In this week’s box:
Chard: Rainbow MixCherry Tomato Mix *descriptions in 7/20 newsletterEggplant: Orient Express (thin, dark purple, Asian-style), Orient Charm (thin, neon purple, Asian-style) or Listada De Gandia (purple/white striped, Italian-style)Head Lettuce: assorted varietiesPeppers: Sweet *descriptions in 8/3 newsletterShallotsSummer 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)Tomatoes: slicers *descriptions in 7/27 newsletterTurnips: Hakurei (some are a bit ugly, we hope you can forgive them) and perhaps one of the following:Bean MixBroccoli: Belstar and/or ImperialCucumbers: Marketmore (traditional English) or Suyo Long (long, Asian-type)Red Okra: Burgundy and Candle FireWatermelon: Cream of Saskatchewan (striped outside, cream inside) or Sugar Baby (solid green outside, red inside)
For those with the Herb option: Sweet basil, tarragon & oregano
Chard: Rainbow Mix
Cherry Tomato Mix *descriptions in 7/20 newsletter
Eggplant: Orient Express (thin, dark purple, Asian-style), Orient Charm (thin, neon purple, Asian-style) or Listada De Gandia (purple/white striped, Italian-style)
Head Lettuce: assorted varieties
Peppers: Sweet *descriptions in 8/3 newsletter
Shallots
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)
Tomatoes: slicers *descriptions in 7/27 newsletter
Turnips: Hakurei (some are a bit ugly, we hope you can forgive them)
and perhaps one of the following:
Bean Mix
Broccoli: Belstar and/or Imperial
Cucumbers: Marketmore (traditional English) or Suyo Long (long, Asian-type)
Red Okra: Burgundy and Candle Fire
Watermelon: Cream of Saskatchewan (striped outside, cream inside) or Sugar Baby (solid green outside, red inside)
For those with the Herb option: Sweet basil, tarragon & oregano
Antipasto Relish (thanks Carol I-C for the recipe & the sample!)
Shallot Vinaigrette *see recipe below
What’s up on the farm?
Precipitation in the past week: 2.90 "
Last minute edit: We had quite a storm early this morning with strong winds and nearly 2" of rain. I was worried about our fruit-laden peach and pear trees and the high tunnels, but sunrise hasn't shown any significant tree or structural damage yet. It was pretty hard on our leafy greens, so don't be surprised if you notice some tattered edges on the lettuce and chard. We thought they were still worth sending out and hope you agree.
Here we are at the last day of August! Those of you with school-aged kids or education-related jobs probably aren't nearly as surprised as we are but I have to say that we aren't sad to see it go. The farm crew all agreed last week that this year August was just extra August-y. It was hot, dry (but crazy humid) and it just seemed like everything farm-related was harder than it needed to be. If I would look back at past newsletters, I probably say the same thing about August every year.Regardless, we got a bit of rain last week, which gave us an excuse to work in the big high tunnel for a day. We cleared all of the high tunnel tomatoes and prepped the beds for the coming fall crops. We even spent sometime in the barn starting to clean and trim our bulk garlic, though we still have a LONG way to go before we're done. Once the soil dried in the field we cleared additional beds of spent crops and finished the first round of fall transplanting and another round of sowing.
The rain was helpful in germinating all those newly sown crops and hopefully reinvigorating some of those that were slowing down, like our green beans. Another good soaking of rain would be the best thing for them, but we'll keep irrigating and see what happens. And finally, just yesterday we got to play the first round of our favorite farm game, Squash the Boss!
Most of our acorn squash were ready for harvesting and the most efficient way to get them to the trailer is for the crew to cut and toss them to me for loading. We're pretty good at it most of the time, but there are occasional slips. Don't worry, no squashes or bosses were actually "squashed" in the playing of the game.
First time I've seen a wasp eating a caterpillar!
It wasn't happy with my interest in it's lunch.
Napa cabbage seedlings nearly ready for transplanting
Precipitation in the past week: 2.90 "
Last minute edit: We had quite a storm early this morning with strong winds and nearly 2" of rain. I was worried about our fruit-laden peach and pear trees and the high tunnels, but sunrise hasn't shown any significant tree or structural damage yet. It was pretty hard on our leafy greens, so don't be surprised if you notice some tattered edges on the lettuce and chard. We thought they were still worth sending out and hope you agree.
Here we are at the last day of August! Those of you with school-aged kids or education-related jobs probably aren't nearly as surprised as we are but I have to say that we aren't sad to see it go. The farm crew all agreed last week that this year August was just extra August-y. It was hot, dry (but crazy humid) and it just seemed like everything farm-related was harder than it needed to be. If I would look back at past newsletters, I probably say the same thing about August every year.
