IN THIS WEEK’S BOX:
Bean Mix: Empress (green) & Carson (yellow)Cherry Tomato Mix: see 8/1 newsletter for descriptionsGarlic: Northern WhiteHead Lettuce: asstOnions: Candy (sweet)Peaches: Native White Iowa Peppers: Sweet, see 8/15 newsletter for descriptionsTomatoes: The end is near!Turnips (baby): Hakurei
and perhaps one of the following:
Broccoli FloretsOkra: Bowling Red & Candle Fire
Herb It! option: Sweet Basil, Sorrel, Pineapple Mint
Broccoli Florets
Bread Share: Loaded Blueberry Muffins
Featured Recipes:
WHAT’S UP ON THE FARM?
Precipitation in the past week: 1.00"!!!
I don't know how you all feel about the recent change in temperatures, but it is my favorite time of the year! The quality of the air and the light, especially in the morning and evening combine and make me almost giddy with delight. It certainly makes farm work more comfortable to do. Monday, for the first time in a long time, the crew sat in the packing barn and cleaned garlic because it was too wet in the fields to cultivate. Then they cleaned some onions too. It just so happens that we were sending out both in this week's delivery. What perfect timing!
Last week we took advantage of the mild weather conditions and got some big tasks crossed off the list. All of the cucumbers, cantaloupe, eggplants and summer squash were cleared from the fields and high tunnels. 
The cleared high tunnel beds have since been prepped and replanted with fall/winter crops including kale, chard, Napa cabbage, choi and arugula. We also cleaned up some empty beds in the fields and sowed Tapestry Salad Mix and arugula. Since we finished harvesting popcorn last week, we were able to mow down the popcorn patch and get ready to prep that bed for spring.
I'm not the only one on farm who has appreciated the weather change. So many of the crops are already looking happier in the 24 hours since it rained. The exception is definitely the tomatoes. I know I've been warning that the tomatoes were failing for weeks, but now there is no avoiding it. The slicers are pretty much done. We will probably harvest them one more time this week and then start pulling them out. Never fear, it doesn't mean the absolute end of tomato season. The small tomatoes are still putting out lots of tasty fruit, but the cool overnight temperatures forecast this week will definitely slow them down too. We are sending out extra cherry tomatoes this week so make sure you get to enjoy them at least one more time!
The big treat this week is peaches! Most of our peach trees are the native white Iowa variety. And this year they were loaded! We love it when that happens (it doesn't always) because it means we can share them with members. However this year's crop comes with a caveat. Remember those hail storms earlier this season? The trees were loaded with baby peaches and they got pummeled. The peaches continued to develop, but the majority of them have hail damage. Because they were so young, it is mostly cosmetic damage, not affecting the taste or the utility of the fruit, but it is a bit ugly. We hope you'll excuse that shortcoming and enjoy them for the little taste treats that they are!
Upcoming Dates to Note:Tues, Oct. 24: Final CSA deliverySat, Oct. 28: Final Saturday VegEmail deliveryTues, Nov. 7: Fall VegEmail schedule begins, delivery every 2 weeks.
Featured Recipes:
Precipitation in the past week: 1.00"!!!
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 broccoli loosely in a plastic bag and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator for up to a week. Immediately before cooking, soak broccoli, 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 in salt water before storing, it will become too rubbery andwilted to enjoy.) Slice the juicy, edible stems and use them wherever florets are called for. Peel particularly thick skin before using.
Garlic & Onions: Keep at room temperature with good air circulation if you're using in a week or two. For long term storage keep cool (not cold) and dark with good air circulation.
Broccoli: Wrap broccoli loosely in a plastic bag and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator for up to a week. Immediately before cooking, soak broccoli, 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 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.
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."
Peaches: these little beauties are very fragile and will go from not-quite-ripe to over-ripe in a heartbeat. You can speed ripening on the countertop or slow it in the refrigerator. Their flavor is best at room temp or slightly cool, but not cold.
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.
Tomatoes: always store whole tomatoes at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. Once cut, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
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.
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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