In our Summer CSA this week

The pace of the summer farm season is increasing! We have our new crews in the field helping us seed, weed, water, harvest, wash & pack your veggies for you. With this heat wave coming we are definitely planning to harvest earlier in the morning and water crops more often. The mild 70 degree days we have been having the last few weeks are perfect for the baby plants to get established and grow lots of leaves and deep vigorous root systems. It is also great weather for the farm crew. With the hotter temps and longer days, many plants transition from a vegetative growth phase to a focus on fruiting and flowering. That is bad news for some of our cool season crops that will start bolting/flowering. And we’ll need to be careful that our farm crews are drinking lots of water and taking breaks in the shade. But it is also great news because new potatoes & high tunnel tomatoes will be coming soon! 

Only 1 week left to sign up for fresh local Hood River Fruit Share which starts July 16th! Thanks for supporting us and our partner farms!

Some of the things in our box this week include…

• Choi leaves & stems are so delicious! My favorite way to use choi is with noodles. Saute the stem first, then the greens. Sautéed garlic, spring onions and/or other greens would all be great additions. I love to add shiitake mushrooms too! Cook the noodles and combine with veggies while everything is still warm. Then dress with soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil & ginger. For more variations on that theme try Soba Noodle Salad from Cook With What You Have (free access for our CSA members… join us?)
• Hakurei Turnips are very different from your grandma’s traditional turnip! They are a small white tender mild japanese salad turnip. I usually eat them raw dipped in humus or sliced onto salad. The salad turnips and greens are also good sautéed with a little miso or peanut oil & mirin.