While we are exhausted from the fair, we were happy to see bountiful produce to harvest.
It is post fair week, and while we are exhausted from the fair, we are excited to see new changes happening in the garden because it is the end of July! This means sweet corn, potatoes, tomatoes and more to come. If you are walking around the garden, look for gourds, winter squash, watermelons and pumpkins growing.
Boxes of Produce
This list is prepared before we harvest your share. Some guesswork is involved! We do our best to predict which crops will be ready to harvest, but sometimes crops are on the list that are not in the share, and sometimes crops will be in the share even though they’re not on the list. Remember food safety in your kitchen when preparing, always wash your hands before working with your produce and always wash your produce before eating. Some of the crops are ran under cold well water to take the field heat off of them so they last longer in your refrigerators. They are not washed – just cooled. So remember to wash your vegetables before eating.
Black Seeded Simpson, Prizeleaf and Red Oak Leaf Lettuce Mix – Are you having challenges storing your lettuce? This is what I do. Wash it, place in a salad spinner, drain the water off the salad spinner, spin again and then place in a plastic bag in my vegetable crisper. It lasts me the full week or more.
Spinach – The spinach is in the lettuce salad mix this week. It doesn’t like the heat we have been receiving.
Purple Beans – Plenty are growing – let us know if you would like any to can or freeze. Here are some recipe ideas.
The pea pod grows from the flower. Notice the white flower at the tip of the pod.
Sugar Snap Peas – A new crop is in.
Kale – Here are some recipes for this vegetable. Two varieties Dwarf Blue Curled Vates and Ursa Kale.
Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi – You either have a purple or green kohlrabi in your box. Peel it and eat it like an apple.
Beets – Bulls Blood Beets – Learn more about this variety of beets here.
Watermelon Radish
Radishes – Watermelon radishes – try some of these recipes out.
The Golden Egg Hybrid squash is plentiful.
Golden Egg Hybrid Summer Squash – The best-tasting squash in Burpee’s taste trials for 2 years in a row.
The zucchini grows super fast in the weather we had this week. One zucchini was as big as Sam’s forearm and the other as long as his leg.
Zucchini – The zucchini is growing like crazy. Learn how to save it for use during the cold winter months From the Farm Table and try some of the recipe ideas from Taste of Home.
Onions – snow white hybrid – These onions are beautiful. Enjoy!
Cucumbers – Enjoy these in your box. Let us know if you are interested in canning quantities and dill for pickles.
Tomatoes – Just starting to come in.
Sweet Corn – Finally one of summer’s favorites.
Potatoes – Red Norland potatoes are versatile potatoes – great for boiling, potato salad and I have had success with them as French fries.
Garlic was harvested a few weeks ago and has been curing/drying for you.
Garlic – Check out our experiment on garlic explained here.
Fresh cut arrangement – Zinnias and sunflowers
Recipe of the Week
Freezing Herbs
This is step by step instructions that I posted a few years ago, but it was worth reposting. From time to time, I will be setting out additional herbs in case you don’t have those herbs in your pot, or you would just like more. Help yourself, and use this method to have a taste of the garden throughout the winter.
Wash herbs under cold water.
Cut or pull herbs apart and place smaller portions in the separate compartments in an ice cube tray. This tray I found in the $1 isle at Target.
A closer look at how Keith was doing this.
Run water over the herbs and place in the freezer.
Once frozen, take out of tray and place in labeled bag or container. These will come in handy throughout the year when a recipe calls for an herb. Just take the ice cube and place in the recipe. Fresh herbs throughout the year.
