Summer CSA Newsletter: Week 9
IN YOUR BOX THIS WEEK AND HOW TO USE IT
LARGE FRESH CANDY ONIONS - Store in the refrigerator crisper drawer for up to one week. You can peel off layers that become dry or slimy if used after one week. $2.50 X 1
HERBS - Parsley , trim a little off of the bottoms of the stems so that they can take in more water. Fill a jar or glass partially with water and set the parsley inside. An inch or two of the stems should be submerged. Cover the jar of herbs loosely with a plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator. Change the water when it becomes cloudy. $2.50
TOMATOES- The best way to keep summer tomatoes fresh and full of flavor, store them on the kitchen counter at room temperature and turn them shoulders down. 60 to 65° is an ideal temperature for storing and we recommend placing your tomatoes out of direct sunlight. 1lb $4
FAIRY TALE EGGPLANT - store away from direct sunlight and use it as soon as possible after harvesting or buying. You can place it in a vented bowl, but avoid sealing it in a plastic bag, which can increase decay. Eggplant is not a cold loving vegetable but, if you want to keep it in the refrigerator do so in the warmest place in the refrigerator and keep lightly covered. Eggplant will remain fresh for 2-4 days. $5
NEW POTATOES - Keep in a cool, dry place away from light, like a dark corner of the kitchen or in a cabinet. Also keep well ventilated. Do not store in a plastic bag but you can store in a basket or paper bag. $5 (1.75 Pounds)
CHERRY TOMATOES - Store tomatoes at room temperature for best taste. If tomatoes are refrigerated, remove them from refrigeration about 30 minutes prior to serving to regain some of their original flavor. $4
LETTUCE MIX - Store in a plastic bag loosely in your refrigerator. The ideal temperature for storing lettuce is at or near 32 degrees. Wash prior to use. Lettuce stores normally for UP to two weeks. $3 (smaller bag)
BLACKBERRIES OR GREEN BEANS - Sedalia it is our plan to provide blackberries in your share tomorrow. Marshall it is our plan to provide green beans. We are hoping to then switch for next week with Marshall receiving blackberries and Sedalia receiving green beans. Storage is minimal for blackberries. Put them in the fridge lightly covered. They will only last a couple days and then you could freeze if needed. Green beans can store in the bag in your crisper drawer for up to 5-7 days $5
VEGGIE OF THE WEEK
FAIRYTALE EGGPLANT
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Fairy tale eggplants are currently in full swing. Despite not being a common feature on American dinner tables and being a rarity in supermarkets, these small Asian-style eggplants offer a delicate, creamy flavor that is not bitter and contain very few seeds. They can be grilled or sautéed. The tender skin of these eggplants does not require peeling, making them a convenient option for cooking. They can also be stir-fried or roasted in the oven, showcasing their versatility.
While no single nutrient stands out in eggplants, they are rich in a range of health-promoting vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants such as folate, potassium, and vitamin C. Additionally, eggplants are packed with fiber, offering about three grams per cup, which supports gut health. Despite their beauty, some visitors to farm stands may find themselves puzzled on how to best prepare these unique eggplants and my guess is you might have the same question as well. Have no fear I have several good recipes below!
Photo Credit: The Kitchn
Cut 3/4 to 1 pound of baby eggplants in half lengthwise.
In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with about 2 tablespoons olive oil (enough to generously coat the eggplant), 2 minced garlic cloves, salt, pepper, (red pepper flakes also if you wish), and 4 to 6 large mint leaves, coarsely chopped; let stand to marinate for about 30 minutes. Mint is optional but, I do know vendors at the market sell it.
Grill the eggplant in a grill basket over medium-high heat, covered. Turn occasionally until the skins are slightly charred and the flesh is tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the eggplant pieces back to the bowl you used to marinate them. Immediately toss them with a splash of red wine or balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of flaked sea salt, and a small handful of freshly chopped mint. Enjoy!
This is an easy recipe that I have tried and enjoyed! Here is the link as well as a few others:
What to Do With Fairy Tale Eggplants (Those Adorable Small Ones) | The Kitchn
Roasted Fairytale Eggplant - Denison Farm
Stuffed Fairytale Eggplants – Norman's Farm Market (normansfarmmarket.com)
Sungold and Fairy Tale Pasta: A Simple Summer Delicacy — Four Root Farm - this one incorporates cherry tomatoes!
Photo Credit: She Loves Biscotti
I have wanted to try doing homemade sun-dried tomatoes and this recipe looks easy!
