BGF News - August 13, 2019-Vol. XLII, No.11
In this week’s box:
Basil: Genovese and/or Italian Large Leaf
Cherry Tomato Mix
Cucumbers: Lemon (round, yellow), Marketmore (English-type) or Suyo Long (long, Asian)
Fennel: Preludio
Garlic: Music
Kale Mix
Lettuce: Kiribati or Muir
Sweet Peppers: Ace (green to red), Islander (purple to orange)
Summer Squash: 8 Ball (green,round), Golden Glory (bright yellow zucchini), Patty Pan(scalloped white, green or yellow), Slik Pik (thin, yellow) or Zephyr (green & yellow)
Tomatoes: see descriptions in 7/30 newsletter post
and at least one of the following: (please see **NOTE after "A Little Detail..." below)
Beans: Carson (yellow) and/or Provider (green)
Broccoli: Imperial or Belstar
Cantaloupe: Minnesota Midget
Eggplant: Orient Express (dark purple) and/or Orient Charm (neon lavender)
Okra: Bowling Red (dark red) and Candle Fire (light red)
Watermelon: Cream of Saskatchewan (white flesh) or Sugar Baby (red flesh)
For those with the Egg option [Full and Half shares]: one dozen free-range eggs (asst. colors)
For those with the Herb option: purple basil, dill & pink celery (use like parsley)
Featured Recipes: ** indicates a BGF favorite
Creamy Cherry Tomato Summer Squash Pasta
Baked Eggs on Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Roasted Okra Baked Bhindi
Refrigerator Pickles
Basil: Genovese and/or Italian Large Leaf
Cherry Tomato Mix
Cucumbers: Lemon (round, yellow), Marketmore (English-type) or Suyo Long (long, Asian)
Fennel: Preludio
Garlic: Music
Kale Mix
Kale Mix
Lettuce: Kiribati or Muir
Sweet Peppers: Ace (green to red), Islander (purple to orange)
Summer Squash: 8 Ball (green,round), Golden Glory (bright yellow zucchini), Patty Pan(scalloped white, green or yellow), Slik Pik (thin, yellow) or Zephyr (green & yellow)
Tomatoes: see descriptions in 7/30 newsletter post
and at least one of the following: (please see **NOTE after "A Little Detail..." below)
Beans: Carson (yellow) and/or Provider (green)
Broccoli: Imperial or Belstar
Cantaloupe: Minnesota Midget
Eggplant: Orient Express (dark purple) and/or Orient Charm (neon lavender)
Okra: Bowling Red (dark red) and Candle Fire (light red)
Eggplant: Orient Express (dark purple) and/or Orient Charm (neon lavender)
Okra: Bowling Red (dark red) and Candle Fire (light red)
Watermelon: Cream of Saskatchewan (white flesh) or Sugar Baby (red flesh)
For those with the Egg option [Full and Half shares]: one dozen free-range eggs (asst. colors)
For those with the Herb option: purple basil, dill & pink celery (use like parsley)
Featured Recipes: ** indicates a BGF favorite
Creamy Cherry Tomato Summer Squash Pasta
Baked Eggs on Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Roasted Okra Baked Bhindi
Refrigerator Pickles
Baked Eggs on Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Roasted Okra Baked Bhindi
Refrigerator Pickles
What’s up on the farm?
Precipitation in the past week: 0.50"
The view from Plot I today.
It's hard to believe that today marks the start of the second half of the CSA season! And what a season it has been! I truly believe that this has been our toughest growing season to date but things are looking better now than they did two months ago. We were very happy to get a bit of rain this week, it's exactly what we needed on all those newly sown fall crops. The arugula, choi, daikon, turnips, beets, kohlrabi and carrots are already germinating. The popcorn just started tasseling, which marks the start of kernel development which we are very relieved to see. The popcorn went in so late that we were afraid it might not have time to produce, still a possibility, but we are hopeful. The cherry tomatoes started kicking it into gear this week and the slicers are FINALLY showing some color as are the sweet peppers. We should have enough off all of them to send out to everyone today. It won't be a huge amount, but just the start of what we hope will be tomato & pepper bounty! Beans are also getting into the swing of things and while we wont have quite enough to hit every box this week, we anticipate by next week we will.
The broccoli has also finally started to "head up." This is the only planting from the spring that survived the Great Deer Invasion of 2019. The heads are small due to the weird season, but they are coming. The first of those will go out today with more to follow soon.
