What you need to know:
-If you are ever missing an item please let us know so we can make it up to you!
-Don’t forget to return your boxes! Everyone has been doing a good job so let’s keep it up!
-If you signed up for the 1st 6 weeks, you have one week left to your season.
-If you are signed up for the full 12 weeks, there are 7 weeks left to the season with the last delivery going out July 11/12th . 

What you need to know:
-If you are ever missing an item please let us know so we can make it up to you!
-Don’t forget to return your boxes! Everyone has been doing a good job so let’s keep it up!
-If you signed up for the 1st 6 weeks, you have one week left to your season.
-If you are signed up for the full 12 weeks, there are 7 weeks left to the season with the last delivery going out July 11/12th . 

FARM NEWS
Welcome to week #5! We spent the morning today picking sweet corn, Bell Peppers, Zucchini, and Jalapenos. The rain held off today which I am very thankful for.

We still have 5 more rows of sweet corn coming along. Also the Family patch(about 2 acres worth) will be ready this weekend or so. We pick it all in one day, and start the process of shucking, boiling, cutting off the cob, and bagging the corn. Many family members and some extended family pitch in. I enjoy the tradition, and the 10-20 quart bags of cut corn everyone gets to take home.

In the field the Bell peppers are really coming in. The jalapeno plants are covered. Our Lunchbox Peppers (some of you might remember them) have Plenty of fruit on the bushes but will be a few more weeks to ripen to their colors.

Our Okra is weedy. Last year it was weedy and still produced plenty. As the soil dries this week we’ll be weed eating each row and cultivating afterword. We’ll save it. I’ve got to keep my eye on one of my workers when we get near the okra. He hates it after I made him pick it in his first summer working for me. That was 2 years ago and he still sighs when he sees the patch. I don’t let him pick it, mainly because he was terrible at it.
We don’t spray our corn. Conventional corn requires spraying every 7 days for about 6-8 weeks. No thanks. Just cut the tip off. The worm damage hasn’t been too bad this year.

Next week’s box looks like a Roaster: Carrots, Celery, Onion, Bell Pepper, Thyme, Kohlrabi, etc. You’ll have the trinity (celery, bell pepper, and onion) or you can make a nice mirepoix or maybe a sofrito. We are pulling our Garlic this week and it will take a week or two to cure-but now I feel like it needs to be in this delivery! 

Fresh Tomato Salsa
Recipe By: Cheryl Dressler
"Great with your favorite chips. Gets better as the flavors meld."

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup purple onion, diced
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper (including seeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Stir the tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Serve.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2017 Allrecipes.com 

VEGGIE LASAGNA ZUCCHINI BOATS
Hollowed out zucchini boats stuffed with a veggie lasagna filling, all baked in the oven with melted cheese –
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE FILLING:
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 loose cups baby spinach, chopped
3 cloves chopped garlic
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped bell pepper
kosher salt
3/4 cup part skim ricotta
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 large egg
4 large basil leaves, chopped plus more for garnish
FOR THE MARINARA:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, smashed with side of knife
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
salt and black pepper
1 tbsp chopped basil
FOR THE ZUCCHINI BOATS:
4 medium zucchini
1 cup part skim shredded mozzarella
DIRECTIONS:
1) Preheat oven to 400°F.
2) In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until golden, careful not to burn, about 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, salt and black pepper to taste. Stir and reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes, then add fresh basil.
3) Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, add oil, onion, garlic and red pepper and season with 1/8 tsp salt. Cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the baby spinach and sauté until wilted, about 1 minute.
4) In a medium bowl add the ricotta, parmesan cheese and egg, mix well. Add the cooked vegetables and basil and mix.
5) Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4″ thick.
6) Place 1/4 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 12″ baking dish, and place zucchini halves cut side up.
7) Stuff the zucchini with ricotta mixture (scant 1/4 cup) and top each with 2 tbsp marinara, 2 tbsp mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake 40 to 45 minutes until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through.
From http://www.skinnytaste.com/

​From the Loups
As always, thank you so much for your business!
Charlie, Stephanie and AJ Loup
225.978.1716
LoupFarms.com
[email protected]

What you need to know:
-If you are ever missing an item please let us know so we can make it up to you!
-Don’t forget to return your boxes! Everyone has been doing a good job so let’s keep it up!
-If you signed up for the 1st 6 weeks, you have two weeks left to your season.
-If you are signed up for the full 12 weeks, there are 8 weeks left to the season with the last delivery going out July 11/12th . 

