A Soup'er Idea

If it seems you still have some odds and ends of veggies left when it's time to pick up again, OR, if you just want to be able to savor some of summer's glory in the wintertime, you may want to make a pot of soup and freeze it (or pressure can, not waterbath can) in portions that can be thawed for a meal. We often just make a simple vegetable, bean, or chicken soup and then when we pull it from the freezer or pantry, add a cooked grain, noodles or potatoes to make it a meal.

Odd tomatoes, greens like kale or chard, carrots, celery, zucchini, or peppers are great additions to a soup pot.

Edamame Soybeans - Freezing Instructions

The attached site gives helpful instructions (with pictures) for blanching and freezing edamame soybeans. We use recycled yogurt containers instead of plastic bags.
Beans can be removed from their pods after freezing if a particular recipe calls for just the beans. We usually eat them lightly salted right from the pod.

http://agsyst.wsu.edu/blanching_edamame.html

Freezing Cabbage and Celery

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/he187w.htm

Check out this link freezing vegetables.

Garden Update

Seems just like yesterday that we were rolling out the mulch in preparation for the vines.
Now the vines are taking over the place. The winter squash and pumpkins are coming along nicely. It's about this time of the year when folks start to say "enough with the zucchini",
so unless we hear otherwise we will add zukes and pickling cukes to the "as you like" category.
We will still be harvesting them but we will not be putting any in your baskets. They will be available in an overflow basket on distribution days for those who haven't had their fill. If you are still interested in making pickles let us know so we can set enough aside. The summer squash and slicing cucumbers will still be distributed as they become available.
The paste tomatoes are starting to trickle in. We will distribute them on a rotational basis and will give you heads up in advance. Keep your fingers crossed for some warm and sunny days.
The early broccoli plants were and continue to be a disappointment, we're hoping for better luck with the fall planting. The dry beans would also do well with some high and dry weather.
The earliest planting of edamame beans aren't far off. We will keep you posted on the timing of their harvest. We still have quart yogurt containers bagged and ready to go if you can use some for freezing.

Onions

The onions that you received this week, and any onions you receive from here on out are all storage varieties.
Once getting them home, they should be spread out in a dry and well ventilated area such as a garage, barn etc.. to cure. Cured and stored properly, these onions will last for months. Let us know if you would like the stems left on for braiding and hanging. You will be receiving four different varieties, Alisa Craig (best for processing), Bennies Red, Clear Dawn and Stuttgart (stores longest). You will receive the onions in this same order and the yellow types should be eaten in this same order. Let us know if you have any questions.

Eat Your Vegetables!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

1/2 c oil
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c sour milk or buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
1/4 c cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 c shredded zucchini
1/2 c chopped nuts
1/2 c semi sweet chocolate chips

Mix oil and sugar. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix well.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Gradually add to oil and sugar mixture. Stir in zucchini. Spread into oiled 12x9x2 pan. Sprinkle with nuts and choc chips. Bake at 350 for 35-40 min. Makes 12-18 servings. When totally cool, dust with powdered sugar. I've mixed nuts and chips into batter rather than on top and it's been great, as well.

People of the Corn

Hello Folks,

A heads up to the Wednesday folks. The corn has been slow to recover after Saturday's picking so you won't be finding any
in today's basket. However, you will be receiving some as soon as it is ready to harvest.
Specialty items such as sweet corn, grown using organic methods mature and produce on their own schedule, if they produce at all.
With conventional corn readily available at market it is easy to forget the challenges of growing such a heavy feeder without
the use of synthetic fertilizers. Let us know if you have any questions.

take care, bob