In this week’s box:
Acorn Squash: Thelma SandersBeans: Provider (green) & Carson (yellow) MixCherry Tomatoes: Jubilee Mix (see description on 8/2)
Garlic: Northern WhiteGround CherriesHead Lettuce: asst
LeeksMalabar Spinach: red stems, glossy green leaves
Sweet Peppers: asst.
Tomatoes-Slicers: asst. (see description on 8/2)
and at least one of the following: (please see **NOTE after "A Little Detail..." below)
Cantaloupe: Hannah's Choice or Minnesota MidgetCauliflower: Song or Snow Crown
Cucumber: Suyo Long, Armenian, Marketmore or LemonEggplant: Orient Express, Asian Delight or Listada de Gandia
Okra: Candle Fire and BurgundySummer Squash: asst.Watermelon: Cream of Saskatchewan
Herb It! option: Sweet basil, stevia, lemon thyme
Bread Share: Apple Bread
Garlic: Northern White
Leeks
Tomatoes-Slicers: asst. (see description on 8/2)
and at least one of the following: (please see **NOTE after "A Little Detail..." below)
Cantaloupe: Hannah's Choice or Minnesota Midget
Cucumber: Suyo Long, Armenian, Marketmore or Lemon
Okra: Candle Fire and Burgundy
Bread Share: Apple Bread
What’s up on the farm?
Precipitation in the past week: 0.25"
This past week brought the distinct feeling of seasonal change. The temps and humidity were down, the nights were cooler and we got just enough rain to set up some foggy mornings. The "song" of the Canada Geese is heard regularly overhead as young geese are guided through practice flights.
Visually, it's the start of "yellow season" on the farm, huge swaths of golden flowers including a myriad of native sunflowers and the first of the goldenrod, along with the start of yellow leaves on a number of trees (a bit early this year due to the drought.) Not that summer is over, we will undoubtedly still have some hot weather, but we have sure been enjoying this little preview of fall.So we took the cue from nature and dove in with some late summer/early fall chores. The cucumbers are all cleared as are the main plantings of the summer squash and zucchini. We will be sending the last of those crops out in today's delivery.
Before the insect apocalypse
We're also sending out the entirety of the acorn squash crop. We had just enough "mostly good" squash for everyone to get a taste, but not any more than that. Between the drought and the insects, they just crashed. It's really too bad, this is a great little squash that I think is the best flavored of the acorn varieties, but use it soon as I don't expect them to hold very well in storage. We hope you'll forgive the less than impressive specimens and just enjoy them as an appetizer for other fall crops.
Besides clearing spent crops, we also planted some including additional cauliflower, kale and chard. More fall greens were sown and we're still cultivating and harvesting lots of crops!
Finally we are sending out Malabar Spinach this week, it is a great spinach replacement that loves the summer heat. Leaves and stems are edible and we think the stems are awesome as quick pickles. We hope you enjoy this fun and unusual vegetable!
Precipitation in the past week: 0.25"
Visually, it's the start of "yellow season" on the farm, huge swaths of golden flowers including a myriad of native sunflowers and the first of the goldenrod, along with the start of yellow leaves on a number of trees (a bit early this year due to the drought.) Not that summer is over, we will undoubtedly still have some hot weather, but we have sure been enjoying this little preview of fall.
This past week brought the distinct feeling of seasonal change. The temps and humidity were down, the nights were cooler and we got just enough rain to set up some foggy mornings. The "song" of the Canada Geese is heard regularly overhead as young geese are guided through practice flights.
 |
So we took the cue from nature and dove in with some late summer/early fall chores. The cucumbers are all cleared as are the main plantings of the summer squash and zucchini. We will be sending the last of those crops out in today's delivery.
 |
| Before the insect apocalypse |
We're also sending out the entirety of the acorn squash crop. We had just enough "mostly good" squash for everyone to get a taste, but not any more than that. Between the drought and the insects, they just crashed. It's really too bad, this is a great little squash that I think is the best flavored of the acorn varieties, but use it soon as I don't expect them to hold very well in storage. We hope you'll forgive the less than impressive specimens and just enjoy them as an appetizer for other fall crops.
Besides clearing spent crops, we also planted some including additional cauliflower, kale and chard. More fall greens were sown and we're still cultivating and harvesting lots of crops!
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 you soak broccoli or cauliflower in salt water before storing, it will become too rubbery and wilted to enjoy.)
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.
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.
Garlic: The garlic is now fully cured and can be stored on the counter for short term use or in a dark area with good air circulation (like a basement) for longer storage.
Ground Cherries: These are a husked fruit, related to a tomatillo. The husks and fruit start out light green and ripen to a golden/apricot color inside when ready to eat and the husks will be completely dry and papery. They store for several weeks to a month on the counter if the husks is still sealed, and they wont ripen outside of the husk. To enjoy, remove husks and eat as a snack, in salads , desserts or combined with cherry tomatoes in a pasta dish. We also like them on pizza!
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 you soak broccoli or cauliflower in salt water before storing, it will become too rubbery and wilted to enjoy.)
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.
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.
Leeks: Loosely wrap unwashed leeks in a plastic bag and store them in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator. They will keep for at least a week. Cut the leek about 1 inch above the white part, where the leaves begin changing from dark to light green. (Save the unused greens; they’ll give great flavor to your next vegetable stock.) Fan the leaves under running water to dislodge any dirt collected there, then pat thoroughly dry. You can julienne a leek by cutting it lengthwise, or slice it crosswise.
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.
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. Once cut, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
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.
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. Once cut, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Winter Squash: Store winter squash in a cool, dry, dark place with good ventilation for up to a month, depending on the variety. Once squash has been cut, you can wrap the pieces in plastic and refrigerate them for five to seven days.
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.
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? 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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| Sky, Wallace & Gromit |
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