TOMTEN FARM

Mild Peppers (Seyrek, Cubanelle, Bagni Carelston)
Sungold Tomatoes or Eggplant
Slicer  & Heirloom Tomatoes
Pickling Cucumbers
Onions
Parsley
Beets

Crazy storms continue on the daily. Whether looking at the news all over the world or watching the patterns happening right here in Virginia, it is clear that erratic and extreme weather is becoming more and more common and intense. On our end it adds a bit of stress. We are unsure when we can prepare fields for fall plantings, planning is completely out of the question. We pushed everything by a week already, so we don’t have to plant till at least August 5^th; but there are lots of steps in getting an area ready and with incessant daily rain deluges that becomes nearly impossible. In addition to prepping beds, these storms really can be taxing on our outdoor crops. Sure they like the rain, we would be irrigating regardless; but the heavy rain leeches out the nutrients we feed in the form of fertilizer. Some crops (squash, cucumbers, watermelon) blow up in size but additional fruiting can be deformed and there is lots of rot both from fruit sitting in the wet soil but also from disease pressure which thrives in moist conditions with temperatures in the 80’s. Tomatoes, highly prone to air borne diseases (coming with the wind and rain) and also splitting from heavy rain, seem to produce less fruit, perhaps from more grey weather or just overall stress. Peppers can also be affected by these conditions, although a little heartier. We grow a majority of our tomatoes and our most finicky peppers all under cover just to avoid these issues. Eggplant and Okra seem immune to anything almost, the reason why we will all be growing these two crops forever, as they are most resilient. But the bright side is we are far from drought conditions, which can also make growing impossible.
This week’s share includes our first peppers of the season. All three types are completely mild and great either raw or cooked with bright green flavors. The pickling cucumbers do not have to be pickled but they have a harder skin and lots of crunch, so good under brining conditions. This will be the last parsley unless we can get another stand going for the fall, the hot wet conditions have brought a lot of rot and we cannot justify keeping it and weeding it. Lots of tomatoes, it is late July and that is what thrives the most. Check out the recipes below and enjoy the share….Autumn & Brian

Layered Eggplant, Zucchini and Tomato Casserole

Lebanese Baba Ghanoush

Quick & Easy Refrigerator Pickles

Turkish Shepherd’s Salad

Summer Beet Salad with Corn, Cucumber and Basil

Heirloom Tomato, Beet Salad

Caponata from The Kitchen Garden
Lots and lots of olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 head garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp chili flakes or fresh hot peppers, to taste
1 pound peppers, cut into large chunks
1 pound eggplant, cut into large chunks
1 or 2 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
salt & pepper
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp capers
3 Tbsp chopped Kalamata olives
Few sprigs chopped basil and parsley
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat about 4 Tbsp olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven with a lid that can go in the oven. Sauté the onion and garlic until soft.  Add the pepper flakes and peppers and sauté over medium heat 5-10 minutes.  Add eggplant and sauté another several minutes. You may want to add more oil to make sure everything is generously anointed.  Add the tomatoes.  Cover the pot and put it in the oven to bake for 20-30 minutes.  Everything should be very, very soft.  Season with salt, pepper and the other seasonings.  Adjust sweetness, salt and acidity to taste.  Serve it warm on fresh crusty bread or at room temperature the next day.  Makes a great pasta sauce, too. (The original version contains chunks of celery, too.  If you like celery, you can add it when you add the tomatoes.)