BGF NEWS - June 14, 2022 - VOL. XLVIII, NO. 2

In this week’s box:

Choi: Prize (bundled greens with white stems)

Garlic Scapes (green, curly bundle)

Head Lettuce

Lemon Balm (small, green, lemon-scented bunch)

Napa Cabbage

Strawberries

Tapestry Salad Mix

Vivid Choi: green bundle with pink & purple stems

 and perhaps one of the following: (please see **NOTE  after "A Little Detail..." below)

Asparagus (last of the season)

Snow Peas

For those with the Herb It! option: Herb share will begin in a couple of weeks as herbs mature

Featured Recipes:  
Lemon Balm Simple Syrup (delicious on strawberries!)

Garlic Scape Pesto

Strawberry Vinaigrette

Sausage Egg Roll in a Bowl (tasty without the sausage too)

BGF Summer Herb Spritzer (see recipe below)

What’s up on the farm?

Precipitation in the past week: 1.10"

It appears that while last week's theme was rain, this week's is the HEAT! No one is excited about this one, not the farmers, the crew, the animals nor least of all the early crops! This is going to bring a quick end to many of our early greens, so we are packing your boxes with as many as we can as it will be the last or only chance for you to try them, at least until fall. This includes the salad mix, Prize choi and Napa cabbage. 

Bolting greens, at least they're pretty

We were hoping to get at least another week's growth on them, but they are already starting to bolt (or flower) which will end their use as a food crop.

Hilled potatoes starting to bloom!

This past week we have been clearing the last of the early crops from the big high tunnel and all of our warm-weather crops are now tucked in and growing, including the last of the basil and sweet peppers. 

Cultivating kittens

Much of last week was focused on cultivating crops whenever it was dry enough to do so. As well as getting the potatoes hilled for the first time. We were pleased with the rain for the crops' sake, but the weeds sure do take advantage of it. 

This week everything is growing like crazy, including our monster head lettuces! My secret use of them is to snack on them like potato chips, I just pull off whole leaves and dip into a nice dish of homemade vinaigrette (see recipe above).   The big surprise last week was the sudden ripening of the strawberries, and while we do love strawberries, they take a lot of time to harvest so we are spending quite a bit of time trying to stay ahead of those. Luckily (and sadly) the season is short so be sure to enjoy them while they are here!

A little detail on your produce this week:

Asparagus: Keeps best stored upright in a glass with about 1" of water, in the refrigerator. Delicious raw or cooked. 

Choi (a.k.a. - pac choi, bok choy or pok choy) is a member of the cabbage family and is a traditional Asian stir-fry vegetable.  Both the stems and leaves of choi can be used and are especially tasty in cooked recipes.  If cooking them, separate the leaves and stems, and begin cooking stems first to avoid overcooking the more tender greens. You can also use the leaves like any green-leafy vegetable and the stems like celery.  We tend to use choi leaves as a sandwich wrap, or just roughly chop the whole thing and sauté with garlic and/or onion.  Cook until stems are tender and dress with a little seasoned rice vinegar. Store choi loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your produce drawer.

Garlic Scapes: One of our favorite crops of the year. These curly green things are the emerging flower stalk from a hardneck garlic plant. We remove them to redirect more of the plant's energy into the bulb, but it also provides us with a delightful fresh garlic treat. These keep very well in a plastic bag in your produce drawer and can be used in any recipe calling for garlic. They make a great pesto and can be minced and added to room-temperature butter, which is then stored in log shape, in the freezer for a last minute dollop of goodness for vegetables, breads or meat. We also enjoyed them tossed whole in olive oil and grilled as a side dish.

Herbs:

 Besides basil, most herbs keep best standing upright in a glass of water in your refrigerator with a loose plastic bag over the top. To use, simply pull a stem between your fingers and the leaves usually shear off. Chop with a sharp knife and add to your favorite recipes.

Napa Cabbage: 

Store Napa whole wrapped in a cotton or linen towel then in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week. These Napa are fairly immature and wont have a large formed head but are still tasty and can be used in any cabbage recipe.

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.

Strawberries keep best in your refrigerator in a vented container. Use within 3-4 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.

