Satina Potatoes

Well, this is the last year we are growing this variety. They seem to have low yields and this year, a lot of heart rot. So cut them open before cooking them. If there's a black spot or whole in the middle, it's safe to cut around it and use the rest of the potato. Sorry - we have no way to tell if they have this until they are cut open!

Satinas are a yellow-skinned, yellow-fleshed potato, normally quite tasty, similar to a Yukon Gold.

Roasting Chickens for sale

Mike and Amanda are butchering their first batch of roasting chickens next Thursday. Let them know if you are interested in any!

231-861-2535.

Arugula

Arugula is one of those greens you either like or don't like, BUT tastes can change. I like it much more now than I did 5 years ago. My favorite way to use it is shredded on top of homemade pizza!

Best way to keep celery

And yes, I should have found the time to tell you with the last bunch of it!

We leave all the leaves on as their flavor is superb. You should separate the leaves from the stalks so all the celery can be bagged. Wash it all well and store in ziplock bags in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. It can also be dried to use in the future. This is what I do for winter storage of it.

Our celery doesn't seem as good as in the past because, believe it or not, we have not gotten the heavy rains that have hit a little south of us. Celery thrives on water and mucky soils.

I think there will be one more bunch of it in the 20 week shares, plus some celeriac.

BASIL in BULK!

We have a lot of basil so if you would like some to make pesto, bring a bucket or cut off milk jug to stuff full. It freezes so easily, and stores that fresh basil flavor into winter.

Basil Pesto

Recipe courtesy Food Network Kitchens with additions by Patrice

Prep Time:

15 min

--

Level:

Easy

Serves:

1 cup

Ingredients

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, raw or toasted
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese

Directions

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

If freezing or storing in the refrigerator, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Use within 3-4 days or Freeze for up to 3 months. (I've had it remain good for a year!) Thaw and stir in cheese.

What are Heirloom Tomatoes?

An heirloom is generally considered to be a variety that has been passed down, through several generations of a family because of it's valued characteristics. In the past 40 years, we've lost many of our heirloom varieties, along with the many smaller family farms that supported heirlooms. The multitude of heirlooms that had adapted to survive well for hundreds of years were lost or replaced by fewer hybrid tomatoes, bred for their commercially attractive characteristics.

In the process we have also lost much of the ownership of foods typically grown by family gardeners and small farms, and we are loosing the genetic diversity at an accelerating and alarming rate.

Every heirloom variety is genetically unique and inherent in this uniqueness is an evolved resistance to pests and diseases and an adaptation to specific growing conditions and climates. With the reduction in genetic diversity, food production is drastically at risk from plant epidemics and infestation by pests. Call this genetic erosion.

It is up to us as gardeners and responsible stewards of the earth to assure that we sustain the diversity afforded us through heirloom varieties.

Beans for canning or freezing?

We have a lot of Green Beans right now. They are for sale to CSA members for $1.50 per lb - half off the normal price. Let us know if you are interested!

Hot weather crops

Are coming on strong. The melons are very early and of great quality! Let us know if there's ever a problem with ripeness. We do our best and try to only grow the varieties that are easier to pick.

Sweet corn is bountiful. We've been through the Spring Treat (2 different plantings) and are now picking the Tuxedo. Kandy Korn will be next week, and an old heirloom Silver Queen will be the last variety.

Tomatoes! No blight in sight! But we are having some trouble with blossom-end rot and splitting because of uneven rains and watering. The Heirlooms coming this week are Costulato Genovese, Prudens Purple, Kellogg's Breakfast, Old German, Cherokee Purple. One of the best sites to look at pictures of the different varieties and read about them is www.tomatofest.com. There are paste tomatoes, yellow slicers, red slicers and smaller cherry and oval tomatoes, too. Finally!

Thursday - Saturday shares are getting a Jenny Lind muskmelon. The flesh is light green and they have a turban-like blossom end, and are quite sweet.

Whew!

I haven't written anything here for awhile. We've been plugging away, doing a lot of picking and a lot of planting and maintenance. This is the time of year when we have to get seeds in if there's a hope of a late crop before frost and snow. More beans, carrots, lettuces, beets have all been seeded. And we are putting in flats and flats of brassica plants: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower. These are all cool-weather crops and can usually withstand a little cold weather.

Tomatoes are getting strung up every few days to keep them up off the ground and staked. They are starting to ripen more each day. We've had a lot of blossom end rot but no late blight! And the tomato worms are wreaking havoc. They are so gross.

What you are getting: still some early red varieties: Sophie's Choice, Belii Naliv, Siletz and others. The Glaciers and Yellow Taxis are done, tho more Taxis are coming. A few shares are getting an early heirloom Costoluto Genovese - red, smaller and ruffled. The red ovals are Juliets, one of my favorites for salads, drying or cooking. The little tomatoes are red Sprite (grape shape), Sungold (orange round), Principe Borgese (round red). We picked a few Kelloggs Breakfast (I think) and Cherokee Purple that had blemishes but were still good enough for lunch!