Greetings Friends and Members,
Summertime again, oh yeah!  Thank goodness for the return of decency as we move towards fall.  We're sure we're not alone in finding it incredibly hard to believe that school is about to start.  While we're not yet directly involved in the school year (Eli has a few more years of easy living), just knowing that school is beginning brings back a very palpable feeling.  One of us remembers a feeling of excitement, while the other remembers more of an "Egad-- how can this be happening to me" feeling (you can guess which of us felt which).
 
Out in the fields, things continue to look less than stellar.  Despite this really perfect stretch of weather, most crops don't appear to be responding as one would hope.  A lot of damage has already been done and, well, we've talked about that plenty.  Some little signs of positivity can be found in the baby beets and carrots.  Despite the facts that (1) they've been in the ground almost two months and (2) they should be harvestable according to the seed catalog "Days to Maturity", they are putting on new green growth.  Hopefully they'll hang in there, as we know how much our carrots are loved.  They're still a few weeks away from harvestable even if this great weather continues.
 
The main other action on the farm has been getting the onions out of the ground.  They apparently didn't mind the rain and it looks to be a bumper crop.  If you take a peek into the first greenhouse you'll see what we mean.  We grew a lot of onions with the intent of having them be a staple in our winter share, which we've officially cancelled offering this season as a result of crop loss due to the rain.  We'll shoot for offering a Winter Share in 2009.  In the meantime, we may have some storage crops for sale if your root cellar has room for more at the end of the season.  We'll keep you posted.
 
This week's share:
Lettuce, squash & zucchini, onions, garlic, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, corn (? we're surprised more ears aren't showing up on our 7 foot tall plants.  We haven't given up, but we're wondering if the excessive water has impacted our corn production), greens (?)
 
U-Pick:  Flowers, beans, herbs, cherry tomatoes, jalapenos
 
Take care,
D, E, & e
 
RECIPE:   This is a recipe that we enjoy as told to us by Jay Volger (the Pizza guy!).  It features sun gold cherry tomatoes, garlic, and basil in an uncooked sauce over pasta.
 
Cook pasta of your choosing.
While it is cooking, slice a generous amount of sungold cherry tomatoes in half, peel several cloves of garlic, and coarsely chop some fresh basil.  When pasta is cooked, drain and transfer to a large bowl.  Add tomatoes, basil, and press in the garlic. Then, add appropriate amount of olive oil, salt, and fresh grated parmesan.  Toss lightly and serve immediately.  Use your judgment to adjust proportions to taste.  This dish tastes like summer itself.  Enjoy!!

Greetings Friends and Members,
It seems we are finally getting back to some summer weather and it sure feels good, doesn't it?  That was some spell we've been under.  Hopefully we can put all of that behind us and enjoy a beautiful late summer and fall.  We sure deserve it.
 
We're finding ourselves feeling a little quiet this week.  Despite the change in weather, the fields are still looking pretty rough-- sort of like how things look following a moderate frost!  The pumpkins, for example, are standing alone out there missing their leaves.  It's an odd sight for mid-August.  We also find ourselves feeling reflective and grateful, as our favorite little sprout Eli, turns two this week.  The heavy rains certainly haven't stunted his growth or energy!   Talk about the cycle of things....
 
We're hopeful that some nice weather and a bit of organic fertilizer lightly sidedressed along our rows will get things going in the right direction again.
 
This week's share:  Lettuce, squash, cukes, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, maybe the first corn, maybe some melons (which are ripening despite the fact that the plants look dead), maybe peppers & eggplant, cabbage, greens
 
U-Pick:  Flowers, cherry tomatoes, beans, herbs
 
Have a great week and enjoy the sunshine,
D, E, & e
 
RECIPE:   Grilled Eggplant Layered with Tomatoes and Mozzarella
 
2 large Eggplants, each cut into 9 1/2 inch thick rounds 1/4 cup, Plus 6 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 2 Medium tomatoes, each cut into 6 rounds Freshly ground pepper to taste, salt to taste   Approx. 12 large fresh basil leaves, plus sprigs for garnish Crumbled feta cheese (6 ounces) or slices of mozzarella

