family farms

Shower others with joy
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Shower others with joy

One more week of the CSA after this week’s box. Wow! The growing season flew by.

We have been busy harvesting many items. The ornamental corn, popcorn, tomatoes, peppers and watermelon seem to be hanging on and continuing to grow. If we receive the rain that is in the forecast, there is a possibility for the carrots and a few other crops to get a boost. Yet, these dry conditions continue to suppress growth and development in everything except the weeds.

It is interesting how God gives us direction when we reflect on what’s in front of us.

Drought and weeds symbolize challenges or negative aspects. As people, these challenges draw us down. When we are stressed, the negative, weeds, are allowed to flourish.

During the growing season, I look to rain and sunshine in the right amounts as Joy showered down upon us. Isn’t it interesting to think of how Joy (rain and sunshine) in the right amount provides wonderful outcomes for our crops. Joy has the same outcomes in people. When we shower others with Joy, they too blossom into more than they thought was possible to reach potential they to may not have known was possible.

This week, I challenge you to shower others with Joy.

“Well, your greatest joy definitely comes from doing something for another, especially when it was done with no thought of something in return.” – John Wooden

The squash was planted in early May and was fortunate to receive a wonderful rain to get this crop off to a great start. This in turn resulted in a plentiful crop of squash. It is such a joy to reap this harvest.

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.

Dark Red Beets – I love beets and have been trying to incorporate them regularly in my diet because of their nutritional value. Most of the time I have found that eating them raw, peeled and dipping them in peanut butter works best for me. Learn more about their nutrition here.

Cantaloupe – These ripen so quickly. Have you ever wondered what was the difference between muskmelon and cantaloupe. According to Oklahoma State University Extension, all varieties and types of muskmelon belong to the same genus and species; however, cantaloupe belongs to a different botanical variety (subgroup) than winter type muskmelons.

Carrots – The summer heat and dry weather have put enormous pressure on the carrot crop. Enjoy this week’s purple carrots!

Cucumbers – The cucumbers are having a wacky growing cycle with our drought. The University of Illinois Extension has information on the odd formation and shapes of the cucumbers. Here’s an interesting link on their nutritional value.

Kohlrabi – I simply eat these peeled and cut up like an apple with some peanut butter. Here are some recipe ideas and additional information on this vegetable from Taste of Home.

Lettuce mix – The drought has made the lettuce crop challenging this year. Enjoy some BLTs!

Onions – This crop was also struggling with this year’s dry weather.

Peppers – Holy Sweet Peppers. We have many! Let us know if you need more next week for making stuffed peppers or other dishes. Here are some pepper recipe ideas from Martha Stewart or if you want to know more about freezing peppers, this is a helpful link.

Potatoes – Red Norlands are in your box this week. Watch potato harvest here on America’s Heartland.

Radishes – Did you know you can eat the radish greens? Learn more at the University of Illinois Extension. Learn more about the health benefits of eating radishes.

Summer Squash – I bet your trying to figure out how to use this squash. Here are some ideas from Pioneer Woman. Also check out the hotdish recipe below.

Tomatoes –In your boxes this week are Napa Valley cherry tomatoes, Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, 4th of July tomatoes, Better Boy and more. Let us know if you need any for canning and freezing. We have plenty.

Watermelon – We are super excited about this watermelon crop. I wasn’t fast enough to get a picture of the watermelon harvested this weekend. It was 45# and over 2 feet in length! Yes, we have eaten the entire watermelon!

Zucchini – So many wonderful ways to use Zucchini. Try this zucchini mock apple pie square recipe.

Fresh cut arrangement – Hydrangeas and Sedum and pumpkins and gourds

 

Recipe of the Week

Pumpkin Bread

1 2/3 cup flour

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

Pinch of salt

1/3 cup cold water

2 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin (I use 1 cup cooked squash)

Combine flour, sugar, butter, soda, spices and salt in bowl. Add 1/3 cup cold water, eggs, and pumpkin (squash) mix well. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool on wire rack.

 

Source: Pat Kuznik – West Polk County: Blue Ribbon Favorites Minnesota 4-H Foundation

 

Reset and Refocus for the Finish Line
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Reset and Refocus for the Finish Line

 

September kicked off with a fierce impact of another round of dry, hot weather which is pushing some of the crops to their near end point. We did not receive rain with this cold front that moved in today. No rain puts additional strain on the plants.

We have been busy harvesting fall decorations with over a quarter of the pumpkins and gourds harvested. This is a bit earlier than usual due to the dry weather. We have hopes to make great progress with this harvest by next week.

With two weeks left in the CSA, this is a good time to prepare for preservation whether you are freezing or canning. We encourage you to do this to help utilize the produce, decrease food costs and extend your enjoyment of the produce through the winter.

I know that all of this can seem overwhelming as we wrap up summer and transition into fall and a new school year. I encourage you to not give up on getting to the finish line with the food preservation. Rather find a way to reset and refocus on your goals – you’ll appreciate your efforts as you utilize it throughout the winter.

“Every sunset is an opportunity to reset. Every sunrise begins with new eyes.” — Richie Norton

Take time to refocus and reset. It is all about perspective.

