This was a challenging week for me (Stacey). Nothing is worse than being super sick. Especially during the busy season, while the weeds are still growing, stuff needs to get planted, and the harvest is ongoing. Luckily we had some great help from our friends over at Stoney Acres and Hava, our employee stepped up to take over the harvest. It turned out to be just a nasty virus (not Lymes, which was the first diagnosis!).
As terrible as it is, getting sick does have its benefits. One, you get a lot of time to think as you watch the ceiling fan go around. Two, when you’re body works again you are so happy to have it back. I am so grateful for my body that works hard for me every day. It is strong, my knees and back are good. It is a good farmer’s body and I love it. I think back to times in my life when I would agonize about how my butt looked in some overly priced pair of jeans or what my belly would look like after children. I think about the energy I wasted worrying about the second piece of cake or if short girls could make the varsity basketball team. I regret all of that time wasted and if there is one thing that I hope to teach my children from a young age it is that a healthy body that works for you every day is beautiful. Feed your body, use your body, and feel beautiful.
On a slightly less mushy note, the hoop houses have arrived! The posts are already pounded, the ground is prepped, and now we have a busy couple of weeks with a skilled work crew here to put all of the pieces together as quickly as possible. Four 120ft hoop houses constructed in less than two weeks is a bit unprecedented but things are taking shape and we are hopeful.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
My most sincere apologies to anyone who was planning attending the canning class.
Extended season shares are now sold out!
Organic-fed, pastured duck is available for $8/lb (whole birds only). Call or email if interested, it won’t last long!
CSA U-Pick is available for Tomatoes!
Eggplant- Eggplant loves to be roasted, and readily absorbs the flavors from rich oils, bright vinegars and sweet sauces. Try the recipe of the week!
Rainbow Carrots – Fennel, Orange and Carrot Soup is a perennial favorite. Look back to an early newsletter for a great recipe, or find one you like on line. Caramelized onions make a great addition, just a heaping spoonful on top as it’s served.
Salad Mix – Buttered toast, under a thick slice of tomato, under a handful of salad mix, under your favorite vinaigrette under a sunny-side-up egg, with salt on top makes a wonderful breakfast! We call it “Stacey’s Egg Salad Sandwich.”
Basil – Something about fresh basil and tomatoes makes it hard to go wrong. Try this week’s recipe, or make a batch of pesto for now or for the freezer.
Onions – These will keep best in the fridge, they still aren’t cured. They are strong, yet sweet. Good for a quick bit of heat, and also good in a quick-pickle. Caramelize them with ample butter over medium low in a sauce-pan. Stir regularly until browned and sweet. Add them to anything, try a pile on a thick slice of tomato! Or try the recipe of the week.
Broccoli – Store in a bag in the fridge, but not for long. Break into “trees” then slice in half lengthwise, dip in sour-cream-based dip or thick creamy style dressing for an easy snack (goes great with carrot sticks too!) Marinade florets in a vinaigrette dressing then add to a salad for crunchy little flavor bursts.
Tomatillos – store well on the counter for up to a week. Remove the husk, then roast on a pan in the oven or on the grill. Add roasted onion, garlic, and peppers, then puree with some salt and lemon (hot peppers too, if you like). For a great fresh salsa verde that is rich and satisfying.
Garlic- Great for bruschetta, salsa, pesto or almost anything else! Try it in the Caponata recipe below…
Tomatoes– So fresh, so sweet, so tart and so juicy. Need I say more? Try throwing uncooked fresh chopped tomatoes into a rice or pasta dish just before serving for colorful summery flair. Come pick some extra for yourself at the farm, perfect for saucing or freezing whole. Simple as that, throw them in a freezer bag and thaw when ready. They won’t be “sliceable” but you can make great, fresh-tasting sauces all year round.
Mixed Snap Beans- Green are best for canning, yellow for cooking and “Dragons tongue” for fresh eating. But all of them can be used together too. Blanch, then cool before freezing extras for winter. That’s all she wrote for this year!
Sweet Peppers – Fresh peppers are such a treat, and these are about as fresh as they get. But they do keep well in the fridge, and roasted peppers are great too! Can’t use them this week? Try roasting them while you bake anything else then freeze them whole in a bag for winter use. Great in sauces and blended soups.
Fennel- Chop the bulbs for the recipe of the week, or make up a batch of Orange, Carrot Fennel soup! Fronds can be used as a fresh herb and bulbs can be used in place of celery. Also great raw as a snack, but maybe a little chewy for some.
GARDEN CAPONATA
(This may not be a true Caponata, but this is how I make and like it, even before I knew what it was…Thanks Haley for the ID!)
-1 eggplant
-1 sweet onion
-1 sweet pepper
-1 tomato
-Fresh Basil
-Olive Oil
-Vinegar or Lemon Juice
-1-2 Tbsp maple syrup, honey or sugar
-Salt and pepper to taste
-*Optional Fennel, celery, garlic, hot peppers, capers (anything you like)
Chop all the veggies and herbs, but keep separate.
Heat several Tbsp. of olive oil in a medium sauce pan
Add chopped veggies in the order listed, waiting about 2 mins between each. Eggplant should be totally tender. Stir regularly. *optional veggies added appropriately to be tender.
Remove from heat, then add something sweet, a splash (or two) of nice vinegar and enough olive oil to thoroughly coat everything and stir to make it all blend together, then add salt and herbs to taste.
Serve room temp or chilled. Make ahead, for a party! Serve over toast. Also good on noodles, rice or eggs.
Enjoy!