1. Heat grill to medium.
2. Spread eggplant slices on 2 baking sheets or trays. Brush 1/4 cup oil over both sides of eggplant slices. Spray another baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange tomato slices on it. Season eggplant and tomatoes with pepper.
3. Oil the grill rack. Grill the eggplant slices until browned and tender, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Set aside. Place the baking sheet with the tomatoes directly on the grill rack; cover and grill until tomatoes are bubbling and warm, about 7 minutes.  (OR, we often just grill the tomato directly on the grill, just be sure the slices are thick enough to not completely fall apart!) 
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray six 7 to 10 ounce ramekins or custard cups (about the same diameter as an eggplant slice) with cooking spray.
5. Assemble the towers: Using a wide spatula, layer an eggplant slice, a tomato slice and a basil leaf in each ramekin. Sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon feta (or use mozzarella slice). Repeat the layering once more, then top with an eggplant slice. Press down lightly.
6. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until heated through and juices are bubbling around the edges, 25 to 35 minutes.
7. To serve, run a paring knife around the sides of each ramekin. Invert a plate on top and, grasping ramekin and plate with oven mitts, carefully invert the ramekin onto the plate. (Use caution as both the ramekins and juices are extremely hot.) Remove the ramekins. The juices will form a sauce around the tower. Drizzle each tower with 1 teaspoon oil and garnish with a basil sprig. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Greetings Friends and Members,
Welcome to Week 10 of our season together.  It is hard to believe how quickly the weeks go by, and that here we are already past the half-way point of our season.  Hopefully we'll even have some more summer to enjoy before we're through!  We're doing our best to keep our chins up over here, and we have really appreciated all of your supportive e-mail.  Suffice to say, we could all use a break from the rain.
 
In terms of how all of this will impact our season, let's just say that it will be significant.  We haven't planted or seeded anything outside in almost a month, and eventually that is going to catch up with us.  However, before the rains started, we'd already planted a whole lot of stuff out there, so we've got some fuel left in the tank.  Thousands of pounds of potatoes are sitting out there in the mud, waiting until it's dry enough to get them out of the ground.  As well, our two corn seedings look great.  You can see them growing in the fields at Pizza on Earth.  The later of the two seedings is our personal favorite variety, Silver Queen, and is over seven feet tall.  Both should be coming your way soon, along with lots of other crops-- tomatoes, peppers, squash, cukes, carrots, lettuce, broccoli, onions...and many more hopefuls.  One of our saving graces in terrible years is that we grow so many different crops that lots of them are bound to work no matter how bad the weather.  That's the idea, anyway.
 
In other news, we're going to be the focus of a Better Homes and Gardens photo shoot/facelift this week.  We're not sure what kind of impact this might have, but presently they are planning to visit on Tuesday and take some pictures for a story (for next year) about farmstands and U-Pick flowers.  Don't be surprised if things look a little different as they spruce us up!
 
So, as another red band of thunderstorms approaches on our radar screen this Sunday afternoon, we wish you well and we deeply appreciate your participation in our community supported farm.

D, E, & e
 
This week's share:  Lettuce, squash & zucchini, scallions, garlic, tomatoes, peppers (maybe), carrots, cabbage, fennel
 
U-Pick:  Flowers, beans, herbs, cherry tomatoes (?? depending on how they're faring ??) 

RECIPE:  Fennel Gratin with Tomato
 
Ingredients:

2 large bulbs fennel

2 medium cloves garlic peeled and minced

1 cup diced tomato

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup warm vegetable (or chicken broth)

2 tablespoons whipping cream

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Trim off and discard fennel stalks. Cut bulbs in half lengthwise, then slice thinly. In a gratin dish, combine the fennel, garlic and tomato. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the warm chicken broth over the vegetables and bake on center oven rack in a preheated 350-degree oven 1 hour, or until fennel is very tender. Stir every 20 minutes. Remove dish from oven. Turn oven to broil and place an oven rack at highest level. Drizzle fennel with cream and sprinkle with Parmesan. Broil until the top is golden. Cool a few minutes before serving.

