Hello CSA Members!
This week we got all the garlic cleaned up after it finished drying from harvest the previous week. The tomatoes are really pouring in after that last heat wave so we’ve been harvesting them almost endlessly lately. This week will likely be a peak one for tomatoes so prepare to make some sauces, salsas, bloody mary mix, or maybe just BLT’s or tomato sandwiches or fat slices of tomatoes for your veggie burgers which is my favorite new thing to eat this year because its easy, healthy, and tasty. Big storms came through this week but we didn’t have any damage despite several reported tornados nearby in Southeastern, WI. All the crops loved the rain because as you probably know we have been short on rain all year but so did the weeds so we spent some time controlling weeds too as usual. This week there will be plenty of weedwacking and mowing to do also. The strawberries got some feed this week too and this is the the time of year that they prepare to fruit again next year so we will give them all the food we can muster for the next month or two. I also fed the melons this week as they keep vining and growing on to hopefully a late summer melon crop of cantaloupe and watermelon but it will be late this year. I will also feed the eggplant and beans this week for a goal of some late summer eggplant and beans for you all. Carrot harvest continues this week as we move on to orange carrots and keep the roots coming along with more micros for salads and a big harvest of squash and zucchini over the last week…. we are still patiently waiting for lots of peppers to come in but they are really sizing up the plants this week so its looking like late August and September will give us lots of peppers. The crops list for this week is as follows…
Pea shoots: These tasty salad greens keep our salad green needs filled here and home and hopefully they will help yours also. These are great anywhere you would use lettuce also on sandwiches, tacos, and such.
Garlic: Chesnook Red garlic for your dressings marinades, and roasted veggies.
Basil. To compliment your large portion of tomatoes coming we will keep the basil coming along with it.
Cherry Tomatoes: Our cherry tomato blend has red, orange, yellow, white, pink, black, and brads atomic grape tomatoes which is the large green striped one if you get any of those in there. They kind of look like a galaxy on each tomato if you ask me. All our cherries have different flavors but I just can get enough of their sweetness and nice texture even for snacking which mostly happens while harvesting cause i can’t let all the split ones go to waste.
Heirloom tomatoes: These will be randomly distributed with red tomatoes also and bigger tomatoes for bigger shares but we have many types including red, orange, black, pink striped, yellow striped, terra cotta, pink, and orange and red striped so will try to keep it as interesting as possible. I just love all the colors sliced up for a a caprese salad with fresh minced basil and cucumber and some good olive oil and sea salt.
Kale: Our curly kale is still coming on healthy and tender for salads and homemade veggie chips or juiced for all those great vitamins. Kale has a lot of protein for a vegetable for all those super active folks this can help you build muscle in a healthy way.
Zucchini: These are great for grilling and since we have a big harvest of them now i suggest doing spears or slabs of them marinated with some soy or teriyaki and on low heat they really make some great veggie steaks on the side. Or maybe some baking zucchini carrot bread or muffins, or zucchini fritters grated and fried until brown like a hash brown, or thinly sliced to make a vegetable lasagna with no noodles for a gluten free dinner.
Summer squash: These can be prepared just like the zucchini.
Jalapeno…. I think we may have enough to give everybody one of these this week, just to add a little spice to your dishes if you wish.
Cucumber: These are slowing down fast now after fruiting like crazy last week or two the vines are dying back but there should be enough for everyone to get at least one for salads.
Thats everything for this week folks, I’m going to get back to picking tomatoes on this beautiful Sunday and starting another batch of micro greens, I hope everyone can get some time outside to enjoy the beautiful weather we are having this weekend. Thank you all and see you soon! -Kyle
