Hi everyone Jess here to present the 6th week of the Springdell Summer Season!
- Tomatoes are here!- I’m personally for popping them on the counter, not too close together, until ready for use.
- Blueberries– From the neighboring town of Groton, and simply delicious! Read on for a yummy zucchini and blueberry recipe.
- Green Bell Peppers– First ones of the season go quick around here. I slice them up and leave them on the table in this house and they disappear within the hour. These big beauties are also great for stuffing!
- Pickling Cucumbers– Another cuke heavy week, and a great time to make pickles so that we can enjoy these now and beyond the season! My garden’s dill fronds are still small, so rather than making a trip to the shops, I’m planning to use dill and mustard seed.
- Slicing Cucumbers– Farm cukes favor the fridge over the countertop. Another quick plug for Sour Cream Cucumbers!
- Summer Squash– I’ve had another family request for Summer Squash Custard Pie, so that will be making another appearance in our house this week (this time with a pre-made crust).
- Kale– We’re in the part of the season where my kids are eating the lettuces before the kale, so this batch was blanched and popped in the freezer to be used in the morning smoothies.
- Fennel– The fronds are wonderful for tea (nothing fancy, just steep a few fronds), or as aromatics in steamed or grilled dishes. The bulbs are smaller than the giant supermarket ones. Shave off a thin slice and give it a taste. If you like it, shave some more on your salads! If it’s too strong, cooking may be the way to go.
- Green Beans– After trimming the stem, a quick blanch is all you need, or snack them raw (half my beans were gone before they hit the pan).
- Wax Beans– The yellow counterparts to the greenies. See beans above.
- Zucchini Squash- Still an experiment, but initial taste tests indicate that zucchini can similarly be snuck into Key Lime Pie, too!
- Lettuce– Be sure to separate all your lettuce leaves from their core and wash/damp dry them before storing as this will minimize wilt. Eat as close to day 1 as you can for optimal deliciousness!
- Sugar Beets– I separate the tops from the bulbs when I get home to maintain crispness to the bulb. If not roasting up your bulbs right away, (I’m pickling mine this week) rinse, pat dry and store them in a bag in the fridge. The beet greens were blanched right away and stored in the fridge for later use (I ate last week’s at lunch with a big ol’ pat of butter).
- Basil– Trim new diagonal stems, strip the leaves from the bottom (so they don’t sit in the water) and place in a glass with water on your windowsill until ready for use. Check and change the water regularly and trim off as needed.
Small Shares this week include Pickling and Slicing Cukes, Cabbage, Bell Peppers, Summer Squash, Zucchini Squash, Blueberries, Green Beans, Lettuce, Sugar Beets, Basil and Kale. Super Shares include Corn, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Squash Bombs, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Slicing Cukes, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Cherry Tomatoes, Black Raspberries, Lettuce, Sugar Beets, Kale, Basil and Fennel. Single Shares include Pickling Cukes, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Blueberry, Lettuce, Sugar Beets, Kale and Green Beans. Quantities vary by share, with the larger shares receiving the larger quantities accordingly. Please note that items may vary slightly throughout the week depending on daily yield, but share value will remain consistent.
- Eggs– I’m on a bit of a steamed egg kick, as they make for a quick protein boost to our regular lunchtime salads.
Sometimes grabbing a grater and whipping up a simple veggie slaw. Try this Springdellian tested recipe for a simple brine that can be used with all kinds of veggies to add a little zip to your plate!
That’s about it for today! As always, please feel free to check in here or on the Facebook Page with questions, tips, or if you have a recipe to share. I love to hear from you. Have a great week, everyone!