Letter from a Farmer,

We are in full summer mode on the farm. It's the first week of sweet corn and cantaloupe harvest. The tomatoes are just starting to come in. The sugary goodness of the summer heat is replacing the cool spring/early summer flavors in the kale, zucchini, and summer squash. And the weeds are waving their leafy stems at us in all directions.

Weeds love all the rain and hot days. When the fields are full of puddles and we sink into the mud just walking through them, we can't drive over the beds with our cultivation tools. Plus if the soil is saturated the weeds re-root themselves on the damp earth after the cultivation knives disturb the weeds. We missed two week of cultivation in our newly transplanted brassicas. The cabbage, kale, and cauliflower beds were a solid green carpet of weeds last week.

On Thursday afternoon we looked at the beds, felt the soil in our hands, and checked the forecast for the hundredth time to see if rain was still forecasted for Friday. The soil was still a bit damp but it was supposed to rain all day Friday. We decided to go for the cultivation, a now or never sort of thing.

When the soil moisture is just right the soil flows through the cultivation equipment. We gently disturb the soil surface in between and around the plants to kill as many weeds as possible. Thursday afternoon things were not ideal. The soil smeared and clumped around the plants. We were slightly concerned we were knocking the plants a little too hard. When the soil is saturated the veggie transplant's root systems grow slower and the veggies aren't strongly attached to the earth. We climbed off the cultivation tool to make sure the cabbage and kale were doing ok. We went through all the beds with two different tools. The beds looked better when we finished. Not great but better.

Then on Friday we woke up to sunny skies. We went out to cultivate beets and carrots. And the skies continued to stay blue despite thunder rumbles in the distance. So we went out to hand weed the beets after the cultivation. We made a dent in one bed and the those beets look good. We went home Friday evening and the sky darkened all around us. But no rain fell on the farm. We missed the one to two inches that hit north and south of us. This week we will be back out in the fields removing the leafy weeds waving above our beets. Next week we will tackle the cabbage and kale with hand hoes. We will do our best to make sure the veggies win the weed battle. ~Jody

Sunrise on the way to the lettuce field

BEEF #2: Week of August 1

CHICKEN #2: Week of August 15

PORK SHARES: In late September or early October

If you can't pick up your egg or meat share a particular week, please contact the farm and we can hold your share and send it another week.

ROXBURY FARM CSA

PORK and BEEF

We have our own beef and pork available to purchase by the cut.

Click HERE to see what cuts are available

head lettuce, carrots, scallions, sweet corn, cantaloupe, eggplant, bell peppers, hot peppers, cucumbers, basil, and beets

Tomatoes are happy in the high tunnel

This week's full share: head lettuce, sweet corn, cantaloupe, cherry tomatoes or slicing tomatoes, poblano peppers, cucumbers, basil, bell peppers, fresh onions, cilantro, new potatoes, basil, scallions, and eggplant

FRUIT SHARE: peaches

This week's small share: head lettuce, sweet corn, cantaloupe, fresh onions, cilantro, new potatoes, eggplant, and basil

COOKING TIPS AND RECIPES

We recommend signing up for the Farm Share newsletter from Alexandra Stafford. It has great cooking tips, recipes, and other helpful items to help you make the most use of your share. Click HERE to sign up. If you have a website, blog, or newsletter as a go to for CSA share recipes please share them with us!

Sweet corn: Store in the fridge. Husk just before eating

Cantaloupe: store in the fridge

Poblano Peppers: Dark green peppers. They are mildly spicy. store in the fridge or a cool spot in your kitchen

Spiced Peppers and Eggplant

4 garlic cloves

¾ tsp. coriander seeds, crushed

¾ tsp. cumin seeds, crushed

Pinch of saffron threads (optional)

2 sweet peppers, any color (about 1 lb.), cut into 2” strips

1 eggplant (about ½ lb.), quartered lengthwise, cut into 2x1” pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 cup torn fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup olive oil

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, coriander, cumin, and saffron, if using; cook, stirring often, until garlic is softened, about 4 minutes. Add sweet peppers and eggplants; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 15–20 minutes. Remove from heat and add vinegar. Just before serving, add basil and toss to combine. www.bonappetit.com

Creamy Cilantro Sauce

2 cups fresh cilantro

1 garlic clove

¼ cup lime juice

2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Make it creamy (optional):

1 avocado or ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt

In a food processor, place the cilantro, garlic, lime juice, maple syrup, coriander, and salt and pulse to combine. With the blade running, pour in the olive oil and process until smooth.

Make it creamy (optional) - blend with 1 avocado or ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt. www.loveandlemons.com

Roasted Poblano Cream Sauce

4 poblano peppers or do 2 poblano and 2 bells for a milder sauce

1 large clove of garlic *or two smaller

1 cup light sour cream, Greek yoghurt, or vegan alternative.

1 small lime *juiced

1 teaspoon salt

⅓ cup chopped cilantro leaves *loosely packed

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Remove stems and seeds from peppers and cut them in half.

Line peppers evenly on a large baking sheet, leaving a little space between each.

Roast peppers for 25-30 minutes until skin is blistered. No need to flip the peppers over halfway, you can just leave them be.

Remove baking sheet from the oven and allow peppers to cool down enough that you can comfortably handle them.

Transfer roasted halves to a plastic bag. You can also use plastic wrap if you don't have baggies. This allows peppers to steam and will further loosen tough outer skin.

Remove peppers from the bag and peel outer skin away. Thorough is good, perfect is unnecessary. A few bits of unpeeled skin will be fine!

Add roasted/peeled poblano peppers, sour cream, garlic clove, cilantro, salt and lime juice to a food processor.

Puree ingredients on high speed for 30-60 seconds. www.garliclimeandsalt.com

Roasted Poblano Cilantro Quinoa

1 cup quinoa

2 teaspoons butter

1 cup water

1 cup vegetable or chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoon lime juice

salt, to taste

1 poblano pepper, roasted

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium sized saucepan.

Add the quinoa to the saucepan and cook, stirring often, until the quinoa is golden, about 5 minutes.

Add the water, broth, lime juice and salt and bring to a boil.

Cover and turn heat to low. Simmer on low for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, turn the heat off but leave the lid on and let sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, roast the poblano pepper.

After removing the charred skin, stem and seeds (if desired - I don't like mine too hot so I remove the seeds), puree the pepper using a blender or small food processor.

Using a fork, fluff the quinoa and stir in the pureed poblano and chopped cilantro. www.goodlifeeats.com