Welcome new members, Cheryl, Siying, Magdalene, and Linda!
We're having lots of fun on the farm these days. Talking with crew member Brenny today, I told him how much fun I was having picking tomatoes... for the first time. We laughed because sooner or later, it's just not fun anymore! As Brenny staked tomatoes, and Adi and Hannah tied them up, we talked about the changing of seasons. We're still in the planting and preparation phase, believe it or not, but eventually, as Brenny explained, we'll be harvesting all day every day. All days are physically exhausting on our crew, but those days become monotonous. We are so thankful that we have a crew that stays so positive in the heat, the cold, the blistering sun, the pouring rain, day in and day out.
Speaking of those first tomatoes, we're having another giveaway this week! 6 lucky members each pickup/delivery day will receive a very small offering of sungold tomatoes. This is our first year growing them, and let's just say, they are like candy! We can't wait until there are enough tomatoes for everyone. Who's feeling lucky about "hitting the jackpot" and "striking gold" this week?!
I did a really fun tour of our Booth Hill property this week. Seeing our Waverly Rd. property is less than half of the story. It houses our tractors, greenhouse, store and our own home, but we only grow 6 out of 20 acres of vegetables there. "Booth Hill," as we call it, is a hidden gem, and we wanted you all to see the magic there too.
All-Star Member Whitney has been with us for years, and graciously accepted our request to film herself unbagging her share last week. I thought that it would be beneficial to hear her talk through her storage tips and first impressions. Every week I've been filming myself, but I don't have the same perspective that you all do, as members. Thank you, Whitney!
There is no garlic in the shares this week, but I wanted to share this video of Amanda & Frannie cleaning up our first garlic harvest. This will give you a little bit more information about how we grow and store it, as well as how to select the best heads of garlic. There will probably be garlic in your shares later in the summer as it dries out, but we mostly save it for the fall shares.
We're having a sale on pickling cucumbers! This will probably be an on-going discounted price opportunity, but it will have to be on a pre-order basis so we can regulate inventory. $25 for 25 lbs. will yield approximately 25 quarts. This is the link to order and below that is the link to my July 13th blog post that goes more in-depth into pickling, recipes, etc.
Here are a few more photos from the week, including our first harvest of onions, and a tribute to the founder of Laurel Glen Farm, John Rogowski, whose birthday was last week. Uncle Pete, his son, is the reason we now operate Laurel Glen Farm, and his birthday was on July 11th. Happy birthday to the both of them.
If you want to visit us at markets, here's our line-up: Trumbull Farmers' Market - Thursdays from 4 to 7
Monroe Farmers' Market - Fridays from 3 to 6 (Online pre-orders from 5-6 too)
Shelton Farmers' Market - Saturdays from 9 to 12
There are some new items in your shares this week, including kohlrabi, cabbage, and beets, and basil and onions for large shareholders. Biweekly A members will get their share of radicchio this week, too.
Please don't forget to bring your reusable bags. The CT Bag Tax is back, and unfortunately we need to start charging $0.10 per plastic bag used.
Spotlight on Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi may look like an alien life form, but it is actually a delicious member of the cabbage family. Kohlrabi in German means “cabbage turnip” and the vegetable is popular in Eastern European countries. Some say it tastes like a radish without the spiciness, an apple, or a turnip-y potato. If you like broccoli, especially the stem, you are bound to like kohlrabi, too. We have grown both green and purple varieties at Laurel Glen Farm. Kohlrabi is high in vitamin C, fiber, B vitamins, and potassium. You can eat the root and leaves. When you cook with kohlrabi, peel the outer skin, as you would a potato. Snap the leaves off of the bulb and store them separately to ensure that they both stay fresh for as long as possible. For recipe ideas, try making kohlrabi chips, slaw, home fries, or a soup. Or simply enjoy raw, dipped in hummus. We love it on white pizza - dice it, then sauté it in olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper, top it on pizza, and cover with cheese. It ends up being really sweet!
A Message from Randy:
The Uncrating:
Contents (In approximate order from shortest shelf life to longest):
Small:
1 head of radicchio
1 lb. of cucumbers
1 lb. of zucchini
1 bunch of beets
2 kohlrabi
1 head of cabbage
Large:
1 bunch of basil
1 head of radicchio
1 lb. of cucumbers
1 lb. of zucchini
1 bunch of beets
3 kohlrabi
1 bunch of onions
1 head of cabbage
Caring For Your Share:
Snip the ends off of the basil and keep the bunch in a glass of water like a vase. Keep it out of the fridge to prevent it from getting brown. You will want to use it ASAP.
Remove the greens from the beets and kohlrabi ASAP (yes, you can use them!) and store both in a Ziploc bag separately so they don't get soft.
Store the onions, zucchini and cucumbers in the fridge as is. Wash when ready to use. Use the greens from the onions within a few days to ensure freshness.
Store the heads of radicchio and cabbage in the fridge (leave the outer leaves on to prevent the inner leaves from wilting). Remove outer leaves from the head when ready to wash and use.
LGF Cooking Club:
This week, I'm inspired by the Dudas, who shared a similar recipe on our Facebook page for a skillet kielbasa dish. (By the way, Happy 30th Anniversary to you two!) This is one of our absolute FAVORITE things to do with cabbage: https://www.thekitchn.com/kielbasa-cabbage-skillet-22997419
Kohlrabi and Cabbage Slaw: http://dishingupthedirt.com/recipes/kohlrabi-cabbage-slaw-tahini-lemon-dressing/ Or, try a Crunchy Beet and Kohlrabi Salad: https://theforkedspoon.com/refreshing-kohlrabi-beetroot-and-apple-salad-with-feta-and-lime/
We did this last weekend: Grilled Radicchio (top with a balsamic reduction or ranch dressing):
Don't let the word "Fall" in this blog post scare you; this Radicchio Salad with Green Olives and Parmesan is perfect for summer: https://www.thekitchn.com/fall-salad-recipe-radicchio-salad-with-green-olives-amp-parmesan-178017
So refreshing. Cucumber-Basil Agua Fresca: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cucumber-basil-agua-fresca-56389827
I've shared this in the past, but I just bought some more coconut milk to have on-hand because it's classic to make this dish with any greens, and we've got kohlrabi and beet greens this week:
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/aromatic-wilted-greens-with-coconut-milk
Cooking Tip(s) of the Week:
How to Clean Radicchio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrbiSfiLbq8 How to Grate Zucchini Without a Food Processor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyr4zp0-IIM Large share recipients are receiving basil this week, but did you know there are different methods for storing herbs depending on the type? Read about it here: https://lexiscleankitchen.com/how-to-store-fresh-herbs/
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