Cucumber wilt disease
We hope you've been enjoying the bounty of the cucumbers so far. This is the best season we've had for cukes in years, maybe ever! That is likely about to come to an end. The biggest challenge in cucumbers (and squashes) is a wilting disease that is spread by cucumber beetles. Because we are chemical-free, there is really no control for them. So we try to plant an excessive number of plants and give you as many as we can while we have them, because at some point, always before we are ready, the plants are going to fail. I'm sad to report that we are starting to see this happen. Not all the plants, but it is starting. So this is the time to really enjoy those cukes and if you are wanting to make pickles, don't dally.
Delicata Squash
What's coming? More tomatoes, peppers & beans, broccoli, winter squash
A little detail on your produce this week:
Precipitation in the past week: 0.50"
 |
| The view from Plot I today. |
It's hard to believe that today marks the start of the second half of the CSA season! And what a season it has been! I truly believe that this has been our toughest growing season to date but things are looking better now than they did two months ago. We were very happy to get a bit of rain this week, it's exactly what we needed on all those newly sown fall crops. The arugula, choi, daikon, turnips, beets, kohlrabi and carrots are already germinating. The popcorn just started tasseling, which marks the start of kernel development which we are very relieved to see. The popcorn went in so late that we were afraid it might not have time to produce, still a possibility, but we are hopeful. The cherry tomatoes started kicking it into gear this week and the slicers are FINALLY showing some color as are the sweet peppers. We should have enough off all of them to send out to everyone today. It won't be a huge amount, but just the start of what we hope will be tomato & pepper bounty! Beans are also getting into the swing of things and while we wont have quite enough to hit every box this week, we anticipate by next week we will.
The broccoli has also finally started to "head up." This is the only planting from the spring that survived the Great Deer Invasion of 2019. The heads are small due to the weird season, but they are coming. The first of those will go out today with more to follow soon.
The broccoli has also finally started to "head up." This is the only planting from the spring that survived the Great Deer Invasion of 2019. The heads are small due to the weird season, but they are coming. The first of those will go out today with more to follow soon.
 |
| Cucumber wilt disease |
We hope you've been enjoying the bounty of the cucumbers so far. This is the best season we've had for cukes in years, maybe ever! That is likely about to come to an end. The biggest challenge in cucumbers (and squashes) is a wilting disease that is spread by cucumber beetles. Because we are chemical-free, there is really no control for them. So we try to plant an excessive number of plants and give you as many as we can while we have them, because at some point, always before we are ready, the plants are going to fail. I'm sad to report that we are starting to see this happen. Not all the plants, but it is starting. So this is the time to really enjoy those cukes and if you are wanting to make pickles, don't dally.
 |
| Delicata Squash |
A little detail on your produce this week:
Beans: Fresh beans are an easy "store." Just leave them in their plastic bag and keep them in the produce drawer. Can last up to 2 weeks.
Broccoli: Wrap broccoli loosely in a plastic bag and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator for up to a week. Immediately before cooking, soak broccoli, head down, in cold, salted water (1 teaspoon salt to a 8 cups of water) for 5 minutes. Any [organic] critters will float to the top where you can rescue them or allow them to suffer a salty death. (Note: If you soak broccoli in salt water before storing, it will become too rubbery and wilted to enjoy.) Slice the juicy, edible stems and use them wherever florets are called for. Peel particularly thick skin before using.
Cantaloupe: If your cantaloupe seems a bit short of ripe, keep it at room temperature for a few days or until there is a sweet smell coming from the stem end. Once the melon ripens, store it in the refrigerator. It is best not to cut a cantaloupe until you are ready to eat it. If you need to return cut melon to the refrigerator, do not remove the seeds from the remaining sections as they keep the flesh from drying out. Use within 3-5 days.
Cucumber: Store unwashed cucumbers in a sealed plastic bag in the vegetable crisper bin for about a week. Keep cucumbers tucked far away from tomatoes, apples, and citrus—these give off ethylene gas that accelerates cucumber deterioration. You can do a lot of fancy things to the skin of a cucumber, but when it is young, fresh (and unwaxed), it really only needs to be thoroughly washed. However, if the skin seems tough or bitter you can remove it; if the seeds are bulky, slice the cucumber lengthwise and scoop them out.
Beans: Fresh beans are an easy "store." Just leave them in their plastic bag and keep them in the produce drawer. Can last up to 2 weeks.
