Dispatch from the farm here! We are very grateful for this "not hot" week and have continued to just come in at dawn so we can all try and get through the day and have our hot, afternoon siesta. The crew is really fantastic right now and it seems like we are all feeling good even though the amount of work to be done is so daunting it is crazy. We are also moonlighting as servers every weekend for all the events and Elise has 30 kids for farm camp out here.
Our field tomatoes are about to come on and at the same time we are bringing in about 1000 pounds of tomatoes two-three times a week already from the hoops. We are simultaneously trying to plant for winter, trellis, harvest, irrigate and cultivate. The weeds seem like they are going to consume us but I'm just trying to remind myself that this is the feeling of this time of year and every time I get stressed about the amount of work I just try and eat a tomato – seems to work most of the time, hah!
On a totally different front, many of you probably know this but chef/owner Joshua McFadden of Ava Gene's in Portland, who I have worked with for four years on farm dinners and selling to the restaurants, came out with a book called SIX SEASONS: A NEW WAY WITH VEGETABLES and it is fantastic. For anyone that loves cooking, or wants to cook more, and especially folks who get a CSA, this is such a good resource - it is completely seasonal, describes every type of vegetable and how to process/store, goes through pantry goods and has all the recipes!! I think I'm going to add it to the CSA Store for next week!
Lastly, just wanted to mention that I know sometimes the bag isn't the best for all of the produce so I recommend removing things as soon as possible. We use the bags because they are reusable for many years, organic, not plastic and very easy for our CSA members to pick-up. We do know that everything does get a little knicked when in the bag (especially squash) so just remember that when we pack your produce we try to be as gentle as possible.
Until next week!
Jen
Farm gets SUNGOLD CHERRY TOMATOES. These sungolds are the best just popped in your mouth, really nothing else compares - they are sweet and flavorful. You can also roast these puppies, top a pizza with them or use to make a sauce.
Inner Portland sites get EGGPLANT. Two different types–long and globe. The globe eggplant is your typical eggplant that should be salted an hour or two before using . The long eggplant, originating from Asia, has very few seeds. We harvest these guys young as they aren't pithy, are less bitter, have fewer seeds and are more delicious. Always cook eggplant, you want it to be soft, tender and creamy. Also, know that eggplant hates to be cooled, and if it is stored improperly it gets bitter. We never put ours in the cooler to ensure we give you the best quality!
Wilsonville, Tigard and SW get more GREEN BEANS. So fantastic with sesame, I really just can't say that enough.
TOMATOES: Everyone gets two, moscovitch and/or heirlooms! They are coming on more and more so get ready.
LETTUCE: Lettuce does not like summer heat. The hotter it is the harder to grow. We have tiny little heads this week but they are crisp and yummy. This week's variety is Reine d'Glace from Wild Garden Seed which translates to "ice queen." The “Queen of Ices” has been around for about 2 centuries, and she’s a beauty of a crisphead, with very ornately toothed green wrapper leaves blanching a crunchy white heart.
SQUASH: No cukes today but some fun squash: zephhyr, patty pan, zucchini and tromba d'albegna. Can you start to tell the difference between the texture and flavor of all the different types?
MICROGREENS: A small pea tendril/radish microgreen container for topping something! Yum! Hopefully they withstand the heat. Remember that these come to you unwashed! Please make sure you wash before consuming even though they are 100% organic!
FRESH RED ONION: Patterson is the variety and beautiful they are! These onions are somewhere in between fresh and storage and are super yummy!
STRAWBERRIES: For everyone! They are so sweet and delicious right now. Hopefully they don't get too wet or dumpy in the bag–we decided to try and not use the plastic bags as I hate using plastic every week!
RAINBOW CHARD: A small, not overwhelmoing bunch for all of your chardy-needs. Chard is the most punned vegetable at our farm, every year it amazes me the new puns the crew comes up with. I've said this many times before, but this sturdier cousin to spinach, is best with the greens separated from the ribs (but cook the ribs, just a tad bit longer) and then reunited. In his new book, SIX SEASONS: A New Way With Vegetables, our friend Joshua McFadden has a recipe for spaghetti with chard, pine nuts, raisins and chiles which is absolutely delicious!
BROCCOLI: A nice bit of broccoli, both sprouting and not. Delicious sautéed or steamed or on pizza or grilled or roasted – you name it.
Don't forget to return your bags!!!