on your table this week:
White Kennebec Potatoes-Store on the counter or in the fridge.
Sweet Yellow Onions-Store on the counter
Honey Select Sweet Corn-Non GMO. Store in the fridge. The longer sweet corn is stored the less sweet it will be!
Radishes- in the fridge. Trim the greens for longer storage
Radish Microgreens-Oops, a bit redundant here. Store in the fridge.
Tomatoes-Store on the counter
Winterbor Kale- Store in the fridge
Cucumberz-Store in the fridge

FARM NEWS
Welcome to week #4! We finally have a decent forecast for the week which means we can catch up on a few tasks. Rain and muck tends to slow things down-and it hurts my feelings.

It turns out maybe the Scout coon didn’t bring the news about the corn patch back to his buddies. He’s going tol keep it a secret—Which is fine with me. There’s a very large plot of sweet corn just next door to us and I hear the coons have been partying hard there(I imagine it’s like a sweet corn/hula hoop party deal)so that’s good news for us. I don’t mind being the lame party next door.

​Sorry about the whole double radish delivery. I made the wrong decision last week of sowing Radish microgreens for a Delivery that would include Radishes. Since growing lettuce this time of year is a bit difficult(It all bolts) we’ll be including some micros or sprouts every other week or so. We hope to have a caterpillar tunnel for next spring/summer which we can cover in shade cloth to control the lettuce bolting.  

In the field we have beaucoup storage items to finish harvesting. We have about a third of our potatoes left to harvest, half the onions(good grief.), Carrots, and Beets. Carrots and beets will store in our cooler for about a month. Potatoes and onions store for a couple months. Once the heat and humidity set in-which is soon-it shortens the life of onions and potatoes and me.

This week we need to trellis our Cherry Tomatoes. I love the look of these plants. They are always covered with dozens of tiny yellow flowers which will become little tomatoes.

Next week looks like a delivery of: Tomatoes, Cilantro, jalapenos, maybe a bell pepper, onions, sweet corn, broccoli, and who knows. Basically go buy some tortilla chips because this will be the salsa box. If only our garlic was ready!!

Vegetable Spotlight
Radish Microgreens
Microgreens are young seedlings of edible vegetables and herbs harvested less than 14 days after germination. They are usually about 1-3 inches long and come in a rainbow of colors, which has made them popular in recent years as garnishes with chefs.High-end restaurants have used microgreens for years because they are pretty, tasty and add great texture.
They may be tiny, but a new study shows trendy microgreens punch well above their weight when it comes to nutrition. Researchers found microgreens like red cabbage, cilantro, and radish contain up to 40 times higher levels of vital nutrients than their mature counterparts.
Although nutritional claims about microgreens abound on the Internet, a recent study was the first scientific evaluation of their nutritional content. Researchers say they were astonished by the results.

​Here’s how to use them:

• Use the greens to top everything from roasted vegetables to pizza. They can also be eaten as a salad and added to sushi, wraps, and sandwiches. If I’m not putting them on pizza, I like mine tossed with thinly sliced radishes and celery, dressed with a simple rice wine and olive oil vinaigrette, and served alongside a fried egg. Pure magic!

Adapted from Honestcooking.com & WeMD.com

POTATO HASH WITH MICROGREENS & EGGSeyeswoon kitchen·    INGREDIENTS
serves 4 people

• 6-8 potatoes, cut into small cubes
• 6 spring onions, white and pale green thinly sliced
• 2 Serrano chili, 1/2 diced, remaining thinly sliced into rounds
• 3-4 radishes, thinly sliced on a mandolin
• 2 handfuls of microgreens
• 4-6 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 4 farm fresh eggs, fried or sunny side up

            THE PREP
1. In a medium size skillet heat your olive oil over medium heat.  Add the sliced spring onions and sauté until translucent 1-2 minutes.  Add the diced Serrano and small cubes of potato, season with salt and pepper.  Slowly sauté the potatoes over medium heat until golden brown for approx. 12-15 minutes.  You will want the potatoes cooked through on the inside and golden on the exterior.  While the potatoes are cooking fry your eggs.  
2. Divide your potatoes on two plates and offset your egg.  Add a generous handful of microgreens, some sliced radishes and a few rounds of Serrano pepper. Finish with flaky sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.