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)

Luci & Sky

BGF Summer Herb Spritzer

Besides pesto, this is one of our favorite ways to use herbs during warm weather. It is deceptively simple and delightfully refreshing! All you need is:

1 sprig of your favorite herb. Our favorites for this are lemon balm, lemon basil, lemon thyme, mint and anise hyssop.

ice cubes

plain seltzer water

Glass jar with leak-proof lid (or a martini shaker)

Place washed herb in the jar, add ice enough to fill 1/3 of jar. Secure lid and shake it, shake it, baby! A few vigorous shakes will do it, you are just trying to bruise the leaves and release the aromatic oils, not pulverize them.

Remove lid and top with seltzer. Enjoy! You could add a bit of your favorite sweetener, but I've never found it necessary.

BGF NEWS - June 8, 2021 - VOL. XLVII, NO. 2

In this week’s box:

Asparagus, last of the season!

Garlic Scapes, curly green bundle

Golden Oyster Mushrooms

Green & Leafy Mix (Amara & Vivid Choi), bunched leafy greens

Snow Peas

Strawberries!

Tapestry Salad Mix, zip-top bag

 and perhaps one of the following: (please see **NOTE  after "A Little Detail..." below)

Broccoli:(Gypsy) small, early heads

For those with the Herb option: Herb share will begin in a couple of weeks as herbs mature

Featured Recipes:  
Asparagus & Oyster Mushrooms

Garlic Scape and Mess o'Greens Pesto

Ginger Chicken with Oyster Mushroom and Snow Peas

BGF Garlic Scape Pesto see recipe below

What’s up on the farm?

Precipitation in the past week: 0.00"

This isn't how I usually start a newsletter, but I have to tell you, I have been so tickled by the recent activity on the BGF Community Page on facebook. A number of folks have been posting photos or descriptions of recipes or whole meals made from last week's CSA delivery. These are things that make my little farmHer heart sing! The group is a great place to share your food triumphs and your questions. Our membership is a goldmine of veggie enthusiasm, knowledge and experience. If you haven't already, you can find the group here: Blue Gate Farm Community. 

Now back to our regular program...The theme of the past week (and the week to come) on the farm was/is IRRIGATION! We have a nearly unending cycle of irrigation lines installed and running on the crops, both to germinate new crops and to keep the established crops alive and growing. Trying to keep the farm crew "irrigated" is even more important in this weather. Keeping crops, livestock and crew healthy requires vigilance when we are this hot and dry so early in the season. The graphic below shows the departure from normal rain levels across the state for the past 2 months. 

We are more than 4" below where we should be right now. Lots of places are worse off than we are, but that doesn't make growing food any easier.

Our cool-weather/early season crops are particularly offended by the hot temperatures. It makes them think their time is done and they should flower and go to seed. This ends their use as food crops. We've already lost our spring choi crops to this fate and there are others That are likely to follow soon. It's pretty frustrating when it happens before the crop is ready to be harvested. The Amara in your leafy-greens bunches is doing just that, so we will harvest what we can from it today and then we'll pull it and make room for the next crop. Don't worry, there's still plenty of things to come...like strawberries!!!

The past week was a productive one. We harvested the last of the asparagus for the season and started harvesting strawberries and garlic scapes. 

We got lots of seeds sown including: winter squash, summer squash, melons, komatsuna, edamame, beets, carrots, sunflowers, clover and choi. We transplanted additional head lettuce, broccoli and collards and re-planted our entire popcorn patch, due to poor germination.  We've been cultivating, hand weeding and hilling potatoes as well as the aforementioned irrigation work. 

Now if it would just rain, in a timely and reasonable fashion, that would be great!

A little detail on your produce this week:

Asparagus: Keeps best stored upright in a glass with about 1" of water, in the refrigerator. Delicious raw or cooked. 

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.

Garlic Scapes: One of our favorite crops of the year. These curly green things are the emerging flower stalk from a hardneck garlic plant. We remove them to redirect more of the plant's energy into the bulb, but it also provides us with a delightful fresh garlic treat. These keep very well in a plastic bag in your produce drawer and can be used in any recipe calling for garlic. They would be perfect in last week's garlic salt recipe, make a great pesto and can be minced and added to room-temperature butter, which is then stored in log shape, in the freezer for a last minute dollop of goodness for vegetables, breads or meat.

Herbs:

 Besides basil, most herbs keep best standing upright in a glass of water in your refrigerator with a loose plastic bag over the top. To use, simply pull a stem between your fingers and the leaves usually shear off. Chop with a sharp knife and add to your favorite recipes.

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.

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.

Strawberries keep best in your refrigerator in a vented container. Use within 3-4 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.

