August 16th, 2022

What’s in this Week’s VEGGIE BOX Cherry Tomatoes, Figs, Potatoes, Plums, Parsley, Jalapeno, Green Bell peppers and Garlic

Bread this week: French Baguette OR Rosemary Foccacia your choice of one

Fall Quarter Starts today: NEW QUARTER CHECK LIST

Is your name on the list for your order?
If your name is not on the list PLEASE DO NOT PICK UP A BOX- we did not pack one for you.
If you think your name should be on the list and is not, send an email
Check your name off of each separate list when you pick up your produce, so the drop host knows who forgot their box and can give you a call.

If you see CONT next to your name on the roster, it means we have not received payment from you
If next to your name it says E-MAILED or CALLED, it means we gave you a call and have not heard from you, we would like to know your intensions-we did make you a box for this week only

Do we have your order correct? If not give us a call
Is your phone number correct? If not give us a call

Are you getting the newsletter via e-mail if not send us your address (humus@cal.net)

We have 2 kitties left, If you are interested in a new little addition to your home, let us know. They are sweet and looking for a loving home.

This week on the farm

Mid August has brought us the heat wave we have been pleasantly avoiding all summer. 4 days of 105+ degrees in a row, these are the real dog days of summer- Woof. We knew it would come, the hot mornings, working long days where the heat is just radiating from the hard dry ground. When the tomatoes become their own little microclimate, hot and humid, when all the cats and dogs can be found lying lazily in the dark corners of the barn, and the nights become uncomfortably warm.

So here we are, walking into day one, bracing for the week. But it is also simultaneously August 16th, which for me signifies the down slope of our summer marathon. Every year august is the hardest month; we have more produce coming in every day than at any other time. I have been harvesting cucumbers every other day, and estimate I am bringing in about 2000 cucumbers a week, we have picked squash every day of the week, now we are starting cherry tomatoes, and soon after that we will have heirlooms too. The peppers and figs are picked twice a week, flowers too! Basil and parsley are coming in at a rapid rate, and this morning Rogelio is in the trees,

Picking the last of our plums – the final stone fruit harvest of the year. So August is always hard, and on top of the actual tangible challenges we face, comes the mental strain of what feels like a never ending string of early mornings, late dinners, and long hot hot days. So as soon as August is half over, I begin to start visualizing September. Oooo boy, September always looks so good though August eyes. It’s definitely going to start cooling down, mornings will be brisk, and evenings will come sooner. Best of all, we are planning our September hike in the Emigrant Wilderness with the whole family, my mom and Eric included. This is truly one of my favorite times of each year, and has been cancelled for the last two years due to wildfires, so this August 16th is feeling pretty good.

But back to reality for today, and the farm here is looking pretty good. We have had a few struggles that you may have noticed. Our middle summer planting was a few beds short of what we wanted, so our zucchini planting is smaller than usual. Usually by mid august we have gotten a few emails that maybe taking a week off of sending summer squash wouldn’t be so bad, but not this year. Our final planting should be starting this week or next, and will hopefully be plentiful, so look forward to squash soon! The Eggplant is also doing strange things this year. We actually increased our eggplant planting so we could sell more wholesale, and the plants came up beautifully! Tall, full, healthy plants have been in our back field for a month or more, but there is no fruit! It is so strange, the long skinny eggplant which usually is the first to produce, and is always the most prolific is putting out maybe 3 eggplants per 200ft row, and the plot thickens as I find out from Rye Muller at Full Belly Farms that their eggplant isn’t producing either – nor Riverdog Farms. As I have mentioned before, one of the most common pastimes of a farmer is the 4pm beer break where we discuss the comings and goings of the farm, and spout theories as to why plants are doing whatever it is they are doing. So our eggplant situation is no different, and has been the topic of a few conversations, is it seed? Hmm, probably not because we are seeing issue in many varieties. Is it disease? Probably not because the plant looks fine. Is it fungus? Don’t think so. Most common answer so far has been strange weather-remember the morning in May or June when it froze? Or the fact that it has been overcast for the first couple weeks in August? How about that humidity!

