CSA Week 6: hot, dry, hot, dry, hot, dry, hot, dry. and hot. and dry

What's in Your Share This Week? Lots more favorites you have already had (and some people already requested more of!):

Baby Salad Mix: just keeps on coming! This may turn out to be the Year of the Salad, despite the weather. (I've got one word for you, heat wave: sprinkler)

Carrots- either the fatter, shorter Mokum, or the longer, skinnier Sugarsnax (no, I'm not kidding; that's its name) What's your favorite so far?


Beets- either pink Chioggia (bullseye pattern inside), or Red Ace, or Golden (orange with yellow flesh)- be sure to try all beets roasted sometime this summer! Coat a whole beetroot with olive oil, wrap in foil, put in a closed grill that's already going, or in your oven/toaster oven, for about an hour at a med-hot temperature- something between 375 and 475.

Kale! Or possibly Braising Mix (a mix of young kales, chards, mustards, Asian greens, beet greens, and/or pea shoots- perfect for a quick stir-fry or saute, enjoy with anything you like) I like to cut kale into tiny, skinny ribbons (called "chiffonade" in culinary terms) and toss with anything I'm cooking - noodles, rice, couscous, soup, etc- just toss the kale ribbons in, and the residual heat will wilt and tenderize them without really cooking. yum.

Basil! More sweet basil from the hoophouse- enough to make a small batch of pesto (perhaps to toss with noodles and kale?) or enjoy with Thai noodles, whole, on pizza, or perhaps a Caprese salad is in your future....

Fresh Garlic! We're nearly to the Big Garlic Harvest- we're looking at next Tuesday afternoon/evening during CSA pick-up and followed by a potluck. How does Tues the 24th from 3-6 p.m. sound? Come for an hour or the entire time, stay after for a potluck with fellow CSA members, farm friends, and your farmers.

PEAS- may be the last pea harvest :( This hot, dry weather is exactly what peas don't like- it's slowing them down dramatically. We may see a resurgence if we get a cool spell, but this may be our last pea week. Enjoy the sweetness while it lasts.

And last but not least, could it possibly be time for cherry tomatoes from the hoophouse??? We'll see... there are definitely enough to snack on at CSA pick-up; soon you'll see them in your shares too!