Week 9 - July 28 & 31

Hello there -

Special Note - Bulk items available now: Chard - $2/lb, Garlic - $1 for 3 heads, Cucumbers - $20/ 3/4 bushel box. Please let me know if you'd like to purchase any of this and we'll prepare the quantity for you to pick up when you pick up your box.

Here's the list for the week - enjoy!
This week's box weighs approx. 14 lbs.

1. One large bunch of carrots - these are Sugarsnax and are very long
2. Nice bunch of Lacinato (or Dino) kale
3. Large bunch of chard - blue band
   
4. 5 or 6 summer squash - combo of 8 Ball, Starship Pattypan, Cozelle, Baby Bush, Tigress, Yellow Neck and Straight Neck (yes, we have a lot of squash)
5. 3 or 4 cukes - Adam or Marketmore
6. one head garlic
7. 2 or 3 onions
8. 1 box of tomatoes (on the table)
9. 1 bunch lettuce
10. 1 or two sweet peppers (in the box)
11. A few stalks of New Zealand Spinach - loose in the box. This is good sauteed. I cut up the stalk and all into 2" pieces and sauteed. The leaves are very tasty, the stalks are crunchy and a little bitter but are still good. Some people like to discard the stalks.
12. 1 eggplant. Try making baba ganoosh (sp?) or ratatouille or eggplant parmesan. Or use in a stir fry. If you use squash or eggplant or cucumbers in either a salad or to cook with, it is recommended to salt them and let them sit in a colander for 30 minutes or so. The salt will bring out excess water and the veggies won't be as mushy in your dish.
    

Optional/Choice Items include:

1. Possibly some spicy peppers. These will be on the table. Please be sure you know what you're taking (don't assume they're sweet).
2. A box of Either - beans (a mix of Northeaster (flat and surprisingly sweet) and Kentucky Wonder), or okra or cabbage or broccoli. Okra is good sauteed with a little salt - cut into 1/3" pieces and brown. Also good with eggs.
   
3. Herbs - Basil (lots), rosemary (some), thyme, sage, mint, tarragon, and/or lavendar
4. Flowers - Probably 5 to 8 stems - check the notes. If these aren't out and you'd like some, please find me and I'll help.

Week 8 - July 21 & 24

Hello there -

Here's the list for the week - enjoy!
This week's box weighs about 15 lbs.

1. One large bunch of carrots - these are Sugarsnax and are very long
2. Smaller bunch of collards
3. Large bunch of chard
4. 5 or 6 summer squash - combo of 8 Ball, Starship Pattypan, Cozelle, Baby Bush, Tigress, Yellow Neck and Straight Neck (yes, we have a lot of squash)
5. 3 or 4 cukes - Adam or Marketmore
6. one head garlic
7. 2 onions
8. 1 box of tomatoes (on the table)
9. 1 head of cabbage for Wednesday. Saturday might be lettuce - not sure. The cabbage will be either Early Cabbage which is green and dense or Famosa which is a savoyed cabbage (crinkly leaves)
10. 1 or two sweet peppers (in the box)

Optional/Choice Items include:

1. Possibly some spicy peppers. Please be sure you know what you're taking (don't assume they're sweet).
2. A box of Either - beans (a mix of Northeaster (flat and surprisingly sweet) and Kentucky Wonder), eggplant or New Zealand spinach. The New Zealand spinach is good sauteed. I cut up the stalk and all into 2" pieces and sauteed. The leaves are very tasty, the stalks are crunchy and a little bitter but are still good. Some people like to discard the stalks. If you take eggplant, try making baba ganoosh (sp?) or ratatouille or eggplant parmesan.
3. There will probably be a little broccoli out - not sure
4. Herbs - Basil (lots), rosemary (some), thyme, oregano, mint, tarragon, and/or lavendar
5. Flowers - Probably 3 to 5 stems - check the notes. If these aren't out and you'd like some, please find me and I'll help.
   

Week 7 - July 14 & 17, 2010

Hi all - here's the plan for this week:Flowers and herbs not shown in this picture.

Wednesday's box weighs about 14 lbs.

1. A large bunch of chard - blue band
2. A decent amount of kale - green band
3. A relatively large bunch of beets. I'm pulling these now as they're reaching the end of their growing cycle. They don't like the heat. So there's a mix of small and large in the box today. I also included the greens although some are a bit chewed up. I know some people like them so I kept them on the beets. Throw them away if you have had enough.
4. A large bunch of carrots - these will again be in a bucket on the ground. Please take a bunch. These are either Nelson or Sugar Snax.
5. A nice bunch of lettuce - either Black Seeded Simpson or Avenue.
   
