• Tomatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Basil
• Sweet peppers
• Hot peppers
• Eggplant or green beans
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini
• Onions
• Fruit bar: your choice 8 pieces of fruit: pears, apples, grapes, plums
• Tomatillos or padron or shishito peppers

It is truly the dog days of summer. We had heat in the 90s, thunder and lightning and smoky skies this week. The tomatoes are dripping from the vines, the winter squash is screaming it is time to harvest and the zinnias have gone crazy. Our fruit trees are loaded with apples and pears as the grapes turn a deep purple. It is a beautiful time of year. These are the last weeks of summer, before kids return to school. I know tomorrow marks the beginning for some Portland schools.

We spent the week weeding and harvesting. There is still more of that to come. Most of the north field is planted and growing with fall and winter crops. Amazingly the napa cabbage I planted just prior to the 100 degree days has survived and is putting out new leaves. It was laying prostrate for days and looked to be wiped out. The overwintering cauliflowers are also surging ahead. I lost some of the overwintering broccoli from the hoop houses- either too hot or the root maggots got them. I will try and replant as they are my “safety plants” if we get really cold temps into the single digits, they will hopefully pull through.

We still have space in our winter share. Please do email us to join or use the order form on our website https://www.finquita.com/wordpress/?page_id=231 .We will have 8 harvests over the 5 months of winter and they will be filled with delicious veggies including brussels sprouts, winter squash, shallots, radicchio, radishes, kale and other treats. Space is limited and we encourage you to sign up soon.

The town of North Plains just west of Helvetia continues to push expansion into farmland. Please do sign this petition and consider showing up to their council meeting:https://www.farmlandfirst.org/

Mark your calendars for the fall harvest festival: October 15th from 2-6 pm. There will be cider pressing, pizza making and farm tours. It is time to show off your farm and invite family and friends.

We have lots of fruit, just ask us and we can point you in the direction to harvest your own for pies or preserving.

New t-shirts are on their way! We are so excited about the new design. Diane Jacobs has been working hard to create a new image for La Finquita and we can’t wait to share it with you. We would love you to pre-order them and there is a sign up in the barn. There will be some available at the harvest festival as well.

It is wreath making season for me. I spend the hot parts of August days when not at my day job, crafting dried flower wreaths. I have a studio full of wreaths ready to go the the Beaverton Farmers Market next Saturday. You have the opportunity to purchase them now. Check them out in my studio in the barn. Alternatively you can find me at the market September and October selling with Pumpkin Ridge Gardens.

Recipes to enjoy this week:

Make that zucchini bread you have been putting off! 

Zucchini Bread Recipes

Zucchini Bread Geri Jacob’s Special

3 eggs beaten                      1 ½ cup sugar (scant)

1 cup salad oil                    2 cups flour

¼ cup ground orange peel ½  teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt                   2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons baking soda   1 cup chopped walnuts

2 teaspoons cinnamon       2/3 cups chopped dates

2 cups grated zucchini

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat eggs, sugar and oil in mixer until fluffy.  Stir in Zucchini.  Sift baking powder, salt, flour, soda, and cinnamon (set aside ½ cup of the mixture).  Add flour to Zucchini,  Mix well, stir in vanilla.  In cuisinart chop dates, nuts and orange peel.  Mix in the reserved flour mixture.  Add chopped ingredients to other zucchini mixture.  Pour into greased and floured baking pan (2 small loaf pans) and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Bake at 325 degrees, 50-60 minutes.

Lonnie’s chocolate Zucchini Cake

½ c soft butter

½ c cooking oil

2 eggs           

1 ½ c sugar (can be cut down)

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 ½ c flour

1 tsp soda

½ t salt

½ c chocolate chips

½ c sour milk (buttermilk)

4 T cocoa

½ tsp. Cinnamon

2 c grated zucchini

¼ c chopped nuts

Mix butter,oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla and milk together.  Add cocoa, soda, cinnamon and salt and mix well.  Add flour, mix well, add zucchini, chocolate chips and nuts.  Mix well.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  13 X 9 inch pan or 2 loaf pans.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake 2

A great cake for all that zucchini at the end of the season, and the kids love it too!

Makes 1 9 x 13 inch cake

Printed from Allrecipe, submitted by Sandi

½ cup butter, softened                       1 ¾ cup white sugar

½ cup vegetable oil                                            2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract                  ½ cup sour milk

2 ½ cups all purpose flour                ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda                     1 cup semiweet chocolate chips

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon                           2 cups zucchini, finely diced

chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 305 degrees F, grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch pan.
2. Cream the butter, oil and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, vanilla and sour milk(sour milk = 1 teaspoon vinegar in ½ cup milk)
3. Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and cinnamon together and  add to the creamed mixture.  Beat well, stir in diced zucchini
4. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 for 40 – 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.   

Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes with Red Pepper dressing

2 lbs summer squash or zucchini sliced lengthwise 1/8” this

1/2 c roughly chopped roasted red pepper

1 clove garlic minced

1/4 c EVOO

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbs red wine vinegar

1 Tbs lemon juice

1 tsp sweet paprika

Cayenne, salt and pepper

1 pint cherry tomatoes,  halved and lightly salted.

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil.  Working in batches, blanche the zucchini strips for 1 minute,  then remove and spread on a kitchen towel lined baking sheet to cool.

Place the remaining ingredients save for the tomatoes into a blender and puree to make a salad dressing.

Arrange zucchini strips and cherry tomatoes on a platte.  Drizzle with dressing and garnish with basil, mint,  and/or parsley.

Maryanne’s Tian of Basil

2 medium- small zucchini, thinly sliced
4 bunches basil, 4 cups loosely packed fresh basil,stemmed and coarsely chopped
3-4 ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
¾ cup or less shredded kasseri, gruyere or swiss cheese,
¼ cup or less fruity extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a shallow (about 2 inches deep) ovenproof serving dish. Place the zucchini slices over the bottom and press chopped basil leaves firmly over the zucchini (the basil will cook down the way spinach does).
2. Arrange the tomato slices over the basil. Then scatter the cheese evenly over the tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and bake for about 35 minutes, until hot through and the cheeses are melted.