not ripen off the vine and do not impart a ripe smell.) Cut
melon should be covered in plastic wrap, and chunks or slices should be kept in
an air-tight container. We suggest eating melons within a week.
Leeks:
Loosely wrap unwashed leeks in a plastic
bag and store them in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator. They will keep
for at least a week. Cut the leek about 1 inch above the white part, where the leaves begin changing
from dark to light green. (Save the unused greens; they’ll give great flavor to
your next vegetable stock.) Fan the leaves under running water to dislodge any
dirt collected there, then pat thoroughly dry. You can julienne a leek by
cutting it lengthwise, or slice it crosswise. If you want to clean a leek that
you will be cooking whole, make a slit down one side to within an inch or two
of the root end. Then spread the leaves under running lukewarm water to clean
the leek. During cooking the leek will stay whole. For a quick supper idea,
leeks, tomatoes and chard will make a wonderful quiche!
Is a weekly
newsletter not enough for you and you want to read more about our daily
adventures? Follow us at our blog
at http://beyondthebluegate.blogspot.com/
and on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm.
That’s about it
this week, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know.
Best from the farm,
Jill & Sean (and Blue & Luci)
SWISS CHARD WRAPS
Large tomato, sliced and cut
in half
9-10 Swiss Chard leaves, at
least 9 inches
1/2 cup of Mozzarella cheese,
grated
2 tablespoons of Olive oil
1 teaspoon of Onion flakes
1 pinch of Salt and pepper
Steam Swiss chard for a few
minutes. Do not overcook. Open leaves and brush on olive oil lightly. Put
tomato slice in center of leaf - top with pinch onion - salt and pepper and one
tablespoon cheese. fold leaf around tomato - this will hold together well.
Put on grill until hot - can
turn once. Works best if you use a 2 sided grill that holds food in place. This
can also be cooked in oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes on a cookie sheet.
Alts:
I've tried goat cheese, but
mozzarella works best, and a little feta is good also.
I've put squash, corn,
eggplant, tomato and basil leaves and fold like a burrito.
Recipe Source: www.dinnertool.com/
Watermelon
Agua Fresca
Serves: 4
5 cups fresh, seedless
watermelon, cut into cubes
1/2 cup water
2 T. sugar or agave, or to
taste (optional)
Juice of 2 fresh limes or to
taste
Lime slices
Puree first 4 ingredients in
a blender
Pour into ice filled glasses
and garnish with lime slices
Optional add-ons:
fresh mint
fresh basil
sparkling water
champagne
vodka
fresh mint
fresh basil
sparkling water
champagne
vodka
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