This week’s newsletter includes recipes for Summer Salsa and Ratatouille.

Carnegie Hill CSA Newsletter Week 9

Dear CSA Member,

I have been  a bit reluctant to express our complete joy with the tomatoes this season-just in case. My grandmother instilled a healthy dose of superstition at an early age that follows to this day.  There was no way I was going to jinx the harvest.  Now that we are actually filling baskets with tomatoes, it is time.   The tomatoes will be coming on stronger and stronger as they ripen in the hot summer sun.  There are a variety of tomatoes that will come your way in no particular time or fashion.  We pick the patch, weigh and crate the tomatoes making sure that each CSA location gets their share.  Some varieties are heirlooms, some hybrid, some open pollinated, all delicious.

Flora Lee – long paste tomato with green shoulders
Gilbertie – long paste tomato with green shoulders thinner than the Flora Lee
San Marzano – paste tomato, elongated
Pomodoro – large, meaty, heart shaped with a ribbed top and round bottom
Pony Express – the smaller saladette type with a elongated shape but smaller than the other elongated varieties
Sunkist – round, yellow tomato
Pargon – large, red slicer
BHN-826 – large, red slicer
And three Cherry Tomatoes:
Sun Gold – our favorite gold, round and sweet
Gold Nugget – we tried this for the first time this year, oval, yellow
Washington Cherry – new as well.  Large, red

I have updated the book list on the farm web site www.stoneledgefarmny.org click on Recipes, Resources and Reading.  There are cook books that celebrate the seasonal harvest, two that only deal with tomatoes.  Two of the cook books are written by CSA members: Recipes from America’s Small Farms and The Whole Truth.

So, celebrate the tomato.  Finally a summer that feels and tastes like summer.

Enjoy the Vegetables-Deborah for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

Full Share
Tomatoes Slicers – 2 pounds
Tomatoes Cherry – 1 basket
Summer Leeks – 1 bunch
Summer Squash – 2 pounds
Cucumbers – 1 slicer
Peppers – 3
Eggplant – 1 Italian Black Bell
Basil – 1 bunch

Fruit Share
1 bag with Donut Peaches
1 bag Nectarines

Donut Peaches are small, flattened peaches that are very sweet.  They are a special treat that the orchards save for our CSA members.  I guess they are getting very popular.

I’m glad to hear that the cucumbers were well received.  I was wondering if their look would keep them last in the crate at the CSA distribution.  The Boothby and also the Poona cucumbers are both heirloom varieties.  Boothby seem to have their act together  much more than the Poona. Most of the Boothbys will grow small, oval and blonde.  The Poona just grow in what ever fashion each plant seems to feel like.   Both varieties are perfect examples of what is so great about CSA and as a farmer, growing for CSA members.  We are able to grow varieties of vegetables that may not fit the norm as far as looks, but far exceed in taste.
Deb

The last couple of weeks we’ve had pickup on the 74th Street side.  If serious rain is expected we set up inside the vestibule of the church but since it only threatened to rain we thought we’d set up on the street and run inside only if we had to.

So what’s everyone’s opinion?  Any preferences which side to use on a regular basis?  Please post your comments and let me know.