Kayla expertly dug our first two rows of golden potatoes today with the tricky potato digger implement, while our hardcore dedicated group of volunteers followed behind and picked them all up by hand to bring to you!
This Week’s Share:
Slicing Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Red Onions
Cucumbers
Potatoes
Peppers
Choice: Summer Squash or Eggplant
Choice: Tomatillos or Shitshitos or Poblanos
Recipe:
Eggplant Caponata
The writer of this blog is a huge eggplant fan and is bringing you this recipe they love because eggplant is one of our most divisive summer vegetables (okra comes in first). While French ratatouille is delicious, easy, and beautiful, the Sicilian Caponata is punchier with a sweet and sour flavor profile from cooking the eggplant with vinegar and sugar. It has a hundred different variations: with or without pine nuts, with or without raisins, olives vs capers, brown sugar vs honey, actually fermenting it on the counter vs just adding a splash of vinegar for flavor. So don’t be shy about omitting what doesn’t sound good to you. Just get out there and try a new eggplant!
Notes from the Field
Potatoes are staring to roll in and cucumbers are back. We have lots of red-skinned potatoes coming soon, but for now enjoy these delicious buttery soft and smooth yellow new potatoes. They will make a great potato salad, smashed potatoes, roast potatoes, and more. And while we are getting close to a short break from summer squash and zucchini, the next round of beautiful slicing cucumbers have just begun. It is a continual pleasure to move through the cycles of each season. While the hands stay busy weeding, harvesting, and bringing the current fruits of the fields to you, the mind moves toward the next season to come. May it be as bountiful as this one!
What’s on U-Pick?
Reminder that U-picking hours are Monday-Saturday, 8am-6pm. Please do not come to the farm on Sundays, as we do not have staff on site who can be available in case of an emergency. If the main gates are closed when you arrive you can follow the paved road to the right, and then follow the curve of the road back to the left. This will take you in a loop around the main deer-fenced area and up to the wash station/parking lot.
In the raised brick beds, also known as the Cleeland Garden:
Mint
Oregano
Calendula
Parsley
Greek Basil
Sorrel
Thyme, Sage, and Lemon Balm (to allow for healthy growback for these plants, pick the largest leaves from the outside, do not cut from the stem of the plant!)
In field “G” behind the pizza oven/side parking lot:
Dill
Cilantro
Parsley
Italian Basil (the classic basil flavor)
Lemon Basil (looks like basil, smells and tastes strongly of lemon)
Thai Basil (dark purple flowers & stems, great for Asian recipes of many kinds)
Holy Basil (light purple flowers and stems, directly behind the Thai Basil, used for calming tea)
Any Flowers: some were mowed down, but the zinnias are coming in strong!
In field “F” through the big gate below the central parking lot:
Sunflowers! Still lots of sunflowers of all colors in the main field. Go past the cherry tomatoes toward the monster sized sunflower plants. They are extremely tall so bring friend to climb on your shoulders for you.