Packed Full

The box is so full that I can't even get a picture of all of the veggies

yellow squash, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, green beans rhubarb, kale, and green peppers.

The farm is producing like crazy because of the rains and warm weather.  They have had to use the irrigation system some also.  But all the moisture is good for the plants.

Work on the farm never stops.  Planting, picking, and weeding are daily chores.  With the heat the green beans and green peppers are coming on.  But some of you are missing the broccoli!  There is no more broccoli until the fall.  Broccoli is considered a cold weather crop so we are hoping for more int eh fall.

Recipe Of The Week: Zucchini Whoopie Pies

Zucchini Whoopie Pies

2 eggs
2 cups of brown sugar
1 cup of oil
2 cups of cooked mashed zucchini, cooled
3 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ginger
1 teaspoon of clove

In a large bowl, mix eggs, brown sugar, oil, and zucchini.  In another bowl mix together remaining ingredients.  Add to the first bowl.  Mix well.  Spoon and space onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for seven minutes or until done.  Put your favorite filling between two cookies.

Lots Of Veggies Hiding At The Bottom

The box is so full you can't see what all is in there from the picture.

lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, peas, leeks, radishes, green beans, green pepper

The recipe that Anna shared this week is one of my husband's favorites, stuffed green peppers.  Check it out in the blog entry below.  

Sounds like everything is going great on the farm.  The warmer weather has the vegetables really responding.  Greenhouse tomatoes are coming...they are always good on anything!  And here is a little tidbit about peppers that I didn't now.  Anna is such a smart farmer!  Sweet or bell peppers add wonderful flavor to dishes also add nutritional value.  Hardly anyone would have guessed that bell peppers are among the highest nutrient dense veggie or that a single bell pepper has more vitamin C content than a cup of orange juice.  To store peppers you can wrap them tightly closed in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.  They should last for about two weeks.  To freeze peppers with tough skins, you can blanch them for three minutes before freezing to prevent the skins from becoming even tougher.

Anna says o enjoy the veggies and don't forget to smell the roses.

Recipe Of The Week: Meat Stuffed Green Bell Peppers

Meat Stuffed Green Bell Peppers

6 large green bell peppers
1 pound of hamburger
1 minced medium onion
2 cups of soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup of melted butter
Tomato juice (optional)
Cheddar cheese (optional)
Salt and pepper

Carefully cut and keep the top portion off of the peppers (like a lid that will be put back on later).  Remove and discard the seeds and membrane from the peppers.  Boil the Peppers in water for 5-6 minutes.  Drain and set aside into a baking dish adding one inch of tomato juice or water in the bottom of the dish.  Cook the hamburger and the onions together in a skillet.  When done, stir together hamburger and onions with the bread crumbs and melted butter.  Put mixture into peppers at set the tops back on.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If desired, top with cheese.

A Brand New Day

And Anna says it is a beautiful morning on the farm.  They are getting a nice gentle rain and we here in Milford are melting in the heat, praying for rain.  With this rain the vegetables are dancing in the fields.  The asparagus and strawberries are slowing coming to an end.  But on the bright side, the green peppers will soon be jumping in our boxes.

Farm Day last Friday was a success and John and Anna want to thank all those who came and said it was nice to meet you all.

peas, asparagus, Chinese cabbage, two types of lettuce, radishes, green onions, yellow squash, zucchini, and leaks

Recipe Of The Week: Smoked Sausage Stew

Smoked Sausage Stew

1 quart chunked potatoes
3 cups of chunked carrots
3 cups of chunked zucchini
1 quart of thickly sliced fully cooked smoked sausage
1 cup of diced onions
3 cups of green beans (or frozen or canned will do)
Seasonings (butter, salt, pepper, and herbs of your choice)

Put potatoes, carrots, and green beans in a kettle and cover with water  Boil them until almost ready, then, add zucchini and onions.  Boil the smoked sausage in a separate kettle until hot all the way through.  When the vegetables are ready save as much water from them as you want in the stew, then add the sausage and water it was boiled in (which gives the stew a good flavor).  Season it to your taste.

Surprise Jar This Week

Everyone has a problem with the deer.  They eat our hosta like they are eating from a salad bar.  And so it seems the vegetable of choice for the deer around Cedarmore is the lettuce.  They have eaten about the entire first crop!  But John and Anna were able to give us some Chinese cabbage in the box. this week.

More delicious strawberries, asparagus  (glad we have some because the chickens got into mine), radishes, yellow squash, zucchini (which is delicious when it is grilled), scapes (check the recipe below),  green onions, and a surprise jar of zucchini relish.

Talked to Rue, the new driver and he says that he should be delivering in Milford around 4-4:30 on Tuesdays.  We are his last stop.  Hope one day when he is not in a hurry we can sit on the porch and solve the problems of the world.

Just a reminder:  please bring back you boxes and containers when you pick up your new box.  Please break them down and stack them in the proper place at the drop off area.

Recipe Of The Week: Garlic Scapes Pesto

Garlic Scape Pesto

1/4 cup of pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 cup of coarsely chopped garlic scapes ( or use 1/2 scapes and 1/2 herbs like basil, dill, or chervil)
juice and zest of one lemon
a few grinds of black pepper
1/4 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

In a small dry pan, on very low heat, lightly toast pine nuts, stirring occasionally until beginning to brown, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes.  Combine pine nuts, scapes, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper in a bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment.  Pulse for 20 times, until fairly well combined.  Pour in the olive  oil through the feed tube while the motor is running.  When the oil is incorporated, transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese.

First Tastes Of Summer In A Box

Lots of my favorites...2 quarts of strawberries was a wonderful surprise.

The farm is coming alive with animals in the forest, animals on the farm and plants in the field.  They all seem to love the drier warmer days.  At the time of the newsletter writing, the zucchini was looking good.  And they are looking great in the boxes this week also.

Due to later than usual deliveries and change in drivers has been made.  We feel that this will work to all our advantages.  Starting this week, Rue (the English man that is the internet coordinator), will be delivering in the Cincinnati area.  Since we will only be delivering the CSA boxes it should speed up deliveries.  I know that deliveries to the Milford area were around 4-4:30PM.  John and Anna are trying their best to make this a positive experience for everyone involved.

Recipe Of The Week: Zucchini Stew

Zucchini Stew

1 1/2 cups of shredded potatoes
1 cup of shredded carrots
1 small chopped onion
8 cups of shredded unpeeled zucchini or summer squash
1/2 pound of sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/2 to 1 cup of water
2 Tablespoons of butter
salt and pepper to taste

Put everything in a kettle and boil until vegetables are tender.  Add and omit whatever you wish to suit your taste.