6. A few onions - these are freshly dug so you should let them dry in a dark area - let the stems dry until they fall off (or use right away, which is best, in my opinion).
   
7. About 6 summer squash per box. These include yellow crook neck, straight crook neck (yellow), cozelle (green), baby bush (green), zephyr (yellow and green - half and half) and eight ball (a little ball - very cute) and Starship (a patty pan that looks like a space ship).
8. 3 or so cukes. Some are short (about 5" long and slightly spiky) - this is Adam. The others are longer and darker green - this is Marketmore. Both are parthenocarpic which means they are self-pollinating. They were started early in the hoop. Some were transplanted out to the field and are producing. Oh, the joys of the hoop!
   
9. Probably 1 or 2 tomatoes per box (might be on the table). Again, these wouldn't be available without the hoop. The tomatoes in the field won't be ready for 2 - 3 weeks.
   
10. One head of garlic. Again - this isn't fully cured. If the stem is on, let it stay until it dries up and falls off. Or, use this right away. Fresh garlic is very tasty.
11. Purslane (in Wednesday member's box - Saturday members received this last distribution). See the "What's Going On" blog for an idea on how to use this. Also, I'll post a recipe that Michelle contributed re. a potato and purslane salad.
12. A box of potatoes. These are a mix of Yukon Gold, Adirondack Blue, Kennebeck (red), Russian Bannana and Butterball. Very tasty. We harvested some potatoes from plants that were done and will harvest a few more for Saturday. For those of you who are half-share members, I'll hand these out again on an alternating week from this week - but probably not next week since they're still growing. These are very tasty and very fresh. I highly recommend trying these before those in your pantry. If you don't use them right away, keep them in a cool, dark place. They're not cured yet so the skins are soft and will scrape easily.
    
13. The box option (on the table) will include a choice of beans, peppers or broccoli.
    
14. Herbs - on the table - basil, sage, thyme, mint, tarragon, rosemary, lavender, etc. as available.
15. Flowers, as available - take a small bunch. There should be a mix of snap dragons, coleus, larkspur, calendula, yarrow, lavender, edible marigolds, and maybe a few sunflowers.
16. Extra chard for Wed. Take a large bunch if you'd like. It's in a box on the ground. Sat. will be something else - check the notes.

Week 6 - July 7 & 10, 2010

Hello there -
It's been very hot and dry over the past few weeks. So, the veggies are turning. We're still harvesting for tomorrow but here's the plan:

1. A large bunch of chard - blue band
2. A decent amount of collards - green band
3. A relatively large bunch of beets. I'm pulling these now as they're reaching the end of their growing cycle. They don't like the heat. So there's a mix of small and large in the box today. I also included the greens although some are a bit chewed up. I know some people like them so I kept them on the beets. Throw them away if you have had enough.
4. A relatively large bunch of carrots - these will again be in a bucket on the ground. Please take a bunch. These are either Nelson or Sugar Snax.
5. A nice bunch of lettuce - either Black Seeded Simpson or Avenue. This has been growing in the east garden in a dry area. See if you notice the distinct flavor - this isn't full of water so it's got a lot of flavor for a lettuce. Don't eat the large stems (base of the plant) - they are bitter.
6. A few onions - these are freshly dug so you should let them dry in a dark area (or use right away).
   
7. Probably 1 or 2 summer squash per box (maybe more, depending upon how they grow). These include yellow crook neck, straight crook neck (yellow), cozelle (green), baby bush (green), zephyr (yellow and green - half and half) and eight ball (a little ball - very cute).
   
8. The box option (on the table) will include a choice of cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers or broccoli. Maybe some peas but they're slowing down now. If I have enough of any of these, you'll get one in the box. The fruits are coming from the hoop. There are a lot of baby cukes along with tomatoes and peppers. It won't be long now before each box has some of these.
9. Maybe some new potatoes
   
10. A head of garlic. This hasn't dried so it's still dirty. Keep it in a dark place which is open (not a closed bag or something like that). It will dry and then you can peel off the dirty outer layer and it will keep for some time. Or use it up right away.
11. Herbs - on the table - basil, sage, thyme, mint, tarragon, rosemary, lavender, etc. as available.
12. Flowers, as available - take a small bunch. There should be a mix of snap dragons, coleus, larkspur, calendula, yarrow, lavender, edible marigolds, and maybe a few sunflowers.
13. Wednesday group - I have some green tomatoes in a bowl - take a bunch if you'd like. We pulled some plants which were over-crowded and saved some of the tomatoes. You can make pickled green tomatoes or fry them up.
14. Extra chard for Wed. Take a large bunch if you'd like. It's in a box on the ground. Sat. will be something else - check the notes.