In this week’s box:
Basil Bouquets: Genovese and/or Lettuce Leaf
Gooseberries!
GooseberriesGreentop Onions: Red CarpetHead Lettuce, assorted varietiesKomatsunaSummer Squash: 8 Ball (round, green), Golden Glory (yellow zucchini), Patty Pan (green or yellow, round scallop), Safari (dk green zucchini with light stripes), Slik Pik (lt. yellow, long), Zephyr (yellow & light green)Turnips: Hakurei (last time until fall) and perhaps one of the following:Bean Mix: Carson (yellow) & Empress (green)Broccoli: Gypsy (main head or side shoots)Cauliflower: Song or Snow CrownCucumbers: Marketmore (traditional English) or Suyo Long (long, Asian type)Eggplant: Orient Express (thin, dark purple, Asian-style) or Orient Charm (thin, neon purple, Asian-style)Snap PeasSnow Peas
For those with the Herb option: Cardinal basil, ginger mint & garlic chives
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| Gooseberries! |
Gooseberries
Greentop Onions: Red Carpet
Head Lettuce, assorted varieties
Komatsuna
Summer Squash: 8 Ball (round, green), Golden Glory (yellow zucchini), Patty Pan (green or yellow, round scallop), Safari (dk green zucchini with light stripes), Slik Pik (lt. yellow, long), Zephyr (yellow & light green)
Turnips: Hakurei (last time until fall)
and perhaps one of the following:
Bean Mix: Carson (yellow) & Empress (green)
Broccoli: Gypsy (main head or side shoots)
Cauliflower: Song or Snow Crown
Cucumbers: Marketmore (traditional English) or Suyo Long (long, Asian type)
Eggplant: Orient Express (thin, dark purple, Asian-style) or Orient Charm (thin, neon purple, Asian-style)
Snap Peas
Snow Peas
For those with the Herb option: Cardinal basil, ginger mint & garlic chives
What’s up on the farm?
Precipitation in the past week: 3.3"
Talk about thanking your lucky stars! Between Friday and Saturday of last week we got more than 3" of rain...and nothing else! No serious winds, no tornadoes, and no hail! All of those things were in our area. We have farmer friends who's crops were severely damaged and we feel awful for them. We've been there, but not this time. The ground sucked up all that rain and there wasn't a puddle to be found the next day. Thank you!!Before the rain we went on a cultivating marathon and busted though nearly every crop on the farm that isn't planted on fabric. It was a massive effort from the crew and now that we are too wet to cultivate again, we're sure glad we did it. We did some more trellising on tomatoes and other crops that needed more support, weeded potatoes, sowed more edamame and popcorn and even got some cover crops sown ahead of the rain. Whew!
We are also spending more time harvesting as the mid season crops start to mature. The summer squash require nearly daily harvesting and we are picking beans, broccoli, cauliflower and peas multiple times a week. The first few ripe cherry tomatoes and cucumbers were also picked this week. We laughed looking at the CSA box contents list today, as the "+1's" (the things that you might get, but we don't have enough for everyone yet) is ridiculously long. It's just that time of the season as new crops start coming on line. So welcome to Plus One Week! Bring on the variety!
Starting to see some ripe tomatoes!
Sowing cover crops
Baby cantaloupe!
Crew Corner: Joelle
Hello Everyone! My name is Joelle. While I will always
be the youngest of the current sister crew, I may not always be the
shortest. At the current rate of growth, I may yet overtake the Crew
Chief!
This is my first year at BGF and there has been a lot to
learn. I am happy to have warm weather for our work days. One of my
least favorite things has been to harvest asparagus on the dewy and chilly
mornings in spring.
I have most enjoyed the sweet (and too short!) strawberry
season. Although, I do like harvesting summer squash nearly as
much. We use them at least once a week in one of my favorite summer
dishes we have named, "Delicious Bowl of Heaven".
To me, it is not quite summer until you have fresh red,
orange, or yellow tomatoes on your table. But don't worry! BGF's tomatoes
are not far behind! 😊
A little detail on your produce this week:
Precipitation in the past week: 3.3"
Talk about thanking your lucky stars! Between Friday and Saturday of last week we got more than 3" of rain...and nothing else! No serious winds, no tornadoes, and no hail! All of those things were in our area. We have farmer friends who's crops were severely damaged and we feel awful for them. We've been there, but not this time. The ground sucked up all that rain and there wasn't a puddle to be found the next day. Thank you!!
Before the rain we went on a cultivating marathon and busted though nearly every crop on the farm that isn't planted on fabric. It was a massive effort from the crew and now that we are too wet to cultivate again, we're sure glad we did it. We did some more trellising on tomatoes and other crops that needed more support, weeded potatoes, sowed more edamame and popcorn and even got some cover crops sown ahead of the rain. Whew!
We are also spending more time harvesting as the mid season crops start to mature. The summer squash require nearly daily harvesting and we are picking beans, broccoli, cauliflower and peas multiple times a week. The first few ripe cherry tomatoes and cucumbers were also picked this week. We laughed looking at the CSA box contents list today, as the "+1's" (the things that you might get, but we don't have enough for everyone yet) is ridiculously long. It's just that time of the season as new crops start coming on line. So welcome to Plus One Week! Bring on the variety!
 |
| Starting to see some ripe tomatoes! |
|
| Sowing cover crops |
|
| Baby cantaloupe! |
Crew Corner: Joelle
Hello Everyone! My name is Joelle. While I will always be the youngest of the current sister crew, I may not always be the shortest. At the current rate of growth, I may yet overtake the Crew Chief!
