August is here already. No one on the farm can truly believe it! Our intern, Janell, is acutely aware. This is her last week, and she will be sorely missed (and not just because of her amazing baking skills.) She is off to Virginia Tech to begin graduate study that will prepare her for water quality restoration. After two years in the Peace Corps in Panama, she knows a thing or two about water quality and about the ramifications of the lack of it. Her replacement arrived Sunday night. Alisha is a recent graduate of Unity College in Maine. She worked for a while at a farm in Maine that also had a CSA, so we welcome her advance training in the middle of this busy season.
Speaking of busy seasons reminds me that several of you have inquired about canning tomatoes and ‘when’ and ‘how much’. We are still not certain when the flush will come on, so I don’t know the ‘when’. As for, the ‘how much’, we are still figuring, so I’ll let you know soon. All in all, though, the gardens are doing fabulously, despite the heat or maybe because of it. Who can say for sure? Tuesday Kip went to Columbus for a meeting of folks who are concerned about the future of food and its availability. Two Under-Secretaries of Agriculture from Washington were guests at the meeting. He was able to tell them about the model of Green Edge, and our year-round production, internship program, and diversified customer base. But the most important things he shared with them concerned needs like infrastructure, transportation, and living wages that can create the opportunities for more farms like us. If you would like to know more about these topics, give a call or send an email. We are both available to speak to interested groups about this important issue.
As we scan the weather forecast, the small chance of rain in the coming week is dis-appointing. At the same time, the fall root crop planting can move forward as scheduled and that is good. Drip irrigation lines are so wonderful! How truly grateful we are!
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, Maria, Kurt, Rob, Marie, Penny, Guinevere, Diedra, Bethany, Alisha, and Janell)
THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 7 varieties of lettuce. This mix is best stored in an air-tight con-tainer with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any extra drops of water that can form.
Mushrooms - This week you receive either oyster or shiitake.
Sweet Basil -Week #1 newsletter talks some of pesto making and different ingredients that can be used to make this herbal ‘paste’ for dipping, pasta sauce or a spread for bread.
Summer Squash – There is about 2 lb. in the bag this week. We grow several varieties. Look on the blog for pictures of each with the name.
Beets - Their roots are soooo deli-cious & sweet and the leaves are vitamin-packed and wonderful sautéed as you might do with any of our greens—a little butter or olive oil and some garlic and onion helps to makes this veggie into a great side dish. The 1st beets of the season and these are tender and mar-velous.
Slicer Tomatoes - These gems are most likely more familiar than the heirlooms from last week. They ship farther; because their skins are tougher; and they are definitely red. Enjoy!
Green Beans - We are excited to have green beans for you this week. The variety is an old standby called ‘Provider’. Check the 2nd page for an interesting recipe for these.
Swiss Chard - This green is the summer stand-by. Verstaile, mild, and nutritious with a low glycemic load although a little high in sodium. Stir-fry or sauté are just a few of its uses.
The Combo Corner
The fruit selections from Cherry Orchard this week are blackberries, peaches, and one very special peach called Peento Peach from a Chinese origin. It is commonly referred to as a Doughnut Peach. Neil only has one tree and this is the 1st year for it to fruit, so this is a very special treat.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Country Wheat/Country White, a blend of the two types of whole grain wheat. This is a great loaf for making sandwiches.
This week’s Cheese Share from Integration Acres is called Griffin’s Dream. This is soft and creamy with a nice mild flavor.This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Country Wheat/Country White, a blend of the two types of whole grain wheat. This is a great loaf for making sandwiches.
Squash/Zucchini Salad with Lemon and Mint
1-1/2 pounds squash cut cross wise into 2” lengths
4 tbl. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion (8 oz. or so), sliced
2 tbl. slivered fresh garlic
1 tbl. finely grated lemon zest (1 large lemon)
1 tbl. chopped mint & parsley
Sea salt & freshly ground pep-per
Lemon wedges and whole-milk yogurt, to garnish
1. Steam the squash until it's just softened but still bright in color, 8-10 minutes. With a fork, mash the squash in a colander to press out as much water as possible. Squash will look very roughly chopped. Set aside.
2. In a sauté pan add 3 tbls.olive oil and cook the onions and gar-lic over moderate heat until crisp tender and just beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, then gently stir in the squash and lemon zest.
3. Turn mixture into a bowl and stir in the mint, parsley, and remaining olive oil. Season to taste with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper. Serve at room temperature with lemon wedges (squeeze fresh juice over salad) and a dollop of yogurt. Can be prepared up to a day ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator; allow salad to come to room temperature before serving.
Recipe courtesy of www.deliciousliving.com
BREADED SQUASH FANS
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Yield: 6-8 servings
6-8 small summer squash
½ cup all-purpose unbleached flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup bread crumbs
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup olive oil
Slice each squash lengthwise every ¼ inch, leaving all the slices connected at the ‘neck’ of the squash. Parboil the squash for 3 minutes and drain well. Spread out each squash in a fan pattern. Place the flour, salt, and pepper in one bowl; the eggs in another bowl; and the bread crumbs, cheese, and herbs in a third bowl. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Dip the squash in the flour, then in the eggs, and then coat with the bread crumbs. Brown the squash on both sides. Serve hot.
Masala Beans with Fenugreek
1 medium onion
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic pulp
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tomato, quartered 8 ounces green beans
1 bunch fresh fenugreek leaves, stems discarded
4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Roughly chop the onion. Mix together the ground cumin and coriander, sesame seeds, chili powder, garlic, turmeric, and salt.
Place all of these ingredients, including the onion, in a food processor and process for 30-45 seconds.
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil and fry the spice mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomato, green beans, fresh fenugreek, and fresh co-riander.
Stir-fry for about 5 minutes, sprinkle in the lemon juice, and serve.
“Masala” means spice and this vegetarian dish is spicy, though not necessarily hot.
~from: THE COMPLETE BOOK OF INDIAN COOKING, Husain and Fernanadez, 2005.
STORING TOMATOES –
We attempt to ship you tomatoes that are not dead ripe the day your receive them. Store them shoulder side (stem end) down, and blossom end up.
Get the most out of your tomatoes. Tomatoes are a warm loving fruit. Do not store them in the refrigerator unless you will be using them soon.
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