What you need to know:
-Don’t forget to return your boxes each week! I just picked up a brand new load of boxes so we can phase out some of the older ones.
-When breaking down your box, use your Thumbs to fold the flaps out. Using your Thumbs, reduces the tearing of the boxes. Two  Thumbs up to everyone who can put together and break down waxed produce boxes.
-We wash most items that you receive in your deliveries. We will not be washing potatoes this year so we may store them longer. We’ll leave the washing up to you! We all need a few microbes once in a while so just look forward to getting your hands dirty!
-We also did not wash the onions. They have not been cured yet either-but that does not matter to a frying pan. Use them soon because they will not store for very long.

on your table this week:
Broccoli- Store in the fridge.
Beets- Store in the fridge. Trim off the tops for longer root storage.
Red LaSoda Potatoes- Store in the pantry or fridge.
Parsley-Store in a bag in the fridge.
Snap Beans/Yellow Wax Beans- Store in the fridge. This will be the last of the beans for a while!
Cucumbers- Store in the fridge.
White Onions- Store on the counter. Use sooner rather than later.
Tomatoes!-Finally, wait, just 2?
Yellow Squash/Zucchini-Fridge.

FARM NEWS
 Welcome to Week #3! We are ¼ of the way to the beach… err the end of the 12 week season. We try to disappear as much as possible from Mid-July to Mid-August. That is our offseason. Is it ok if I just think about Grand Isle every day? DEAL.
Last week was a bit rough. It rained too much. A straight line wind (or tornado?) picked up our very heavy Greenhouse, twirled it around, and set it down about 30 yards away from where it was. Luckily it did not turn it over and nothing broke. I had to get out there with my tractor and a chain and slowly pull it back to its spot. We are also lucky that we didn’t have anything inside other than pallets.
We finally dug potatoes. We only dug about a 1/3 of the patch and ended up with near 800#s. We could have dug more but when your workers are teenage boys and the items you’re harvesting are fun to throw—you just might not get as much done as you’d like. We have more Red potatoes to dig as well as white and gold. I may have thrown potatoes also.
If there is going to be a raccoon party, I suspect it will be this weekend. I feel pretty confident that the sweet corn will be ready for next week’s box. My guard dog (NOT my Lab-he is basically the dog from the movie UP) has been barking a bit at night. Mr. Coon has probably been sending scouts to check out the corn patch.
Since we don’t use Herbicide, our pathways in between rows of plastic mulch get very weedy. Controlling the weeds with a weedeater works but tends to cut into the plastic mulch. Our solution is laying landscape fabric in between rows of plastic mulch. It smothers weeds that have germinated and presents a tidy look.
Next week’s delivery looks gnarly. Sweet Corn? Radishes, Onions, Tomatoes, cucs, thyme, possibly celery, and maybe Raccoon. Cheers.

Yellow Wax Beans with Toasted AlmondsIngredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pound yellow wax beans, ends trimmed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (about 3 ounces) whole blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

How to Make It

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and the wax beans, return to a boil, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain again and set aside. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring often, until they begin to turn golden but not brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with the remaining salt and the pepper. Place the beans in a large bowl, toss with the almonds, and serve.
   
   Tip: You can use fresh green beans instead of yellow wax beans.
2. From MyRecipes.com

Oven Baked Parsley Red Potatoes 
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 2 pounds red potatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon minced onion, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place butter in a large baking dish and melt in preheating oven.
2. Toss potatoes and onion in melted butter to coat.
3. Bake in preheated oven until potatoes are tender, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle parsley over potatoes and season with salt and pepper; toss.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2017 Allrecipes.com 

​From the Loups
As always, thank you so much for your business!
Charlie, Stephanie and AJ Loup
225.978.1716
LoupFarms.com
[email protected]

What you need to know:
-Don’t forget to return your boxes each week! I just picked up a brand new load of boxes so we can phase out some of the older ones.
-When breaking down your box, use your Thumbs to fold the flaps out. Using your Thumbs, reduces the tearing of the boxes. Two  Thumbs up to everyone who can put together and break down waxed produce boxes.
-Pesticide Free typically means vegetables grown without the use of synthetic pesticides such as Herbicide(weeds are pests), Insecticides, Fungicides, or miticides. We do however use organically approved (for organic production) pesticides such as spinosad(bug control), neem oil(bug control), liquid copper(treating plant diseases), and pyrethrin(bug control).

on your table this week:
Broccoli- Store in the fridge.
Rainbow Carrots- Store in the fridge! This collection of carrots is better suited for cooking and IS not as sweet as other varieties.
Zucchini- Store in the fridge.
Cauliflower- Store in the fridge.
Dill-Store in a bag in the fridge.
Snap Beans- Store in the fridge.
Cucumbers- Store in the fridge.
Cabbage- Store in the fridge