Greetings Friends and Members,
Okay, already.  Uncle!  Mercy!  Anything...just please let it stop raining.  For us, this weather has gone beyond ridiculous to down right damaging.  It wasn't too long ago that we were just cruising along, taking care of business, and feeling great about how things were coming together this season.  Then, two weeks ago today, the rain started and now we have a whole different ball game.
 
Many of you have been asking what happens exactly when it keeps raining as it has, so we're going to try and give you some of the main issues.  First of all, when the soil is too wet, we can't get tractors into the field to prepare the soil for seeding and planting.  So, we begin to fall behind and we miss getting things into the ground.  And, at this time of year, that is of critical importance because Fall is rapidly approaching.  Things are to the point where our plans to offer a Winter Share this year are in jeopardy because we just can't get things planted in the earth.  Thus far, we've had to discard two batches of lettuce seedlings, one round of broccoli, and all the late season greens that were patiently waiting to be transplanted to the field.
 
Another major issue with this weather is disease.  Wet foliage that doesn't get an opportunity to dry and water logged soil are perfect breeding grounds for a whole host of blights, mildews, and other nasty problems.  Carrots, beets, and turnips are beginning to turn to mush (Bacterial Soft Rot).  The vines of the pumpkins, melons, and winter squash are turning yellow and are beginning to wilt (Powdery Mildew).  Tomatoes and potatoes begin to look like they've been hit by a flame flower (Early Blight, the cause of the Irish Potato Famine).  Luckily, all of our greenhouse tomatoes look good so far and should be coming your way soon.  The garlic, which is now hanging nicely in the pole barn, was pulled out of the ground earlier than usual to avoid having some mysterious rot that was found spread throughout.
 
Other issues?  Plants just don't grow well when the sun doesn't shine and the roots can't breathe-- except for weeds.  Weeds are so much better adapted and they appreciate that the soil has been too wet for us to hoe or cultivate.
 
So, it's pretty sad out there right now.  These are probably the worst conditions Farmer Dave has seen in twelve years of farming.  Our intention isn't to send a depressing note, but to give you the facts about how things are fairing.  Rest assured, the weather is bound to change (Isn't it???), and regardless, we will continue to have lots of delicious food for you to enjoy.  It is just not looking like one of our real banner years.
 
This week's share: 
Lettuce, squash & zucchini, cucumbers, garlic, onions, fennel, tomatoes (hopefully), cabbage (see Recipe), scallions, carrots
 
U-Pick:
Flowers, beans (look around out there in the weeds, there are lots of yummy beans lurking), herbs, cherry tomatoes (hopefully)
 
Your faithful crew,
D, E, & e
  
Recipe:  Cabbage Salad with Lemon and Olive Oil
 
1/4 cup extra virgin Olive oil
3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1/2 tsp salt Freshly ground black pepper
1 Cabbage thinly sliced
2 scallions sliced
1 carrot coarsely shredded
1 tablespoon chopped italian parsley

In a large bowl, whisk together oil lemon juice, zest, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Dear Friends and Members,
We're guessing we're not alone in feeling that the novelty of the rather frequent and heavy rain has worn off.  It's hard to believe that just last Saturday we were racing around the fields on the tractor trying to get some fall crops seeded before the predicted big rains were to arrive on Sunday.  As it turned out, the rains came earlier than predicted (Saturday afternoon) and, aside from interrupting the seeding process, they're given us quite a mess.  Quite frankly, those puddles aren't all that much fun anymore.
 
