CSA Newsletter, July 18, Good Sam pick up

Chard

Sour Cherries – One basket, full to the brim. Those of you that enjoy making desserts will recognize these as Pie Cherries. They are usually considered a little tart for fresh eating, but are great for cooking or for recipes that need a little added zing. See below for ideas.

Kohlrabi – In preparing to till the bed for planting the next succession of crops, I realized that there were just enough kohlrabi left for one more share. Enjoy as this is truly the last until the fall.

Lettuce - There are several varieties to choose from, all of which are now familiar to you. Choose from Simpson Black Seeded, Buttercrunch, and Butterking.

Culinary Sage – Sage is one of my favorite herbs. I particularly like it in an omelet. I also love the fried sage leaves that are served each year at the Eco-Farm Conference. Unfortunately, they won’t give me the recipe. If you have one, I’d love to receive it.

Lavender – Did you get to attend the Oregon Lavender Festival last weekend? Here’s a bit of Lavender for you just in case you didn’t. While you can certainly enjoy it just for its scent, don’t forget that you can cook with it too. I use a recipe for Rosemary Chicken but substitute lavender for the rosemary. Be cautious who you serve it to though. It’s said that lavender is a powerful love potion.

Farm Life

This week we have launched a full scale assault on the thistle. I have hired a farm laborer who has spent the last several days in a weeding frenzy. He has finished the tomato beds. Today, he started working in the onions. By the time he gets through all of the beds once, it will be time to start over again.

Meanwhile, we are going to try some experiments to keep the weeds at bay. My step daughter came and helped out on the farm this week and weeded 50 feet of the summer squash. We are going to put down a layer of biodegradable cardboard in the area where she worked and cover it with a six inch layer of hay. Hopefully, the lack of sunlight will slow down the weed growth. And, in the fall, we will be able to till it all in, adding valuable organic matter to the soil.

Both the green and yellow zucchini are beginning to produce. The patty pan, yellow crookneck and others will follow shortly. The yellow beans have recovered from being grazed by the deer and are flowering again. You’ll see both the beans and summer squash in your shares in the coming weeks.

I have mentioned to you a couple of times now that you will be receiving fennel in your share. Unfortunately, the fennel has other ideas. Fennel is known as a very fickle crop to grow. It had been doing quite well, but then it stopped. I suspect because the nights have turned cool again. (It was in the upper 40’s here last night.) The result is that the fennel is not quite mature enough to harvest for your share.

Veggie of the Week

Your Veggie of the week is a fruit! Sour Cherries are usually used for making desserts. The amount included in your share should be enough for your favorite Cherry Tart recipe or a small cobbler.

If you’d like to try making a dessert but don’t have a favorite recipe, try this Southern Sour Cherry and Raspberry Cobbler

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1737,145172-247204,00.html

For those of you that are not dessert cooks, how about using them in drinks? Add them to your Fruit Smoothie for a little summer tartness, or try this recipe for Fizzy Sour Cherry Lemonade. This recipe can be made with or without alcohol.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_23286_,00.html

Looking for a recipe to impress a special someone? How about this recipe for Sour Cherry Soup? This soup is served chilled. The sour cream in the recipe tones down the tartness of the cherries. The soup could be your first course. A nice green salad with your lettuce could be the second. Perhaps “Lavender Grilled Chicken” for the third? Surely you will have won their heart by then!

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1748,148174-249207,00.html