Summer CSA Newsletter: Week 9
IN YOUR BOX THIS WEEK AND HOW TO USE IT
FRESH CANDY ONIONS - Store in the refrigerator crisper drawer for up to one week. You can peel off layers that become dry or slimy if used after one week. $4.00
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 tomatoes out of direct sunlight. 1.5lb $6
FAIRY TALE EGGPLANT - store away from direct sunlight and use it as soon as possible after harvesting or buying. You can place it in a vented bowl, but avoid sealing it in a plastic bag, which can increase decay. Eggplant is not a cold loving vegetable but, if you want to keep it in the refrigerator do so in the warmest place in the refrigerator and keep lightly covered. Eggplant will remain fresh for 2-4 days. $5
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)
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
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
VEGGIE OF THE WEEK
FAIRYTALE EGGPLANT
Fairy tale eggplants are starting to find their stride this summer. Despite not being a common vegetable to show up on your dinner table and being a rarity in supermarkets, these small Asian-style eggplants offer a delicate, creamy flavor that is not bitter and contain very few seeds. They can be grilled or sauteed. The tender skin of these eggplants does not require peeling, making them a convenient option for cooking. They can also be stir-fried or roasted in the oven, showcasing their versatility.
Despite their beauty, I get so many questions from customers at the farmers market about how to best prepare these unique eggplants and my guess is you might have the same question as well. Have no fear I have several good recipes below!
Photo Credit: The Kitchn
Cut 3/4 to 1 pound of baby eggplants in half lengthwise.
In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with about 2 tablespoons olive oil (enough to generously coat the eggplant), 2 minced garlic cloves, salt, pepper, (red pepper flakes also if you wish), and 4 to 6 large mint leaves, coarsely chopped; let stand to marinate for about 30 minutes. Mint is optional but, I do know vendors at the market sell it.
Grill the eggplant in a grill basket over medium-high heat, covered. Turn occasionally until the skins are slightly charred and the flesh is tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the eggplant pieces back to the bowl you used to marinate them. Immediately toss them with a splash of red wine or balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of flaked sea salt, and a small handful of freshly chopped mint. Enjoy!
This is an easy recipe that I have tried and enjoyed! Here is the link as well as a few others:
What to Do With Fairy Tale Eggplants (Those Adorable Small Ones) | The Kitchn
Roasted Fairytale Eggplant - Denison Farm
Stuffed Fairytale Eggplants – Norman's Farm Market (normansfarmmarket.com)
Sungold and Fairy Tale Pasta: A Simple Summer Delicacy — Four Root Farm - this one incorporates cherry tomatoes!
Photo Credit: She Loves Biscotti
I have wanted to try doing homemade sun-dried tomatoes and this recipe looks easy!
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 9
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Thank you all for your heartfelt thoughts and prayers over the past week. We’re pleased to share that Matt’s surgery went well last week; although he’s feeling pretty sore this week, the procedure itself was successful. The operation took longer than anticipated because, once they opened him up, they discovered not just one but two hernias that needed repair. Matt has been a very cooperative patient, diligently following the doctor’s instructions—though I’ve been the enforcer at home! We’re optimistic about a full recovery in five to six weeks.
On another note, Matt was honored as a recipient of a $1,000 Tractor Supply gift card through the Farm Veteran Coalition. We visited there this past Sunday to have our photo taken with the staff in front of the large gift card display. We’re grateful for this recognition and plan to use the funds to purchase a couple of new gates, a spare tire for our market trailer, and either a large exhaust fan for one of our greenhouses or a set of forks for our tractor.
Our beloved Maisey is growing quickly—at 14 weeks old, she’s already tipping the scales at over 50 pounds. She’s an incredibly sweet girl and continues to grow rapidly!
This week, we are in the thick of tomato harvesting, yielding about 600 to 700 pounds each week. We expect this pace to continue for another three to four weeks, which is later than last year’s first harvest. A cooler spring with increased rainfall delayed their ripening and shifted our timeline, but as always, our schedule is at the mercy of Mother Nature.
Summer flavors are beginning to make their appearance with the arrival of zucchini, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, and eggplant!
We’re aiming to finish harvesting potatoes and onions later this week; however, the heavy rains we received could influence how quickly we complete these tasks, especially if the fields remain too wet.
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:
You can freeze green onions including the leafy green tops, the white bulb end, and the stem in between. After freezing, the texture changes somewhat. Stem and bulb portions become soft, while the green parts sometimes become tough
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
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
Lettuce, Kale and Swiss Chard will store for at least 7 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.
Keep eggplant out at room temperature and try to use them soon after, as eggplants don’t do well in the cold. If you do need to store them for longer, place in an unsealed bag or container, and then keep in the crisper drawer
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
Tomatoes (Heirloom or Red Slicers)
Fresh large candy onions
Fresh red candy onions
Green Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Kale
Cucumber
Fairytale Eggplant
Potatoes
Onions
Beets
Green Beans
Zucchini or Summer Squash
Wishing you a fantastic week ahead, see you next week!