WHATS IN YOUR BOX THIS WEEK AND HOW TO USE IT

CARROTS- If your carrots have the tops on, take them off right away to avoid limp carrots. The tops like to suck the moisture from the root (carrot) which makes for lifeless carrots. Store carrots in the refrigerator in a plastic bag or container. They can baggie and seal it, ensuring there is no air inside. Store the bag in the refrigerator and it can last for up to two weeks! $5.00

TOMATOES- The best way to keep summer tomatoes fresh and full of flavor, store them on the kitchen counter at room temperature and turn them shoulders down. 60 to 65° is an ideal temperature for storing and we recommend placing your eep in a cool, dry place away from light, like a dark corner of the kitchen or in a cabinet. Also keep well ventilated. Do not store in a plastic bag but you can store in a basket or paper bag. $5 (1.75 Pounds)

NEW POTATOES - Keep in a cool, dry place away from light, like a dark corner of the kitchen or in a cabinet. Also keep well ventilated. Do not store in a plastic bag but you can store in a basket or paper bag. $5 (1.75 Pounds)

CHERRY TOMATOES - Store tomatoes at room temperature for best taste. If tomatoes are refrigerated, remove them from refrigeration about 30 minutes prior to serving to regain some of their original flavor. $5

KALE - Kale loves the crisper drawer. Does well in a loose bag in your refrigerator. Wash prior to use. Stores normally for UP to two weeks. Swiss Chard will become limp and lifeless very easily. Gently wrap unwashed greens in paper towels and store loosely in plastic bags. Keep moist and cool in the lower part of the refrigerator in the high-humidity bin. Store for up to 5 days. but, have no fear you can still use it in lots of things if chard becomes a little lifeless! $5

LETTUCE MIX - Store in a plastic bag loosely in your refrigerator. The ideal temperature for storing lettuce is at or near 32 degrees. Wash prior to use. Lettuce stores normally for UP to two weeks. $5

VEGGIE OF THE WEEK

New Potatoes

New potatoes are delicious and so tender. There are endless possibilities in the kitchen with potatoes. Last night, we enjoyed our first batch of new potatoes, which were both easy to prepare and incredibly tasty. During the season, we prefer to keep our potato dishes simple. A drizzle of olive oil, a dab of butter, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and roast in the oven at 425 degrees. Pairing these flavorful potatoes with BBQ chicken, fresh sweet corn, and sliced tomatoes on the side makes for a great meal.

We again increased our production this year and doubled what we normally plant in the hope of not selling out by the end of summer like we have in previous years.

Iron Skillet New Potatoes

1 1/2 lbs small red potatoes (cut in half or quartered to make 3/4-inch thick pieces) I leave whole if small enough
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp chives or green onion, chopped, plus more to garnish

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Take a large skillet and add 1 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil. and add your Rosemary. Arrange potatoes in the skillet, cut-side-down in one layer. Cook uncovered and undisturbed for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown crust forms on the bottoms.

You can also try the following recipes with your new potatoes:

Boiled New Potatoes with Garlic - Spend With Pennies

Crushed New Potatoes Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen

Additional Recipes This Week

Oven "Sun-Dried" Tomatoes - Gimme Some Oven

Margherita Pizza Recipe - Love and Lemons - we’ve tried this and YUM!

Garlic Herb Tortelloni — Triple H Family Farms, LLC this one is also a regular at our house!

WEEK 11

We hope everyone enjoyed their bag last week. Can you believe we are in week 11 and next week is the last week? This summer CSA has flown by faster than any previous CSA we have done.

This week my (Kim) family is in town visiting for the week from Michigan. We took them to the rodeo, fishing on the river, swimming, to the water park and of course a stop at the farmers market. We try to get together at least once a year at our farm or on a trip somewhere, everyone always has a good time.

We finished planting all of our winter squash and we will start fall plantings of brassicas likely next week. Tomatoes are still being harvested with full force as are other summer veggies. We are in what we call the “dog days of summer.” The days, the heat, the bugs, the weeds are all plentiful and seem unending but, strangely we look forward to this time of year when we are cuddled up in the cold, brutal winter months.

IF ALL ELSE FAILS

If your week has been crazy and you haven’t had time to do a thing with items in your bag, focus on these tasks:

Make sure the greens are removed from the root vegetables. Your roots will store for a good while, your greens from your root vegetables need to be used or lose them.
Freezing tomatoes is the easiest way to keep ripe tomatoes until you're ready to use them. You don't have to peel them first—in fact, the act of freezing them itself makes the tomatoes very easy to peel and you can freeze as many or as few at a time as you like. Visit this link for directions on how to do this, How to Preserve Tomatoes to Enjoy All Year
Greens such as carrot tops or other veggie scraps can be saved and used for homemade vegetable broth. Try this recipe: How to Make Vegetable Broth Using Saved Kitchen Scraps ~ Homestead and Chill
Kale/Lettuce will store for at least 7-10 days. We wash and spin dry your lettuce one time. You should wash and dry again before consumption. Keep in mind moisture leads to spoilage. You can wait to wash your greens until you plan to consumer them. Place greens in an airtight container such as a bag or Tupperware.
Cherry tomatoes, if you have these left, I’m not sure what to say because they are delicious! Just eat them like candy but if you must, try doing a small batch of sun-dried tomatoes. Oven "Sun-Dried" Tomatoes - Gimme Some Oven
NEXT WEEK’S POSSIBILITY’S

Your bag next week will include 6-7 of the following depending on availability and if it’s ready to harvest.

Carrots
Herbs
Fresh Onions
Tomatoes
Green Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Kale
Mixed Lettuce
Cucumber
Fairytale Eggplant
Potatoes

Wishing you a fantastic week ahead, see you next week!

As a reminder, please remember to bring back your black bags at pick-up. Thank you!