Good Afternoon Members - Happy Wednesday - We are picking and washing and storing your veggies for tomorrow's delicious - nutritious share! Our other chore today is to place the labels on the boxes and set up the packing line! Growing up - my image of a farmer was riding around on a tractor all day - the Farm on Ketcham Road has certainly changed that image a little!
Your picture this week displays a piece of the continual cycle that takes place throughout the season at the Farm - Growing!!! You are looking at peppers, beets, cabbage and broccoli transplants that are hours - days - from finding their more permanent home in the soil of our fields! Want to give a shout out to all of our volunteers who give so much of themselves and their time to make the Farm a wonderful resource for our community!
For all of the fruit lovers - you will receive your second fruit share - after much favorable feed back from the first share - the peaches and nectarines will make an encore this week - a couple people asked and Jim does have more for purchase at the Altamont Orchards farm store - 6654 Dunnsville Rd, Altamont, NY 12009 - back to the fruit share - donut peaches and plums will also be included. Please remember the fruit shares do not come with choice - the Orchard selects the best available fruit for your share
Special Note - we are featuring 3 Bell Peppers this week our usual Green and then adding Ivory and Purple - even though they differ in color they may be used just as you would your green peppers - the appeal is when you use them raw in a salad for their attractive color. Also the Carrots - will come in bags this week - the tops were not in good shape so we removed them.
We like to keep you informed of your partnership with the Farm to feed the hungry - we sent 800 pounds of cucumbers and 900 pounds of zucchinis to the Food Bank this week - as you well know there is nothing like the taste of farm fresh vegetables and because of your membership - the many in need in our communities will also be able to enjoy them too! Thank you for your valued support of the Farm!
Here is a recipe one of our members shared - with the abundance of zucchini - always good to try a new recipe! If you have a recipe that you would like to share - please send over by email and I will post! Thank you
Stuffed Zucchini
1 onion, chopped
Olive oil, for sautéing onion and garlic
1 lb. ground meat (beef, lamb, bison)
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped,
to your taste 1 cup fresh mint, chopped (usually used with the lamb)
Juice of 1 fresh lemon (to taste or optional)
Red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cups cooked rice
2 -3 zucchinis, cut lengthwise and seeded
Pine nuts (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 – 3 cloves garlic
2 – 3 tomatoes, skinned and chopped (or 1 can crushed tomatoes)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sauté onion in olive oil until it is translucent. Add ground meat. Stir and break large pieces up until it is almost cooked. Add parsley, mint (if using), salt, pepper, pine nuts (if using), and lemon juice (if using). Set aside. Lightly oil the zucchini on the outside and inside. Lightly salt and pepper the inside, to taste. Fill the zucchini with the meat and rice mixture. Sauté the garlic in olive oil and then add tomatoes. Put the zucchini in an oven-safe pan and pour the tomato mixture over them. Cook for 30 - 45 minutes, periodically basting the zucchini with the tomato juice or sauce.
Some helpful ideas -
2 ways to use Zucchini
- Pre-pack baking ingredient: Using a box grater, mandoline or food processor fitted with the shredding disc, shred it into freezer bags, about 2 cups per pack (or whatever amount your favorite recipe calls for) to use later in breads or muffins.
- Frozen soup-to-be: Cook zucchini with onions and garlic or other herbs as desired, and a small amount of water. Blend or puree in the food processor and pack into containers to freeze as instant soup base. This isn’t a stock but a base, so as I say, go easy on the water and save freezer space; you can dilute it later.
What to do with the boxes - for many reasons this year - sites are not holding the boxes for us - Options - if the box does not appear to be in good shape - please just put it in your recycle at home - if it is OK - My suggestion is - you store them at home and when you have a good amount and happen to be heading toward the Food Bank - please drop them off - Monday - Friday - 8 am - 5 pm - Thank You!
Many of you have been asking about pick your own at the Farm - first it always occurs on Saturday morning between 9 am and 12 noon - and second your may bring family and friends who are not members - I will let you know ahead of time in my emails - what is available to pick and the amounts you may pick ( pint, quart, bag) - best guess for our first - will be the last Saturday this month August 29th - will keep you updated on this one!
Weekend weather again looks good for both days - my chore for the weekend is to give the vehicle that I drive around in a good cleaning - inside and out! How about you - how is that to do list shaping up - is it increasing or decreasing? Some times - not all the time - but sometimes - to do lists can be fun - depending on the task and who is helping you out - purchased a carport a couple of weeks ago and had a couple of friends over to help me pour some concrete anchors - the company and conversation quickly became the focus - very enjoyable! Hope your weekend is too!
Very best, Bob