A rough guess would be that we've gotten six or seven inches of rain since last Saturday.  Just when it seemed like things were on the way to drying out (as it seemed Friday and Saturday), along comes that "30% chance of showers" Saturday night to top off all of our puddles.  All we can hope for is an end to the rains and some sun and wind to dry it up.  As of this afternoon, we still have standing water in many places in our fields and many of the plants are showing the effects.  Luckily, we grow a lot of different crops in a lot of different places with multiple seedings and varieties.  So, chances are, and experience shows, that most things will recover just fine.  We've just got to keep our chins up 'till then (and if anyone is up to it, some dances pleading with the Sun spirits might not hurt either).
 
This week's share:  Lettuce, greens, squash & zucchini, cukes, cabbage or broccoli, potatoes, garlic (for real this week!, see recipe), scallions
 
U-Pick:  flowers, beans (see Recipe), herbs, cherry tomatoes (see Recipe)
See you on the farm,
D, E, & e

Recipe:
 
Green Beans Simmered with Tomato

2 tablespoons olive oil                        
1 large ripe tomato, diced (or a good sized handful of cherry tomatoes cut in halves)
2 small white onions, sliced into thin rounds                                                        
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped                   
1 pound green beans, tipped and cut into 2 inch lengths
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons chopped summer savory or dill
Salt and freshly milled pepper

 Heat the oil in a medium or large skillet, add the onions, and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic, beans, tomato, and enough water just to cover.  Simmer until beans are tender, then add the herbs and simmer 1 or 2 minutes more.  Timing will depend upon on the age and size of the bean.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot, tepid, or even chilled.

Hello Friends and Members,
Splish-Splash!  Holy Cow what a whole lot of rain we've had in the last two days!  We gave up on rain gauges years ago, so we can't tell you exactly how much we've gotten.  However, what we can say is that it is at least several inches and the rain continues to come steadily as we write.  The downpours Saturday night were some of the loudest and most intense rain storms we've ever heard.  It is almost implausible that it can rain that hard.
 
Curious to see what the fields looked like on Sunday morning, Farmer Dave put on his rain suit and mud boots and put Eli in his matching rain outfit (too cute), and set out to play in some puddles.  And puddles there were-- more like lakes, really!  As we've said before, this is the first year we're growing crops in the big field on our new land, so we don't have anything with which to compare this level of moisture from previous years.  Regardless, it was impressive.  There are spots in the middle of the field where the water was almost a foot deep.  One known wet spot at the end of the field blossomed into a 100' x 100' splash pool.  Good fun for little Eli, and actually for Farmer Dave, too, who'd forgotten how fun puddles can be.
 
In terms of how this will effect crops-- too soon to tell.  Experience says most things will be fine.  There will be some casualties here an there in the low spots, but mostly we expect we'll be alright.  We'll keep you posted!
 
This week's share:  Lettuce, greens, scallions, squash & zucchini, cucumbers, radishes, some combination of cabbage/chinese cabbage/broccoli, Fresh garlic, Bok Choy (last of season), Eggplant (hopefully)
 
U-Pick:  Beans (see Recipe below)-- including Haricot Vert, Flowers, herbs, maybe Cherry tomatoes 

Enjoy,
D, E, & e
 
RECIPE:  Dilly Beans
 
Pack washed beans into quart jars that contain in each:
1-2 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic
2 heads dill
 
Heat:  2 cups water, 2 cups vinegar (cider pref.), 1/8 cup salt
 Pour into jars and process 5 minutes in boiling water bath.
 Take this off the shelf in January and enjoy a taste of summer on a cold winter day!
 

