In this week’s box:
Fennel
Golden Oyster MushroomsGreen GarlicHead Lettuce, assorted varietiesKale BouquetsScallionsSummer Squash: 8 Ball (round, green), Golden Glory (yellow zucchini), Patty Pan (green or yellow, round scallop), Slik Pik (lt. yellow, long), Zephyr (yellow & light green) and perhaps one of the following:Broccoli:(Gypsy) small, early headsCauliflower: SongEggplant: Orient Express (thin, dark purple, Asian-style) or Orient Charm (thin, neon purple, Asian-style)Snap PeasSnow Peas
Fennel
For those with the Herb option: Genovese basil, parsley & savory
Golden Oyster Mushrooms
Green Garlic
Head Lettuce, assorted varieties
Kale Bouquets
Scallions
Summer Squash: 8 Ball (round, green), Golden Glory (yellow zucchini), Patty Pan (green or yellow, round scallop), Slik Pik (lt. yellow, long), Zephyr (yellow & light green)
and perhaps one of the following:
Broccoli:(Gypsy) small, early heads
Cauliflower: Song
Eggplant: Orient Express (thin, dark purple, Asian-style) or Orient Charm (thin, neon purple, Asian-style)
Snap Peas
Snow Peas
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| Fennel |
What’s up on the farm?
Precipitation in the past week: 0.25"
We accomplished some big goals this past week! Yesterday we harvested the full garlic crop and hung it to dry. This is a huge task with a harvest of about 3,600 heads of garlic. The process starts by walking the rows, pulling each plant by hand and stacking in bundles of 10. Then we go through and tie each bundle and loop then over a shoulder. When we can't carry any more, we walk back and load into the UTV. Once the Ranger is full, we drive it to the barn and hang the bundles in groups of three from the railings and rafters. Then back to the field for another round. The garlic will dry for the next month or so. Once fully cured, it is taken down, trimmed and crated for storage. While we love garlic in all it's stages, full-sized green garlic is a special treat. Very easy to peel, it is juicy, with a fresh, lively garlic flavor. Delicious!
Other tasks in the past week included much cultivating and clearing of spent beds. We finally got the last of the cherries picked and the black raspberries and mulberries are mostly done. Our most fun picking was last Wednesday when we took the crew on a surprise field trip to visit our friends at the Berry Patch in Nevada. It was something we'd wanted to do for a while and since the soil was too wet to do any cultivating that day, we grabbed the opportunity. We spent our morning harvesting pounds of blueberries and then did a little weeding so it didn't feel quite so much like playing hooky. No pics because I was distracted by 15 acres of blueberries! If you haven't been to the Berry Patch before, it is our favorite U-Pick fruit farm. Acres of glorious fruit run by the nicest folks we know. All their fruit is delicious, but those blueberries are out of this world!
The soil did finally dry out enough that we have been able to slow down the nefarious weed take-over of the farm. In fact, now we're dry enough that we're ready for another good rain. Bring it on!We continue to see good progress on our mid-season crops. The peppers are starting to show some color and the eggplant and tomatoes are starting to size up. In fact, we're sending out the first eggplants in a couple of boxes today. The summer squash are exploding with blooms and fruit and everyone gets to enjoy them this week!
Crew Corner: Alyssa
It has been
such an amazing opportunity to work on Blue Gate Farm this summer. This has
been my first experience doing any real farm work, and I have loved every
second! It is exciting to take care of and harvest such great food for all
the lovely CSA members and people who order through veg-email. While packing
CSA boxes I get excited for all the people who will enjoy the food that Jill
and all the farm crew members have worked so hard to care for.
One aspect of
working on Blue Gate Farm that I did not take into consideration before I
arrived here is that I will never be able to enjoy the lackluster fruits and
veggies that are served in my college’s dining hall again. The BGF strawberries
and cherries have ruined all others for me, but now I know why the jams that
Jill makes taste so amazing! So be warned: once you start enjoying Blue Gate
Farm produce it may be difficult to stop!
A little detail on your produce this week:
Precipitation in the past week: 0.25"
We accomplished some big goals this past week! Yesterday we harvested the full garlic crop and hung it to dry. This is a huge task with a harvest of about 3,600 heads of garlic. The process starts by walking the rows, pulling each plant by hand and stacking in bundles of 10. Then we go through and tie each bundle and loop then over a shoulder. When we can't carry any more, we walk back and load into the UTV. Once the Ranger is full, we drive it to the barn and hang the bundles in groups of three from the railings and rafters. Then back to the field for another round. The garlic will dry for the next month or so. Once fully cured, it is taken down, trimmed and crated for storage. While we love garlic in all it's stages, full-sized green garlic is a special treat. Very easy to peel, it is juicy, with a fresh, lively garlic flavor. Delicious! Other tasks in the past week included much cultivating and clearing of spent beds. We finally got the last of the cherries picked and the black raspberries and mulberries are mostly done. Our most fun picking was last Wednesday when we took the crew on a surprise field trip to visit our friends at the Berry Patch in Nevada. It was something we'd wanted to do for a while and since the soil was too wet to do any cultivating that day, we grabbed the opportunity. We spent our morning harvesting pounds of blueberries and then did a little weeding so it didn't feel quite so much like playing hooky. No pics because I was distracted by 15 acres of blueberries! If you haven't been to the Berry Patch before, it is our favorite U-Pick fruit farm. Acres of glorious fruit run by the nicest folks we know. All their fruit is delicious, but those blueberries are out of this world!
The soil did finally dry out enough that we have been able to slow down the nefarious weed take-over of the farm. In fact, now we're dry enough that we're ready for another good rain. Bring it on!
We continue to see good progress on our mid-season crops. The peppers are starting to show some color and the eggplant and tomatoes are starting to size up. In fact, we're sending out the first eggplants in a couple of boxes today. The summer squash are exploding with blooms and fruit and everyone gets to enjoy them this week!
Crew Corner: Alyssa
It has been such an amazing opportunity to work on Blue Gate Farm this summer. This has been my first experience doing any real farm work, and I have loved every second! It is exciting to take care of and harvest such great food for all the lovely CSA members and people who order through veg-email. While packing CSA boxes I get excited for all the people who will enjoy the food that Jill and all the farm crew members have worked so hard to care for.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Green Garlic: This is freshly harvested garlic that hasn't had time to cure yet. You will notice that the wrappers are soft and the garlic itself is very juicy. You can use it in any recipe calling for garlic. The flavor is so fresh and green that we like to use them in recipes that really highlight the flavor, like pesto or garlic butter. Store loosely wrapped in the refrigerator for best keeping quality.
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.
Scallions (green onions)- are best kept upright in a glass with about 1" of water in it, more like flowers than vegetables. Loosely cover the tops with plastic and you will be amazed at how long they will keep. We like to throw a handful of chopped scallions into nearly any savory dish, right near the end of the cooking time.
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)
Green Garlic: This is freshly harvested garlic that hasn't had time to cure yet. You will notice that the wrappers are soft and the garlic itself is very juicy. You can use it in any recipe calling for garlic. The flavor is so fresh and green that we like to use them in recipes that really highlight the flavor, like pesto or garlic butter. Store loosely wrapped in the refrigerator for best keeping quality.
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.Scallions (green onions)- are best kept upright in a glass with about 1" of water in it, more like flowers than vegetables. Loosely cover the tops with plastic and you will be amazed at how long they will keep. We like to throw a handful of chopped scallions into nearly any savory dish, right near the end of the cooking time.
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)
 |
| Indigo, Luci & Sky |
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