Broccoli: Wrap broccoli loosely in a plastic bag and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator for up to a week. Immediately before cooking, soak broccoli, head down, in cold, salted water (1 teaspoon salt to a 8 cups of water) for 5 minutes. Any [organic] critters will float to the top where you can rescue them or allow them to suffer a salty death. (Note: If you soak broccoli in salt water before storing, it will become too rubbery and wilted to enjoy.) Slice the juicy, edible stems and use them wherever florets are called for. Peel particularly thick skin before using.
Cantaloupe: If your cantaloupe seems a bit short of ripe, keep it at room temperature for a few days or until there is a sweet smell coming from the stem end. Once the melon ripens, store it in the refrigerator. It is best not to cut a cantaloupe until you are ready to eat it. If you need to return cut melon to the refrigerator, do not remove the seeds from the remaining sections as they keep the flesh from drying out. Use within 3-5 days.
Cucumber: Store unwashed cucumbers in a sealed plastic bag in the vegetable crisper bin for about a week. Keep cucumbers tucked far away from tomatoes, apples, and citrus—these give off ethylene gas that accelerates cucumber deterioration. You can do a lot of fancy things to the skin of a cucumber, but when it is young, fresh (and unwaxed), it really only needs to be thoroughly washed. However, if the skin seems tough or bitter you can remove it; if the seeds are bulky, slice the cucumber lengthwise and scoop them out.
Eggplant: Eggplant prefers to be kept at about 50° F, which is warmer than most refrigerators and cooler than most kitchen counters. Wrap unwashed eggplant in a towel (not in plastic) to absorb any moisture and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator. Used within a week, it should still be fresh and mild. The shape of an eggplant determines how it is best prepared. Slice a straight, narrow eggplant into rounds for grilling or broiling, and cut a rounded, bulbous eggplant into cubes for stews and stir-fries.
Fennel: Cut off the stalks where they emerge from the bulb. To use the feathery foliage as an herb, place the dry stalks upright in a glass filled with two inches of water, cover the glass loosely with a plastic bag, and store in the refrigerator for up to five days. The unwashed bulb will keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for at least a week. To use, remove any damaged spots or layers. Cut the bulb in half lengthwise and check the inner core. If it’s tough, remove it with a paring knife. Fennel should be washed carefully, because dirt can lodge between the layers of the bulb. Chop or mince the leaves.
Fennel: Cut off the stalks where they emerge from the bulb. To use the feathery foliage as an herb, place the dry stalks upright in a glass filled with two inches of water, cover the glass loosely with a plastic bag, and store in the refrigerator for up to five days. The unwashed bulb will keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for at least a week. To use, remove any damaged spots or layers. Cut the bulb in half lengthwise and check the inner core. If it’s tough, remove it with a paring knife. Fennel should be washed carefully, because dirt can lodge between the layers of the bulb. Chop or mince the leaves.
Head Lettuce: We prefer to store heads wrapped in a cotton or linen dish towel, then placed in a plastic bag. This helps maintain a little bit of moisture, while keeping the leaves from touching the plastic to extend their "drawer-life". Wash lettuce just before using. The inner-most leaves of the head are the sweetest, so save those for salad use and take advantage of the bigger, outside leaves for use on sandwiches or wraps.
Okra: These lovely, dark red, horn-shaped vegetables are a warm weather treat. Extremely cold sensitive, store in their plastic bag in the warmest part of your fridge, or place the plastic bag in a small paper sack and store in the crisper drawer and use within the week. Traditional southerners will cut into rounds, bread in cornmeal and fry, but our favorite version is our dear friend Annie's method, "All I do is rinse off the pods and lay them in a saucepan with a little water in the bottom. Ten to fifteen minutes is all it takes...twenty if the pods are really big and "woody" feeling. I put salt on them and eat as finger food. It reminds me of young sweet corn."
Peppers: Place whole, unwashed peppers in a plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate for a week or more. Rinse peppers just before use. For sweet peppers, cut around the stem with a small knife and lift out the core. Slice down the side to open it up and then cut out the inner membranes. Store unused portions in a sealed bag or container in the refrigerator.
Summer Squash/Zucchini: Refrigerate unwashed zucchini and summer squash for up to a week and a half in a perforated plastic bag or in a sealed plastic container lined with a kitchen towel. These do not need to be peeled to use, just slice them up and go!