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.

Dark Red Beets – I love beets and have been trying to incorporate them regularly in my diet because of their nutritional value. Most of the time I have found that eating them raw, peeled and dipping them in peanut butter works best for me. Learn more about their nutrition here.

Cantaloupe – These ripen so quickly. Have you ever wondered what was the difference between muskmelon and cantaloupe. According to Oklahoma State University Extension, all varieties and types of muskmelon belong to the same genus and species; however, cantaloupe belongs to a different botanical variety (subgroup) than winter type muskmelons.

Carrots – The summer heat and dry weather have put enormous pressure on the carrot crop. Enjoy this week’s purple carrots!

Cucumbers – The cucumbers are having a wacky growing cycle with our drought. The University of Illinois Extension has information on the odd formation and shapes of the cucumbers. Here’s an interesting link on their nutritional value.

Kohlrabi – I simply eat these peeled and cut up like an apple with some peanut butter. Here are some recipe ideas and additional information on this vegetable from Taste of Home.

Peppers

Peppers – Holy Sweet Peppers. We have many! Let us know if you need more next week for making stuffed peppers or other dishes. Here are some pepper recipe ideas from Martha Stewart or if you want to know more about freezing peppers, this is a helpful link.

Yukon Gold

Potatoes – Yukon Golds or Red Norlands are in your box this week. Watch potato harvest here on America’s Heartland.

We enjoyed cutting the radishes up and using them in a saute with onions and peppers to place on top of sandwiches or other meals.

Radishes – Did you know you can eat the radish greens? Learn more at the University of Illinois Extension. Learn more about the health benefits of eating radishes.

Summer Squash – I bet your trying to figure out how to use this squash. Here are some ideas from Pioneer Woman. Also check out the hotdish recipe below.

Super Sugar Snap Peas – Yum! Eat these raw in the pods, dip in Ranch dressing or use in stir fry. One of our favorite summer vegetables is in your boxes this week. This heat really sped this crop to the end. This may be our last week.

Sweet Corn – A big shout out to our neighbors FarGaze Farms for the delicious sweet corn in our boxes.

A variety of tomatoes are in your boxes this week.

Tomatoes –In your boxes this week are Napa Valley cherry tomatoes, Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, 4th of July tomatoes, Better Boy and more. Watch for a flush of them for canning and freezing.

Watermelon – We are super excited about this watermelon crop. I wasn’t fast enough to get a picture of the watermelon harvested this weekend. It was 45# and over 2 feet in length! Yes, we have eaten the entire watermelon!

Zucchini –So many wonderful ways to use Zucchini. Try this zucchini mock apple pie square recipe.

Hydrangeas

Fresh cut arrangement – Hydrangeas

 

Recipe of the Week

A favorite in our house to use up leftover turkey and chicken and vegetables!

Turkey or Chicken Pot Pie

1 pie crust (1/2 of Perfect Pie Crust recipe)

1/2 stick butter (4 Tablespoons)

1/2 c. finely diced onion

1/2 c. finely diced carrot

1/2 c. finely diced celery

2 c. leftover turkey, light and dark, diced or shredded (or both!)

1/4 c. flour

2 to 3 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth (more if needed!)

Splash of white wine (optional)

3/4 c. heavy cream

Frozen peas (optional) (or use leftover sweet corn that you have cut off the cob or chopped up radishes)

Fresh thyme, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Melt butter in a skillet or dutch oven. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and cook until translucent (a couple of minutes.)
  3. Add turkey and stir. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir. Cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.
  4. Pour in chicken or turkey broth, stirring constantly. Splash in wine (you can leave this out if you’d like.) Pour in cream. (May add frozen peas at this point if you’d like.)
  5. Bring to a slow boil and allow mixture to cook and thicken for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste (do not underseason), and fresh or dried thyme to taste. Do one final taste at the end and add what it needs.
  6. Pour mixture into a casserole dish or deep pie pan.
  7. Roll out crust so that it’s about 1 inch larger than the pan you’re using.
  8. Place the crust on top of the pot pie mixture, and press crust into the sides of the dish. Cut vents in the top of the crust.
  9. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until very golden and bubbly and the crust is done.
  10. Allow to cool for a little bit before serving.
  11. Serve with a large spoon.

Source: Pioneer Woman

 

Hang On
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Hang On

This watermelon puts a smile on my face every time I pass by it. Part of me wants to put a can or something under it to support it, and the other part of me wants to see if it makes it until the end of the season…can it hold on all by itself.

Watermelon growing in the garden. The vine grew up the fence which is at an angle, and the melon began to grow. It is now hanging there on its own and growing.

The watermelon reminds me of so many life situations. Isn’t it interesting that when you take time to observe nature, God presents us with so many life lessons.

So many times, we think, boy we just can’t hang on. Why are we hanging out here all by ourselves? Why isn’t anyone helping us?

Yet, when it comes right down to it…We have been outfitted with enough strength. We are capable of figuring it out. We are strong enough. We are enough.

