CSA Harvest #12

The colors and tastes of summer can be experienced in your basket this week. Finally so many of the crops that we have had our doubts would produce anything have finally started to come alive and decide to grow and produce something edible for us all. The corn is tasseling (finally!) Neon purple eggplant are appearing and we will harvest the first ripe melons tomorrow! A true sign that summer is upon us.

This week and last week we have been busy getting many of the fall crops planted. More broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kohlrabi, cilantro, baby greens, radishes and turnips. Soon as the days shorten and turn cool again it will be too late to start more things so we take advantage now of our warm days to get things to grow!

Also on the farm we are doing our big onion harvest. When we see the tops of the onion leaves start to turn brown and die back we know that the onion bulbs are done growing and it is time to stop irrigating them and let them start drying to cure for storage. We grow lots of onions (perhaps too much!) but we figured that onions were a staple that many of you use to cook your meals plus the onions can be stored for many months once cured and added to your baskets over a long period of time.
This week in your basket you will find a tremendous yellow onion, perhaps the biggest you have ever seen! This variety is an heirloom sweet variety called Alisa Craig.

Next week will be CSA harvest #13.. this means our halfway mark with 13 more weeks to go. It also means for some of you that the second half of your payment is due. If you are unsure of your balance please email us.

Also we hope you all can make it to our 4th annual Potluck/Farm Tour Sunday September 18th from 2-6pm. Please RSVP via email if you think you can make it!

Enjoy this week's bounty!

Suzie, Asinete, Tione, Grandma GG, M.A, Sally & Violet


Harvest This Week Includes:

Strawberries

Dill

Glacier and Oregon Spring Tomatoes

Summer Squash

Head Lettuce

Cucumbers

Cantaloupe (possibly on rotation) Small variety called Tasty Bites and larger Sarah's Choice.

Fennel Bulb

Beets

Alisa Craig Sweet Onion

Garlic

Yellow Wax and Haricot Vert green beans (half share this week)

Sungold Cherry Tomatoes (possibly on rotation.. hoping we can get more ripe ones on vine before delivery tomorrow!)

Raspberries (like cherry tomatoes possibly on rotation depending how many more ready to harvest in the am.)

How to Use it!

Roasted Beets with Dill

yield: Makes 6 servings

This simple side dish is even easier to prepare if you roast the beets the day before you plan to serve them.

Ingredients
2 pounds beets, trimmed (about 6 medium)
1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter (can use less and still tastes great!)
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
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Preparation Preheat oven to 400°F. Place beets in small roasting pan with 1/4 cup water. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake until beets are tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Peel beets. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Stir in dill and lemon juice. Add beets and toss until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl; serve.


Creamy Beet with Dill Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds raw beets, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large onion, cut into large dice
1 tablespoon butter
1 pinch sugar
3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
1 teaspoon toasted caraway seeds*
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth, homemade or from a carton or can
2 tablespoons fresh dill
1 1/2 cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Garnish: chopped hard-cooked egg

Directions
1.Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep saute pan until shimmering.
2.Add beets, then onion; saute, stirring very little at first, then more frequently, until squash start to turn golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
3.Reduce heat to low and add butter, sugar and garlic; continue cooking until all vegetables are a rich spotty caramel color, about 10 minutes longer.
4.Add caraway seeds and cayenne pepper; continue to saute until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer.
5.Add broth; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until beets are tender, about 10 minutes.
6.Using an immersion blender or traditional blender, puree (adding fresh dill) until very smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (If using a traditional blender, vent it either by removing the lid's pop-out center or by lifting one edge of the lid. Drape the blender canister with a kitchen towel. To 'clean' the canister, pour in a little half-and-half, blend briefly, then add to the soup.)
7.Return to pan (or a soup pot); add enough half-and-half so the mixture is soup like, yet thick enough to float garnish. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. Heat through, ladle into bowls, garnish and serve.
Footnotes

*To toast caraway seeds, heat 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds in a small skillet over medium-low heat until they start to gently pop and smell fragrant. Cool slightly, then crush with a rolling pin.