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

BGF Garlic Scape Pesto
1 bunch tender scapes, cut into pieces, and processed in a food processor until finely chopped
Add the following and process until well blended:
1/3 cup olive oil (add more if you like a thinner pesto)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup sunflower seeds

optional, toss in some basil for additional pesto flavor if you have it.

This can be served now or frozen for future use. I freeze it in small (1/2 c.) zip-top plastic bags, flattened. Then you can just break off whatever amount you need.

Basil Tips: assorted varieties Celery: Chinese Pink Chard: Bright Lights Mix Garlic Scapes (the curly green things) Head Lettuce: assorted varieties Napa Cabbage Scallions (green onions) Summer Squash: 8 Ball (green,round), Golden Glory (bright yellow zucchini), Patty Pan(scalloped white, green or yellow), Slik Pik (thin, yellow) or Zephyr (green & yellow) Strawberries: one last taste! and perhaps one of the following: (please see **NOTE after "A Little Detail...) Broccoli: Gypsy Snap or Snow Peas For those with the Egg option [Full shares]: one dozen free-range eggs For those with the Herb option: Herb share will begin in a couple of weeks as herbs mature Featured Recipes: Sausage Egg Roll in a Bowl Celery Leaf Pesto and other celery leaf recipes Parmesan Summer Squash saute ** see recipe below

BGF NEWS - JUNE 23, 2020 - VOL. XLV, NO. 4

In this week’s box:

Basil Tips: assorted varieties

Celery: Chinese Pink

Chard: Bright Lights Mix

Garlic Scapes (the curly green things)

Head Lettuce: assorted varieties

Napa Cabbage

Scallions (green onions)

Summer Squash: 8 Ball (green,round), Golden Glory (bright yellow zucchini),  Patty Pan(scalloped white, green or yellow), Slik Pik (thin, yellow) or Zephyr (green & yellow)
Strawberries: one last taste!

and perhaps one of the following: (please see **NOTE  after "A Little Detail...)     
Broccoli: Gypsy

Snap or Snow Peas

For those with the Egg option [Full shares]: one dozen free-range eggs

For those with the Herb option: Herb share will begin in a couple of weeks as herbs mature

Featured Recipes:  

Sausage Egg Roll in a Bowl

Celery Leaf Pesto and other celery leaf recipes

Parmesan Summer Squash saute ** see recipe below

What’s up on the farm?

Precipitation in the past week: 0.60"

Happy Summer to you! As we pass into the official start of summer it always makes me wonder what this growing season will bring us. So far, it has been a pretty decent stretch, since those late spring freezes. We've had fairly moderate temps and somewhat normal rainfall. Crops have been sown or transplanted mostly on schedule and we're trying (as always) to stay ahead of the weeds. That has been more successful with some crops than others. Today we did "rescue weeding" of the beans, which means hand weeding because the weeds had gotten ahead of us and were too big to cultivate out. This is our least favorite kind of weeding, as it is the most time consuming and means that we've gotten behind on a crop. That said, it does happen every year to one crop or another. Besides lots of weeding and cultivating, this past week we cleared the last of the high tunnel lettuce crops and transplanted in the final crop of peppers. While cleaning up the perimeter of the big high tunnel we ran into this little guy (seriously, he was only about 12" long). I know not everyone gets as excited about snakes as I do but they play such an important role in pest control that even if one startles me, I am always happy to see them. Protecting species like this is yet another reason why it is important to us to be a chemical-free farm.

This week we also sowed the next succession of carrots, beets and beans and resowed a poorly germinated bed of butternut squash. Did I mention we also spent some time weeding and cultivating? That is the trade off to getting regular rains, it also waters the weeds! Luckily our crops too, have been enjoying those rains. The summer squashes are really putting on some nice growth and blooming like crazy! We should be be right at the edge of a bountiful squash season. The basil is finally starting to look like a solid crop and needs pinching back to encourage better growth, so you are getting the benefit of that practice. You aren't getting a lot of basil with today's delivery, really just a teaser to whet your herbal appetite, but that is all that the plants are up for right now. In a couple of weeks we expect to be sending out a bounty of basil bouquets. 

Pink celery

Another crop that has come along nicely is our Chinese pink celery. It is such a beautiful crop and tasty too! It isn't really the kind of celery that you stuff with peanut butter, as the ribs are so fine, but it is lovely sliced on a salad or sauteed in butter and cooked with eggs or other vegetables. It would also go nicely in the in the Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe. Regardless of how you use it, we hope that you enjoy it. 