So for those items in your life, where you are wondering if you have enough strength. Remember God gives us the strength if we believe. Praying for you and those areas in your life where you need strength.

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

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.

Green Beans – Like the lettuce, this crop really took a jump in reaching maturity after a drink of water from Mother Nature. We have more if you are interested in freezing or canning some. Let us know if you need some dill to make green bean pickles.

Dragon Tongue Beans

Dragon Tongue Beans – This beautiful and unique crop ads variety to any dish whether you eat them raw or cooked. Learn more here.

Dark Red Beets – Some of our shareholders like to cut these up and eat these raw in their salads. Try them raw, peeled and dip them in peanut butter. `Learn more about their nutrition here.

Black Seeded Simpson Mix – The rain we had really helped give this crop a boost.

Broccoli – Enjoy some broccoli in this week’s vegetable array.

Cucumbers – The cucumbers are having a wacky growing cycle with our drought. They loved the rain, and we have a flush of new cucumbers. Plenty for canning. Here’s an interesting link on their nutritional value.

Kohlrabi – I simply eat these peeled and cut up like an apple with some peanut butter. Here are some recipe ideas and additional information on this vegetable from Taste of Home.

Peppers – Holy Sweet Peppers. We have many! Let us know if you need more next week for making stuffed peppers or other dishes. Here are some pepper recipe ideas from Martha Stewart or if you want to know more about freezing peppers, this is a helpful link.

Yukon Gold potatoes

Potatoes – Yukon Golds or Red Norlands are in your box this week. Watch potato harvest here on America’s Heartland.

Summer Squash – This Summer Rise and Shine hybrid squash has a  rich buttery flavor. The other is the miniature Peter Pan scalloped squash with a sweet flavor. Use either of these in place of zucchini. Here are some ideas to use it from Pioneer Woman.

Super Sugar Snap Peas – Yum! Eat these raw in the pods, dip in Ranch dressing or use in stir fry. One of our favorite summer vegetables is in your boxes this week. A new crop is nearly ready.

Sweet Corn

Sweet Corn – A big shout out to our neighbors FarGaze Farms for the delicious sweet corn in our boxes.

Tomatoes –In your boxes this week are Napa Valley cherry tomatoes, Sun Gold cherry tomatoes and 4th of July tomatoes. Watch for a flush of them for canning and freezing.

Zucchini –So many wonderful ways to use Zucchini. Try this zucchini mock apple pie square recipe.

Fresh cut arrangement – Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas

Recipe of the Week

To be honest, in this heat, all I can think about is cook it on the grill or eat the items raw in a salad. There are many times where my salad doesn’t include lettuce. I just simply cut up a number of the raw vegetables add some type of nuts or other salad like items such as cheese or dressing.

Embrace the Time
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Embrace the Time

How can it already be August? Am I the only one that is wondering what happened to the other two months in our summer? Well, while I know I cannot get that time back, I recognize the importance of reflecting on the memories and remembering the memories made and lessons learned.

Sometimes, I am so busy living life and making memories that reflection on these moments doesn’t happen nearly often enough. I find that my time in the garden weeding, tying up tomatoes, insect scouting etc. provide me the quite time needed to reflect on what has happened and what is to come. It is a time to self-reflect, set goals and look ahead.

I encourage you not to be anxious about how quickly August will pass us by. Rather find time to embrace the time and find your space to soak it all in. You never know what will be unveiled.

Look what I found when I was weeding. Watermelon and many more are growing!

“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34

Garden Science

Squash bugs primarily attack squash and pumpkins, although they can also attack other plants in the cucurbit family, such as cucumbers. Learn more from the University of Minnesota Extension.

Squash Bugs

Squash bugs primarily attack squash and pumpkins, although they can also attack other plants in the cucurbit family, such as cucumbers. They can be a real nuisance!

Learn more about squash bugs from the University of Minnesota Extension.

 

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.

Jade Green Beans

Green Beans – Like the lettuce, this crop really took a jump in reaching maturity after a drink of water from Mother Nature. We have more if you are interested in freezing or canning some. Let us know if you need some dill to make green bean pickles.

Dark Red Beets – Some of our shareholders like to cut these up and eat these raw in their salads. I peeled off the skin before cooking them this week and that worked well. Learn more about their nutrition here.

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce

Black Seeded Simpson Mix – The rain we had last week really helped give this crop a boost.

Broccoli – Enjoy fresh, on the grill or try the this salad.

Cauliflower – We tried an experiment this season to try to alleviate the insect pressure on cauliflower. We planted marigolds throughout that area. Marigolds are like a natural insecticide. While it helped, I think more marigolds would be the ticket. Even though it is warm, if you need some comfort food give this recipe a try.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers – The cucumbers are having a wacky growing cycle with our drought. There are not a lot of cucumbers growing. It appears the plant is preserving itself vs. producing cucumbers. Here’s an interesting link on their nutritional value.

Kohlrabi – I simply eat these peeled and cut up like an apple with some peanut butter. Here are some recipe ideas and additional information on this vegetable from Taste of Home.

