August 16 & 17
today’s harvest
1 head lettuce
1 bunch kale
1 bunch carrots
2 pounds new potatoes
1 bunch basil
fresh onions
garlic
sweet Islander peppers
tomatoes
asian eggplant
1 hungarian hot wax pepper
It is truly amazing what a little bit of rain can do for the temperament and perspective. I do not know if I could ask for a better timed two day stretch of gray skies and pleasant and steady precipitation. It feels like the farm is really and truly stabilizing after the absolute freak out that was this past July. These last few gray days have allowed for a much needed slower pace. We just may actually have a handle on things. The weeds aren’t as scary as they used to be, things that we have been waiting for all season, like tomatoes and carrots are flowing, and the groundhog in the fall crops doesn’t appear to be as hungry as he used to be.
The sprint portion is over and now we move into the endurance phase of the ol’ farming experience. The harvests are heavy and there is just so much food coming out of this little place, it’s almost staggering. We now have the glorious cross over of tender fall kale with new potatoes, and garlic that was planted last October alongside basil, cherry tomatoes and fresh lettuce. Crops that were planted in the beginning of the season, have been turned back into the soil and new rounds of greens and roots are coming on strong. After focusing on getting it all out there and growing, now we shift into getting it all in.
And for the record, the farm had its highest grossing farmer’s market EVER last Saturday and we are more then over half way through the CSA season. Things are moving along for sure as we cruise together into the best and most flavorful part of the year. A little rain, a whole lotta heat, a full moon, a bountiful harvest…such a time for celebration. Cannot wait to have you all down to the farm this Sunday!
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Check on the article in the August 5, 2011 New York Times Magazine by Mark Bittmen on using tomatoes. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/08/07/magazine/mag-07eat-recipes.html. It is a fantastic resource and will give you great ideas about how to make the most of your tomato haul. These days the shares have most (if not all) of the ingredients in these recipes. Here are some highlights from the article, but check it out in it’s entirety for some major inspiration.
Moroccan Style Tomato Soup With Chickpeas
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon ginger
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
2 cups of stock
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
Parsley or cilantro for garnish
1. Cook onion and garlic and ginger in olive oil for 5 minutes. 2. Add 2 teaspoons each cumin, coriander and cinnamon; cook for 1 minute. 3. Add tomatoes, stock and cooked chickpeas. 3. Simmer until saucy. 4. Garnish with parsley or cilantro.
Garlicky Pappa al Pomodoro
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
3-4 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 pounds of tomatoes, chopped
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups day-old bread, torn
Basil
- Cook onion and minced garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes. 2. Add tomatoes and vegetable or chicken stock. 3. Simmer until the tomatoes break up. 4. Stir in torn day-old bread, cover and let sit off the heat for 10 minutes. 5.. Garnish with shredded basil.
See you this Sunday! 3:00 Farm is Open! 4:00 Tour! 5:00 Veggie Pot Luck and Groovy Good Times Black Kettle Style!
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