FARM NEWS
Welcome to week #2! It’s that time on Monday night when my Lab is pacing around me wondering why I’m not scratching his back or using his own paws to smack himself in the face!
The weather has really turned it around this week with a slight cool front. Lower humidity and windspeeds not 40 mph(like Saturday) have the plants feeling refreshed. It was another mucky harvest day though-just like last Monday. I got out early Sunday to get a few tasks done before The Temple of Doom flooded everything.
There are plenty of things needing to be harvested asap. Potatoes, carrots, and onions need to be picked, washed, and stored.
We have So. Many. Onions. The last two years we missed on onions. They got too weedy and rotted in the field. This year I prepared an area and tarped it for about a month or more. Tarping prepared rows is called occultation. Weed seeds emerge under the tarps and die in the absence of light. This gives us a few weeks advantage until the next round of weed seeds emerge. It is an organic Farmer’s Roundup. We use this method as often as possible. Of course, the Onions are full of weeds now, but that is as of lately-not the entire growing season!
The first few tomatoes are turning. They taste really good. I also saw a few peppers large enough for harvest. Okra is still short so that will be awhile but sweet corn looks happy. Eggplant needs some attention. Cantaloupe is sprawling everywhere and spaghetti squashes are starting to run. We have celery growing along with more basil, parsley, cilantro, and thyme.
Next week looks a bit different: NEW POTATOES, Snap beans, parsley, Onions, Beets, etc. 

Vegetable Spotlight

1. Dill is an herb in the celery family.

The feathery leaves resemble fennel but its flavor is quite distinct. Dill has a mild and warm flavor. The aroma is faint, almost similar to the scent of aniseed. Dill leaves have a wonderful aroma.
 
Dill pairs beautifully with seafood, smoked salmon, potatoes, eggs, fish and carrots.-Combine dill weed with plain yogurt and chopped cucumber for a delicious cooling dip.
-Use dill when cooking fish, especially salmon and trout, as the flavors complement one another very well.
-Use dill weed as a garnish for sandwiches.
-Since dill seeds were traditionally used to soothe the stomach after meals, place some seeds in a small dish and place it on the dinner table for all to enjoy.
-Add dill to your favorite egg salad recipe.
-Mix together chopped potatoes, green beans, and plain yogurt, then season with both dill seeds and chopped dill weed.

REFRIGERATOR DILL PICKLESINGREDIENTS2-cups vinegar
1/3-cup sugar
1/3-cup canning salt
1/2-cup (packed) fresh dill
3-white onions, peeled and chopped
3-cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
3 1/2 to 4 pounds cucumbers, well-scrubbed (to fill 1-gallon jar)
or cut the pickles into thick slices, doesn't matter the size of the pickle.
1-tsp mustard seed
INSTRUCTIONSSterilize a 1-gallon glass jar and lid by immersing in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Remove from water, and set aside.
In a large enameled, glass or other non-reactive saucepan, combine 6 cups water, vinegar, sugar and salt.
Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, and then simmer mixture while proceeding with recipe.
Place a third of the dill in bottom of jar. Top with a third of the onion and garlic.
Starting with smallest cucumbers, pack 1 layer horizontally over garlic.
Place another layer crosswise over first.
Add another third of the dill, followed by another third each of onion and garlic.
Top with remaining dill, onion and garlic.
Place jar in large plastic basin, and carefully pour in hot vinegar mixture into jar to fill it completely.
Using long wooden skewer, gently nudge the pickles deep in the jar to dislodge any air bubbles.
Add more brine, if necessary, and allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes and top with mustard seed.
If using metal lid, to prevent corrosion place large piece of wax paper over top of jar before fastening lid. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.
Remove jar from basin, and wipe clean with damp sponge
Refrigerate jar for at least one week before eating.
The pickles may be refrigerated for up to a year.
Notes: These pickles turn out very crunchy A 1-gallon jar doesn’t have to be used. They can be put in regular canning jars with dill, garlic, and onion added to each jar.
From almanac.com

​From the Loups
As always, thank you so much for your business!
Charlie, Stephanie and AJ Loup
225.978.1716
LoupFarms.com
[email protected]

Much like the 1995 action movie, We're feeling the Heat. (That was a pun) It's been very dry and very hot these past 2 months. So dry that when we planted Okra on July 13th, it didn't come up until July 25(that's 12 days for all you math-whizzes). You know it's Hot when Okra procrastinates. We're also feeling the heat because our CSA begins soon and the drought has some of our crops performing lethargically. We can irrigate-and we do-but there is NOThing that provides water like a good rain. 

