BGF News - September 3, 2019-Vol. XLII, No.14
In this week’s box:
Basil: Genovese or Italian Large Leaf
Beans: Carson (yellow) and/or Provider (green)
Chard or Kale Mix
Cherry Tomato Mix
Cucumbers: Lemon (round, yellow), Marketmore (English-type) or Suyo Long (long, Asian)
Garlic: Farmers Folly Mix see detail below
Purslane
Spaghetti Squash
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 perhaps one of the following: (please see **NOTE after "A Little Detail..." below)
Broccoli: Imperial or Belstar
Cantaloupe: Minnesota Midget
For those with the Egg option [Full shares]: one dozen free-range eggs (asst. colors)
For those with the Herb option: Thai basil, dill, lemongrass
Featured Recipes: ** indicates a BGF favorite
Basil: Genovese or Italian Large Leaf
Beans: Carson (yellow) and/or Provider (green)
Chard or Kale Mix
Cherry Tomato Mix
Cucumbers: Lemon (round, yellow), Marketmore (English-type) or Suyo Long (long, Asian)
Garlic: Farmers Folly Mix see detail below
Purslane
Spaghetti Squash
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 perhaps one of the following: (please see **NOTE after "A Little Detail..." below)
Broccoli: Imperial or Belstar
Cantaloupe: Minnesota Midget
For those with the Egg option [Full shares]: one dozen free-range eggs (asst. colors)
For those with the Herb option: Thai basil, dill, lemongrass
Featured Recipes: ** indicates a BGF favorite
What’s up on the farm?
Precipitation in the past week: 1.75"
While I always resist making predictions about the weather, this sure feels like the last gasp of summer this week. Honestly, we kind of hope that it is. Not that we exactly wish for summer to be over, but we have been putting a lot of fall crops in the ground recently and they really dislike summer temperatures. If we get too many days of too high temperatures, it can cause these crops to bolt, or go to seed prematurely. This ends their use as vegetable crops, so we prefer them to ease into a nice slow slide into fall weather, much like we've been enjoying recently! In the past week we've sown fall spinach and tatsoi as well as started flats of chard, kale and napa cabbage to be transplanted into the high tunnels. We also continued our fall field transplanting with more broccoli and kale, with many more crops scheduled to go in the ground this week. We had hoped to get them in late last week, but our surprise 1.75" rain on Thursday morning put a hold on that plan. To make space for these crops we've been clearing more spent warm-weather crops like cucumbers, summer squash and the first sowing of beans. We still have later plantings of these crops, but especially the cukes and summer squashes are just about done. This will likely be the final delivery of cucumbers and possibly basil, which was really stressed out by the storm a couple of weeks ago.
Speaking of the storm, our recovery continues. We are filled with gratitude for the many kind words, offers of help and hours of labor put in by the crew, friends and family. We spent much of the Labor Day weekend getting the roof rebuilt and recovered. While not quite done, we are now rain-tight and feeling much more secure. There is still much work to be done on the high tunnels, but the supplies are ordered and we hope to have a schedule for those repairs soon.
On a related note, many of you are familiar with our annual fall event, Farm Crawl. We are sad to announce that this year's Crawl has been cancelled due to several farms retiring and others suffering damage in the recent storm. It is unclear at this time whether the event will continue in future years.
And finally, a little tale of the Farmer's Folly. I will spare you the lengthy bedtime version, but last fall when planting garlic in a new plot, the FarmHer had a record keeping irregularity. This wasn't realized until after we harvested the garlic this summer and found the record of the planting details...which weren't exactly how we remembered...or how we grouped our harvest. In short, we mixed some of our Northern White garlic in with our Music garlic and now have no way of separating them. Our Northern White variety is still true, and we will use that for sale and for seed stock. However the Music mix is now labeled Farmer's Folly since we aren't sure which it is. What does this mean for you? Really very little, it is all delicious and wonderful for use in the kitchen, it is just no longer a clean seed line and we will have to start over with buying new seed for our Music variety.
