Produce Subscription (Week 32)

Ok, all of that talk about “they are almost here” complete with squash flowers and then baby squash pictures…well, we jinxed ourselves. We now have 100s of pounds of summer squash. This is the bounty we talk about members getting to share; so do your part, now. We will be distributing 100# of squash per car when you come out here to haul this stuff away!!!!!!

Zephyr squash coming out of our ears!

New items are blooming and fruiting as we speak. Tomatoes are a week or two away; a new variety of “saladette” sized offerings will be showing up, along with the various cherries, slicers and paste. Tomatillos, always a bumble bee favorite for some reason, are setting fruit like crazy. Salsa verde and white bean/tomatillo soup for everyone!!

It’s raining tomatoes…soon.

Pretty little green paper lanterns.

Your boxes will be in their respective drop site locations by 9am Wednesday. (Dropsite Location Details) Find the box with your name and have at it!

If you have any questions, please call Roger on his delivery phone 626 488 5437 (if before 10a) and the farm phone 715 426 7582 (if after 10am).

Lots of color and poundage (21#) in your boxes this week.

Pepper, sweet Just a taste! They are coming right along in the high tunnel and field; nice variety of sweet, just-o-hint, and spicy.

Potatoes, new Another couple pounds of potatoes for a nice potato salad. Get creative with all of the color, crunch and flavor in this week’s box.

Cabbage, red Here’s a tiny red head for slicing very fine and adding color to your daily salads.

Carrot And some shredded carrot for more color in the cucumber salads.

Beans, green There is really nothing like fresh greeners! If you can’t get them on the menu this week, blanch in a pot of boiling water for 3 minutes, drop into a bowl of icewater for a few minutes, drain; pop into a freezer bag in meal-sized batches and savor this winter.

Squash, zephyr Eat your squash— and like it!

Zucchini A couple jumbo sized for stuffing or baking. It also freezes well when shredded and squeezed dry; save for Chocolate Zucchini Waffles this winter! (and some normal sized ones too.)

Zucchini, baby striped A couple of these little striped fellas. Perfect for slicing length-wise, marinating in some olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper and then tossing on the grill for a quick side dish.

Cucumber, slicers A couple varieties of slicers for salads; lots of cucumber salad this week!

Cucumber, lunchbox Snack on these to tide you over to dinner.

Cucumber, Little Potato or True Lemon and/or Mini-white Just starting to see the specialty cukes show up. You will have a sample of either the Little Potato or the True Lemon (camera shy, sorry; round/white w/ pale yellow accents) variety and a Mini-white. Report back what you think.

Broccoli Another pound of the powerhouse greens!

Broccolini And a tight bunch of specialty broccolini for steaming or grilling, and dipping in the incredible Garlic Sesame Aioli.

Lettuce, green summer crisp The end of lettuce for a few weeks.

Onions, white Bulb onions are here. 50% of harvest happening this week, next week the rest. You’ll be getting a sampling of fresh ones (like today, a nice sweet Sierra Blanca) and then later the cured ones that will store a bit.

Onion, green/scallion Packed with onion flavor!

Garlic, Siciliano variety First of the season; this stuff is fresh so quite “sharp” in flavor— a little goes a long way. It is not “cured”, so it won’t last like dried garlic. Keep in the refrigerator. (Siciliano: “It has a rich, deep flavor with a zesty medium pungency and a crisp, crunchy texture that is like a water chestnut with flavor and an attitude. Its richness makes it excellent for raw eating as in pesto and salsa.”)

Cilantro Mmmm, cilantro rice again. (I am a broken record on that stuff!)

Parsley Mince a sprig for each of your cucumber salads; nice fresh flavor enhancement.

Recipes for your consideration

Get the taste of summer in a colorful, fresh potato salad!¬

Summer Garlic Potato Salad

2# potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 sweet bell pepper (green or color), diced
2-4 carrots, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 small cucumber, halved and seeded, diced
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
2 stalks celery, diced (optional)

Dressing:
1 pkg soft silken tofu (make sure it is the “silken type”, common Mori-Nu brand)
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1-2 cloves garlic
½ tsp sea salt

Set a large pot of water to boil. Add potatoes and cook until just tender (don’t overdo and let them start falling apart.) Drain and let sit until dry.

Prepare vegetables while you wait for the potatoes.

In a blender, add all dressing ingredients (last 6 on the list) and blend on high until well blended and creamy.

Add potatoes to vegetables, toss with dressing and then add salt and pepper. Give a final few stirs to incorporate all.

Refrigerate and serve.

The fresh garlic this week will give this recipe some pizzazz; don’t eat it on a date!¬

Cilantro Pesto

1 cup cilantro
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or seasoned rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp sea salt
1-2 Tbsp water, as needed to thin

Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Pour over steamed veggies (great on summer squash), potatoes, pasta, or any other combination for a bright, sassy meal.

From: The Saucy Vegetarian by Joanne Stepaniak

I have gone nutty with my newly acquired 2014 hashbrown iron. Summer squash is just the next in line to fall to its clutches. Mmmmm good.¬

Squash hashbrowns

1 pound red potatoes, grated
1 medium yellow squash, grated
1 medium zucchini, grated
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon seasoned salt (see add’l recipe on website, for a make-it-yourself version)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

If you have a food processor, run the potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini through it on the grate setting. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a box grater to grate the vegetables.

Squeeze the excess moisture from the vegetables. .

Chop onions and mince garlic; add to grated vegetables.

Add the seasoned salt and pepper to the vegetables and stir to thoroughly combine.

Add oil to a largest skillet you have. Spread the hash brown mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan.

Cook over a medium high flame until the bottom is crispy, approximately 4 – 6 minutes. Then flip and cook until the other side is crispy, approximately 4 – 6 minutes.

Notes:
If you have a waffle iron, you can try cooking the grated vegetables in it. Brush or spray with oil. Place 1/2 cup of grated veggies over each square on the waffle maker. Spread evenly over the bottom of the waffle maker, lock the lid down, and cook for 8 – 10 minutes or until the hash browns are crispy and cooked through.

Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Carrots, beets, eggplant?!? The possibilities for sneaking veggies into breakfast are endless!

From: http://www.5dollardinners.com

Everyone feel free to add your favorite recipes to the website.

Farm News

Other that the attack-of-the-zephyr-squash, things are progressing well into the warm weather produce. More color coming in too; a nice change from the rainbow of green! We are seeing more pollinators hopping about; it is quite the pleasure to sit and pick with a symphony of buzzes all around you.

Where sci-fi creative imaging comes from

Bumble hanging a BA!

Worker honeybee— note the tattered wings; she is nearing the end of her 6wk lifespan.

Thus end-ith another week of produce. Eat hardy, eat well. Use caution, the boxes are getting heavy. Don’t trust the box handles! Keep a hand on the bottom of the box.

Razz, the day after harvest.

Ok, enough reading. You had better get started eating!

Have a wonderful week, and enjoy the vegetables.

Roger and Lara