Week 10

Most of the time we try to have what we call a no alarm Sunday.  We don't get up much later than normal but it is just nice to feel like there is a bit of flexibility and it is nice not to listen to the alarm go off four or five times while I have coffee and tidy up - someone likes to snooze.  This morning we had an alarm of a different sort.  I casually glanced out the kitchen window after I made coffee and noticed Blackberry in the corn field.  Not the invasive weed, but the neighbor's large black cow, who was looking at me from from the edge of the field while chewing.  I yelled to Kelly who was still in bed.  "There is a cow in the corn", I shouted.  "Shut up" he responded in annoyed disbelief thinking I was just trying to wake him up.  "No seriously, there are two cows in the corn, no there are three cows in the corn" I said as I approached the window and my view widened.  He was dressed before I even finished the sentence.   I called the neighbors and Kelly convinced the cows to hit the road.  The damage could have been much worse.  I would estimate it at about four nice steaks and few packages of ground beef.  They also sampled the zucchini and melons but they seemed to favor the corn.  I don't typically feel like we live in the country but this morning I did.

We do have some corn from a different field that is ready to harvest and you will have it in your boxes this week along with some other summer treats.

Lettuce
Zucchini - All you can eat…help yourself.
Cherry Tomatoes
Slicing Tomato - This one is a little iffy but I am hopeful.  You might have bell peppers instead.
Corn - This is a small planting.  The planting at our house, even after this morning's incident, will hopefully produce a heftier harvest a little later in the season.
Green Beans - Thanks to a farm share member I had the best green beans the other night.  I am not sure I made it exactly how she does but it was delicious.  Chop up some tomato and garlic and put them in a bowl with some olive oil and salt.  Stir the mixture and let it sit while you prep the green beans.  Remove the stems of the green beans and slice them into three pieces.  Blanch until they reach the point at which you like to eat your green beans.  Drain and toss into the tomato mixture.  Add a little chopped basil and or parsley.  I liked how the slicing tomato gave off a lot of juice but cherry tomatoes would make for a prettier presentation.
Poblanos -  Cauliflower for those of you who received poblanos last week
Garlic
Papalo - Add On Veggie Only

Papalo 

Two years ago this week Kelly and I got married in our back yard by our friend Chad with his wife and kiddo sharing a front row seat with our friends Josh and Mellissa, from Newuakam Valley Farm, serving as our witnesses.  It was low key and we all sat around our dining room table for tacos and chile rellenos afterward.  Melissa brought one of the best salsa I had ever had.  It was made with plums from their farm and seasoned with papalo.  I had not only never had papalo, I had never heard of it.  Apparently it is eaten daily in Bolivia and is native to South America.  It can be found growing wild in Mexico and in Texas and Arizona.  It has a distinct taste.  Despite my love of the plum salsa I am a little unsure about it at the moment.  Our plums are almost ready and I will give it another go when we make tacos for our anniversary.  What should you do with it?  In Puebla it is eaten on a sandwich called a cemita and according to the internet often found in vases in restaurants so that customers can add it to their food.  I would suggest using it the way you use cilantro in salsa but use far less.  It can also be used in guacamole.