Sweet peppers

Peppers – Holy Sweet Peppers. We have many! Let us know if you need more next week for making stuffed peppers or other dishes. Here are some pepper recipe ideas from Martha Stewart.

Radishes – While this is a young new crop, it did grow through the 100 degree week. So watch out for holy hotness. Here are some radish recipes from Martha Stewart.

When properly pollinated and fertilized, the female flowers develop into the squash.

Summer Squash – Try the Summer Squash soup below or use the summer squash like you would use Zucchini. Check out the recipe below.

Super Sugar Snap Peas

Super Sugar Snap Peas – Yum! Eat these raw in the pods, dip in Ranch dressing or use in stir fry. One of our favorite summer vegetables is in your boxes this week.

Tomatoes – There are plenty of green tomatoes. If you would like green tomatoes, let us know. Otherwise, they should be ripening soon.

Turnips – Are you wondering what to do with the large white bulb like vegetable. This crazy root vegetable is thriving in this dry weather. Like you, I too am trying to find ways to use turnips. Remember, you can also use the leaves of this vegetable. Learn more about the nutrition here. Here are a few turnip recipe ideas from Taste of Home.

Zucchini –So many wonderful ways to use Zucchini. Try this zucchini mock apple pie square recipe.

Flower Arrangements

Fresh cut arrangement – Sunflowers, Rudebeckia, Hydrangeas and  Zinnia.

 

Recipe of the Week

Summer Squash Soup – a delicious option for this vegetable. I also will place extra in muffin tins and freeze. Once frozen, I will remove from the tin and place in a labeled container to use for a quick meal.

Yellow Summer Squash Soup

2 large sweet onions, chopped

1 medium leek (white portion only), chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

6 medium yellow summer squash, seeded and cubed (about 6 cups)

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

4 fresh thyme sprigs

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

  1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and leek; cook and stir until crisp-tender, 5 minutes. Add squash; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Stir in broth, thyme and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until squash is tender, 15-20 minutes.
  2. Discard thyme sprigs. Cool slightly. In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return all to the pan. Stir in lemon juice and hot pepper sauce; heat through. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and lemon zest.

Source: Taste of Home

Feeling overwhelmed with garden produce?
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Feeling overwhelmed with garden produce?

Wow! The boxes have been heavy the last few weeks. They will continue to be overflowing until the end of September if the weather cooperates. With school starting and schedules changing, this can be overwhelming. Yet, if you can make a little time every so often, these items can continue to feed your family for several weeks into the winter. So, I started thinking about how I would use the produce if I were a shareholder and what might be helpful to you.

  • Quite a bit of the produce we eat plain such as cucumbers, green beans, peas, beets and spinach/lettuce mix. Often times, I make a salad at noon and incorporate many of these vegetables.
  • Or for my noon lunch, I will make a lettuce, tomato and cucumber sandwich. I love bacon…I just don’t have time to make it.
  • I find myself eating kohlrabi and carrots with peanut butter for a snack.
  • I bake a variety of zucchini items, and they disappear fast around teenagers. I also found that I really enjoy Laura’s mom’s Zucchini hotdish.

We try to preserve many of these items for use throughout the year.

  • We can tomatoes for salsa or tomato juice. The juice is eventually made into tomato sauce for spaghetti or pizza.
  • I freeze tomatoes for vegetable soup or chili.
  • When I cook carrots to go with a meal, I will cook extra and then puree the extra in a blender, freeze in ice cube trays and then add a cube or two of carrots to my homemade tomato sauce when I make spaghetti or pizza.
  • I cut up my onions and peppers with my Pampered Chef chopper and freeze them to add quickly to a meal throughout the year.
  • We store potatoes in a cool, dark place and eat them throughout the winter. I also am a true Scandinavian and could eat potatoes with every meal.
  • When the winter squash arrives, I will load up my oven with winter squash. Cook about 9-12 at a time. After I have made them…I will freeze the squash in cupcake tins, pop the frozen squash out of the tins and store them in Ziploc bag in the freezer.
  • As for spaghetti squash, it ranks up there with the zucchini hotdish. Super healthy and light. We make it when we cook spaghetti and offer it as a choice for that meal.
  • Extra green beans are either frozen or canned.
  • When I have extra sweet corn leftover after a meal, I simply cut it off the cob, put it in a ziploc bag and put it in the freezer. Yes, that is all I do.

I know this may seem like a lot. I find if I carve out the needed time to preserve the produce, it helps me with meal preparation long-term. It is affordable, and it keeps us fed, healthy and happy. These outcomes make the extra effort worth it! For now, take a deep breath. See what works for you. If all else fails, I’m sure there is a neighbor that would greatly appreciate some fresh produce!

Garden Science

Did you know that harvest lettuce and spinach by cutting the leaves and more leaves grow back for several weeks per crop? So if you have seen a leaf that looks like it may have been cut. You are right. It was cut in half the week before and has grown more since then.

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.

Spinach/Black Seeded Simpson/Red Oak Leaf Mix – You will notice that there has been insect pressure on the spinach eating small holes in some of the leaves after we received the rain.