Hello Friends and Members,
It has been a busy week on the farm.  (Do we sound like a broken record?)  This is probably pretty close to the most hectic time of year on a vegetable farm.  We're still busy planting things like the second round of squash and cucumbers, our weekly lettuce, and round four of broccoli.  We're also still trying to get control of our struggle with the weeds, which seem to return after every pass with the hoe or cultivating tractor.  The weeds that have gotten past our defenses are going to seed, so they have to be pulled from the ground manually, removed from the field, and deposited in the nearest hedge-row.  We're also spending a lot of time trellising our tomatoes.  This is essentially a process of using string to keep the plants supported and to keep them from coming in contact with the soil.  The support is for their ever-increasing fruit load.  And, the reason to have the plants avoid the soil is in order to prevent the spread of diseases which splash out of the dirt onto the leaves.  In case you are wondering, we grow a lot of tomatoes...and we mean A LOT:  three and a half greenhouses full, four long rows in the field, and your U-pick cherry tomatoes.  It shouldn't be too long now until we're enjoying their much anticipated arrival.  The last thing that is keeping us hopping is getting our fall crops seeded and planted.  While it is hard to believe it is that time already, we know from experience that it is:  last chance for carrots, broccoli and lots of other tasty treats.  And despite our talk of Fall, don't worry-- there is lots more summer in this summer!  We're just preparing.  If our season was a baseball game, this would only be the third inning. 
 
A few members sent us the following link to a great New York Times article on CSA's.  If you are interested here it is:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/us/10farms.html
 
This week's share:
Lettuce, greens, squash & zucchini, cucumbers, scallions, radish, new potatoes (we hope!), eggplant (we think!), scapes, beets
 
U-Pick:
Peas, flowers, herbs, and maybe beans
 
Happy Summer, D, E, & e

 
This recipe was sent to us from a creative member.  It is based on a Rachel Ray creation, but has had an extensive Stony Loam make-over.  Beautiful (see photo we attached).  Seems like a good way to get some kids to eat their beets, too.  Enjoy!
 
One bunch beets
6 TBS olive oil
1 lb rigatoni with ridges or gemelli pasta (or what you have at home)
One bunch green onions, chopped
Handful of garlic scapes, chopped
One pint peas (out of the pod) and/or 1-2 squashes cut into rounds (or whatever other Loam veggies you want to add)
salt and pepper
1.5 cups ricotta cheese
zest and juice of one lemon
Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
.5 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
 
Heat the oven to 375F.  Peel and quarter beets.  Coat the beets in a drizzle of olive oil and place in a roasting pan.  Cover the pan with foil and place in oven.  Roast the beets for about 30 minutes (test with a fork for softness), then remove and let cool for 15 minutes.
 
Just before the beets come out, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.  Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook al dente.  Heads up: you will need to reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking water before you drain the pasta.
 
While the beets cool, heat 3 tbs of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the green onions and scapes for a few minutes until they start to soften, then add remaining vegetables.  Gently cook until everything softens (3-5 minutes).  Season with salt and pepper. 
 
Add beets to food processor/blender with the ricotta cheese.  Process until it becomes a smooth mixture.  Transfer to large pasta bowl and season it with 2 tsp zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper,  the parsley, and Parmigiano.  Add the starchy water, the hot pasta, and sauteed vegetables.  Serve immediately.

Greetings Friends and Members,
Hope you all had a great Fourth of July weekend.  We certainly couldn't have asked for nicer weather.  While I don't really enjoy hanging out in the hot sun all day, that sun does keep things growing like crazy-- especially when you add a little water.  I had to open my big mouth in last week's newsletter and talk about how it had been over a month since I'd had to run the irrigation in the field.  Sure enough, on Saturday morning I found myself down at Spear's filling up that gas can again for the water pump.  On Thursday we planted our weekly lettuce batch just before we got a nice heavy shower (just in time to thwart Thursday's U-pickers from getting at those coveted strawberries).  It was enough rain that I didn't have to fuss with watering on the 4th, which was nice.  But by Saturday, the little seedlings were wilting, and with no rain in sight, I had to fire up the pump.
 
Out in the field things are looking good.  The potatoes are flowering, which is something I always enjoy seeing.  Nice long rows of pretty purple and white blossoms atop healthy 3' tall plants.  The potatoes' arch enemy, the dreaded Colorado potato beetle, capable of defoliating entire plants in sort order, is just beginning to show up.  We keep them confused every spring by moving the potato patch to a different field.  This way, the adults who've spent the winter burrowed into the soil have to walk a long way to find their food.  By the time they do find them, the plants are big and strong enough to tolerate some munching.
 