Bottom line is that we don’t know, but we sure don’t have much eggplant. Hopefully that changes, because I sure would like to send some to you all in the box soon. But we do have a fun new item today; I was excited to continue trying out hot peppers. So you will get a few Jalapeños in your box. We are still hunting for the variety that works for us just right, and this years are a little small, and pretty hot. Not exactly what I am looking for, but made for some delicious poppers last Friday for dinner. Next week you might get a couple Serranos! Keep us in your thoughts this week as we wilt in the fields :P and be sure to stay cool yourselves! Have a great week~ Ali

Skillet Roasted Chicken Thighs With Balsamic Fig Compote

Source: tastyyummies

Balsamic Fig Compote

1 pound fresh figs, cut into quarters

3 tablespoons local honey

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup water

1 pinch of sea salt
Skillet Roasted Chicken Thighs

2 lbs bone-in, skin-on organic, pasture raised chicken thighs (about

2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil

salt and pepper

2 small or 1 medium shallot, peeled and sliced

4 ounces crumbled sheep's milk feta, for garnish (optional)

roughly chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Combine figs, honey, balsamic vinegar, water and salt in a heavy bottomed stainless steel sauce pan. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir often to soften, mash and thicken fresh fig compote. Meanwhile in a large cast iron skillet or other heavy bottomed oven safe skillet, melt ghee or heat oil over a medium-heat, till hot but not smoking. Nestle all the chicken thighs into the skillet, skin side down and sear the thighs without moving them for 5-7 minutes or until nicely browned. Turn the thighs over in the pan so they are skin-side up and turn off the heat. Place shallots in between the chicken thigh pieces in the pan and top with the compote. Place in the skillet into the preheated oven and cook for 15-20 minutes (depending on their size) or until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reach 165°F. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Top with a little crumbled feta, if you'd like. Serve and enjoy.

Kung Pao Stir Fry with Bay Scallops, cherry Tomatoes and Peppers

Source: Wholefoodsoulfoodkitchen

6 ounces Bay scallops

3 green onions

1/2 basket of Cherry tomatoes, whole

1/2 large green Bell pepper, chopped 3/4"

1/2 large yellow Bell pepper, chopped 3/4"

1 large green jalapeno, chopped 1/4"

3/4 cup long grain Basmati rice

4 medium cloves of garlic, sliced thin

1/2 cup roasted peanuts

1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger root, grated fine

For the sauce

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup dry white wine or sherry

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

3 tablespoons dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon corn starch

1 tablespoon Asian chile sauce

1 pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

zest from 1 orange

Start the rice cooking in boiling water. In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Grate the ginger and slice the garlic. Pat the bay scallops as dry as you can get them. Put 1 ½ T oil in the wok, swirl covering bottom and sides then on medium high heat, cook the scallops, while stirring until their edges just start to darken; about 1-2 minutes. Remove the scallops and set aside.

Cook the ginger and garlic, stirring constantly until the garlic turns clear; less than 1 minute. Add the other 1 ½ T of the oil and the vegetables and cook until they start to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir the sauce and add to the wok with the peanuts and scallops. Stir and toss until everything is glazed with the sauce. Immediately remove from the heat. Drain the rice thoroughly. Spoon the rice onto warm plates or into warm bowls. Spoon the Kung pow mixture onto the rice. Garnish with the orange zest.

Spicy Potato Wedges w/ a Homemade Plum Sauce

Source:beanyes

1 pound potatoes
1 tablespoon oat flour (made by blending rolled oats in a blender)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon hot smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
For the plum sauce:
2 cups plums, stones removed
½ cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon garlic, minced

½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon cayenne
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub potatoes well. Cut them lengthways, into thick wedges. Put potatoes in a large cooking pot filled halfway with water. Bring to a boil, then cook for 5 minutes. Drain potatoes, then put them back into the pot with the remaining ingredients. Put the lid on and shake the pot to coat potatoes. Lay wedges on a baking sheet, making sure they aren’t touching. Place tray in oven and cook for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Add all ingredients for the plum sauce to a pot and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce has reduced. Push through a sieve (or pulse in a food processor) and allow to cool. Enjoy!