Unlike the movie, we haven't robbed a bank-because everyone has been so excellent at paying up front(It's really the only reason). This is one of the advantages of the CSA model. We have money to pay the water bills, seed bills, and random other supplies which we need to grow vegetables for our members. Also, we like ice cream.

In year 3 of being an up-and-coming farmer(I can't believe I just said that about myself) the challenges are different. With increased memberships come an increase in the vegetables grown. For instance, Our first season we had 20 members. We took really good care of those 20. Now with more than triple that we work extra hard to take really good care of our members. It's difficult to balance because like most humans, greed shows it's ugly head every now and then. It is our job to control that and not take on additional members we know we can't handle. We want to ensure that we can take really good care of each member with a box full of fresh, un-purchased-from-another-farm produce.(phew that was a lot of hyphens)

So for this season we look forward to the heat dying down and gusts of fresh air. We hope to pick all the snap beans and say, " Oh good, we have enough to give every member one and a half pounds!". We hope the feeling of Fall, that relief from Summer, will give us a spring in our step(I promise I didn't do that on purpose). And we would be happy to know that everyone still gets excited when opening their box each week.

Enjoy the Fall, and the Fall CSA,
Charlie, Stephanie, and AJ

Hello Members,

                It is our 10th and final week of our Summer CSA. The harvest is dwindling down and we’re already beginning to pick up equipment in the fields like tomato stakes, string and plastic on rows. We gave it great effort and hope you have enjoyed the ride.

In your box this final week:

Okra- Store on the counter. For something different, try slicing them in half vertically, tossing them in oil, and roasting them in the oven at 450 until they start to brown. (Grilling them is quite nice, too!)

Yellow Squash- Look on the bright side, you won’t receive this item next week. J

Zucchini- Store in the fridge.

Bell Peppers- store in the fridge.

Banana Peppers- Store in the fridge. We were told by a friend that these are excellent stuffed exactly like jalapenos!

Spaghetti Squash- Store on the counter.

Shitake Mushrooms- Store in the fridge.

Cucumber- Store in the fridge (or just eat it while you’re reading this letter and you won’t have to store it!)

Tomatoes- Store on the counter.

AndiLynn’s Elderberry Syrup- Store in the fridge. Some of you may be aware of the healthful properties of elderberries, here is a syrup made from organic elderberries and local honey. We tried out a large bottle in the winter/spring and thoroughly enjoyed it. We’ve included more information on the health benefits of elderberry syrup in your box if you’re interested in learning more.

                This season has been a bountiful season in some areas and a sad season in others. We wanted to give you more potatoes: pounds of pretty, round taters. That didn’t happen- or a couple of sweet Vidalia type onions and plenty of creole onions. That was a sad situation; as you remember, the rain was far too plentiful and caused crops to rot all over the state.  We learned a few lessons, but no matter how much you are prepared, the weather plays a big role.

                The bounties came in the form of Bell Peppers and cucumbers, Sweet Corn and squash. Believe it or not but last summer I severely underestimated how much squash we needed. Last summer we didn’t have any Butternuts or spaghetti squash so that was a plus this year. We finally grew enough garlic to give out one bunch (that’s it???) Next season we’ll distribute 3-4 bunches throughout the season-garlic is pretty hardy and easy to grow. The hardest part is finding seed!

                For those of you interested in our Fall season, we will begin Sept 8. The Fall season is a mix of Summer and fall veggies. Your first 2-3 deliveries will be mostly summerlike-snap beans, eggplant, butternut squash, Bell Peppers, Tomatoes-then you’ll start to see Mustard Greens, Collards, Turnips, Radishes, Snow peas, Lettuce, broccoli, etc. It’s a really fun season—my personal favorite because of the variety. It will run for 8 weeks and cost will be $195. Home Delivery in the New Roads area will run $220.

                We’re still selling fresh shelled beans for those interested. They can be picked up at our home in Oscar along False River. Green Butterbeans, Speckled Butterbeans, Pinto Beans, Lady Cream Peas, Pinkeye Purple Hull Peas, and Brown Crowder Peas are available. They are $30 per bushel (10 pounds fresh shelled beans never dried, never frozen) or $15 per half bushel.

