Welcome, September! We love this time of year. We’ve finished all of our fall plantings, so from now through November, we can focus on cultivating, irrigating and harvesting. This is a photo of our beautiful buckwheat cover crop that’s growing on the farm. We plant it in a field after it’s been harvested. The buckwheat enriches the soil and provides an amazing natural habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects. These fields are alive with the humming of bees and the swooping of dragonflies and barn swallows. Just beautiful.
What’s in season this week?
Cantaloupe Melon
Sweet, fragrant, and one of the last true tastes of summer fruit. Enjoy it simply sliced, or dress it up with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of chili powder or flaky salt to bring out its sweetness. An excellent source of vitamins A and C. Storage: In the fridge!
Red Tomatoes
Tomato season is in full swing. A thick slice with flaky salt needs nothing else, but try layering them with fresh mozzarella and basil, or roasting halves with olive oil and garlic until jammy and sweet. Rich in vitamin C and lycopene. Storage: never refrigerate — keep at room temperature, stem-side down, out of direct sun, and use within a few days of full ripeness.
Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
Still the sweetest thing in the box. Halve them with olive oil and basil, toss into a warm pasta, or eat them straight out of hand! Storage: keep at room temperature, out of direct sun; refrigeration dulls their flavor.
Sweet Corn
Our final ears of the year, so make them count. If you want to hold onto the season a little longer, cut the kernels off the cob and freeze them; they’ll bring a taste of summer to a soup or chowder come January. Storage: keep in the husk in the refrigerator and eat as soon as possible.
Green Cabbage
A dense, crisp head that marks the season’s turn toward heartier fare. Shred it for a bright slaw to pair with anything off the grill, or sauté simply with butter and salt for a sweet, tender side. It also holds beautifully in the fridge, so there’s no rush to use it all at once. Rich in vitamin C and fiber. Storage: refrigerate whole in an airtight container — it will keep for weeks. Once cut, wrap tightly and use within the week.
Cucumbers
The last planting this season! Storage: refrigerate in an airtight container and use within a week.
Summer Squash — Various Varieties
A mixed bounty of summer squash to close out the season. Grill thick planks until tender and lightly charred, grate into fritters, or sauté simply with a little garlic and fresh herbs. Whatever the shape or color, they all cook the same way and welcome the same treatment. Storage: refrigerate unwashed in an airtight container for up to a week.
Radicchio
A gorgeous burst of burgundy as the season shifts. Its pleasant bitterness is a welcome contrast to the sweetness of melon and tomatoes still in the box — tear it into a salad with a honeyed vinaigrette, or halve and grill until the edges char and the bitterness mellows. A drizzle of balsamic afterward is perfection. Rich in vitamin K and antioxidants. Storage: refrigerate in an airtight container and use within a week.
Carrots
Sweet and crisp, as versatile as ever. Eat raw with hummus, shave into ribbons for salads, or roast alongside summer squash for an easy sheet-pan dinner. Famously rich in beta-carotene for healthy eyes and skin. Storage: remove the greens and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
FRUIT SHARE
*For PAID Fruit Share Members ONLY*
Late-Season Peaches
Storage: On the counter, not touching, until slightly soft to the touch and fragrant.
Recipes from our Farmhouse Kitchen
Sungold Cherry Tomato Pasta
Roasted Zucchini with Ricotta & Mint
Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots
Radicchio with Walnut Vinaigrette, Egg & Breadcrumbs
