ATTENTION MEMBERS: Please make sure to drive slow (15 - 20 mph) on Cooper Rd. out of respect for neighbors and pets! Thank you!
THIS WEEK’S HARVEST
In a nutshell: Lots of u-pick options as this cool summer makes us wait on tomatoes and peppers in the main harvest.
Salad Mix (with Mustard Greens and Frisee), Rosaine Little Gem Lettuces, Red Romaine Lettuce, Sugarloaf Chicories, Red Russian Kale, Farao Cabbage, Fennel, Celery, Patty Pan, Costata & Dunja Summer Squash, Lemon & Persian Cucumbers, Corinto Cucumbers, Fresh Torpedo Onions, Loose Mokum Carrots.
Sulfur cosmos just started blooming West of the big sunflowers.
U-PICK
Albion Strawberries: 2 pints per share
Shishito & Padrón Frying Peppers: 3 pints total per share —there are lots of Shishitos and relatively few Padróns at the moment. See Week 6’s Newsletter for harvest and preparation tips.
Amethyst Green Beans: 3 pints per share
Pickling Cucumbers: See Week 6’s Newsletter for instructions.
Tomatillos: 1 pint per share
Herbs: Dill, Italian Basil, Thai Basil, Tulsi Basil, Chamomile, Parsley, Onion Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Oregano, Marjoram, Culinary Sage, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Vietnamese Coriander, Shiso (Perilla), Culinary Lavender, French Sorrel, Borage, Violas, Thyme and Mints.
Flowers!
Just waiting on some heat to kick the cherry tomatoes and hot peppers into gear to reach peak u-pick cruising altitude!
HARVEST NOTES
Amethyst Green Beans: These gorgeous purple green beans have a delicious flavor and sweetness when eaten raw. And when cooked, they magically turn green! To show off their purple skins and green interiors, we love to use them fresh in salads, chopped on the bias, but they are also incredible as you would use any green bean: Blanched, roasted, or sautéed.
Sugarloaf Chicories: We would die happy farmers if our one accomplishment in this life was to initiate our all our CSA members into a deep and abiding love for Sugarloaf Chicories. We harvested an abundance of these beauties and will be distributing them out-of-bag. Our favorite way to prepare them is to roast them in the oven. Try cutting a Sugarloaf head into quarters, coat the quarters completely with olive oil, rub on some garlic, and then broil them until the outer leaves are slightly crisped and blackened the leaves are melted and soft. Then top with salt and ample grated parmesan and eat as a side. For a raw chicory salad, check out CSA member Sarah Kate Benjamin’s simple and masterful recipe in Week 5’s newsletter.
FLOWER POWER HAPPY HOUR!
Join Flower Ambassador Cassidy in the garden this Tuesday evening to enjoy summer in it’s full bloom glory for a Flower Power Happy Hour!
Next Tuesday, August 8th, bring your clippers, your fave flower vessel and perhaps a beverage to share and let’s enjoy the gorgeous garden vibes!
Farmer Kayta will kick us off with a garden tour telling us about some of the blooms. Then we will spend time picking and arranging our own bouquets. We will wrap with a show and tell.
Tuesday, August 8th
5:00 pm: Garden Tour with Kayta
5:20 pm: Pick! Arrange! Sip!
6:00 pm: Show’n’Tell
home chef ambassador: CUCUMBER SALADS
Hey y’all, I’m Adam, your Home Chef Ambassador!
I love to cook, but am by no means a professional, and I hate wasting food. My favorite style of cooking is “what do we have, how do I make the most of it without having to go back to the store.” In that spirit, what I have in mind for this series is to give you really easy ideas on how to use the produce that comes out of the farm. I’ll likely focus on the harvests that are abundant to give maximum inspiration. I’ll also avoid full-on recipes, there are tons of those all over the internet, I’m mostly trying to give some foundational techniques to spark your own creativity.
This week I wanted to focus on cucumber salads. There are so many cucumbers, they are just exploding. Similar to my first article, I’m going to give you two axes on which you can mix-and-match for amazing cucumber salads.
First, choose your texture:
Zebra coins: For these, first use your peeler to peel long stripes in the cucumber, leaving space between each stripe. Then you cut into discs, revealing a cute little pattern on the coins. (see photo for detail). This method also helps for cucumbers that have tough skins, as you end up still getting the nutritional benefits of some skin, while avoiding anything too chewy. Lastly, they also look much fancier for virtually no extra effort.
Spears: These are classic “pickle shapes”. Just cut lengthwise into wedges. My favorite shape for picnics so I can eat with my hands.
Ribbons: Again, with your peeler, peel lengthwise, revealing long, thin ribbons. These are great for wrapping around something else, another item that looks really fancy, but comes together instantly! (I wrapped mine around last night’s leftover chicken, and dipped in hoisin)
Smashed: This one is a classic in chinese cooking. Cut into 2” lengths, then just smash with the broad side of your knife (or put in a plastic bag, and channel any angry energy into smashing them with a rolling pin. Invite your kids to participate, they love this method). This creates a craggy texture that really holds onto sauces and dressings.
Next choose your flavors:
Greek: Red onions, feta, olives, oregano, red wine vinegar
Szechuan: Toss with your favorite chili crisp (shout out to West Sonoma County’s homegrown Big Spoon)
Fruits and Cukes: Melon, mint, lemon, toasted nuts
Mediterranean: Tahini, lime, cumin, crispy chickpeas
Also, don’t forget to put cucumber in all your cold, summery drinks. A simple cucumber water is fantastic, or go full CDMX with a spicy agua fresca (blend the cucumber with water, agave, jalapeños and tajin).
Have fun, and please show me what you come up with. I’m excited to hear from you all!
-Adam
FARMER’S LOG
The Peace of Wild Things
by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
CSA BASICS
What time is harvest pick-up?:
Saturday harvest pick-ups run from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Tuesday harvest pick-ups will run from 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
When can I u-pick?: Oriented members can come to the farm any time, 7 days a week, sunrise to sunset, to u-pick and enjoy the farm.
2023 CSA program dates: Our harvest season will run this year from June 24th - December 19th
Where is the farm? The member parking lot is located at 1720 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472.
Where should I park?: Follow our sign on Cooper Rd. down a short gravel driveway. Please find a parking spot next to the solar panels or along the road further down. Please don’t park behind the solar panels.
Where’s the bathroom!: Under the big solar panels in the parking lot.
What should I bring?:
Your WCCF tote bag
Pint baskets or small containers for measuring your allotment of u-pick crops like strawberries
A vase, bucket, or water bottle to keep your flowers and herbs happy
Clippers or secateurs to cut flowers (if you have some), we also have some in the barn
Water / sun hat / picnic supplies if you plan to stay awhile!
Friends and family!
Newsletters & email communication: All our important CSA communications are through this email address, which seems to be getting spam blocked a lot. Please make sure this email address is in your address book so you get important CSA communications. All newsletters and important updates are also posted on the Newsletters page of our website weekly.