                In the field we are picking up tomato stakes, strings, and irrigation lines. We’ve been mowing and running our choppers through the fields to get everything turned over. We’ll start next week (rain permitting) in the field next to our house by laying rows of plastic, then planting tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. We’re also seeding up more butternut, buttercup, and acorn squashes for the fall. Mustard greens will go in as soon as we get a row up and dry in Glynn. We’re seeding our first cabbages into trays Monday as well as Brussels sprouts (they are pokey producers).

Final business: Please return your boxes next week as you usually would. We will come to pick them up at each delivery location. You can also use this time to return any other CSA boxes you’ve collected over this season (or last!). Also next season we will continue to drop off at Sage Hill in St. Francisville-just on a different day than Sunday. We’re also trying to line up a Zachary drop-off location.

As always, thank you for being a part of Loup Farms! We’ve prepared another survey online to get feedback for the season. We –really- value your responses and will adjust our service based on what you have to say! So PLEASE take a minute and give us your feedback at:

www.surveymonkey.com/r/9KJ7QJN

We hope you had a wonderful Independence Day Celebration! See you this Fall!

Charlie, Stephanie and AJ

Hello Members,

                Welcome to week # 2 of the Summer CSA. We’ve been down on our hands and knees picking beans each evening, luckily it is relatively pleasant out after 6. There are so many beans. By the time you finish picking the bean patch, it is time to start over at the beginning.  The plants are very healthy so they are really putting on a great crop-the dry weather helps with harvest and our next succession should begin soon for harvests through May.

                We have the luxury of being able to peel as many crawfish for our freezer as we like. We’ve peeled almost 3 sacks so far and have 1 left to do (we still have to work for them!). We already have 10lbs of crawfish tails in our freezer. That might seem like plenty but maybe you’ve never had a fried crawfish salad with fresh tomato (yes we picked the first ripe one yesterday), shredded cheese and Honey Mustard dressing along with whatever else we feel like throwing in. We also use the tails for pasta dishes, lasagna (Holy Cow), and this week Stephanie made a nice Pad Thai. She used the cabbage from the box along with green onions and basil--and of course 8-10 ounces of crawfish tails. Wow.


Included in this week’s box:

-Snap Beans—store in the bag they’re packaged in inside the fridge.

-Beets OR Boccoli—store in a ziplock in the fridge so they do not dry out. 

-Lettuce—we prefer to cut it, wash it, dry it (we use a salad spinner), and store it in a large ziplock with a paper towel.

-Squash—store in the fridge in the crisper drawer.

-Zucchini—store in the fridge in the crisper.

-Cucumber—store in the fridge in the crisper.

-Thai Basil—store in the bag it comes in inside the crisper.

-Green Onions—store in a bag in the fridge.

               
                Green beans. Snap beans. String beans. Whatever you call them, they are delicious. We’ve been eating them raw in the field—they almost taste like a sugar-snap pea when they are young and tender. We’ve also eaten them in stir fries as well as roasted in the oven. That’s probably our favorite way to eat them. Snap the ends off of the beans and rinse them. Cut a purple onion into small wedges and coat the mixture in olive oil, salt and pepper. (We also will add squash and/or zucchini medallions sometimes). Roast them in the oven at 425 until the beans start to soften and brown (around 10-15 minutes). In a small cup, mix 2 Tablespoons of honey, 1 clove of garlic and ¼ cup balsamic vinegar. Pour over the green beans and continue to roast another 5-10 minutes.           

                In the field things are coming along well. The sweet corn is jumping and if it gets a rain this week we’ll be in really good shape. Our first succession will be ready soon. More beans are coming along. Okra is growing and about 10-12 inches tall. We’ll harvest Potatoes soon and a few onions. We had trouble with onions this year. I think we’ve figured out the issue and will have it corrected for the next season. You should still receive a couple of deliveries of them still! Tomatoes are growing. Cherry tomatoes are getting ripe and we have a few creoles ready too.

                Last month we bought a bee hive and bees. We keep them in our field along False River. They are doing really well right now building comb and hatching brood. We won’t be harvesting any honey this year so that we can let them build a strong hive. I learned how to keep bees during our 2 year stint in Minnesota. We also have a beekeeper who has placed hives in Glynn. Last year members received honey from Ephraim in one of my Winter CSA Boxes. Well we’re glad to say some of that honey will be produced on our property in Glynn. I see the bees everyday in my fields pollinating butternut squash and visiting flowering broccoli!

Thanks for participating! Happy Mother’s Day! Next week there will be a handful of new items in the boxes!