Transitioning to summer
It’s early July, which means we are in the midst of moving from our cool-weather early crops to the heat-loving midseason crops. It can be a tricky time, so thankfully cabbage is here to fill the gap!
We are also clearing out some beds to make room for fall crops. That’s why we’ve got a little of this and a little of that in today’s share.
This week is our first U-Pick! We have snap and snow peas in the main garden that you can pick. For most crops like peas and beans, there aren’t any limits on how much you can pick.
More flowers, herbs ready - It’s worth mentioning that there are many more flowers ready for
picking this week. Shasta daisies, amaranth, black-eyed Susans and sunflowers are all ready to pick. Peony Poppies are also ready. There’s a trick I came across to make poppies last
longer once cut- burn the end of the stem with a lighter until it turns black. Poppies exude a milky sap when cut and searing the end keeps it from escaping. Using this method, unopened buds can be cut and are supposed to open later.
Basil is just big enough so that we can start picking it lightly. There’s a proper way to pick basil so that it makes more shoots and leaves instead of flowering. Just pick the topmost cluster of
leaves from the plant instead of individual leaves. That way the plants become bushier and last longer.
-Farmer Aaron, CSA manager
Lemon Tahini Dressing
A creamy, dairy-free dressing good on just about anything!
1/3 cup well stirred tahini
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves or scapes,
chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
epicurious.com
Easy Pickled Carrots
Makes one pint jar
1 pound carrots, peeled
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 garlic cloves or scapes, lightly crushed or chopped
optional: 1 1/2 tsp fennel or dill seeds (can use dill flower heads)
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 bay leaf
Cut carrots into sticks. Bring a pot of salted water to boil.
Drop in carrots and simmer one minute. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Heat the remaining ingredients. Once it begins to boil, reduce and simmer two minutes. Remove from heat and add carrots.
Cool until room temperature, then pack into jars and chill. These pickles should be made at least a day in advance and keep for a month in the fridge.
recipe from davidlebovitz.com
Vegetables
Carrots
Kohlrabi or Napa/Red
Cabbage
Lettuce
Summer Squash
Kale
Green Cabbage
Herbs of note
Mints, Chives, Garlic Chives, Oregano, Lovage, Sage, Thyme, Dill, Bronze Fennel, Summer Savory, Marjoram, Parsley, Cilantro, Borage, Lemon Basil, Basil***
Cut Flowers
Sweet Peas, Yarrow, Calendula, Bachelors Buttons, Amaranth, Sunflowers, Black-Eyed Susans,
Shasta Daisies
Important Dates
July 19: Fresh chicken pick-up
"I walk without flinching through the burning cathedral of the
summer. My bank of wild grass is majestic and full of music. It
is a fire that solitude presses against my lips."
- Violette Leduc