Welcome to the 7th share of the Pitchfork & Crow Summer CSA!  Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Red Ursa Kale
• German Butterball Potatoes – These are freshly dug and most don’t have thick skins yet. They won’t store as long as potatoes with thicker skins so use them up sooner than later.
• Fresh Sweet Onions
• Butterhead Lettuces
• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower – Lots of smaller caulis this week. This is the week to pull out recipes like cauliflower rice and cauliflower pizza crust or maybe it’s time to try out a quick refrigerator pickle.
• Parsley
• Summer Squash – Choose from yellow straightneck, pattypan, and zucchini.
• Cucumbers – picklers and slicers!
• Mixed Snap Beans – The long slender Maxibel Haricot Vert and purple striped Dragon beans!
• Jalapeno Peppers
• Mixed Tomatoes – Cherries and slicers for everyone!
• Strawberries

Hopefully you’ve marked your calendars for the first CSA member farm visit of the season! On Saturday, July 20th, we’re inviting members out to the fields to visit their vegetables and other CSA members. All the details in your weekly member email.

I hate to bring it up, but the mild weather so far this summer has made work on the farm generally more pleasant as compared to recent hot, hot, hot summers. I feel like I could jinx it just by pointing out how nice the overcast mornings have been for planting and harvesting, how the highs in the low 80s make even afternoon fieldwork bearable. The heat could be turned up any day, so we’re appreciating the occasional rain, the cool breezes, and enough heat to keep the summer crops on track. Just sayin’.

We’ve definitely been falling into the rhythm of summer over here. The waves of planting give way to the constant need for irrigation and the battle against the weeds goes on. We’ve recently finished up with some of the first spring plantings and were able to mow them. The shiny-ness of those first plantings had definitely worn off and it’s nice to be able to thoroughly clean up those beds. The week ahead will bring more of the same plus our organic inspection Friday and CSA farm visit Saturday! Fun times!

As I mentioned above, we’re inviting CSA members out to the farm on Saturday evening. We hope you’ll join us for an early potluck dinner, farm tours, and other shenanigans. We’ll set up the P&C screenprinting station so bring a t-shirt or a cloth bag for printing. We’ll break out the kites if the wind cooperates. There will some tomatoes to taste and compare. We’re adding a self-guided tour option for folks to explore the length of the farm on their own too! Check out the details in this week’s member email and hopefully we’ll see you Saturday.

Enjoy the vegetables!

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler and Jeff Bramlett

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Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Cabbage Tabbouleh

• 1/4 cup bulgur (not quick-cooking)
• 1/4 medium head of green cabbage, cored, very thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
• 1/2 medium white onion, very thinly sliced
• 2 cups very finely chopped parsley
• 1 cup mint leaves, torn if large
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt
• Fresh green chiles (optional)

Place bulgur in a small bowl; pour in boiling water to cover by 2″. Let soak until tender, about 50 minutes; drain.

Toss cabbage, onion, parsley, mint, allspice, and half of the bulgur in a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over tabbouleh and season with salt; toss again to combine.

Transfer tabbouleh to a platter and sprinkle with remaining bulgur. Serve with chiles alongside if desired (they’re meant to add some heat in between bites of the cooling tabbouleh).

From Epicurious.com via Bon Appétit by Kamal Mouzawak, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cabbage-tabbouleh

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Bibb Lettuce, Parsley, and Mint Salad

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium head Bibb lettuce, leaves torn if large (6 cups)
• 1 1/3 cups packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2/3 cup packed mint leaves
• 1/2 seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

Whisk together lemon juice, oils, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss lettuce, herbs, and cucumber with just enough dressing to coat.

From Epicurious.com via Gourmet by Maggie Ruggiero, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/bibb-lettuce-parsley-and-mint-salad-242848

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Mushroom and Kale Breakfast Skillet

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 medium onions, halved, sliced lengthwise into 1/4″-thick strips
• 1 lb. mixed wild or crimini mushrooms, sliced 1/4″ thick
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. red or white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 bunch curly kale, stems removed, torn into small pieces
• 8 large eggs
• Flaky sea salt, chopped parsley and/or cilantro, Aleppo-style pepper (optional), and lemon wedges (for serving)

Heat oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high. Crush cumin, coriander, and red pepper with a mortar and pestle or heavy skillet. Add to hot oil in skillet and stir to coat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned, 6–8 minutes. Add tomatoes, vinegar, and 1 tsp. kosher salt and stir to combine. Add kale, cover skillet, and cook, uncovering and tossing occasionally, until kale is wilted, 4–6 minutes. Season with remaining 1/2 tsp. kosher salt.

Make 8 indentations in vegetable mixture. Carefully crack an egg into each. Cover skillet and cook over medium-low heat, rotating skillet on burner halfway through to ensure even cooking, until egg whites are opaque and just set, 8–10 minutes. Top with sea salt, herbs, and Aleppo-style pepper (if using). Squeeze lemon juice over.

From Epicurious.com by Anna Stockwell, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/mushroom-and-kale-breakfast-skillet

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