Week 19

We cooked our first squash the other night.  When we pulled the acorns out of the field I brought one in to try it and it has been patiently waiting on my counter.  Acorn is not usually my first choice, but we are growing a new variety this year and I wanted to see what it was like.  I sliced it into half inch slices and roasted it, a cooking technique I favor for delicatas.  It was excellent.   We had it in a burrito with roasted poblanos, rice, beans and some grilled pork.  I think squash is a great combo with roasted or grilled poblanos and I also love it with kale.  

This is your second to last week.  Next week we should have a radish medley (watermelon and/or daikon) and celery along with some other great stuff.  

Carrots

Lacinato Kale

Delicata Squash

Poblano Peppers

Small Lettuce 

Napa Cabbage

Cauliflower - Large Only

Week 18 

We saw a few of you while making squash runs last Thursday.  We had hoped the air would be a little better but with rain in the forecast for Friday we decided to push and try to get some winter squash out of the field and into the barn.  Most of the plants had died back.  Kabocha and sweet fall, both with soft corky stems were the top priority.  Then we went for the delicata, acorn and spaghetti.  The only squash in the field still is a patch of butternut at our house.  The plants are still alive and with no frost in the forecast it isn't too pressing.  You will have some squash in your shares next week - delicata I think.  

Broccoli or Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Salad Turnips 

Bell Peppers

Cherry Tomatoes  - the Friday down pour took a toll on our cherry tomatoes and the forecast for the end of the week spells doom for our field cherries but we think we can get on last round to you all. 

Cucumber - last call for these too!

Garlic

Flat Leaf Parsley

Arugula - Large Only   Collards - Large Only  The caterpillar to arugula ratio was frightening so we did a last minute sub and switched it to collards.

Week 17

 Week 17

We cut the crew early on Friday, but we worked a full day and then did market all day Saturday and Sunday.  By the end of the day yesterday I had had enough.  Got the crew out by 11am and we left at noon today.  Trying to just pick what has to be picked and leaving what will hopefully hold.  Chehalis market is cancelled for tomorrow and while we were stressed by the news at first, after thinking about it, it makes the most sense.  I was hoping for some better air to move in today, but that hope has fizzled.   Here are our thoughts on your boxes this week.  There may be some changes depending on how much we can get done and how many hours we are comfortable working and having crew work.  Take care everyone.  

Carrots

Potatoes

Cherry Tomatoes

Cucumbers

Red Leaf Lettuce

Broccoli or Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Radishes - Large Share Only

Week 16

 Week 16

We had another busy weekend at market.  It is one of the most gratifying times of year to set up the stand.  There is so much variety and great color.  This weekend was our first big display of sweet peppers.  Sweet peppers are one of my favorite things to grow and eat.  There are always lots of peppers that aren't nice enough to sell which means we inevitably have a pile of them on our counter for all of September.  I discovered a new sweet pepper spread, muhammara, when I was randomly searching the internet and I am really into it.  I need to get some pomegranate molasses so I can make it properly.   Another great red pepper spread is ajvar.  That one also has eggplant in it.  

Hope you enjoy the food and the beautiful weather in store this week.  

Cherry Tomatoes

Zucchini

Sweet Peppers

Cauliflower

Kale - Out of new planting - looks great, very tender, summer flavor.

Green Beans - for all large shares and small shares that didn't get them last week. 

Eggplant - small shares only- May have to finish getting everyone next week.

Red Cabbage - large shares only

Week 15

This week may see some changes. Corn and beans are on the edge of readiness. 

 

Lettuce

Cherry Tomatoes

Chard

Purple Potatoes

Watermelon

Radish - Small Only

Eggplant - Large Only

Carrot - Large Only

Week 14

 Week 14

Week 14!  Summer is just cruising by with September just around the corner.  Some of the vegetables in the field feel a little behind.  Normally by now we are flush with sweet peppers and the field cherry tomatoes are loaded with fruit.  Things are doing well, just coming in a week or so later than normal.  Hope to have sweet peppers for everyone next week but we will see.  I also hope to have another round of melons but they are getting ravaged by rodents.  It is the classic scenario where they only nibble on the ripe ones.  The watermelons are better scene but of course that is not what we planted a lot of this year.  Ahhh, farming...

Have a great week. 

Tomatillos - A lot of our winter meals revolve around what we put up from the garden.  One of our staples is salsa verde.  We freeze it so that I don't have to worry about the acidity and because I just think the qualtity is better.  We freeze small portions but also some larger portions to braise chicken thighs or pork shoulder.  Here is a very straight forward recipe for chile verde with chicken.  I have also been known to throw frozen chicken thighs, a little liquid and all the ingredients for chile verde in an instant pot.  Then I just puree the sauce with an immersion blender.  It isn't quite as good but still a great way to go when you don't pull the chicken out of the freezer until after you get home from work.  

Jalapeno

Poblano Peppers - Large Only

Shishito Peppers - Small Only

Slicing Tomato

Cabbage

Beets

Cucumber

Broccoli - Large Only

 Main Season Week 13

The shift in seasons has begun.  Kelly mowed the first round of cucumbers and zucchinis along with some older beds of salad and there are suddenly lots of gaps in the fields.  It is a bit like putting away that pile of laundry that has been sitting on your office chair for too long or sorting through a pile of mail that you should have sorted through last week.  Seeing all the weeds and decaying plants go away clears my mind a bit.  

A crew member from a previous year started today and will help us finish out our season.  Having some fresh energy, particularly when it is someone who knows how to do a lot of the work, is great for everyone's morale.  

We had a dinner with a theme last week (I love dinners with themes).  We made homemade ramen and watched the movie Tampopo.  We only made it through a third of it, admittedly movies and summer farming don't really go together, but it was still fun and I look forward to watching the rest of it.  I am thinking as things start to slow down in a month or so that a movie with a dinner that relates to the film might be a fun weekly ritual.  

If you find yourself in need of some recipes there are a few blogs that I find very reliable.  One is The First Mess.  We are trying the creamy corn pasta tonight and recently made the napa and kale slaw with a pickled jalapeno cashew based ranch.  I had intended to make the BBQ cauliflower to go with it but it just didn't happen.  

Hope you all are enjoying the veggies. 

Head Lettuce

Carrots

Zucchini

Cherry Tomatoes

Broccoli

Assorted Herb - One of the following: Parsley, Cilantro, Dill, Thai Basil, Basil

Persian Cucumbers - Large Only

Garlic - Large Only