This week's share:
 
Lettuce, Greens, Squash & Zucchini, Beets, Bok Choy, Baby Fennel (see Recipe), Kohlrabi, Scapes (see Recipe)
 
The 'maybe' list:  broccoli, radishes, cucumbers
 
U-Pick list:  Flowers (PLEASE SEE ATTACHED Flower Picker's Guide to review how to cut the flowers in order to keep them thriving well into the season!!!), Peas, Herbs, Strawberries (whatever remains)
 
Enjoy!  D, E, & e
 
RECIPES
 
Braised Fennel with Parmesan


2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil

2 to 3 fennel bulbs, trimmed and halved or quartered lengthwise

Salt and freshly milled pepper

½ cup dry white wine or water

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Chopped fennel greens or parsley

 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Rub a baking dish large enough to hold the fennel in a single layer with butter.  Steam the fennel for 10 minutes, then arrange in the dish.  Dot with butter or drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and add the wine.  Cover and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the cover, baste the fennel with its juice, then add the cheese and continue baking until the fennel is completely tender, about 10 minutes more.  Serve with chopped fennel greens or parsley.


Garlic Scape Pesto

Ingredients:
1 cup garlic scapes (about 8 or 9 scapes), top flowery part removed, cut into ¼-inch slices
1/3 cup walnuts
¾ cup olive oil
¼-1/2 cup grated parmigiano
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Method:
Place scapes and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until well combined and somewhat smooth. Slowly drizzle in oil and process until integrated. With a rubber spatula, scoop pesto out of bowl and into a mixing bowl. Add parmigiano to taste; add salt and pepper. Makes about 6 ounces of pesto. Keeps for up to one week in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

 

Greeting Friends and Members,
Here we are at week 4 already. We've been meaning to applaud all of you for your commitment to using your own BAGS!  What a turn-around from last year-- well done!!  Also, several of you have been carpooling and riding your bikes to the farm.  Thanks for all your efforts. 
 
Suddenly it's really looking and feeling like summer out there:  sticky, warm, rain on and off, and sun.  Good growing weather.  And, I'll be honest:  this has been one of the best weather patterns I can remember.  While hail has fallen in Shelburne (enough to leave dents in cars and tear apart crops), and a farmer friend in East Middlebury swims in 9 - 10 inches of rain and watches water flow through his fields, we've been lucky thus far.  Knock on wood.  We haven't had to water in over a month, and we've been able to get thousands of transplants in the ground with well timed and moderate rain.  Frankly, this is unheard of in my years of farming here.  Yet, even as I write this we have a flood warning for overnight tonight-- so it's not that I'm making any prognostication about our future.  I'm just appreciating a stretch that has helped us get a ton done with a minimum of issues.  With all that said, we had a little bad luck with some early spinach that caught a collective case of the blahs (the more technical name:  downey mildew).  However, we've had some great carrot and corn seedings and the tomatoes to come are looking amazing!  Everything out in the field looks great.
 
This week your share will include:
 
Lettuce, Scallions, Bok Choy, Greens, Kohlrabi, Summer Squash & Zucchini (see recipe below), Garlic Scapes
 
other "maybes":  beets & broccoli
 
U-Pick:  peas are looking good, strawberries are fading, basil is looking strong, flowers are coming on
 
Happy Fourth of July!  Enjoy, D, E, & e
 
 
RECIPES:
 


Summer Squash with Thyme & Toasted Pine Nuts

2 lb. small summer squash
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground 
black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 to 3 tablespoons mild-buttery extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Cut the squash from stem end to blossom end into slices about 1/4 inch thick rounds. Fit a steamer basket in a pan, add water up to the basket level, and bring the water to a boil over high. Add the squash, season generously with salt and pepper, and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and steam until tender, 5 to 6 min. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and sprinkle with the thyme. Cover to keep warm. Just before serving, drizzle with the olive oil and gently lift the slices of squash so the oil gets distributed. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and serve immediately. Serves eight.