A crop that hasn't been so excited about the recent weather is the Napa Cabbage. It is a challenging crop in the spring as it prefers decreasing temperatures rather than the increasing heat of summer. It was starting to look a little "peaked" so even though you just had it 2 weeks ago, we decided to send it out while it is still a quality crop rather than lose it in the field. 

European cabbage

Don't worry, our European cabbages are looking really good, so this isn't the end of cabbage season. Our main season broccoli crop is also looking great and just starting to form heads, even as the early broccoli has moved on to producing mainly side shoots. So if you get broccoli this week and wonder why you are getting a bag of florets, that's why. They are the side shoots after the main head of broccoli has been harvested. We think they are easily as desirable as the main heads as they tend to be tender and "pre-trimmed" to a smaller size.

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 or clamshell, 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: 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.

Celery: Store upright in a glass of water, loosely covered with a plastic bag, in the refrigerator.

Garlic Scapes: One of our favorite crops of the year. These curly green "springs" are the emerging flower stalk from a hardneck garlic plant. We remove them to redirect more of the plant's energy into the bulb, but it also provides us with a delightful fresh garlic treat. These keep very well in a plastic bag in your produce drawer and can be used in any recipe calling for garlic. They make a great pesto and can be minced and added to room-temperature butter, which is then stored in log shape, in the freezer for a last minute dollop of goodness for vegetables, breads or meat.

Napa Cabbage: Store Napa cabbage whole in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a week or more. 

Peas: best kept in a plastic bag or glass container in your refrigerator. Use within a week.

Scallions (green onions): are best kept upright in a glass with about 1" of water in it. 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.

Strawberries keep best in your refrigerator in a vented container. Use within 3-4 days.

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!

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 and you want to read more about our daily adventures or see pictures of the farm?  Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm and/or share your recipes, experiences and questions with other BGF members at Blue Gate Farm Community.

That’s about it this week, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know. 

Best from the farm,

Jill & Sean (and Luci, Indigo & Sky)

Indigo, Luci & Sky

Parmesan Summer Squash Saute

2 tbs butter or olive oil

2-3 cups sliced summer squash (1/4” slices)

1 medium onion or several green onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

3-4 tbs grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in sauté pan. Add onion, garlic and summer squash. Brown quickly. Sprinkle parmesan over squash slices and cover until melted. Slide cooked squash out of pan onto a serving plate.

Note: Don’t overcook squash, flavor and texture are best if squash is slightly firm.

Recipe source: Gloria Beebout (Blue Gate Farm mom)

Baby Turnips: Hakurei Choi Garlic Scapes (the curly green things) Golden Oyster Mushrooms Kale: mixed bunch Summer Squash id Lemon Balm StrawberriesTapestry Salad Mix and perhaps one of the following: (please see **NOTE after "A Little Detail...) Broccoli: Gypsy Snap or Snow Peas Summer Squash: Slik Pik (light yellow) Zucchini: 8 Ball (round, green) or Golden Glory (long, yellow) For those with the Egg option [Full & Half shares]: one dozen free-range eggs For those with the Herb option: Herb share will begin in a couple of weeks as herbs mature Featured Recipes: Lemon Balm Pesto Sauteed Japanese Turnips with Greens Kale with Zucchini Oyster Mushroom Stirfry Grilled Zucchini "Burgers" **see recipe below

BGF NEWS - JUNE 16, 2020 - VOL. XLV, NO. 3

In this week’s box:

Baby Turnips: Hakurei

Choi

Garlic Scapes (the curly green things)

Golden Oyster Mushrooms

Kale: mixed bunch 

Summer Squash id

Lemon Balm

Strawberries
Tapestry Salad Mix

and perhaps one of the following: (please see **NOTE  after "A Little Detail...)     
Broccoli: Gypsy

Snap or Snow Peas

Summer Squash: Slik Pik (light yellow)

Zucchini: 8 Ball (round, green) or Golden Glory (long, yellow)

For those with the Egg option [Full & Half shares]: one dozen free-range eggs

For those with the Herb option: Herb share will begin in a couple of weeks as herbs mature

Featured Recipes:  

Lemon Balm Pesto

Sauteed Japanese Turnips with Greens

Kale with Zucchini
Oyster Mushroom Stirfry
Grilled Zucchini "Burgers" **see recipe below

What’s up on the farm?

