In this week’s box:
Carrots: asst.Chard: Bright Lights MixCherry Tomato MixFennelGarlic: MusicLettuce Bouquets: asst. varietiesOnions: Patterson (yellow storage onion)Tomatoes: asst.Turnips (baby): Hakurei
and perhaps one of the following:Bean MixBroccoli/Purple Peacock: florets & leavesEggplant: Orient Express (thin, dark purple, Asian-style), Orient Charm (thin, neon purple, Asian-style) or Listada De Gandia (purple/white striped, Italian-style)Red Okra: Burgundy and Candle FireSummer Squash: Slik Pik (lt. yellow, long), Zephyr (yellow & light green)
For those with the Herb option: curly parsley, garlic chives, thyme
Carrots: asst.
Chard: Bright Lights Mix
Cherry Tomato Mix
Fennel
Garlic: Music
Lettuce Bouquets: asst. varieties
Onions: Patterson (yellow storage onion)
Tomatoes: asst.
Turnips (baby): Hakurei
and perhaps one of the following:
Bean Mix
Broccoli/Purple Peacock: florets & leaves
Eggplant: Orient Express (thin, dark purple, Asian-style), Orient Charm (thin, neon purple, Asian-style) or Listada De Gandia (purple/white striped, Italian-style)
Red Okra: Burgundy and Candle Fire
Summer Squash: Slik Pik (lt. yellow, long), Zephyr (yellow & light green)
For those with the Herb option: curly parsley, garlic chives, thyme
What’s up on the farm?
Precipitation in the past week: 1.65"
Well, here it is, the final delivery of the 2021 CSA season. It's mindboggling to me that 20 weeks have gone by, seemingly in the blink of an eye! CSA veterans will probably recognize that I say this every year at the last delivery, but it never fails to amaze me.
In starting work on this edition of the newsletter, I was curious what the first photo was that I took at the start of the CSA season. Turns out it was this one of the turnip harvest for that first delivery. It seems somehow appropriate, turnips to start the season, turnips to finish!
Last pic of the 2021 CSA season
We spent much of the past week cultivating in the high tunnels and the fields, knowing (hoping) our dry conditions would soon come to an end.
If we can stay ahead of the weeds at this point in the season, we are way ahead of the game when we have to put all the row covers on the crops which should happen soon. I feel like the beds now look about the best they have all season.
With the rain and cooler weather recently, we've been tucking into the barn with the dogs for extended garlic, shallot and onion cleaning sessions. By the end of the day Monday, we finally got through the last crate! So now all of the allium crops are ready for storage and/or sale. We still have to prep all the seed garlic for planting, but we are now one step closer to that goal!
Final Delivery Note: In case you missed it above, today is the final delivery of the 2021 CSA season. Thank you for joining us on this Veggie Adventure. We hope you have enjoyed the journey! Special thanks to our delivery hosts, Peace Tree Brewing Co. and the Grand Theater for giving us a home away from home. Starting in November, we will publish a monthly newsletter updating you on the current goings-on around the farm. We will start sign-ups for the 2022 CSA season in early December.
VegEmail Sales: Don't worry that with the end of the CSA season you'll be stuck with grocery store eggs and produce, we continue to do weekly Saturday VegEmail sales until the end of October. Starting in November we will move to bi-weekly Tuesday evening sales. You should continue to get the VegEmail announcements. If you see things you would like to purchase, just fill out the order form and then meet us that following Tuesday at Peace Tree in DM or the Grand Theater in Knox.
Upcoming dates of note:
Precipitation in the past week: 1.65"
Well, here it is, the final delivery of the 2021 CSA season. It's mindboggling to me that 20 weeks have gone by, seemingly in the blink of an eye! CSA veterans will probably recognize that I say this every year at the last delivery, but it never fails to amaze me.
In starting work on this edition of the newsletter, I was curious what the first photo was that I took at the start of the CSA season. Turns out it was this one of the turnip harvest for that first delivery. It seems somehow appropriate, turnips to start the season, turnips to finish!
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| Last pic of the 2021 CSA season |
We spent much of the past week cultivating in the high tunnels and the fields, knowing (hoping) our dry conditions would soon come to an end.
If we can stay ahead of the weeds at this point in the season, we are way ahead of the game when we have to put all the row covers on the crops which should happen soon. I feel like the beds now look about the best they have all season. With the rain and cooler weather recently, we've been tucking into the barn with the dogs for extended garlic, shallot and onion cleaning sessions. By the end of the day Monday, we finally got through the last crate! So now all of the allium crops are ready for storage and/or sale. We still have to prep all the seed garlic for planting, but we are now one step closer to that goal!
VegEmail Sales: Don't worry that with the end of the CSA season you'll be stuck with grocery store eggs and produce, we continue to do weekly Saturday VegEmail sales until the end of October. Starting in November we will move to bi-weekly Tuesday evening sales. You should continue to get the VegEmail announcements. If you see things you would like to purchase, just fill out the order form and then meet us that following Tuesday at Peace Tree in DM or the Grand Theater in Knox.
Upcoming dates of note:
Tuesday, Oct 12th: final CSA delivery of the 2020 season
Saturday, Oct 30: final weekly Saturday VegEmail delivery
Tuesday, Nov 9: bi-weekly VegEmail deliveries begin. We plan to continue these deliveries on Tuesdays, every 2 weeks until the end of April.
Member Spotlights: We want to thank all of our members who took the time to share a bit with the group this season. Whether featured here in the newsletter or folks who posted recipes, photos, experiences and questions in the BGF Community group or even just shared a question or suggestion with us or another member at a pick up. That "value-added" aspect of the CSA is such an important part of the experience. It is the aspect of "Community" Supported Agriculture that often goes unrecognized in most forums but one that we strive to foster and celebrate!
A little detail on your produce this week:
Member Spotlights: We want to thank all of our members who took the time to share a bit with the group this season. Whether featured here in the newsletter or folks who posted recipes, photos, experiences and questions in the BGF Community group or even just shared a question or suggestion with us or another member at a pick up. That "value-added" aspect of the CSA is such an important part of the experience. It is the aspect of "Community" Supported Agriculture that often goes unrecognized in most forums but one that we strive to foster and celebrate!
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 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.
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 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.
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."
Root crops: Remove leafy tops and store them like other greens. The roots should be placed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and used within a few weeks.
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."
Root crops: Remove leafy tops and store them like other greens. The roots should be placed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and used within a few weeks.
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.
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)
** 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.
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| Indigo, Luci & Sky |
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