CSA Week 6

You may have corn, cucumbers, squashes, blueberries, greens, peppers?

 Here’s a direct link to Week 6 on the blog

Are you planning on making pickles or lots of zucchini bread? Something else? Now is the time to get bulk cukes or squash for whatever you are making. Email me what market location you would like to pick up a whole box this week and we will give you the CSA discount!

We are just starting to pick peppers! I heard some members had Hungarian Wax hot peppers in their boxes last week đŸ˜‰ Surprise! They would all be pale green at this stage, turning shades of orange and red later in the season. Here’s your magic decoder ring for peppers I will elaborate on sweet and hot peppers next week.

hungarian wax

Recipes

I made a yummy veggie chili last week – super tasty and quick in my InstantPot! Recipe here.
Geve’s Zucchini Mac & Cheese
  • 8oz marscapone
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 3/4 cup shredded cheddar
  • 1/3 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
  • 1 lb brown rice fettucine – or use more squash
  • 2 really large zucchini (or any summer squash)
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • s&p to taste  (I use my favorite seasoned slat blend)
  • 2 T oil
  • red pepper flakes
  • 2+ cloves garlic, minced

Spiralize the zucchini, or make long noodles with mandoline. Lightly salt and let drain in colander. Cook pasta according to directions on package.
In saucepot, carefully melt marscapone and milk (right, keep stirring, don’t walk away ;)). When thickened, stir in seasonings and other cheeses. Naturally you should taste it now.

Heat oil in large frying pan, add red pepper flakes and garlic, when fragrant (30 seconds) add squash and saute about 5 minutes. Be careful tossing your tender zoodles so they don’t break them apart.

Layer half the pasta in a large casserole, top with squash, then remainder of pasta. Pour sauce over, carefully poking through with knife to make sure sauce is settling throughout. Top with panko. Bake at 400 until bubbly and crumbs are golden, about 25 minutes.

 

Noodles, Zoodles and Cheese

 

 

Beet-Chocolate Cake and Zucchini Cake
Zsa Zsa’s Corn Oysters
Corn Pesto
Cucumbers
Swiss Chard Fritters

zucchini pizza
Summer Squash Salad with Scallions and Parsley (Real Simple)

Farm Dirt

We had a timely shower last week and the sun and warmth should push the tomatoes along…still waiting for that first big pick! Their potato cousins are starting to appear and these first early ones are planted very early, at least a month before the main crop goes in. The potatoes in full bloom are a pretty sight, with many varieties having their own unique blossom color! Did I ever tell you about the time the police were doing their annual flyover and mistook our field of potatoes in bloom for pot! I waved to them from our driveway as they hovered over the field for 15 minutes and it was especially amusing when three cruisers rolled up to investigate. LOL

Glenn planted the last corn this week and I imagine it will germinate well with the immediate moisture and warm soil temps. It seems like we are in a little gap for lettuce, but it won’t be for long. Even though we seed a new crop every 10 days, I think several successions just sat there, doing nothing during the cool rain and when the sun decided to come out and stay out, the lettuce all came at once – I’m pretty sure the same thing happened with the corn this year too.

The turkeys are out and about with their young. Our black squirrel turned out to be a female and, recently, she has brought her young to the bird feeder…so far I’ve identified one black and two gray babies of hers. They are all perfect and beautiful as you would expect for babies with new coat of fur. One of them is in trouble with Glenn, as he/she has chewed a hole in the back side of the feeder! Cute menaces!

We’ve enjoyed stunning sunsets and even the Full Buck Moon rising was quite a show. With expenses going up all the time for us in Massachusetts, it is great that some of the best things in life are still free!

Eat well,

Geneviève Stillman

Lovely sunset at Stillman's Farm