Oven "Sun-Dried" Tomatoes - Gimme Some Oven
Margherita Pizza Recipe - Love and Lemons - we’ve tried this and YUM!
Garlic Herb Tortelloni — Triple H Family Farms, LLC this one is also a regular at our house!
Week 9
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This week is going to be a little short and sweet as I didn’t give myself enough time to “polish” my newsletter as well as I like.
This year, we made an attempt to give ourselves a break by taking two days off each week, but we haven’t been very successful. We have managed to at least take 1.5 days off, which has been a relief. Finding skilled workers has been a challenge, so we often find ourselves working long hours to keep up with the demands of the farm. We are so thankful for our employees but, when it’s their first year the challenge to teach and balance our time is hard. The work seems never-ending, making it difficult to stay on top of everything. This isn't a complaint, but rather a reflection on the hard work and dedication needed in farming.
Fortunately, we were able to take a few days off last week to spend time with our nieces who were visiting from Michigan. We took them fishing, swimming, to Science City, and to the movies. We even had them help us pick potatoes, turning it into a fun game that they enjoyed, well at least for one bed and then they realized this was hard work and they dropped like flies. (lol)
Apart from family time, we have been busy planting fall brassicas and tending to our fall squash. We have had difficulty in seeding beets and carrots due to the heat affecting germination, but we plan to address this soon.
With the help of our kids and nieces last week, we completed the harvesting of all the summer potatoes. We were thrilled to have harvested a total of 1 ton of potatoes, double the amount from last year. It has been an excellent potato season so far, with two more beds of potatoes to harvest in late August or early September for the fall season.
IF ALL ELSE FAILS
If your week has been crazy and you haven’t had time to do a thing with items in your bag, focus on these tasks:
Make sure the greens are removed from the root vegetables. Your roots will store for a good while, your greens from your root vegetables need to be used or lose them.
Blackberries can freeze. Lay out parchment paper on a try and lay blackberries on the tray apart from one another. They freeze well and can be placed in a freezer bag when done. They won’t much together this way and can be used for jam, smoothies or a frozen treat on a hot day.
You can freeze green onions including the leafy green tops, the white bulb end, and the stem in between. After freezing, the texture changes somewhat. Stem and bulb portions become soft, while the green parts sometimes become tough
Rosemary can freeze. Wash sprigs thoroughly and dry them well. Leave the leaves on the stem and arrange the sprigs on a baking tray so that the individual stems do not touch − this prevents the stems from freezing together and makes it easier to remove individual sprigs later. Place the baking tray in the freezer for a few hours to freeze the rosemary sprigs. Once frozen, transfer the rosemary sprigs to a freezer bag and store them in the freezer. Frozen rosemary can be stored for a year or more. Frozen rosemary sprigs do not need to be defrosted before cooking
Oregano must be used quickly. Whether it's homegrown or purchased, oregano should be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to three days. If you place a slightly damp paper towel in the bag with the oregano and leave some air in the bag, it may extend the life up to one week. You may also extend the shelf life of fresh oregano by storing whole stems with leaves in a glass of water with a plastic bag loosely tented over the glass. Fresh oregano can also be frozen. Before doing so, though, wash and dry the fresh oregano sprigs. Strip whole leaves from stems and place in plastic bag loosely without crushing but remove all air.
Parsley wash and dry thoroughly. You want to make sure no excess water is present as that can cause freezer burn. Cut the lower part of the stems. Place cleaned and dried parsley in a large freezer bag and push it down to the bottom.
With any herb you can also make a compound butter and freeze. Try this link for recipes: Herb Compound Butter Recipe - Love and Lemons or this one: Herb Compound Butter - Downshiftology
Freezing tomatoes is the easiest way to keep ripe tomatoes until you're ready to use them. You don't have to peel them first—in fact, the act of freezing them itself makes the tomatoes very easy to peel and you can freeze as many or as few at a time as you like. Visit this link for directions on how to do this, How to Preserve Tomatoes to Enjoy All Year
Greens such as carrot tops or other veggie scraps can be saved and used for homemade vegetable broth. Try this recipe: How to Make Vegetable Broth Using Saved Kitchen Scraps ~ Homestead and Chill
NEXT WEEK’S POSSIBILITY’S
Your bag next week will include 6-7 of the following depending on availability and if it’s ready to harvest.
Carrots
Herbs
Tomatoes
Fresh large candy onions
Fresh red candy onions
Green Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Kale/Swiss
Cucumber
Fairytale Eggplant
Potatoes
Onions
Beets
Green Beans
Blackberries
Wishing you a fantastic week ahead, see you next week!