A Beauty - Garlic will be featured in your share this week
Hello Members - As I begin composing this week's Happenings - I am very grateful for the last 2 days of sun and warmth - the plants are smiling - we are able to get the tractors on the fields to cultivate and remove the weeds - and the farmers are happy to be back on their tractors!
Thank you to all our members who participated in last fall's plant the garlic days - wanted to show off the fruit of your labors - the time to harvest is when the lower two or three leaves start turning yellow and brown - left too much longer in the ground - you lose some of the protective layers around the cloves.
Couple of housekeeping notes while I think of them - we do recycle the boxes - so if your box is in good shape with no structural damage or there is no staining on the inside by the vegetables and moisture - please return them - if your site does not allow returns - you may store them and return them to the Food Bank - the second note has to do with pick up at sites that do allow returns - I know many of you have already put this into practice - you may bring a bag or bags to pick up your vegetables and leave the box at the site.
This week will be our first fruit share week - so again I ask for your grace as we go through this together for the first time! First and foremost the fruit shares are delivered with the vegetable shares to the same location and same time. Second - the fruit shares are all the same - no choice is involved - the best available fruit is chosen for the time frame of the share. Third - the fruit shares will be packed in the brown cardboard boxes the same as the individual vegetable shares - they will have a label that says fruit share - and will have a red dot sticker to help identify them. The fruit shares are provided by Altamont Orchards and a couple of the fruits featured in your share this week will be -blueberries - cherries - peaches! Please - Do Not Return the containers or bags that the fruits are in. Please return the boxes! Thank you!
If you have a favorite recipe which includes the share veggies - please email me and I will forward to our members! Thank you!
Gaby’s Cucumber Salad
Gaby’s cucumber salad recipe is the best cucumber salad I’ve ever had! It’s made with crisp cucumber and creamy avocado tossed in a simple balsamic vinegar dressing. Recipe yields 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 small-to-medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted and sliced or diced
- 2 medium cucumbers (12 ounces), thinly sliced
- Optional additions: 1 to 2 cups arugula, ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes, and/or 1 to 2 chopped radishes
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic until blended. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the avocado and cucumbers to the bowl and toss to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Serve immediately
Grilled Zucchini
medium zucchini, sliced into thick strips
extra-virgin olive oil
lemon zest
crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
basil leaves, torn into medium pieces
- Preheat grill on medium-high. In a large bowl, toss zucchini with oil, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Once grill is hot, carefully use tongs to rub an oiled paper towel over grates.
- Using tongs, place zucchini on grill. Cover and cook, 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking on high, covered, 2 to 3 minutes more.
- When zucchini is tender, remove from heat and garnish with basil and more red pepper flakes.
Thank you for your support of the CSA, the Farm and the Food Bank - as we partner to fulfill our mission to grow farm fresh vegetables to feed the hungry in our community!
Enjoy your weekend with family and friends -
Very best, Bob
