July 29 Whole Farm and Summer CSA

Full Share: Summer Squash, Chard, Caraflex, Romaine, Purple Cauliflower, Onion, Snap Peas, Tomatoes, Fennel, and Parsley

Half Share, Summer Squash, Chard, Romaine, Onion, Raspberries, Tomatoes, Fennel

Flower Bouquet: Cosmos, Snapdragons, Sweet Peas, Feverfew, Amaranth, Marigolds, and Wall Flower

Howdy! U-pick season is at its peak this week! Raspberries and flowers are in plentiful and waiting to be picked. If you’re thinking about making jam, baking some delicious pastries, or re-stocking your winter supply in the freezer, this is the week to swing by the Rocky Creek Marketstand. We have over 100 varieties of flowers in our field! U-pick flowers are a great activity for families and friends; grab a group and talk a walk through our flower field to build your own bouquets. A “hand” of flowers is $20 and allows you to pick up to 40 stems. A “bucket” of flowers is $45 and allows you to pick up to 100 stems. We can also let you know what varieties dry well if you are curious to dry your own flowers to create DIY wreaths and bouquets for the fall. Outside of our plentiful flower and berry fields, our education team is hosting water week for campers! During water week, campers will learn about the various uses of water on the farm to grow produce, the wild and domestic animals that rely on natural water sources, and experience splashing in the creek running through the farm! The veggie crew is working hard to reign in the summer harvest and we continue to see new produce in the marketstand and CSA boxes each week!

CSA boxes this week are showcasing a few less leafy greens and trading them in for some new produce such as onions, fennel, purple cauliflower, and caraflex cabbage! Fennel has so many uses for each the bulb, stalk, and fronds! The bulb can be sliced thinly for salads or slaws, where it offers a crisp texture and a mild, refreshing, slightly licorice-like flavor. Roasting, grilling, braising, or sautéing the bulb softens it and brings out its natural sweetness. Stalks while tougher than the bulb, they can be used like celery to flavor homemade broths and stocks. They can also be placed under roasting meats or fish to impart flavor during cooking. Lastly, the feathery leaves of the fronds are perfect for use like other tender herbs, such as dill. Chop and sprinkle them on roasted vegetables, soups, fish, salads, or incorporate them into homemade dressings, pestos, salsas, stir-fries, or curries. Check out the recipe for traditional Italian fennel salad below! Caraflex cabbage, also known as "conehead" or "arrowhead" cabbage due to its pointed shape, is sweeter and more delicate than standard green cabbage. You can cook with caraflex the same way you would with other varieties of cabbage; however, vinaigrette based dishes tend to compliment the sweet flavor of leaves. Caraflex cabbage is more delicate than other cabbage varieties; therefore, store in a closed produce bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge.

Recipes:

Traditional Italian Fennel Salad: https://sweetsavoryandsteph.com/sicilian-style-fennel-salad/

Roasted Caraflex Cabbage with Honey Gochujang Sauce: https://localrootsnyc.com/blogs/recipes/roasted-caraflex-cabbage-with-honey-gochujang-sauce

Cabbage Slaw: https://taprootfields.com/blogs/trf/try-this-new-refreshing-summer-slaw-or-not-your-grandmother-s-cabbage-slaw?srsltid=AfmBOop-QQMwE0K2yo6bILcjjA5oGWaqQ6v0ZDPQ8FGZaQ8ThDqZ5diM

Enjoy the last few days of July!

Karlee