Tomatoes: always store whole tomatoes at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. A light "squeeze" is the best test for ripeness. Once cut, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Watermelon: Handle watermelons carefully. When harvested at their peak ripeness, they can crack or split easily if bumped or roughly handled. Refrigerate watermelons right away. (Watermelons do not ripen off the vine and do not emanate a ripe smell.) Cut melon should be covered in plastic wrap, chunks or slices should be kept in an airtight container, and both should be refrigerated. Eat all melons within a week.
A few other details: All of your GREENS will keep best if stored in a plastic bag, with the top folded over and placed in the produce drawer of your refrigerator.
Head Lettuce: We prefer to store heads wrapped in a cotton or linen dish towel, then placed in a plastic bag. This helps maintain a little bit of moisture, while keeping the leaves from touching the plastic to extend their "drawer-life". Wash lettuce just before using. The inner-most leaves of the head are the sweetest, so save those for salad use and take advantage of the bigger, outside leaves for use on sandwiches or wraps.
Okra: These lovely, dark red, horn-shaped vegetables are a warm weather treat. Extremely cold sensitive, store in their plastic bag in the warmest part of your fridge, or place the plastic bag in a small paper sack and store in the crisper drawer and use within the week. Traditional southerners will cut into rounds, bread in cornmeal and fry, but our favorite version is our dear friend Annie's method, "All I do is rinse off the pods and lay them in a saucepan with a little water in the bottom. Ten to fifteen minutes is all it takes...twenty if the pods are really big and "woody" feeling. I put salt on them and eat as finger food. It reminds me of young sweet corn."
Okra: These lovely, dark red, horn-shaped vegetables are a warm weather treat. Extremely cold sensitive, store in their plastic bag in the warmest part of your fridge, or place the plastic bag in a small paper sack and store in the crisper drawer and use within the week. Traditional southerners will cut into rounds, bread in cornmeal and fry, but our favorite version is our dear friend Annie's method, "All I do is rinse off the pods and lay them in a saucepan with a little water in the bottom. Ten to fifteen minutes is all it takes...twenty if the pods are really big and "woody" feeling. I put salt on them and eat as finger food. It reminds me of young sweet corn."
Peppers: Place whole, unwashed peppers in a plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate for a week or more. Rinse peppers just before use. For sweet peppers, cut around the stem with a small knife and lift out the core. Slice down the side to open it up and then cut out the inner membranes. Store unused portions in a sealed bag or container in the refrigerator.
Summer Squash/Zucchini: Refrigerate unwashed zucchini and summer squash for up to a week and a half in a perforated plastic bag or in a sealed plastic container lined with a kitchen towel. These do not need to be peeled to use, just slice them up and go!
Tomatoes: always store whole tomatoes at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. A light "squeeze" is the best test for ripeness. Once cut, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Watermelon: Handle watermelons carefully. When harvested at their peak ripeness, they can crack or split easily if bumped or roughly handled. Refrigerate watermelons right away. (Watermelons do not ripen off the vine and do not emanate a ripe smell.) Cut melon should be covered in plastic wrap, chunks or slices should be kept in an airtight container, and both should be refrigerated. Eat all melons within a week.
Watermelon: Handle watermelons carefully. When harvested at their peak ripeness, they can crack or split easily if bumped or roughly handled. Refrigerate watermelons right away. (Watermelons do not ripen off the vine and do not emanate a ripe smell.) Cut melon should be covered in plastic wrap, chunks or slices should be kept in an airtight container, and both should be refrigerated. Eat all melons within a week.
A few other details: All of your GREENS will keep best if stored in a plastic bag, with the top folded over and placed in the produce drawer of your refrigerator.
** NOTE: You will notice over the course of the season that some box contents listed above say "Perhaps one of the following..." These are items that we can’t harvest in sufficient quantities for the whole CSA to receive at one time. We do track who gets what and we will do our best to ensure that everyone eventually receives each item. On some items this may take several weeks, so please be patient.
Is a weekly newsletter not enough for you and you want to read more about our daily adventures or see pictures of the farm? Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm and/or share your recipes, experiences and questions with other BGF members at Blue Gate Farm Community.
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 Luci, Indigo & Sky)
** NOTE: You will notice over the course of the season that some box contents listed above say "Perhaps one of the following..." These are items that we can’t harvest in sufficient quantities for the whole CSA to receive at one time. We do track who gets what and we will do our best to ensure that everyone eventually receives each item. On some items this may take several weeks, so please be patient.
Is a weekly newsletter not enough for you and you want to read more about our daily adventures or see pictures of the farm? Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm and/or share your recipes, experiences and questions with other BGF members at Blue Gate Farm Community.
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