This is my first year at BGF and there has been a lot to learn. I am happy to have warm weather for our work days. One of my least favorite things has been to harvest asparagus on the dewy and chilly mornings in spring.
I have most enjoyed the sweet (and too short!) strawberry season. Although, I do like harvesting summer squash nearly as much. We use them at least once a week in one of my favorite summer dishes we have named, "Delicious Bowl of Heaven".
To me, it is not quite summer until you have fresh red, orange, or yellow tomatoes on your table. But don't worry! BGF's tomatoes are not far behind! 😊
A little detail on your produce this week:
Basil hates the cold and will turn black with exposure. Keep long stemmed basil in a glass/vase of water on your counter top (out of direct sunlight). Stems that are too short (trimmings/tops) should be placed in a plastic bag, with a dry paper towel. Then put inside of a paper bag (for insulation) and put in the warmest part of your refrigerator (usually the door) or on the top shelf towards the front.
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/Cauliflower: Wrap loosely in a plastic bag and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator for up to a week. Immediately before cooking, soak 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 soaked 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.
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.
Basil hates the cold and will turn black with exposure. Keep long stemmed basil in a glass/vase of water on your counter top (out of direct sunlight). Stems that are too short (trimmings/tops) should be placed in a plastic bag, with a dry paper towel. Then put inside of a paper bag (for insulation) and put in the warmest part of your refrigerator (usually the door) or on the top shelf towards the front.
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/Cauliflower: Wrap loosely in a plastic bag and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator for up to a week. Immediately before cooking, soak 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 soaked 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.
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.
Many people like to peel, salt, and drain their eggplant to draw out any bitter flavor; however, bitterness develops only in eggplant that has been stored for a while, so with farm-fresh specimens this is generally not necessary. Many recipes call for salting in order to make the vegetable less watery and more absorbent—much like draining tofu. Salting is not an essential step, but it can greatly enhance the taste and texture of your dish and is well worth the extra effort. 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.
Gooseberry: Gooseberries are juicy, tart, and subtly grape-flavored when fully ripe. Zesty, zingy, and bright are other words commonly used to describe the fruit. You can definitely eat them raw, but they're particularly tasty when cooked. Gooseberries make delicious sauce, jam and baked goods. The fruit is high in fiber, low in calories and fat, and packed with nutrients and antioxidants. They also may help control blood sugar levels. Store in the fridge for up to a week. Don't wash until ready to use as the added moisture causes them to spoil more quickly. Be sure to "top and tail" them (remove stem & blossom end) before using.
Green-top onions: As you might note from their name, these are young, freshly pulled, uncured onions. They can be used as you would any onion, the difference is in the storage. Since they don't have a layer of dried skin to protect them, please store in a sealed bag or container in your refrigerator and plan to use within 2 weeks. As long as the greens are still fresh, you can use them like scallions, or try out the baked onion top recipe in the 6/29/21 newsletter.
Oyster Mushrooms: To maximize the shelf life of raw mushrooms, refrigerate them in a paper bag; do not wrap in plastic or store in airtight container, as this will speed spoilage. Properly stored, raw whole mushrooms will usually keep well for 4 to 7 days in the fridge. To use, trim off the stems as they are tough and either discard them or save to make a vegetable stock.
Peas: We grow snow peas (flat pod with little bumps showing immature peas inside) and sugar snap peas (rounded pods with mature peas inside). Both have edible pods and can be used interchangeably in recipes. They are particularly good in stir-fries and salads, though we tend to eat them fresh as a snack. Peas keep best in their plastic container in the produce drawer of your 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.
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. Large leaf greens can benefit by being wrapped in a linen or cotton towel inside the bag if excess moisture is a concern.
** 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? Do you want to read more about our life on the farm and see more pictures? Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm or on Instagram at bluegatefarmfresh. CSA members can also connect with other BGF members to share recipes or ask questions on our FB community page at Blue Gate Farm Community.
That's about it for now. If you have any questions or comments, be sure to let us know.Best from the farm,Jill & Sean (and the whole BGF crew)
Oyster Mushrooms:
To maximize the shelf life of raw mushrooms, refrigerate them in a paper bag; do not wrap in plastic or store in airtight container, as this will speed spoilage. Properly stored, raw whole mushrooms will usually keep well for 4 to 7 days in the fridge. To use, trim off the stems as they are tough and either discard them or save to make a vegetable stock.Peas:
We grow snow peas (flat pod with little bumps showing immature peas inside) and sugar snap peas (rounded pods with mature peas inside). Both have edible pods and can be used interchangeably in recipes. They are particularly good in stir-fries and salads, though we tend to eat them fresh as a snack. Peas keep best in their plastic container in the produce drawer of your 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.
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. Large leaf greens can benefit by being wrapped in a linen or cotton towel inside the bag if excess moisture is a concern.
** 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? Do you want to read more about our life on the farm and see more pictures? Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm or on Instagram at bluegatefarmfresh. CSA members can also connect with other BGF members to share recipes or ask questions on our FB community page at Blue Gate Farm Community.
That's about it for now. If you have any questions or comments, be sure to let us know.
Best from the farm,
Jill & Sean (and the whole BGF crew)
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| Indigo, Luci & Sky |
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