A little detail on your produce this week:
Precipitation in the past week: 1.75"
While I always resist making predictions about the weather, this sure feels like the last gasp of summer this week. Honestly, we kind of hope that it is. Not that we exactly wish for summer to be over, but we have been putting a lot of fall crops in the ground recently and they really dislike summer temperatures. If we get too many days of too high temperatures, it can cause these crops to bolt, or go to seed prematurely. This ends their use as vegetable crops, so we prefer them to ease into a nice slow slide into fall weather, much like we've been enjoying recently! In the past week we've sown fall spinach and tatsoi as well as started flats of chard, kale and napa cabbage to be transplanted into the high tunnels. We also continued our fall field transplanting with more broccoli and kale, with many more crops scheduled to go in the ground this week. We had hoped to get them in late last week, but our surprise 1.75" rain on Thursday morning put a hold on that plan. To make space for these crops we've been clearing more spent warm-weather crops like cucumbers, summer squash and the first sowing of beans. We still have later plantings of these crops, but especially the cukes and summer squashes are just about done. This will likely be the final delivery of cucumbers and possibly basil, which was really stressed out by the storm a couple of weeks ago.
Speaking of the storm, our recovery continues. We are filled with gratitude for the many kind words, offers of help and hours of labor put in by the crew, friends and family. We spent much of the Labor Day weekend getting the roof rebuilt and recovered. While not quite done, we are now rain-tight and feeling much more secure. There is still much work to be done on the high tunnels, but the supplies are ordered and we hope to have a schedule for those repairs soon.
On a related note, many of you are familiar with our annual fall event, Farm Crawl. We are sad to announce that this year's Crawl has been cancelled due to several farms retiring and others suffering damage in the recent storm. It is unclear at this time whether the event will continue in future years.
Speaking of the storm, our recovery continues. We are filled with gratitude for the many kind words, offers of help and hours of labor put in by the crew, friends and family. We spent much of the Labor Day weekend getting the roof rebuilt and recovered. While not quite done, we are now rain-tight and feeling much more secure. There is still much work to be done on the high tunnels, but the supplies are ordered and we hope to have a schedule for those repairs soon.
On a related note, many of you are familiar with our annual fall event, Farm Crawl. We are sad to announce that this year's Crawl has been cancelled due to several farms retiring and others suffering damage in the recent storm. It is unclear at this time whether the event will continue in future years.
And finally, a little tale of the Farmer's Folly. I will spare you the lengthy bedtime version, but last fall when planting garlic in a new plot, the FarmHer had a record keeping irregularity. This wasn't realized until after we harvested the garlic this summer and found the record of the planting details...which weren't exactly how we remembered...or how we grouped our harvest. In short, we mixed some of our Northern White garlic in with our Music garlic and now have no way of separating them. Our Northern White variety is still true, and we will use that for sale and for seed stock. However the Music mix is now labeled Farmer's Folly since we aren't sure which it is. What does this mean for you? Really very little, it is all delicious and wonderful for use in the kitchen, it is just no longer a clean seed line and we will have to start over with buying new seed for our Music variety.
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.
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.
Spaghetti Squash: A true winter squash, store spaghetti squash like you would an acorn or butternut squash, at room temperature or a bit cooler (basement) with good air circulation. To prepare, bake in the oven or the quicker version is to microwave 5 mins/lb until fork goes through. Cut squash in half and scope out the seeds. Scoop out seeds, then scoop out the flesh of the squash and flake off “spaghetti” into strands and use as a pasta replacement or as a vegetable side dish.
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!
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.
Spaghetti Squash: A true winter squash, store spaghetti squash like you would an acorn or butternut squash, at room temperature or a bit cooler (basement) with good air circulation. To prepare, bake in the oven or the quicker version is to microwave 5 mins/lb until fork goes through. Cut squash in half and scope out the seeds. Scoop out seeds, then scoop out the flesh of the squash and flake off “spaghetti” into strands and use as a pasta replacement or as a vegetable side dish.
Spaghetti Squash: A true winter squash, store spaghetti squash like you would an acorn or butternut squash, at room temperature or a bit cooler (basement) with good air circulation. To prepare, bake in the oven or the quicker version is to microwave 5 mins/lb until fork goes through. Cut squash in half and scope out the seeds. Scoop out seeds, then scoop out the flesh of the squash and flake off “spaghetti” into strands and use as a pasta replacement or as a vegetable side dish.
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.
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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