Dear CSA Member
This is a very busy time on the farm. The harvest is now well underway but there are greenhouses full of seedlings needing to be transplanted for fall. Weeds are trying to make a hold and there is constant cultivation to keep them under control. It is hard to keep up with all that needs to be done day to day. It is also a wonderful time of year when months of work which was started in February is ready for harvest.
This is salad season. It comes and goes quickly so enjoy the greens of spring. The Romaine can be grilled, Lettuce Soup recipe is on the farm website and if you are invited to dinner or a party, volunteer to bring the salad! This week the lettuces are beautiful. The lettuce is mature but still sweet and tender. There are three different varieties: Romaine, Red Tide, and Buttercrunch. An addition to the salad is also Frisee Endive. Small very serrated leaves that are wonderful cut finely and added to a fresh salad. Red lettuces are always more tender so handle carefully.
Cylindra Beets with greens are a new addition to our varieties this year. They are a longer, thin beet a cylinder of beet. We started them early in the greenhouse to get an earlier harvest. The greens are as good as the beets. Remove the greens and cook separately as the cooking time is much shorter than the root. The roots will also keep longer in your refrigerator. If the roots on the bunch you take home are small the entire beet green and roots can be cooked at once. Most of the beets have a bit of size to them though.
Summer Spinach is a staple on the farm and the first delivery will come in your share this week. You could cook with the Beet Greens if you like. It seems a bit early but you may like to make a note on your calendar that the Fall Farm Festival will be help September 12 this year. It is a great day to share with family and other CSA members on the farm.
Marketplace items Honey, Maple, Coffee, Organic Dark Chocolate can be ordered any time up to the day before your CSA delivery and will be delivered with your CSA shares. We just received the Organic Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder from Grenada which is delicious.
Enjoy the Harvest
Deborah for everyone at Stoneledge Farm