Regardless, we got a bit of rain last week, which gave us an excuse to work in the big high tunnel for a day. We cleared all of the high tunnel tomatoes and prepped the beds for the coming fall crops. We even spent sometime in the barn starting to clean and trim our bulk garlic, though we still have a LONG way to go before we're done. Once the soil dried in the field we cleared additional beds of spent crops and finished the first round of fall transplanting and another round of sowing.
The rain was helpful in germinating all those newly sown crops and hopefully reinvigorating some of those that were slowing down, like our green beans. Another good soaking of rain would be the best thing for them, but we'll keep irrigating and see what happens. And finally, just yesterday we got to play the first round of our favorite farm game, Squash the Boss!
Most of our acorn squash were ready for harvesting and the most efficient way to get them to the trailer is for the crew to cut and toss them to me for loading. We're pretty good at it most of the time, but there are occasional slips. Don't worry, no squashes or bosses were actually "squashed" in the playing of the game. |
| First time I've seen a wasp eating a caterpillar! It wasn't happy with my interest in it's lunch. |
|
| Napa cabbage seedlings nearly ready for transplanting |
Fun Farm Facts: This is our 16th year of CSA. Our longest standing member is Sara T. who has been with us for 15 of those! Talk about being a loyal customer, thanks Sara!!!
Fun Farm Facts: This is our 16th year of CSA. Our longest standing member is Sara T. who has been with us for 15 of those! Talk about being a loyal customer, thanks Sara!!!
Member Spotlight: Sara T.We've highlighted the people that it takes to run the farm but we have so many interesting people in our CSA membership that we thought it would be fun to feature them as well. Who better to kick off the introductions than our longest standing member Sara T. As mentioned above, Sara has been a member of the BGF CSA since 2007 and is a regular contributor on the BGF Community Page.
Member Spotlight: Sara T.
We've highlighted the people that it takes to run the farm but we have so many interesting people in our CSA membership that we thought it would be fun to feature them as well. Who better to kick off the introductions than our longest standing member Sara T. As mentioned above, Sara has been a member of the BGF CSA since 2007 and is a regular contributor on the BGF Community Page.
Recently Jill pointed out I have been a Blue Gate CSA member
for 15 years. Over the years I have shared my share with my mother, sister and
husband. I have been here in years when we got so much eggplant
I got sick of it. From my CSA experience I have discovered purslane,
which I loved so much I saved the seeds one year and planted it in my yard. It
took off and now it is everywhere! I love being in the CSA because I
really enjoy knowing my farmer and where my food comes from. I have
confidence it is grown in a sustainable (if the farm crew can survive the heat)
way.
A little detail on your produce this week:
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/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.
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.
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.
Shallots: A "high-brow" member of the onion family, shallots have a smooth, rich onion-y flavor that is perfect with egg, vegetable and salad dressing recipes. Cured shallots are stored like a cured onion or garlic (at room temp) for many months. If your shallots have green tops, please hang and store at room temperature until the greens have dried, then trim and store like onions. Once you cut into a shallot bulb, store the remainder in a sealed container in the fridge.
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.
Shallots: A "high-brow" member of the onion family, shallots have a smooth, rich onion-y flavor that is perfect with egg, vegetable and salad dressing recipes. Cured shallots are stored like a cured onion or garlic (at room temp) for many months. If your shallots have green tops, please hang and store at room temperature until the greens have dried, then trim and store like onions. Once you cut into a shallot bulb, store the remainder in a sealed container in the fridge.
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.
Tomatoes: prefer to reside on your counter and not in the refrigerator unless they have been sliced.
Turnips: keep best if separated from their greens. Greens are stored in a plastic bag and can be cooked like mustard or collard greens (you can add them in with your Braising Greens Mix). Trimmed roots can go into a lidded container or zip-close bag. These aren't your grandma's turnips. These are a sweet, Japanese salad variety that is particularly tasty for fresh eating. They will still work great in cooked dishes, but we love to eat them raw, often right out of hand, like an apple. One of the farm crew's favorite mid-field snacks.
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.
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)
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.
Tomatoes: prefer to reside on your counter and not in the refrigerator unless they have been sliced.
Turnips: keep best if separated from their greens. Greens are stored in a plastic bag and can be cooked like mustard or collard greens (you can add them in with your Braising Greens Mix). Trimmed roots can go into a lidded container or zip-close bag. These aren't your grandma's turnips. These are a sweet, Japanese salad variety that is particularly tasty for fresh eating. They will still work great in cooked dishes, but we love to eat them raw, often right out of hand, like an apple. One of the farm crew's favorite mid-field snacks.
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.
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 |
Shallot Vinaigrette
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil (preferably French) or safflower oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil (preferably French) or safflower oil
Recipe Source: unknown
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