Green Beans – This is our final round of green beans. Think about ways to preserve them so your family can enjoy them this winter. Check out this green bean soup from Hearty Sol.

Super Sugar Snap Peas – I’m hoping for another week of peas. Enjoy!

Carrots –You may notice a few carrots where the potato fork may have broken them off in digging. Learn how we get baby carrots in the grocery store on America’s Heartland.

Dark Red Beets – Learn more about the health benefits of eating beats from the Mayo Clinic. This is an interesting resource from NDSU Extension.

Cucumbers – These cucumbers renewed their production after the last few rains. Let us know if you would like to make pickles and would like dill. Here is a recipe from Pioneer Woman.

Red Norland

Potatoes – Red Norlands are great for mashed potatoes. Check out this week’s recipe below for potato bread.

Tomatoes – Fourth of July and Sun Gold Hybrid cherry tomatoes this week. Let us know if you would like some for canning.

Onion – Cut up and freeze your onion to add quickly to a meal that you are making.

Peppers – A variety from sweet to mild to hot! The variety of peppers this week primarily are yummy pepper, carnival blend and jungle pepper.

Purple Kohlrabi – love the color.

Kohlrabi – This vegetable can be peeled and cut finely and added to hot dishes or cut like an apple and eaten raw plain or with peanut butter.

Eggplant – Learn how to use this vegetable here.

Sweet Corn – Thank you to our neighbors FarGaze Farms for this week’s delicious sweet corn.

Zucchini – So many wonderful ways to use Zucchini. Check out these interesting facts about this vegetable on LiveStrong. Try this pasta primavera recipe from Martha Stewart.

Summer Squash – Check out these recipes from Farm Flavor.

Fresh cut arrangement – Hydrangeas and Zinnias.

Recipe of the Week

Potato Bread – a recipe favorite discovered when I took the 4-H breads project.

Potato Bread

1 package of active dry yeast

1/4 cup of war water

***

1/2 cup mashed potatoes

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup milk, scalded (link to how to scald milk)

1 egg

4 – 4 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Soften yeast in warm water (to speed up the yeast add about 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and stir in). Allow the yeast to begin to rise (fun science experiment with the kids). In a separate bowl combine hot potatoes, shortening, sugar, salt, and scalded milk. Cool to lukewarm

Add softened yeast and egg. Stir. Stir in 2 cups of flour. Stir in remaining flour or enough to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (about 6 minutes). Here are two links one to show you how to knead by hand and the other with your stand mixer and dough hook.

Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease both sides of your bread. Cover with Saran Wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise until double. About 1 hour. Punch the bread down. Shape in ball, Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Shape into rolls, place on greased baking sheet. Let rise until double (about 1 hour). Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

Note: To Make herb bread add with dry ingredients: ¼ teaspoon of each of the following: marjoram, oregano, thyme and garlic powder and add 1 tablespoon of finely cut onion.

Surprising Abundance
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Surprising Abundance

It is that time of year again. We are surprised by the abundance of produce, and the rate at which it is maturing. Once we remember that it is the end of August, it seems somewhat logical. Each growing season is different, and therefore creates outcomes that don’t always align with the previous year.

I know it can feel overwhelming. I encourage you to preserve this food. Freeze it, dry it or can it. This will not only help you with your pocketbook. It will also help make your meals simpler and faster during the craziness of the school year. Plus, it is always fun to pull out preserved garden produce for a hearty soup or hot dish in the cold of winter.

We are blessed to have this abundance and so if it is to much to consider the preservation. I bet it would make a neighbor or coworkers day to share it with them. Enjoy! The growing season will be over before we know it.

Garden Science

While many think of bees when discussing pollinators, butterflies also are an important pollinator.

Learn more about pollinators here.

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.

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce – One of my favorite garden crops. 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 and Oak Leaf Lettuce freshly cut each Wednesday. The cool thing about this crop is the leaves grow back.
Spinach can be harvested many times from the same crop. You cut the leaves off of the plant, and they grow back. So we get several harvests from one planting.

Spinach/Black Seeded Simpson/Red Oak Leaf Mix – You will notice that there has been insect pressure on the spinach eating small holes in some of the leaves after we received the rain.

Green Beans – The first crop of green beans are done. Another round will be upon us in a few weeks. Think about ways to preserve them so your family can enjoy them this winter. Check out these resources for freezing or canning.

Super Sugar Snap Peas

Super Sugar Snap Peas – Our last round of peas are ready for harvest. Enjoy!

Carrots – The carrot crop is looking good. It is so interesting to see how the root vegetables have been adapting to grow deeper to reach moisture. You may notice a few carrots where the potato fork may have broken them off in digging. Learn how we get baby carrots in the grocery store on America’s Heartland.

Dark Red Beets – Some of our shareholders like to cut these up and eat these raw in their salads. I enjoy cooking them, peeling off the skin and putting a little bit of butter on them. This is an interesting resource from NDSU Extension.

Cucumbers – The cucumbers have kicked production into high gear. Let us know if you would like to make pickles and would like dill. Here is a recipe from Pioneer Woman.

