Dear CSA Member,

Summer time.  Isn’t it wonderful?  Hot, sunny and humid.  I never thought that the dog days of summer would feel so good.  Last summer we were just miserable, frustrated and tired.  The endless rain and cold weather seemed like it brought such dreary days not to mention the mud mosquitos and blight.  This summer has been very different and we are so very happy to be able to fill your shares with Tomatoes, Summer Squash and Cucumbers.  Tomatoes are just starting and we are still anxiously watching them ripen.  The Cherry Tomatoes are always first.  The three varieties are so beautiful in the baskets: Red Washington Cherry (larger, red), Gold Nugget (oval, yellow) and our long time favorite, Sun Gold Cherry (small, round, golden).

Hope you are enjoying the Summer Squash and Cucumbers as well.  They are producing  at their peak right now.  Please don’t be reluctant to take some of the larger Summer Squash.  The Romanesco (thick, green squash with defined ridges) and Sunburst Patty Pan (flattened bright yellow discs with star shape edges) are delicious and beautiful if sliced cross wise, brushed with olive oil and grilled.  Their ridges make an interesting shape and the larger squash hold up well to grilling.  The larger Zucchini are the best to grate and use in Zucchini Bread or Zucchini Cake.  Summer Squash is also handy if it is grated, frozen in zip lock bags and then used later on in the fall or winter.  Most recipes call for 2 cups so if you measure it out before freezing, all you will need to do is defrost and use in the recipe.

Enjoy the Vegetables,
Deborah for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

Vegetable Share (Full Share Quantities)
Summer Squash – 2 pounds
Boothby Blonde/Poona Kherna Cucumbers – 1 pound
You may see some larger cucumbers, some brownish or rust colored cucumbers and even some greenish cucumbers mixed in with the light blonde Boothby Cucumbers.  We tried a new variety of heirloom cucumbers this year, Poona Kherna.  No sure if we will grow them again.  They are an heirloom variety that grow very uncontrolled in so many different shapes and colors.  They are pictured in the seed catalog as a rust brown cucumber which should have been a hint right there, but I thought we would give them a try.  They still taste good-just very unpredictable and the brown ones are not very appealing.

Slicing Cucumbers – 1 each
Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage – 1 each
Scallions – 1 bunch
Lettuce – 1 head - this is quite small, but all that will grow in the heat.  Lettuce does not produce well in hot weather.
Dill – 1 bunch
Peppers – 3 each
Tomatoes – 1 pound
Cherry Tomatoes – 1 basket

Fruit Share
1 basket Shiro Plums
1 bag Yellow Peaches & White Nectarines.

This week’s newsletter includes a recipe for Greek salad pita wrap.

Carnegie Hill Newsletter – Week 7

This large sunny one bedroom (800 sq. ft) has wood floors, lots of closet space, including a walk in closet.  It works great for a couple.  Owner occupied building (CSA member).  Available immediately.  Conveniently located near shopping & 125th Street, the 4, 5, & 6 trains, Metro North, and M60 Bus to Laguardia Airport.  Non smokers only.  Call or e-mail Lynn at 212-369-2648 or ltiede@verizon.net  for more details.

Dear CSA Member,

We had a wonderful farm work visit.  Members from many of the different CSA locations were able to come to the farm and work for the day.  We harvested garlic and weeded the fall Leeks.  It was great having so many extra hands to help with the work.  We even were able to enjoy the creek at the end of the day.  Thank you to all of the members that traveled to the farm.  It is a real pleasure for us to get to work along side the CSA members, have lunch together and spend time getting to know each other.  If you were not able to come to the farm, we will be having another work visit in August.  Our Farm Visit festival is in September and that is a day just for fun, no work involved.

One of our CSA members, Dick Sandhaus, has a web site called www.BetterCheaperSlower.com. It’s about better, cheaper ways to eat, exercise and relax – how to save your time, your money and your planet. He posts “A New Way Every Day”, and every week he writes and makes videos about what he’s doing with his farm share. He made a beautiful looking beet-and-leek salad recently; today, he made a peach pizza for brunch with his fruit share. He’s also did a nice video interview with Pete and I; there’s a link to it on his home page. I think you’ll enjoy it.

Summer is in full swing and this week there are many of the vegetables of summer.  A real summer, hot and humid.  The plants love the heat and the sunshine.  So happy to be able to harvest a bountiful summer share.

Enjoy the summertime and the vegetables.  Deborah for everyone at Stoneledge Farm.