What a great year for tomatoes and cucumbers! We planted enough of each to help kick-start our fledgling canning business, and yet there seems to be a bounty of leftovers each week. So, this week we are going to make this freshness available to you.
At your drop-off this week, you will see a black crate (at least one) full of pickling cucumbers. And most of you will see another crate full of tomatoes. Please help yourself. We’ll put a stash of plastic bags beside each crate as well. Not everyone will take advantage of them, so don’t be shy in taking your extra share. The early arrivals obviously have first pick, so next week if we are able to offer the same, those arriving later at pick-up spots will have a better selection. It’s not a perfect system, but it does address a few concerns we have heard from members over the last few weeks.
Some of you noted that some veggies didn’t seem happy when packaged together in the same box as others. That’s right! Tomatoes and Squash like a different environment than lettuce and Kale. It is your job immediately once you get home to separate your boxed items and place them into the proper storage location in your home if you don’t plan to eat them right away. There are storage suggestions for all types of vegetables that we grow within the CSA manual linked on the toolbar above.
“It’s too much food” is what we hear sometimes. And I agree, but its only for a short time. That is how nature works. When conditions are right for growth, maturation and ultimately reproduction – all of nature seems to recognize the opportunity at hand and make haste. Which is why we all should put some food by now; it’s so simple to cube up and freeze squash and zucchini in freezer bags. With a little extra effort, you can blanch greens for freezing (CLICK HERE FOR A QUICK TUTORIAL)
But time is ticking on these greens especially, and we will all witness together how the oppressive heat of mid and late summer slows the season’s speed in contrast to the breakneck pace of spring. Nature extends the growth opportunity to all her children as well, not only the plants I deem worthy in the garden. Consequently, the weed pressure right now is haunting me. I mowed the flowering stalks of pig-weed and Bahia grass recently to investigate whether or not sweet potatoes would ever truly come to pass in 2013. The answer is yet uncertain. The 5 lbs of potatoes everyone received last week are all we had. Store them well and enjoy them. Onions are a different story. The winter was good to us and gave us a perfect crop. However, they are soft skinned sweet onions so feel free to keep them in your fridge for longer storage, especially if you’ve peeled the flaky skin off.
Finally, step by step we are attempting to make your weekly shopping easier. Check out some of the new selections that you can add to your orders each week via our website. Lea’s monthly email will always offer more than our webpage, with milk and cheese, etc. But our website will have most of the items that we keep stocked in our farm store. CLICK HERE TO SEE NEW ITEMS
Ok, let’s get to the good stuff – Yummy Food following pictures…
Meat CSA: (call us on Monday by noon for any additional a la carte orders: 229-641-2081 – web orders click here)
Beef Kabobs – Larger cubes of our beloved grass-fed stew beef. Great on the grill.
Sausage – Different varieties this week. We’ve been hearing great feedback on these and we’re so happy to share them with you.
Pasture Raised Eggs: Back on schedule!
Beautiful brown eggs from our own lovely ladies that range freely on certified organic pasture. The eggs are washed, candled and graded fresh for you each week. (Wanna add eggs to your order this week, Please email me or call our office today to get on the waiting list! 229-641-2081)
Certified Organic Vegetables:
Tomatoes – It’s officially tomato season! Wowzer! Be sure to take extras if you can.
Kale OR Swiss Chard – Probably the very last week for swiss chard until Fall. You’ll see that we are battling caterpillars currently but we want to share the greens while we have them.
Purple Top Turnips – A root of southern distinction and culinary tradition. Try this recipe for Mashed turnips (try going half and half with some potatoes and turnips and subbing in your sweet onions for the crispy shallots). CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE
Basil! – Sweet smell of summer. Look at the picture above as a reference. Purple ruffles is an obvious one. Top left is Genovese – the quintessential italian large leaf basil. Two others with smaller green leaves are lemon basil (with green flowers) and thai basil (with purple flowers). Each wonderful in their own unique ways. Go ahead and pull out your favorite Pesto recipe now or CLICK HERE FOR AN EASY PESTO RECIPE
Carrots – Yellowstone, White Satin, and Scarlett Nantes. Wonderful colors, delicious texture and taste.
Sweet Vidalia Onions – Purples and Yellows – still coming on sweet and strong!
Squash – We have patty-pans that look like yellow or green space ships, and we have yellow crookneck and straightneck squash. Finally the ribbed zucchini are called Costata Romanesco. They are tender even when large and taste amazing.
Cucumbers, Slicing – good slicing cucumbers, suyu longs, or little round lemon cucumbers.
Cucumbers, Pickling – Grab and go box this week! Get your pickle ON!
White Oak Pastures 