 

Grilled Summer Squash- A great idea for your next backyard barbecue.

2 medium summer squash 
olive oil, salt 
Dill or lemon pepper 

Slice squash lengthwise (into long strips). Brush each side of squash strips with olive oil and then salt. 
Place slices directly onto warmed grill. Remove from grill when squash is tender but still firm.  Place squash in serving dish and sprinkle with dill and/or lemon pepper.  Grilled summer squash are also good sprinkled with lemon juice, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes.

Happy Summer Friends and Members,
It's been another busy week here on the farm.  On Wednesday, we met with the NOFA inspector to become a certified Organic farm.  As expected, everything went smoothly and we can now use the word "organic" to describe ourselves.  It's not that we're doing anything differently than we have for years.  We've been growing things the same way for many years:  using compost, natural soil amendments, cover cropping and not using any pesticides or herbicides.  But one cannot use the word "organic" unless one goes through the certification process and makes it official/legal.  The word "organic" is protected to give consumers (you!) confidence that the produce you buy is grown using particular methods.  For the past several years we were comfortable just doing things the way we do them and not needing to pay someone to use a word.  However, as we've grown and have welcomed many new faces into our farm community, we find ourselves wanting to make it a little easier to just tell you, "Yes, we're certified organic."  So, now we are.
 
This weeks's share may include:
 
Lettuce:  an all-season staple for us (and you!)
 
Greens:  Chard, Kale, Mustard, Collards (all staples)
 
Boc Choy:  just starting to harvest the second planting
 
Scallions:  fresh scallions (those other ones had to endure a winter).  These are the most tender and fresh you can find
 
Garlic scapes:  a delicious flavor
 
Kohlrabi:  one of the more interesting things we'll send your way.  See Recipe below for ideas
 
And all the wild cards:  you also might find beets, broccoli, squash & zucchini, radishes
 
U-PICK notes:  organic Strawberries!  It's strawberry season and here they come.  Strawberry season here is fast and furious, so get them while they last.  You may come to the farm Monday-Friday 9am-5pm and pick your berries.  Amount to pick is posted in the pick-up stand.  They need to be picked regularly.  Please pick all the ripe berries you find and remove any rotten/over-ripe berries as well.  This will help us keep things healthy.
 
Other U-Pick notes:  Basil, keep picking those tops.  Daisies, still going strong.  Peas:  coming on strong.  Looks like they'll be ready this week.
 
See you soon, D, E, & e
 
 
RECIPES for Kohlrabi
 
Last week we received the following from one of our members:
 
"I’ve just sliced my kohlrabi, rather on the thin side, and placed a mix of butter and olive oil in the bottom of my Le Crueset [pot], top on, on low.  However many minutes later, it is the most tender, nutty, sweet and delicious flavor known to humankind.  Advice: Get to know your veggies in the most simple manner possible before you mess with sauces or spices. It is one of the joys of fresh produce that we get to taste the essence of the earth in the clean preparation.  Later, kohlrabi is delicious braised in chicken broth, but for now… sweet and simple!"

 

Here is another idea...

 

 Scalloped Kohlrabi 175 g (6 oz) onion, skinned and thinly sliced
3 Tbsp (40 g) butter
2 lb (900 g) kohlrabi
7 fl oz (200 ml) milk
salt and freshly ground pepper

chopped fresh parsley to garnish



  Method 1. Soften the onion in 25 g (1 oz) butter in a covered pan.
2. Thickly peel the kohlrabi to remove all the woody outer layer. Slice thinly and layer with the onions and seasoning in a 1.7 litre (3 pint) lightly buttered shallow ovenproof dish, topping with a neat layer of kohlrabi.
3. Pour over the milk and dot with remaining butter. Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven at 200°C (400f) mark 6 for about 1 1/2 hours, until tender.
4. Garnish with chopped parsley for serving.  serves 6