Week #17, 2019

  • Lettuce
  • Zucchini
  • Basil
  • Cucumber
  • Beans
  • Tomatoes
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Peppers
  • Hot peppers
  • Potatoes
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Eggplant
  • Parsley,dill or cilantro
  • Celery!!
  • Tomatillos ( pineapple for eating raw or large green and purple for making salsa)

We had a blast in Alaska. We did and saw so much in 6 days our heads are spinning. We got to enjoy the company of our eldest son Jacob while he planned and drove us all around. We fished, we kayaked, we toured the fjords and saw whales, sea lions and birds and we slept in until 6:30 some days! I finished a book and and half way through the next. We ate fresh seafood and a few veggies and picked huckleberries . We got to see family and friends and meet Jacob’s community of friends. We also got a small break from farming and will return enthusiastic and ready to hit the ground running.

The night shades are in their full glory;tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, tomatillos and potatoes. The onions are almost ready to pull out of the ground and hang for curing. They will dry down their stems and sharpen in flavor and be ready to store for winter over the next 6 weeks. They are a long term proposition having been seeded on 1/31.

We will transplant the over wintering cauliflower and broccoli later this week. The weekly lettuce, radicchio and green onions will also have to get in the ground. Flowers have to be harvested and dried, milking has to be restarted and resettling has to happen. We feel so fortunate Luna held down the fort with the help of Cole. Thank you to all who lent a hand with the Wednesday harvest, max who harvested 500 cucumbers, dee who did all the tomatoes and the other hands that helped get the work done. Thank you.

If you want to make pickles (i.e. buy pickling cucumbers) or can tomatoes (i.e. buy extra tomatoes) do send me a text and I can add you to the list ant text you when they are available. I have you pick picklers today for $1/pound. If you want me to pick them the price is $1.50. Same for tomatoes. Don’t forget to pick up ground beef, flowers or eggs all sold as extras at the farm. You can order these items to be delivered at your drop off site by texting (preferred) or emailing us.

Important dates to remember:

  1. August 25- canning party still a few spots left, sign up now! See attached list of things to bring. Please do let me know if you have a camp stove you can bring plus your gas container.
  2. October 6th – harvest festival
  3. October 31- last harvest

Recipes for this week:

Celery, Tomato, and Basil Salad

4 large tomatoes, sliced crosswise OR 1 clamshell mixed cherry tomatoes cut in half, or a mix

3-4 small purple onions or 1/2 larger onion sliced crosswise

4 stalks celery with leaves, thinly sliced crosswise, leaves torn 

Small handful fresh basil, torn 

1/4 cup olive oil 

3 tablespoons champagne or sherry vinegar 

3 tablespoons heavy cream 

S & P to taste

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, celery, celery leaves and basil; set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and cream; to combine.

Season with salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss to coat

Julia’s Simple Chili

* I used my food processor with the slicing blade to slice the celery and summer squash. This is a great one pot meal to use up extra celery stalks. This can be cooked in the crockpot or in a dutch oven, but the first parts will be done in the dutch oven. You can add chopped tomatillos if you like, this recipe is very forgiving.  Use garlic and not onions, use both of them. Add spicy heat by chopping the jalapeños, add more hot chile powder, you get the idea! You can also substitute some of the water/broth with beer. 

2 pound ground beef  AND OR 

2 cans pinto beans

2 Tablespoons cooking oil

Several stalks of celery, thinly sliced (slicing disk on food processor is a great thing!)

2 jalapeños, sliced in half

1 carrot, grated

1-2 summer squash, thinly sliced

1-2 onions, chopped

1 cup tomato sauce OR some freshly chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

generous black pepper to taste

salt to taste

6-8 Cups broth (veggie or chicken) OR Water

If using beef: brown it in a large dutch oven. Use a bit of oil if you like.  Remove beef once browned to a large plate or bowl. Add cooking oil to the pan with the browned beef bits (or the cleaned pan if not using beef) and heat a bit, add celery and onions and summer squash. Cook for a while, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking. Add the chili powder, cocoa powder, S & P, and cumin, stir to incorporate. Add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 1-2 hours, OR transfer the whole thing to a crockpot and cook on low (I use auto shift so it gets to the right temp before going to low cook) and cook for 6-8 hours. 

Sweet and Sour Celery

from Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce by the Madison Area CSA Coalition

1 bunch celery, leaves removed, stalks cut on the diagonal into 1-inch slices

1 Tbs. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tbs. finely chopped sweet red pepper

Pour enough water into a large skillet to fill about 1/4-inch deep. Add celery, sugar, salt and cayenne pepper. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and bring to boil. Cook until celery is tender and liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the vinegar. Transfer to a serving dish and scatter sweet pepper over the top. Serve immediately. Four servings.

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