Time to get up close and personal with some veggies from our farm today. And some wildlife, by chance.

These are Anaheim Peppers. They are mild and delicious. They are our go-to peppers for dicing into salsa and for grilling. They add a wonderful crunch to salsa, and grilled they are delicious on their own or as a topping for a wrap, sandwich, or salad.

These are our favorite variety of Green Beans (though they are yellow). They simply taste even better than the traditional green ones, in our opinion, so we grow both. We never cook green/yellow beans, but love them tossed with soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, apple cider vinegar, and sesame seeds. Oh my, it’s good.

Enter farm wildlife. The beans rely on pollinators like this.

Hello Bell Peppers! We love growing both green and purple. The purple ones taste similar to the green, but add a colorful mix to our salads and stir fries. Slice them, dice them, dip them and eat them everyday. They are a good source of Thiamin, Niacin, Folate, Magnesium and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Potassium and Manganese. (How about that?!)

Okra pod and Okra flower – the most beautiful and delicious things on our farm, in Janet’s opinion. Roast them, pickle them, fry them, grill them. Check out this list: They are a good source of Protein, Riboflavin, Niacin, Iron, Zinc and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Manganese. Whew!

Yellow tomatoes are the tastiest, in our opinion. We eat them for breakfast around here. You know what’s coming…They are a good source of Dietary Fiber, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Vitamin C, Niacin, Folate, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. Skip your vitamin capsules and eat lots of these things! We especially love them sliced on a piece of (our) bread, with maybe a touch of cream cheese and sea salt.

One last introduction: Our onions. This rainy year made pulling and curing dry onions tougher. We’re selling first the ones that don’t seem to be as likely to store. So, buy these and use them. After these are gone, we’ll dip into the more properly cured ones that will hopefully store into the fall. Maybe winter? Onions are a very good source of Vitamin K.

Not wildlife above, but an (admittedly terrible) photo of our crew thus far this summer. Two of these lovelies, Nick and Kathleen (blue shorts and purple shirt), have now ended their time with us. We thank them for their work, their spirit, and their passion for local, organic food. We will miss them and wish them the best on their future pursuits. The third, Gabby (white shirt), is thankfully continuing to tend your food here. Thanks, Gabby!

Farm wildlife #2: The Rosy Maple Moth paid us a visit this week!

This week’s harvest includes: 

Eggplant (three varieties), Garlic, Green Beans, Lettuce, Microgreens, Okra, Onions! (white), Peppers (Sweet Banana, Bell, Padrone, Hungarian Wax, Anaheim, & Jalapeno), Potatoes (red and yukon gold), Summer Squash (Yellow, Green, or White), Tomatoes (green, yellow, or red)…and Multigrain Bread and Pepper Jelly.

Market Share CSA Members: Choose your selection through our Online Store. Everyone else: Everything on our tables at the farmers’ markets are available for you to purchase and enjoy. Please do!

We will be at to the South of the James market  and Brandermill Green Market this weekend and every weekend this season until they close. Market Share CSA members may place an order for pick up at the farm, SOJ or BGM market, or simply show up at our booth to spend your credit

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Suggested Recipes – Stuffed Eggplant, Curry Roasted Okra, Coconut Curry Eggplant, Peach Vinaigrette for your Salad….all found on our Recipes page.

Enjoy ~

Reminders: 

**CSA Potluck Save the date: Saturday, Sept 28, 5:30. Bring a dish to share and we’ll eat together surrounded by beds of vegetables. Evite to follow.

** Public Farm Tour: Saturday, Sept 28, 4:00. Enjoy a walk around our farm with us as we describe our methods and why it’s important to grow diverse, organic vegetables on a small scale. No Fee, Family Friendly. Please – no pets.

Sign up for our Fall Farm Share CSA shares is now open on our website. This is where you get a predetermined share of veggies from us each week, picked up on Wednesdays in October and November. Pick up is located on our farm, with additional possibilities in Church Hill and at any host home if there are at least 10 shares picking up there. (Market Share Sign Up is also open, good for purchasing from us through the end of 2013.) Email us if you have interested neighbors and wish to be a host home!

Wish to purchase a weekly Dairy Share from Old Church Creamery?  Their delicious and sustainably produced yogurt, kefir, milk, and cheese will be available for pick up on Wednesdays with our Farm Shares if enough people are interested. Email us if so.