Cucumbers & Peaches, Oh My!
This is the time of year for abundance. We wait and prepare all year for right now. We are so thankful to have all of you to share with.
We have a new friend, Christina, working with us. She took this photo for us this morning of the wonderful Frecon peaches.
We have not heard back from many of you about whether or not you will be attending our Member Potluck next Friday August 6th. We are excited to see you all and show you the garden.
Some notes about your delivery this week (July 30th).
Tomatoes- Tomatoes are turning amazingly slow this season. The plants are healthy and loaded. I feel we are headed for a future tomato explosion. But for now they are dribbling in. We pick tomatoes on the green side. This is called "Breaker Stage". The reason for this is so that they are shipped to you in one piece. We grow mostly heirlooms which are big, bulky and fragile. If we were to deliver them to you when they were fully ripe you would find a big wet mess in your box. Simply place them in a windowsill for a few days. I think you will be very pleased with our tomato flavors when they finally arrive.
This past Sunday as you all probably well know Berks County was hit with a fierce storm. Our farm in Morgantown was spared the hail and hard rain. The Farmer's Market received the brunt of the storm. (Thank you to everyone whom helped us pack up our van in such a hurry).
Unfortunately, our friends at Frecon Farms were not spared the hail damage. Their main orchard was hit as well as much of their Peach crop. It is very sad but they are in good spirits and still moving along. We were still able to get peaches from them (although no Plums). The peaches were discounted due to the fingernail markings left by the hail. Therefore, we were able to buy more peaches with your money and so this week you will find 4.5lbs of peaches in your box instead of 3. We mixed them some white and some yellow. Happy peach pie making. We can't complain about our abundance.
What follows are some ideas for Peaches other than pie or Custard. And don't forget you can freeze or can them for a mid winter treat.
Grilled Peaches- Simply halve them and grill. Try adding a bit of BBQ sauce for pizazz.
Peach Salsa- Use peaches (cooked or raw) instead of tomatoes in your salsa. This would be great with a bit of roasted Tomatillos, as well.
Cucumber Salad with Peaches- Simply add peaches (raw) to your traditional Cucumber Salad. This works with either the yogurt or vinegar variation. Peaches are amazing with a balsamic vinegar base.
Peach Burritos- Add the peaches to your favorite Burrito dish. I love them raw in the burrito with black beans and onions. You can even bake the burritos for a few minutes after you roll them with the peaches inside. The peaches will melt. Cheddar cheese will go great with this as well.
And we cannot forget a wonderful summer favorite. This recipe was adapted and used by our wonderful intern Sam.
Refrigerator Pickles
4 c. sugar
4 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. pickling salt
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
3 med. onions, sliced thin
Med. size cucumbers
4 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. pickling salt
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
3 med. onions, sliced thin
Med. size cucumbers
Mix all ingredients together except the onion and cucumbers. Do not heat. Stir until completely dissolved.
Sterilize jars.
Slice one onion in the bottom of each jar. Slice cucumbers to fill the jars. Pour mixture over the cucumbers and onions. Fill to top of the jar. Screw on the lids and refrigerate for at least three days before using. Store in refrigerator.
Makes 3 large 18 ounce jars. Will keep indefinitely.
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