It is that time of year again. We are surprised by the abundance of produce, and the rate at which it is maturing. Once we remember that it is the end of August, it seems somewhat logical. Each growing season is different, and therefore creates outcomes that don’t always align with the previous year.
Kennebec Potatoes

Potatoes – Kennebecs this week make great baked potatoes!

Sun Gold Hybrid

Tomatoes – Fourth of July and Sun Gold Hybrid cherry tomatoes this week. Let us know if you would like some for canning.

Peppers – A variety from sweet to mild to hot!

Eggplant – Learn how to use this vegetable here.

Purple Cabbage – Martha Stewart’s favorite recipes here.

Zucchini – So many wonderful ways to use Zucchini. Try this pasta primavera recipe from Martha Stewart.

Summer Squash – Check out these recipes from Farm Flavor.

Fresh cut arrangement – Sunflowers and Zinnias.

Recipe of the Week

Simple Coleslaw

6 cups shredded cabbage (from about 1/2 head), a mix of red and green, if desired

2 cups julienned carrots (from about 4 medium carrots)

2/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

In a bowl, toss together cabbage, carrots, mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 1 day.

Source: Martha Stewart

Grateful
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Grateful

It’s that time of year when surprises appear in the garden. These surprises wouldn’t be possible if we hadn’t been blessed with some timely rains. We are extremely fortunate to have received them, and therefore, we feel grateful.

We are seeing watermelon, muskmelon, winter squash and pumpkins peaking through the canopy of leaves. In some ways, it has us excited for harvesting them, and in other ways, it has us feeling sad that it is a sign that summer is coming to a close sooner than we would like it too. Either way, we view all these things with a deep since of gratitude for all it takes to produce the bounty.

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
—William Arthur Ward

It is so exciting to se what is growing under the leaves.
Butternut squash

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.

Spinach/Black Seeded Simpson Mix – You will notice that there has been insect pressure on the spinach eating small holes in some of the leaves after we received the rain.

Jade Green Beans

Green Beans – The first crop of green beans are done. Another round will be upon us in a few weeks. Think about ways to preserve them so your family can enjoy them this winter. Check out these resources for freezing or canning.

Carrots

Carrots – The carrot crop is looking good. It is so interesting to see how the root vegetables have been adapting to grow deeper to reach moisture. Learn how we get baby carrots in the grocery store on America’s Heartland.

Dark Red Beets – Some of our shareholders like to cut these up and eat these raw in their salads. I enjoy cooking them, peeling off the skin and putting a little bit of butter on them. This is an interesting resource from NDSU Extension.

Cucumbers – The cucumbers have kicked production into high gear. Let us know if you would like to make pickles and would like dill. Here is a recipe from Pioneer Woman.

It’s that time of year when surprises appear in the garden. These surprises wouldn’t be possible if we hadn’t been blessed with some timely rains. We are extremely fortunate to have received them, and therefore, we feel grateful.
Purple Onion

Purple onions – I always cut my onions up and freeze them so it speeds up meal preparation.

Potatoes – Red Norland potatoes are good as boiled or mashed potatoes. Learn more about how potatoes are grown here.

Fourth of July Tomatoes
Sun Gold Hybrid Tomato
Napa Grape Hybrid Tomato

Tomatoes – Fourth of July and Sun Gold Hybrid cherry tomatoes this week.

Peppers – A variety from sweet to mild to hot!

Eggplant and peppers

Eggplant – Learn how to use this vegetable here.

Sweet Corn – Thank you to our neighbors Far-Gaze Farms for this week’s sweet corn.

Zucchini – So many wonderful ways to use Zucchini. Try this pasta primavera recipe from Martha Stewart.

Summer Squash – Check out these recipes from Farm Flavor.

Fresh cut arrangement – Sunflowers and Zinnias.

Zinnia
Sunflower

Recipe of the Week

Yellow Summer Squash Soup

1 large sweet onions, chopped

1 small leek (white portion only), chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 medium yellow summer squash, seeded and cubed (about 3 cups)

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 fresh thyme sprigs

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

dash teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/2 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and leek; cook and stir until crisp-tender, 5 minutes. Add squash; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Stir in broth, thyme and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until squash is tender, 15-20 minutes.

2. Discard thyme sprigs. Cool slightly. In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return all to the pan. Stir in lemon juice and hot pepper sauce; heat through. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and lemon zest.

Note: I cut this recipe in 1/2 for 4 servings. A size I thought is good to go with a sandwich or to try.

Source: Taste of Home

Soak up the Moments
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Soak up the Moments

Life passes us by so quickly. So many times in the rush of life, we forget to sit back and tell ourselves to soak it all in. Remember this moment. There are so many times this summer where I have stepped back and did exactly that. Primarily, it has been after Sam has begged me to go fishing for yet another day.

There have been other moments like watching the boys play baseball to watching them have the fair in person and showing their pigs to watching the sunset. Even the moments working outside together like our 20 min power break weeding sessions with timer and music in hand or simply good conversation.

I encourage you to take time, soak in those precious moments with those around you, be present and take those snapshots in your mind to hold close to your heart.

