Pick List:
corn - tomatoes - cherry tomatoes with a sprinkle of husk cherries - cucumbers - red onion - watermelon - carmen peppers - yellow (wax) beans - parsley - ZINNIAS!
KITCHEN CSA:
Bread & Butter Pickles - Pesto
As this week progresses at Edgewater, we will see a very big drop in staffing. Our field crew of 11 will go down to 7, and I’m never sure about farmstand numbers, but I believe we will start to see folks heading out this week as well. Often, I am so swept up with the season and checking off lists and seeding and picking crops and weeding fields that I forget that to some here, this work is seasonal and it’s a Summer Job and there is college and travels to return to. It always happens, same time every year- the Cornish Fair comes and goes, the temperature drops ever so slightly, and these wonderful people we’ve been around every single day since June head back to school.
The field crew this year felt particularly great. We started the season short staffed, continued the season short staffed, and by the end of this week we will go back to really feeling short staffed BUT everyone showed up on time, ready to work, in good spirits, and there was zero drama. That’s really all we can ask for. So for those lovely people we’ve been hanging out with since June: Jaarsma, Gus, Petey, and Sandra- THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK. Without you, the blueberries would still be sitting on the branches, the strawberries would have turned to jam in the fields, and we would have all gotten a lot less sleep at night.
In other news this week: You know that feeling when you’re eyes are bigger than your plate? Well, that is exactly what happened with the husk cherry harvest. Husk cherries or ground cherries, are these delightful little golden cherry tomatoes that are protected by a paper-lantern-looking-husk. They are harvested once they have fallen to the ground. Bottomline, I LOVE HUSK CHERRIES. On Monday, during my weekly field walk I spied a quarter of a row dripping in lanterns! Forgetting how tiny and what a pain in the butt these things are to pick, i made a picklist for this week’s CSA including 2 bushels of husk cherries… , as you can see by the sprinkled husks on top of your cherry tomato pints, we only got ½ a bushel. Unfortunately for me, Roy bet me an entire chicken bacon ranch pizza that we would not get 2 bushels… He won by a long shot… Please savor every bite of this whimsical little fruit.
TIPS - TRICKS - RECIPES:
ISRAELI SALAD:
Growing up, this dish was a staple at my families kitchen table- and I’m always pumped for the week where we have ALL THE INGREDIENTS… Also noteworthy, it’s so damn easy to make, no wonder we had it every Friday night.
1 lb cucumbers, diced 1 lb fresh ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced.
1/3 cup minced onion (optional) 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley.
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice.
Salt to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp) optional (corn kernels!)
Bottomline here, chop and combine all ingredients to taste- Also noteworthy, it’s even better tasting the next day. For protein, this can be served with a hard boiled egg (1 per person) smashed into your own plate.
Smashed Cucumber Salad with Za'atar and Feta
2 cucumbers Kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, lightly smashed 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. za’atar or 1 Tbsp. dried mint and 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Crumbled feta (for serving)
Gently smash cucumbers with a rolling pin or the back of a heavy knife just to break open. Tear into irregular 2" pieces and place in a medium bowl; season lightly with salt. Let sit at least 5 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Meanwhile, cook garlic and oil in a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat, turning garlic once, until golden brown and very fragrant, 5–7 minutes. Add za’atar and red pepper flakes and remove from heat. Let cool until just warm and stir in lime juice; season dressing with salt. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Drain cucumbers, discarding any liquid they have released. Add to bowl with dressing and toss several times to coat. Top with feta.
YOU HAVE 1# OF YELLOW BEANS, IF YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON 2 MORE POUNDS (SAY AT YOUR FAVORITE FARMSTAND ON 12A), I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THESE PICKLES from the book, BATCH BY By Joel MacCharles, Dana Harrison
