Weekly Share August 26th – Sept 1st

Lettuce Heads (Adriana Butterhead & Helvius Romaine)
Tomatoes
Okra
Peppers (sweet  red, Anaheim, and cubanelle)
Aji Dulce (chile with habanero flavor but no heat)
Red Onions  (red creole and violet de galmy)
Swiss Chard or Cucumbers
Apples (first off the trees – best for cooking)

A small reminder that we are having a open house on Saturday September 14^th from 2-5pm. We are excited to invite anyone and everyone out to see how we farm. We will have tours of the crop fields and the pastured poultry flocks as well as a short demonstration about crop cultivation (weeding) from hand to hoe to tractor. We would love to have you join us.

So we processed ducks this past week and it was so much faster with the help of two extra people, but it is still a nuanced art and we have even more to learn. Anytime we have a big project with the animals it takes time and focus away from the produce, so this coming week we have much to do and it seems almost perfect weather to do it in. It is funny that we only really have four more weeks to plant with many of those plants not coming to maturity until winter. The season is definitely beginning to change. Our friend Evin Dogu from Sub Rosa bakery was helping out on the farm for a few days last week  We were really lucky that she also helped out by cooking a few meals , bringing some delicious Turkish dishes into our kitchen. It was great because everything she used was from the farm, except of course for olive oil, lemon, and grains. We asked her to send us a few of her recipes so we can share with you all. Have a great week and enjoy the share. Brian and Autumn

Shepherd’s salad
Ingredients: 1 med. red onion, 4 tomatoes, 3 small-med. cucumbers,  1 green pepper (Anaheim ), salt, pepper, olive oil, 2 tsp lemon juice, apple vinegar and/or red wine vinegar (pomegranate molasses a plus!)
Serves 4
Cut the red onion in half lengthwise and then cut each half into very thin slices  (again, lengthwise). Rub with salt until salt evaporates and onion softens (a few minutes). Chop cucumbers into cubes. Chop pepper and add into cucumber and onion mix. Chop tomatoes roughly over the salad bowl so juices spill into salad. Add olive oil, lemon, vinegars and if you have it, a dash of pomegranate masses. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix all together and garnish with parsley if desired.

Okra stewed in olive oil
Ingredients: 1 pint okra, 1 small sized yellow onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tomatoes skin off, red pepper paste, salt, sugar
Serves 2

If okra is big, slice lengthwise in half. If medium sized or small leave as is. Cut the stems off all okra.
Chop onion thinly and saute in olive oil on medium heat with about 1-2 tsp of salt (see note below) until translucent. Mash garlic to paste like consistency and add to onions and saute for a few more minutes. Chop tomatoes and add to pan and cook for a few minutes. Add a heaping tsp of red pepper paste (if available if not, add spicy red pepper and/or Aleppo pepper for some heat) and mix in well.
Stir in Okra, add 1 tsp of sugar, stir in, then bring to a slight boil on medium heat and immediately lower heat, covering the pan.  Braise for 20 minutes on low or until okra softens. Add the juice from half a lemon and drizzle more olive oil on top when okra is done cooking and serve at room temperature (or even cold, this dish gets so much better if eaten the next day!)

Note: if adding red pepper paste, decrease amount of salt as the paste contains salt in it as well!