“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34

Garden Science

Squash bugs primarily attack squash and pumpkins, although they can also attack other plants in the cucurbit family, such as cucumbers.
Squash bugs are appearing in great numbers. We will be monitoring them and whether we will need to an insecticide to control them from damaging the pumpkins and squash.

Learn more about squash bugs from the University of Minnesota Extension.

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.

Spinach/Black Seeded Simpson Mix – The rain really helped with both the insect pressure and overall growth.

Green Beans – The first crop of green beans are nearing the end. I’d encourage you to consider freezing or canning some for this fall. Let us know if you need some dill to make green bean pickles.

Dragon Tongue Beans

Dragon Tongue Beans – The Dragon Tongue bean can be utilized at multiple stages of maturity. When harvested young the entire bean, shell and seeds are edible. When cooked, the bean will lose its variegated colors. If allowed to mature fully the stripes on the bean will turn to a deep red color and the internal seeds of the bean pod can be shelled and used as is or left in their pods to dry then used as a dried bean.

Carrots – The carrot crop is plentiful. It is so interesting to see how the root vegetables have been adapting to grow deeper to reach moisture. Learn how we get baby carrots in the grocery store on America’s Heartland.

Eggplant – Boy is this a bountiful crop this year. Let us know if you like eggplant!

Dark Red Beets – Some of our shareholders like to cut these up and eat these raw in their salads. I peeled off the skin before cooking them this week and that worked well. Learn more about their nutrition here.

Cucumbers
Did you know that when we harvest cucumbers that they have small spikes on them? Cucumbers may have become spiny for the same reason that some animals are camouflaged or have horns…to protect themselves from predators.

Cucumbers – The cucumbers have kicked production into high gear. Let us know if you would like to make pickles. We do have dill that you could use. Here’s an interesting link on their nutritional value.

Potatoes – Red Norland potatoes are good as boiled or mashed potatoes.

Tomatoes – Fourth of July and the cherry tomatoes are Napa grape and Sun Gold Hybrid.

Zucchini –So many wonderful ways to use Zucchini. Try this zucchini mock apple pie square recipe.

Summer Squash – I had completely forgot about Summer Squash soup…another great way to use this vegetable. Check out the recipe below.

Fresh cut arrangement – Sunflowers and Zinnia.

Recipe of the Week

Yellow Summer Squash Soup

2 large sweet onions, chopped

1 medium leek (white portion only), chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

6 medium yellow summer squash, seeded and cubed (about 6 cups)

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

4 fresh thyme sprigs

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and leek; cook and stir until crisp-tender, 5 minutes. Add squash; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Stir in broth, thyme and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until squash is tender, 15-20 minutes.

2. Discard thyme sprigs. Cool slightly. In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return all to the pan. Stir in lemon juice and hot pepper sauce; heat through. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and lemon zest.

Source: Taste of Home

Harvest Contests
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Harvest Contests

I always enjoy harvesting vegetables because it feels like a treasure hunt. Who doesn’t enjoy a good treasure hunt full of surprises and unexpected rewards? Yet, harvesting vegetables when you have a few other projects to complete, or you simply want to rest can be a challenging chore.

Sam and Steve have found a fun way to accomplish this task by having different types of contests. This week, it was seeing who could find the longest green bean. I believe this heated contest ended in a tie with both harvesting eight-inch-long green beans. We also find ourselves making a game out of harvesting zucchini and cucumbers…resembling catch and quick hands.

Finding Joy in the small, simple items in life can bring peace to the craziness that life presents.

See the world through the eyes of your inner child. The eyes that sparkle in awe and amazement as they see love, magic and mystery in the most ordinary things. – Henna Sohail

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.

Spinach/Red Oak Lettuce/Black Seeded Simpson Mix – The dry weather has put pressure on the crops that were planted mid-June. We are grateful for the rain we received last night. You will notice that there has been insect pressure on the spinach eating small holes in some of the leaves.

Green Beans – The green beans are plentiful. I’d encourage you to consider freezing or canning some for this fall. Learn more about green bean production from America’s Heartland here.

Carrot tops
Carrots are a wonderful root vegetable. Place in your refrigerator and eat raw or cooked.

Carrots – The carrot crop is progressing. It is so interesting to see how the root vegetables have been adapting to grow deeper to reach moisture. Learn how we get baby carrots in the grocery store on America’s Heartland.

Radishes – This crop has been long lasting this year. Wash, cut off the tops and also the bottoms, slice and enjoy in salads or put in hot dishes. Some enjoy dipping in salt. Some radish recipes from Taste of Home.

Dark Red Beets – Some of our shareholders like to cut these up and eat these raw in their salads. I enjoy cooking them, peeling off the skin and putting a little bit of butter on them. This is an interesting resource from NDSU Extension.

Cucumbers – The cucumbers have kicked production into high gear. Let us know if you would like to make pickles. We do have dill that you could use.

Potatoes – Red Norland potatoes are good as boiled or mashed potatoes. Learn more about how potatoes are grown here.

Sun Gold Hybrid tomatoes
Fourth of July tomatoes

Tomatoes – Fourth of July and Sun Gold Hybrid cherry tomatoes this week.

