If you noticed I missed last week's newsletter. This is the first time in the four years doing a CSA. Sometimes in the season, about this time, you "hit the wall" in much the same way a marathon runner "hits the wall." When thinking about this, in many respects we CSA growers are like long-distance runners--we need to be consistent and steady to produce a good box each week for 16 weeks.
The lack of heat is still the weather story around here. This is the second week for melons. We're glad to have them, but they are late. Some things you may not even notice, like the okra that never comes to market because the plants just sit there doing nothing. I'll complain about it, but my sympathies are with other farmers out there like the one I talked to last week: 600 acres of soybeans and he doesn't see them making a harvest. Boy, that makes my 2 acres where some things are good and some bad not too bad a problem really. This is why sustainable ag types highly appreciate diversity in crops...if one thing "crashes and burns", there may be another which does well. In many respects, we're trying to bring back a tradition on farms where many things were produced from a couple hogs and a steer to garden produce, grains, hay. Even if the growing season went to pot, at least you could feed yourself.
In the box:
Leeks: keep refridgerated and cut lengthwise to clean out before using...dirt gets into the leaves.
Carrots
A couple tomatoes
Dill: This is for using the frawns, not the seed head like in pickling. See recipe below.
Cherry Tomato mix
Corn: mostly a white variety called Silver Queen. It's pretty mellow and I love the name. Last week's yellow variety is called Bodacious, which is another cool name.
A red onion
White Potatoes
A couple peppers: The small slender one is an Anaheim (slightly hot, really mild) and the other is a Cubanella (sweet, not hot).
Cauliflower
Cantaloupe: most of you got a variety called Athena, others got an "eastern type" called Halona, which has prominent ribs
A couple cukes
Cucumber, Mustard, And Dill Salad
From Gourmet | October 2004
2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon mild olive oil
1 large seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped; 1 lb), peeled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Whisk together vinegar, mustard, salt, and sugar in a bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking.
Halve cucumber lengthwise and remove seeds with a small spoon, then cut halves crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices.
Add cucumber and dill to vinaigrette, tossing to coat.
