IN THIS WEEK’S BOX:
Bean Mix: Empress (green) & Carson (yellow)Beets: CylindraCucumbers: Corinto, Generally, Lemon, Marketmore, Nokya or Sashimi Eggplant: Orient Express, Asian Delight and/or ListadaFennelHead Lettuce: asst.Jubilee Cherry Tomato Mix: see 8/1 newsletter for descriptionsOnion: CandySummer Squash: 8 Ball, Golden Glory, Patty Pan, Safari, Slik Pik, or ZephyrTomatoes: see 8/1 newsletter for descriptions and perhaps one of the following:
Cantaloupe: Minnesota MidgetOkra: Bowling Red & Candle Fire
Herb It! option: Sweet Basil, Sage, Lemon Verbena
Beets: Cylindra
Cucumbers: Corinto, Generally, Lemon, Marketmore, Nokya or Sashimi
Eggplant: Orient Express, Asian Delight and/or ListadaCantaloupe: Minnesota Midget
Bread Share: Honey Oat
Featured Recipes:
WHAT’S UP ON THE FARM?
Precipitation in the past week: 1.6"
What a difference a week makes, again! The temps have dropped, we got another shot of rain and crops and everything seems to be putting on a growth spurt. The crew got a lot of the fall crops transplanted this past week including cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, kale and chard. There is still more to go, but we need to clear out some more early crops to make space for them. The beets we are sending out this week are part of that rotation. They are taking up space we need for fall broccoli (and they are QUITE large enough) so out they go! We know they are ridiculously large, but they are still tender and delicious, so we hope you enjoy them. We also started seeding some of the fall crops for the high tunnels this week. It's hard to believe that it's time for those sowings, but the calendar insists it is so.
Amid fall crop chores, we are trying to stay ahead of the mid season harvesting. The tomatoes have really started pumping out the fruits and we are coming to the end of the hail damaged ones, though you will likely notice some cosmetic damage on some of them in your boxes yet this week.
The cucumbers are slowing down a bit as the high temps a couple of week's ago sterilized their pollen. That and the cucumber beetles are definitely making a dent. The summer squash too are slowly phasing out, so remember to enjoy them while they are here! The peppers seemed to be unfazed by the heat and have finally started ripening. They will likely start appearing in boxes next week. 
The mini cantaloupe seem to have finally peaked. I think this is the most we've ever had at one time. We'll send out what we have and look forward to the next variety which isn't quite ready yet. We did harvest the first watermelon today and the crew deemed it acceptable. Both of the melons are probably still 1-2 weeks away from any significant harvest, but they are coming!
While we are celebrating the return of the rain, it would be extra helpful if it could avoid raining any more on our potatoes and onions. Those crops are finished growing (for the most part) and really need to be harvested. The soil is too wet to dig potatoes, but we were able to get some of the onions and shallots harvested and hung to dry. Hopefully we will dry out enough to dig potatoes later this week.
Featured Recipes:
WHAT’S UP ON THE FARM?
Precipitation in the past week: 1.6"
The cucumbers are slowing down a bit as the high temps a couple of week's ago sterilized their pollen. That and the cucumber beetles are definitely making a dent. The summer squash too are slowly phasing out, so remember to enjoy them while they are here! The peppers seemed to be unfazed by the heat and have finally started ripening. They will likely start appearing in boxes next 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.
Beets- Cut off greens, leaving an inch of stem. Refrigerate the unwashed greens in a closed plastic bag and use with your chard mix as beets and chard are closely related. Store the beet roots, unwashed, with the rootlets (or “tails”) attached, in a plastic bag in the crisper bin of your refrigerator. They will keep for several weeks, but their sweetness diminishes with time. Just before cooking, scrub beets well and remove any scraggly leaves and rootlets. If your recipe calls for raw beets, peel them with a knife or vegetable peeler, then grate or cut according to your needs baby/young beets usually don't need to be peeled.
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: 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.
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."
Onions: Now mostly cured, these onions can be stored on the countertop for quick use. For longer storage, keep in a dark location with good air circulation, but don't refrigerate until cut open.
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.
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."
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? 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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