Hello CSA Members!
Tomatoes are just looking amazing and its one of the things we focus on so i’m glad all our hard work is coming to fruition. Lots of tomatoes for shares this week for sure as a result as we hone in on the one thing we do best mid season. Enjoy Them while you Can because I estimate we have about 2-4 weeks left of decent tomato season. Our peppers are are bulking up with the heat and rain so we should have a nice flush of sweet peppers soon but I always wait for them to change color because I think most of us prefer ripe sweet peppers over green ones. Here is the crop list for this week!
Cherry tomatoes: Our cherry tomatoes are some of the best around and very firm and sweet. One thing you can do with them besides fresh snacking which I have not suggested yet either is dehydrate them or roast them into a paste for sun dried tomato or roasted tomato paste if they are cooked in the oven on low for many hours they make a roast sweet paste. I still think the best is just caprese on a stick with these using the little mozzarella balls and some fresh basil on a toothpick they make a great appetizer or lunch.
Heirloom tomatoes: We have so many types this year and usually try to use the firmer ones in shares so they don’t bruise as easily being delivered to you but if you can’t use them alll for BLTS or tomato and cheese sammies, then try simply freezing them in a freezer ziplock after taking the skins off in some hot water and you’ll have a sauce ready tomato for your winter soups, sauces, and chili.
Zucchini: The hot weather is pushing these along after they started slow this year we have a lot coming in now. I used them on homemade pizza this week but zucchini fries and fritters are still some of my favorite zucchini dishes.
Summer squash; We have the long yellow type and the yellow patty pan saucer types for you but they all can be prepared the same as you would use a zucchini.
Garlic: Chesnook Red garlic which is a new type for us this year is in the shares and great with everything from fresh pasta sauce with your tomatoes or roasted in the oven on low until it is spreadable on your bread or with basil for fresh garlicky pesto.
Swiss Chard: Our chard is still going strong and ready for sautéing or use in any dish where you would use spinach. Because it has similar flavor it is a great substitute when we can’t grow spinach in the summer heat.
Shishito Pepper: These japanese chilies are best when pan fried with a little oil and salt until they blister and get brown, the more brown the more flavor in my opinion. Watch out cause some of these are spicy! More of them are mild but you never know when you’ll get a hot one.
Jalapeno Pepper: Just a little spicy for your tomatoes for some great pico or to spice up a stir fry.
Enjoy the crops everyone, we will keep on harvesting and as fall approaches planting a few more thing for late season. Also i know you don’t all have kids but lots of you can probably relate that its time to start thinking about back to school so we are getting ready at home for school season including soccer teams for my kids (Alora and Evan), registration, and supplies so in between all the work this week that is the goal to get prepared for the end of Summer and the beginning of a new school year. I can’t believe i’m going to have a sophomore. I started the farm the year Alora was born and now she’s almost halfway through high school! I’ll also have a middle schooler this year going into a new school… Lots to do to prepare but still finishing preparing the new greenhouse site also. I’m also hoping to get our building permits this week. The county approved my project for the new pack shed and storage area but my township held up the permit and said they need to look into it more and might even rezone my property because apparently my agricultural zoning is not ideal for them all of a sudden (Yikes) so i’m just waiting for their approval for this exciting project now. I hope everyone has a great week and has some time to enjoy the summer while it’s here. (https://uniforumtz.com/) Also if we have enough we are going to add cucumber and basil to shares also. Have a great week. -Kyle
