Welcome to the 15th share of the Pitchfork & Crow 2020 Summer CSA!  Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Lettuce Mix
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cilantro
• Mixed Beets
• Sweet Corn
• Sweet Onions
• Tomatillos – Looking for recipes beyond salsa verde? Check out the gazpacho recipe below!
• Cucumbers – choose from slicers, lemons, and picklers too.
• Zucchini & Summer Squash
• Jalapeno Peppers
• Mixed Sweet Peppers
• Slicer Tomatoes
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Mixed Melons

Winter CSA Sign-up is Happening! Many thanks to everyone who has already jumped into the upcoming 2020/2021 Winter CSA. After just two weeks of accepting memberships we’re already 85% full for the Winter season that begins in December. We appreciate the enthusiasm for winter vegetables! If you haven’t yet sign-up you can get all the details and a link to the sign-up form right here.

Man things can change quickly! One minute we’re harvesting tomatillos on a beautiful summer evening and the next we’re harvesting tomatillos in what feels like a camp fire’s direct smoke. As you’ve all likely experienced, the wind picked up in the trees and the smoke thickened quickly last night. It was hard to believe that it wasn’t our neighbor’s timber on fire, but smoke from the fires in the mountains.

I suppose we’ve been lucky to not experience smoke in past summers. Fingers crossed it doesn’t hang around too long. Our thoughts are with the firefighters up there working to contain these things and with those folks being evacuated.

We’re going ahead with today’s CSA pick-up as scheduled. Please don’t come to the pick-up if you feel the air quality will impact your health significantly. Jut shoot us an email (farmers@pitchforkandcrow.com) and we’ll make alternative arrangements with you. If you do come, but want to stay in your car, just let us know and we’ll bag up your share for you. Also, you’re always welcome to skip the Salem pick-up and come to tomorrow’s on-farm pick-up, though it is a bit of a drive. Just give us a head’s up and we’ll make sure to have a share here for you.

Let’s all make the choices that will keep us safe and healthy. Just let us know if you don’t feel it’s a good idea to come out today and we’ll work together to find the best solution.

Before we were inundated with smoke, you know, before 6pm yesterday, we made some good progress in the fall/winter vegetable arena last week. We seeded mustards and onions and lettuce! We transplanted more lettuce. Jeff cultivated a block of seed crops that will be with us through the winter months. I’m sure there was a lot more that I’m forgetting at the moment. This week we’ll be getting on the harvest train: pears, apples, potatoes… Hopefully this smoke clears out eventually and we’ll be able to see what we’re harvesting!

Enjoy the vegetables and we’ll see you next week!

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler & Jeff Bramlett

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Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Tomato and Tomatillo Gazpacho

• 1/2 pound fresh tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion, divided
• 1 fresh serrano chile, coarsely chopped, including seeds (or how about a jalapeno or even a sweet pepper for less spice).
• 1 garlic clove, quartered
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Puree tomatillos, half of tomatoes, and half of onion with chile, garlic, vinegar, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt in a blender until smooth.

Force through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids.

Stir in remaining tomatoes and onion, water, oil, and cilantro. Chill until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

From Epicurious.com via Gourmet by Andrea Albin, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/tomato-and-tomatillo-gazpacho-354967

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Roasted Beet Salad with Beet Greens and Feta

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 7 medium-large beets (about 3 inches in diameter) with greens
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chopped drained capers
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk oil, vinegar and garlic in small bowl to blend. Season dressing generously with salt and pepper.

Cut green tops off beets; reserve tops. Arrange beets in single layer in 13x9x2-inch baking dish; add 1 cup water. Cover; bake until beets are tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Peel beets while warm. Cut beets in half and slice thinly. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in capers and 1/4 cup dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut stems off beet greens; discard stems. Wash greens. Transfer greens, with some water still clinging to leaves, to large pot. Stir over high heat until just wilted but still bright green, about 4 minutes. Drain greens; squeeze out excess moisture. Cool; chop coarsely.

Transfer greens to medium bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange beets in center of platter. Surround with greens; sprinkle with feta. Drizzle with any remaining dressing.

From Epicurious.com via Bon Appétit, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roasted-beet-salad-with-beet-greens-and-feta-3188

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Cabbage and Corn Slaw with Cilantro and Orange Dressing

• 1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
• 2 (8-ounce) bags coleslaw mix (but you’ll shred your own cabbage)
• 4 ears of fresh corn, shucked, kernels cut from cob
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, coarsely grated
• 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, cored, cut into thin strips
• 6 medium green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk orange juice concentrate, rice vinegar, and canola oil in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Combine slaw mix, corn kernels, carrots, red bell pepper strips, sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand 15 minutes for flavors to blend. Toss again and serve.

From Epicurious.com via Bon Appétit by Pam Anderson, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cabbage-and-corn-slaw-with-cilantro-and-orange-dressing-238803