Weekly Share July 4th – 10th

Sungold Cherry or Early Tomatoes
Fresh Cippolini Onions
Zephyr Squash or Cousa Zucchini
Mesclun Salad Mix
Swiss Chard
Escarole
Parsley

Happy Fourth of July to you all. Summer seems to officially be here and this coming week’s heat and dry conditions are proof. So we are seeing the last of some of our Spring greens in the share such as escarole and salad mix. Over the next few months we will occasionally have some lettuce heads or arugula; but it’s always hit or miss with our Summer plantings and never any guarantees. Tomatoes have finally really begun to ripen. We currently have three successions of plants loaded with leaf foliage and fruit; but the ripening has been painfully slow. Summer squash has been enjoying these conditions and producing very well. Even our peppers and eggplants are beginning to really put on foliage and size. Over the next month we will begin to harvest from some varieties. Our first beans are flowering and putting on small beans, so we are a few weeks out from beginning to harvest them, with 3 different successions going. Our early corn, Cateto (flint style for polenta), is also putting on heads and looks like it might be ready by early September this year. With all of these crops it is just a matter of keeping weeds at bay and getting them sufficient amounts of water to produce well. Being that it is looking like a hot and dry July, keeping things properly irrigated will be one of our biggest challenges. More about our irrigiation plight in future weeks. We have included some inventive ideas for both the swiss chard and escarole, if you are over sautéing them as a side or using in a salad. Check out the recipes below and enjoy your share…….Autumn and Brian

Escarole Tart

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Gorgonzola and Escarole

Pasta With Corn, Zucchini And Tomatoes

Eggs Nested in Sautéed Chard and Mushrooms

Swiss Chard Pancakes

Roasted Zucchini and Cippolini Onion with Hazelnut Romesco Sauce