Onions – yellow onions

Sunburst Hybrid Summer Squash

Zucchini –So many wonderful ways to use Zucchini. Try this pasta primavera recipe from Martha Stewart.

Fresh cut arrangement – Sunflowers and Zinnia.

Recipe of the Week

Zucchini Cobbler

8 cups chopped seeded peeled zucchini (about 3 pounds untrimmed)

2/3 cup lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

CRUST:

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1-1/2 cups cold butter, cubed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, cook and stir zucchini and lemon juice until zucchini is tender, 15-20 minutes. Stir in sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; cook 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir 1/2 cup into zucchini mixture. Press half the remaining crust mixture into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Spread zucchini mixture over top; crumble remaining crust mixture over zucchini. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

3. Bake until golden and bubbly, 35-40 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Source: Taste of Home

Why 4-H?
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Why 4-H?

This week is fair week. If you have never shown at the fair or had family members that have shown, let me paint a picture for you. The house and laundry are chaos. Meals are served in the barn. Tension is very high, and sleep deprivation is present. Families learn to navigate and operate together under high stress situations. Many wonder, why do you do this?

Fair week is where 4-H projects outcomes become a realization. We watch children grow and achieve personal growth that they didn’t know was possible. 4-Hers learn, fail, succeed, face challenges and grow in a safe environment.

Our boys bring both general projects and livestock projects to the fair. On Monday, they bring in general projects from shop to foods to photography to gardening to safety to so much more! 4-H isn’t just for farm kids, it is for everyone.

Keith’s 4-H vegetable box ready for judging.
Sam received grand champion giant vegetable with his zucchini. Keith received grand champion vegetable box.

I ask the boys to do general projects because general projects are life skills in action, developing new skillsets, exploring new areas and visiting with an adult judge explaining all they have learned. While the judging might appear nerve racking, the boys both enjoy visiting with the judge about their projects and sharing their knowledge.

Livestock projects develop different skill sets including growing their knowledge of agriculture and developing an understanding and passion for feeding people. Thinking of others, putting people first while being compassionate caretakers for animals. Not to many people can say that they enjoy working with a nearly 300 pound animal…their pig.

Why are 4-H projects judged? To Make the Best Better. Each 4-H project allows youth to reflect on new goals they can set, new ways to challenge themselves and to foster a growth mindset towards a positive perspective.

4-H provides an opportunity to network and learn from others, cultivate communication and leadership skills, and provides unique situations to develop lifelong skill sets.

The 4-H Pledge

I PLEDGE my HEAD to clearer thinking,
my HEART to greater loyalty,
my HANDS to larger service,
and my HEALTH to better living,
for my family, my club, my community, my country and my world.

I encourage you to support our youth and encourage them to be involved in 4-H. 4-H helps us to grow and develop our future leaders for our communities. We all know we need good leaders. Our youth our worth our time and investment.

Why do we stretch ourselves thin on fair week and with our involvement in 4-H? Our kids are our why. Our kids our worth our time and investment. The future of our communities and all areas that need leadership are worth it. Learn more at your county Extension office or search 4-H in your state.

Garden Science

These beetles are eating the flowers and other plants. Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) were first found in the United States in 1916, after being accidentally introduced into New Jersey. Until that time, this insect was restricted to Japan where it is not a major pest. This pest is considered to be an invasive species. It is now found throughout the eastern U.S., except for Florida, and continues to move westward.

Learn more at University of Minnesota Extension.

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.

Super Sugar Snap Peas – This garden favorite is producing like crazy. It is hard to keep up. The second crop of peas was planted mid-June. Due to the dry weather, it has been slower growing. While I love to just eat these peas fresh. Here are a few ideas from Taste of Home for additional ways to use them.

Green Beans growing on the plant.

Green Beans – Learn more about green bean production from America’s Heartland here.

Radishes – Wash, cut off the tops and also the bottoms, slice and enjoy in salads. Some enjoy dipping in salt. Some radish recipes from Taste of Home.

Dark Red Beets – Some of our shareholders like to cut these up and eat these raw in their salads. This is an interesting resource from NDSU Extension.

Carrots – First round of carrots. More to come!

Cucumbers – The first cucumbers of the season. Here is a simple cucumber salad recipe from Martha Stewart.

You have small new Kennebec potatoes in your box. If you have a few red ones they are Norlands.

Potatoes – Kennebec potatoes good for baked potatoes. Learn more here.

Zucchini – The first of the season. So many wonderful ways to use Zucchini. I have posted

Fresh cut flowers

Fresh cut arrangement – Hydrangeas, Sunflowers and Zinnia.

Recipe of the Week

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Fudgy Zucchini Brownies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup baking cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded zucchini

1-1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, combine the zucchini, sugar and oil; stir into dry ingredients until blended. Stir in walnuts and vanilla.

2. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

3. In a large saucepan, melt butter; stir in sugar and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook and stir 1 minute or until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in chips and marshmallows until melted and smooth; add vanilla. Spread over brownies. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired.

Source: Taste of Home