2017 CSA Newsletter-Week #8
Notes from the Farm
This week we say goodbye to July and hello to August. New this week to the harvest are baby carrots and a mix of hot peppers: Jalapeno and Hungarian Hot Wax. Cucumbers and zucchini continue to come in strong and the tomatoes are sizing up nicely. Tomato, cucumber and herb salad has been a fixture in our house the last couple weeks, with many variations possible. Check out the recipe section for ideas.
Available in the field for U-Pick are cherry tomatoes and green beans. We gave the cherry tomatoes a heavy pruning last week to help improve air flow and disease resistance, while simultaneously making the paths easier to walk and the fruit easier to pick. Many fruit are still ripening, so we’ll have a limited amount to harvest this week. The green beans are abundant, and some have gotten large enough that they may be better for cooking through or pickling rather than eating raw.
Best,
Farmer Steve and our Farmers: Adam, Alyssa, Dan, Jalyn, Kelsey, Nikki, Sara, Shannon, TW and Tyler
In This Week’s Distribution
Our Harvest: Tomato, Basil, Baby Carrots, Jalapeno or Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers, Mixed Zucchini and Yellow Squash, Cucumber, Lettuce, Kale
U-Pick: Green Beans and Cherry Tomatoes
Fruit Option: ‘Garnet Beauty’ Peaches
Know Your Farmers
There are many reasons why you might have signed up for our CSA this year, one of which might be that you want to know more about your food, including where it comes from, how it is grown, and who is growing it. Put simply, you want to know your food and know your farmer. We have an incredible team of farmers here working to bring you a bounty of fresh, organic, delicious produce, and over the course of this CSA season, we’ll include a note about someone from the farm staff so that you can get to know your farmers.
Meet TW:
I am excited to join the Massaro farm crew for the season! I have been living and working in New Haven as an educator and farmer for the last 7 years. Five of those years I spent at Common Ground High School in New Haven, running the Environmental Leadership Program and working with young people on farm and community-related projects geared towards challenging societal injustices, generating collective solutions, and learning about ourselves and our communities. After this past year of traveling around the world with a study abroad company and sitting a month-ling silent meditation retreat, I feel grateful to be able to spend a summer back home with the land, learning from Farmer Steve and my fellow farmers.
Recipes and Cooking Tips
from theslowroasteditalian.com
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoon extra light olive oil
1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
2 cucumbers, cut into half coins
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
Combine lemon juice, sugar, olive oil, poppy seeds, mustard, garlic, salt, and onion powder in a large bowl. Whisk well until dressing is completely combined.
Add cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion to the bowl. Toss to combine.
Chill until ready to serve. Enjoy! If you would like to make this salad ahead, prepare the dressing in a mason jar and toss the salad with it the day you plan to serve it.
Tomato, Peach and Basil Salad
Ingredients
- 6 Hungarian Wax Peppers
- ¼ c. grated Parmesan
- ½ t. salt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 8 oz. farmer cheese or ricotta
- 1 lg. egg, beaten
- 1 t. chopped fresh parsley or dill
Cooking spray or vegetable oil
Directions
- Cut tops off peppers (set aside) and slice the peppers down one side. With a small spoon or knife, remove seeds and pith (membranes).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (oven alternative; wrap the stuffed peppers in foil and cook them on the grill). In a food processor, blend all ingredients, except oil, until well combined. Do not over blend.
- Stuff peppers with cheese mixture. Place tops back on. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Place peppers in a single layer on pan. Lightly brush with oil or spray with cooking spray.
- Bake 35-45 minutes, until golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Open Farm Days This Week
This Friday from 2:30-5:30pm we’ll be hosting our signature Open Farm Days in the Learning Garden, adjacent to the big red Dairy Barn. This is an experiential learning opportunity for kids in the garden. During these drop-in sessions, kids can experience a little of what it means to be a farmer – watering and weeding, harvesting vegetables, exploring bugs, digging in the dig bed, tasting herbs or planting new things!