What a glorious week of weather!  It feels more like spring than summer and we’ve all been wearing our sweaters around the farm on these chilly mornings. We’ve also welcomed a wonderful crew of local high school students who are picking all the strawberries for your CSA shares.  They are averaging about 350 quarts per picking day, so that’s why we’re rotating them through all our groups.  You’ll receive them in your box some time this month!

NOTES FROM THE FIELDS

This week we’ve been turning in our cover crops and starting to plant our summer crops like tomatoes, eggplants and peppers.  Our zucchini and cucumber plants are already starting to produce little fruit, so they will be coming soon!  It’s also been extremely dry, so we’re spending a ridiculous amount of time moving pipes around the fields and irrigating every square inch of planted land.  Irrigation is essential because we have very sandy soil that drains away the moisture in a matter of hours.  FIelds that we had watered heavily just a few days ago are now bone dry. And so it goes…

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

Toscano Kale
Also known as Tuscan or Dinosaur kale, this is a great variety for soups or for making kale chips!
VIDEO: Watch how to remove the kale stem here!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 1 week
What I’m making: Kale chips – the kids love them!

Red Radishes
The radishes are almost finished, as they’re an early-season crop.  Enjoy!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I’m making: Sliced on my avocado breakfast toast!

Boston Lettuce
Boston or Butter Lettuce only grows in the cooler weather of the spring and fall.  It has very tender leaves and is a delicacy this time of year, so dress it lightly.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I’m making: Perfect Green Salad

Spinach
Freshly harvested and tender.  Perfect for salads – fresh or slightly wilted.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 3 days
What I’m making: Spinach salad with sliced eggs and red onion in a dijon vinaigrette

Cilantro
The whole barn smelled like cilantro today!  There are so many wonderful ways to use it – try one of the recipes below.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 3 days
What I’m making: Cilantro Pesto and a bunch in my guacamole!

Bok Choi
A wonderful Asian green.  You can eat the whole thing – leaves and stem.  Just slice off the very bottom where the stems meet.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I’m making: Bok Choi & Miso

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE begins in August!

RECIPES!

Stir-fried Bok Choi with Miso
Perfect Kale Chips
Cilantro Pesto
Wilted Spinach Salad with Feta and Caramelized Onions
Halloumi Cheese with Cilantro Salad and Lime & Caper Vinaigrette