Nevada Lettuce
Poblano Peppers
Assorted Eggplant
Assorted Tomatoes
Highlander Yellow Onions
Nokia & Suyo Long Cucumbers
Red & Chioggia Beets
Italian Parsley
So the Spring/Summer portion of our CSA season is coming to its end. We hope you have enjoyed all the bounty and not been too overwhelmed by the super successful 2021 crops (lettuce, beets, basil, tomatoes). We definitely has some struggles this last Spring, especially with some of our brassica crops such as hakurei turnip, napa cabbage, daikon, mustards, and yu choy; but the excellent early Summer weather also produced the tastiest tomatoes, watermelon, cucumbers, summer squash, succulent eggplant, excellent carrot and beet crops, and until this monsoon deluge a fabulous basil crop. We also got the pleasure this summer of some excellent storage crop yields, with loads of onions, garlic, potatoes, and the best winter squash yield we have every had. The cucurbit family really enjoyed the early summer dry and hot conditions and so we have seen some very healthy crops until lately.
The fall is starting really rough though with the combination of high temperatures, heavy humidity, and ongoing rain. As per usual with this time of year, we are struggling with pest pressure, although right now it isn’t bugs but rather groundhogs and deer. I think they all take turns. Regardless though we press on with fall transplanting and direct seeding as the timing is what is most important. Carrots, cabbage, and greens will come later than we hoped but we are seeing some successful seedings of quick crops such as arugula, salad greens, radishes, and turnips. Okra, eggplant, and peppers are only beginning to come into full force and we are about to begin harvesting our 4th succession of tomatoes. So as we begin our Fall CSA in two weeks we will have that magical combination of late summer and early fall vegetables, making for some delicious meals.
This week’s share includes some Summer lettuce along with likely the last of the cucumbers you will see and a plethora of summer goodness. Check out the Greek country salad recipe, it is delicious. Enjoy the share…..Autumn & Brian
Spicy Köfte Simmered with Eggplant, Tomatoes and Roasted Poblanos
Eggplant Ragoût with Tomatoes, Peppers & Chickpeas
Cold Beet And Cucumber Soup From Julia Child
Grilled Eggplant, Tomato and Parsley Salad
Salata Horiatiki (Greek Country Salad) –The New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden
1 head summer crisp lettuce, cut into ribbons
2 large firm ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 cucumber, peeled, split in half through its length, and cut into thick slices
1 green pepper, cut into thin rings
1 large mild onion, thinly slices, the rings separated
8 oz feta cheese, cut into small squares or broken into coarse pieces
1 dozen or more black Kalamata olives
For the dressing
A good bunch flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
6 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper
Put all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Just before serving, mix the dressing, pour over the salad, and toss.