Precipitation in the past week: 4.0"

 We finally got our wish last week with the rain, and though four inches in 24 hours seemed like a lot at the time, it is already dusty in the fields and we are running some of the irrigation again. That rain made a huge difference for the crops though and everything has put on a serious growth spurt. For some of the early crops, that isn't a great thing. The choi we were hoping to harvest for a couple more weeks, suddenly went into overdrive and tried to go to flower. We harvested enough for today's delivery, but that is the end of the early choi. Some of the head lettuce is also wanting to do the same. Luckily we have multiple successions of lettuce planted so we should be fine there. It also means the weeds got another kick-start so we are cultivating from one end of the gardens to the other as fast as we can.  Some of our earlier transplanted crops were primed for the rain and put on a flush of blooms and fruit right afterwards. We are thrilled to start harvesting broccoli and summer squashes this week. There isn't enough for everyone yet, but it is just the beginning and we anticipate much more to come. I love the start of squash/zucchini season as it adds some nice heft to the boxes and really opens up menu options as they are SO flexible.  

My favorite thing to do with the 8 Ball zucchini is to make them into burgers for the grill. I've included the recipe at the end of the newsletter if you want to try it out.

The early broccoli is always a little on the small side, that is part of what helps it to be early. SO don't be surprised by small-ish heads. It is still tasty and would be perfect added to a nice stir-fry.

The turnips seem really slow this spring, but they have finally put on enough growth to include them in today's delivery. 

If you haven't enjoyed turnips in the past, we hope you will at least give these a try before giving them away to the neighbors. These aren't your grandma's turnips, which tended to be big and strong-flavored. These are Japanese salad turnips, developed to be enjoyed raw, though they work perfectly in cooked dishes as well. We like them straight out of the field, eaten like an apple. 

The peas too, are delicious straight out of the field. In fact, though I love them in stir-fry, they rarely make it into the kitchen. I'm not the only one who loves them. The dogs think they are a special treat and will line up for them, waiting for those that are either too mature or have too much damage to be "people food".

It's tough to be a dog on a vegetable farm!

A little detail on your produce this week:

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.

Garlic Scapes: One of our favorite crops of the year. These curly green "springs" are the emerging flower stalk from a hardneck garlic plant. We remove them to redirect more of the plant's energy into the bulb, but it also provides us with a delightful fresh garlic treat. These keep very well in a plastic bag in your produce drawer and can be used in any recipe calling for garlic. They make a great pesto and can be minced and added to room-temperature butter, which is then stored in log shape, in the freezer for a last minute dollop of goodness for vegetables, breads or meat.

Lemon Balm: A lemon-flavored member of the mint family. Store upright in a glass of water, loosely covered in the refrigerator.

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.

Peas

are best kept in a plastic bag or glass container in your refrigerator. Use within a week.

Strawberries keep best in your refrigerator in a vented container. Use within 3-4 days.

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!

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 and you want to read more about our daily adventures or see pictures of the farm?  Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm and/or share your recipes, experiences and questions with other BGF members at Blue Gate Farm Community.

That’s about it this week, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know. 

Best from the farm,

Jill & Sean (and Luci, Indigo & Sky)

Indigo, Luci & Sky

Grilled Zucchini “Burgers”
(2 servings)

Eight Ball or other zucchini, sliced in slices 1/2 to 5/8 inch thick.
1/2 cup your favorite Italian salad dressing
1 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 -2 tsp. Italian seasoning (optional)

4-6 fresh basil leaves

2-4 slices provolone cheese

Crusty bread or large rolls

Cut zucchini into slices, making sure the slices are the same thickness. Combine salad dressing with garlic and herbs, if using. Put zucchini slices into ziploc bag, pour in marinade and let zucchini marinate 4 hours or longer, can be as long as all day.

To cook zucchini, preheat grill to medium-high.

Place zucchini on grill. After about 4 minute, check for grill marks, and rotate zucchini a quarter turn. Cook 3-4 more minutes on first side.

Turn zucchini to second side, place 1-2 basil leaves on top side and cover with provolone. Cook about 4 minutes more, or until zucchini is starting to soften quite a bit, with the outside slightly charred and browned. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper and serve hot on bread or rolls.

This recipe is also tasty with eggplant.

Recipe Source: BGF, adapted from http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com