Last Week of Summer CSA

Yes, the leaves in low lying areas near the marsh are turning color here and there...some chilly nights have stopped the tomatoes in their tracks.  The rest will ripen, but slowly, and the flavor and texture will be less summery than just the past few weeks.  It sure changes quickly.

This is the last week of the summer CSA; next week starts 6 weeks of the fall share.

Thanks to everyone for your support and participation.  I think it was a great summer for growing vegetables and hope you enjoyed the bounty of a remarkably steady and benevolent season.  You have choices in the region for CSA programs--here at the Garden of Ideas, all produce is distributed to the CSA members or sold at the farm stand.  For that reason, I believe we offer a great amount of vegetables each week.

Our farm stand will continue to be stocked to the end...beautiful lettuces are just coming on, and we'll have beets, turnips, squash, and potatoes as we get deeper into fall.

Free range turkeys will be available.  Let me know if you are interested.

This week we have more ground beef and bacon at the stand.

For those continuing on, see you next week!!!

(The weather looks dreadful tomorrow...sorry!!!!!!!!)

In this week's share:

Some tomatoes
French sorrel: 50 things to do with sorrel
Arugula
"Red Rain" Mizuna: a fantastic asian mustard, very mild with just a bit of spiciness.  Great crop of it.
 Here's one recipe possibility, but as usual, chopped, sauteed in garlic and oil, perhaps with some tofu....heaven!  Mizuna with garlic and fish sauce
Welsh onions (like spring onions with a hint of nuttiness to them)
Garlic
Pears or apples
 Perhaps something else but I can't honestly remember....

Thanks!!!

Summer CSA Week 15

I almost always welcome autumn with open arms--three months of hot summer is usually enough and I'm ready for a change.  This year, however, in what will go down in memory as the most perfect summer ever for Connecticut, I don't wish to give it up; these chilly mornings make me sad.  My mood brightens once I start picking the tomatoes!

In this week's share:

Tomatoes!
Cherry tomatoes!
Senposai! (Many of you actually said you loved this new asian green!  Hooray!  It's awesome!) Try this recipe!
Beans!
Arugula!  Just like last week--fantastic!
Sprig of basil and onions and garlic
Pears, peaches, apples

My wife says I use too many exclamation points...

...I say it's all worth exclaiming about!

Summer CSA Week 14

Our friend Chris Burke, a very fine photographer, took this photo in the Garden last week.  Like the hummingbird, we are sipping some mighty fine stuff from the garden here in early autumn.  After the hottest week of the year, these more seasonal temperatures feel good, and the fall crops really appreciate them.

Shameless promotion department:  our campaign for funds to finish our greenhouse: 

Indigogo Crowdfunding Campaign

In this weeks share:

3 more pounds of tomatoes!

box of cherry tomatoes

 bag of cilantro!!! (This is a hard crop to grow so that it is ready for harvest on a certain day, but I    finally got it right!)  Cilantro recipes

Asian greens--these are fantastic!....and yet many people did not take them last week.  Sigh.   Saute cloves of garlic in peanut, sesame or olive oil.  Wash greens thoroughly, chop finely into bite-sized ribbons, toss into pan.  Stir until just tender, still slightly crisp.  Serve alone, with a bit of cheese on top, toss with Japanese noodles, or serve over rice.  Delicious, filling, nutrient dense.

Arugula!  Fall arugula is just like early spring arugula--delicious!

Microgreens

garlic and onions

Peaches (not many) pears or apples

At the stand: potaotes, beans (fall crop coming in, should be enough for CSA next week), cauliflower, late corn, baby Japanese eggplant, peppers, some small and tender summer squash.

Tortillas::: These are absolutely fantastic, but the co-op that makes them is experiencing extraordinary growing pains--they were not prepared for the demand and mistakes and gaps in production have occurred.  The ones I received last week were past date by a couple of days.  I found no problems with mine, but a customer noted some mold.  If you bought some last week and were unhappy, please let me know.  Please take a bag when the next fresh batch comes in--likely next week.

Thanks!!!!

CSA WEEK 13

 

We eat tomatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner around here.  2 fried eggs over 2 lightly sauteed Cherokee Green tomatoes is my breakfast; a 1 inch thick slab of beefsteak tomato on toast with pesto or mayo is my lunch; tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, olive oil, salt,  is my dinner.  And that's not counting the 2 dozen or more White Cherry tomatoes I eat during the day!  These are my meals with little variation (perhaps I'll load a greens salad with sliced tomatoes) until the plants quit.

Carnivore alert:  I have 10 chickens from the Fingerlakes--pastured, free range, no antibiotics, people rave about them.  Let me know if you'd like one reserved.

Meats from the Piggery! Cottage bacon and cappicola.  $6/each

Peak tomato week.  The flavor and quality is best ever. 

3 lbs!!! tomatoes (try the Cherokee Green!!!)
1 pint cherry tomatoes--try the White Cherry!!! Like plums!
Bag of mixed asian greens--very tender.  Chop and toss with tomatoes for a salad, or use in stir fry
1 summer squash--getting ever smaller
1 pepper--pooping out, perhaps 1 or 2 more weeks
red cippolini onions and garlic
peaches or pears or apples

At the stand:

Green gage plums!!!!!   Short supply--please don't sub for your fruit--I need to get my money back on these.  They are really awesome.

Eggplant--lousy year for it, but the little Italian eggplant I have is ready.

Cukes--second small batch

Tortillas--good, yes?

Buckwheat Honey!!!!! It's good for you!

Enjoy.