Hello All,
Another week of sun and humidity has arrived and I think I can truthfully say we have not overworked ourselves. We get up early to accomplish the tasks that need doing before the heat of the day strikes, and then hop off to dip in the pond and take a nap in the shade. It is especially hard in July when everything needs doing all at once, but exhausted farmers are not productive farmers!
This week the tomatoes ripened in full force, bringing with them a rainbow of beautiful colors and tastes. It is time for the first tomato sandwich of the season. I have included GH's (my cousin who worked for the farm last year and still helps out occasionally) recipe for the perfect tomato sandwich. He is an expert in my opinion and eats a tomato sandwich (or 3) every day during tomato season.
Last week we put shade cloth over our hoop houses to protect the tomatoes and peppers from excessive heat. While they love the warmth of the hoop house, we notice sun burn on some of the fruits and are trialing shade cloth this year during the peak of summer heat. We will take it down once the weather cools. It makes working in the hoop houses more bearable for the farmers as well. The picture at the bottom shows Jasen getting ready to pull the shade cloth over our largest tunnel full of cherry tomatoes.
We are looking forward to a break from the heat at the end of this week and hopefully harvesting our garlic and planting fall brassicas. It is wild how hot and dry we are here in our corner of NH and just a state over some Vermont farms have been flooded out for the second year in a row. Farming is hard but all we want to do is farm. It feels like the best thing we can be doing for the planet and our community right now. So we continue.
Not a CSA Member?
Find GH at Market Cart tomorrow with plenty of tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, beets, greens and more to go around. 3pm - 6pm at the West Peterborough Post Office.
Our Farm Store is also open every day and is self serve. Send us an email or give us a call with any questions. We stock it on Wednesday afternoons.
Find our produce and eggs at Nature's Green Grocer, Rosaly's Farmstand and in the delicious food at The Root Cafe in Temple.
What's in my share this week?
This week may include:
Kale - chop leaves and stems and sauté with oil, salt and pepper.
Napa Cabbage - finally! Some of the heads are small but enjoy in a salad or cooked. Recipe below.
Leaf Lettuce - a mix of red and green flat and curly. Washed, bagged and ready to salad!
Bell and Frying Peppers - a mix of green and purple bell and long frying peppers. One of our favorite crops to grow. Soon there will be reds and oranges as well. All sweet.
Carrots - sweet, orange and delicious. Enjoy raw, dipped in hummus or stir fried.
Beets - red and gold beets. Roast, grate into salad or make into a dip.
Summer Squash - zucchini, yellow summer squash and patty pan. All go great in stir fries or as a soup. If you aren't a huge squash fan try chocolate zucchini muffins to get your veggies in.
Cucumbers - still pumping out many pounds.Leeks - our leeks are looking good this year. Saute in soup with the new potatoes or use as a base as you would garlic and onion
Cherry Tomatoes - a mix of gold, red and peach. Tastes like summer!
Full Size Tomatoes - yellow and orange striped, purple and classic red. I think everyone knows what to do with tomatoes.
Green Beans - long, slender and sweet. Steam lightly or eat raw.
Plant Seedling - we have leftover seedlings from our Plant Sales this year. If you are still planting your garden, grab a seedling or two! We have oregano, sage, and thyme.
Available for Pick your Own
Peas - there are still some peas in the row in the hoop house that are surprisingly sweet
Cilantro
Parsley
Basil
Oregano
Lemon Balm
Sage
Thyme
Mint
FLOWERS!
Pick your own herbs, flowers and peas are open any time. If you don't have time on Tuesdays, come back another day, we would love to see you.
CSA Pickup Important Reminders
Pickup is from 2pm-5:30pm at Nubanusit Neighborhood and Farm, Peterborough, NH, 03458.
Please bring a few reusable bags to pack your share into.
Remember! 8 Week Shares can pickup any 8 weeks over the 16 week season. You are in charge of making sure you pickup 8 times throughout the season. If you already know which dates you will be picking up, please let me know by responding to this email.
If you can't make pick up one week, please let me know as soon as possible. We have options!
Remember to wash your produce once you get home and store properly. Our veggies can last weeks if stored properly! Click the document below for tips on storing your produce. Leafy greens will last 2+ weeks if stored in a sealed plastic bag.
Vegetable_Storage_Tips.pdf
Recipe ideas below!
Recipes Ideas:
GH's Famous Tomato Sandwich:1. Toast three slices of sourdough or french bread. As you wait, cut the largest, ripest tomato you can find into 1/2" thick slices. Optionally, cut some sharp cheddar cheese as thin as you can manage.2. Once your bread is lightly toasted, spread a thick layer of Vegenaise or mayonnaise on each piece. Place a tomato slice on each piece and top with salt and pepper. Optionally add cheese and nutritional yeast. Sandwiches are open-faced (only one piece of bread).3. Time to eat! Your first tomato sandwich of the season should not include cheese.Napa cabbage is a new one for us and so far I have enjoyed both growing and eating it. I made something similar to these napa cabbage rolls that turned out really well. This thai crunch salad uses napa and incorporates some great flavors.I think while the carrots are fresh most people will be eating them raw. I like grating them into a kale salad with cabbage and raisins and grated beets or using in the napa cabbage rolls in the stir fry. Don't forget, you can use carrot tops to make carrot top pesto!Have fun! Send us recipes if you tried something and loved it.THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! We are excited to be growing for you. See you on Tuesday.
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