Week #21
- Tomatoes
- Cherry tomatoes
- Sweet peppers
- Hot peppers
- Beans (a few)
- Onions
- Garlic
- Summer squash (Zucchini and the like)
- Eggplant
- Cucumbers
- Shiso
- Cilantro
- Tomatillos
- Bartlett Pears or Asian pears
- Apples
- Prune plums
- Leeks
This is the time of year when cooking at home is hard due to heat and the most essential thing to do to deal with all those veggies. It seems overwhelming at times to deal with all the tomatoes and fruit, we are canning and dehydrating as often as we can manage and still there is barely a dent in all that produce this relatively small farm produces. Several of you have recipes for gazpacho, ratatouille, tomato sauce and stews. Please do send me those family favorites so I can share with others. Beth shared her favorite gazpacho recipe and that is written below. I know others have made that cool summer favorite soup with cucumbers and zucchini, it is time to get creative.
It was so hot last week we had to hand water our transplants daily. They seem to be struggling, but with this cooler stretch hopefully they can get down their roots and really take off. Juvencio has been a machine, pulling out beds of overgrown spring broccoli and composting them and getting them ready for fall crops. I try and plant those beds as soon as they are ready with things like radicchio, lettuce and green onions. We have fall broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage in the previously occupied onion beds. The weeds take no breaks and are really strutting their stuff. The greenhouses need to be turned over to fall crops, but that has taken the back burner for now, so much to do.
We had many comments about the canning party. We will take the break this year and plan on having it next year. I will change the heading to my email about the canning party to draw people’s attention to my email in the future.
Next weekend is Labor Day. Many of you have children returning to school this week, many start the following week. Don’t forget to pack veggies in their lunches! We will harvest next Sunday and those that pick up Sunday and Monday can pick up on Tuesday if that fits better into your plans.
Have a great week.
Gazpacho
By Beth
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes (4-6 depending on size)
1 cucumber
1 onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
Dice above ingredients and combine in a bowl
Add the following:
3 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Use an immersion blender or food processor and blend to taste (chunky or smooth)
Serve cold for the hot weather!