Turtle Times

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Vol. 12, No. 14, Aug. 7, ‘07     7260 NW 58th  St., Johnston 50131  278-4522 (577-9208)

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Rain:  8/4, 0.5”; 8/5, 0.5”

In the Box . . .

Potatoes ‘French Fingerling’

Cabbage ‘Super Red’ or ‘Invento’

Red Onions

 Tomatoes ‘Dona’, ‘Cosmonaut Volkov’, ‘Arkansas Traveler’, ‘Amana Orange’, ‘Celebrity’, ’Sungold’, ‘Juliet’, ‘Black cherry’, ‘Principe Borghese’, ‘Brandywine’, ‘Golden boy’, ‘Nebraska wedding’, Amish paste’, Kentucky Beefsteak’, ‘Green zebra’, ‘Evergreen’, ‘Orange strawberry’

Eggplant ’Pingtung Long’, ‘Black bell’, ‘Cloud 9’, ‘Italian blush’, ‘Thai green’, ‘Rosa Bianca’, ‘Neon’ (some sites)

Peppers ‘Ace’, ‘Antohi Romanian’, ‘Jimmy ‘Nardello’, ‘jalapeno’ (some sites)

Hot Peppers, ancho, pepperoncini (only to those requesting hot peppers)

Green beans ‘Bush Blue Lake’, ’Kentucky Wonder’ (some sites)

Cucumbers ’Tokiwa’, ‘Double Yield’, ‘Poona Kheera’

Summer Squash  ‘Goldie’, ‘Zephyr’, ‘

Raspberries ‘Autumn Brittany’, Autumn Bliss’, ‘Caroline’ (some sites)

Basil

Herbs available by request by anyone:  sage, parsley

Herb share availability:  mint (regular and chocolate), marjoram, thyme, sage, rosemary, lavender (call ahead), lemon or lime basil, thai or cinnamon basil, tarragon (call ahead)

Farm Update

 We have been amazed at the number of leopard frogs at the farm this year.  We’re afraid to use the mowers, as the frogs are leaping about as we buzz along.  They need enough water to hatch in the spring but then they are often found on dry grassland, giving rise to their other common name, meadow frog.  In contrast, we have only seen a few toads and even fewer snakes this year.  And while we’re on the topic of wildlife, there have been very few deer tracks and damage from them lately.  Ben is sure he’s hearing a pileated woodpecker in our woods, although we don’t have a sighting yet.  The grasshoppers are very prolific, but as yet are still small enough that they haven’t seized control of the farm yet, although they do have a hankering for raspberries.  One helpful solution—leopard frogs eat insects!

            If you have to have a lot of heat, it’s nice to get a little moisture to help the plants along and give us a break from irrigation.  We had some nice rains this weekend that will help the crops that we are planting for fall.  It’s not so great for the farm crew however with such sauna-like humidity.  If you don’t get potatoes in your box, it means the farm crew had to ease off a bit, but our plans are to provide the whole list above.

Recipes

You probably don’t need any tips on tomatoes, but here are some buttermilk dressings for tomatoes, and a pizza with zucchini, too.  Both are from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics.

Buttermilk Dressings for Tomatoes

½ c. buttermilk                                                1 T. cider vinegar

¼ c. prepared mayonnaise or plain yogurt      Salt to taste

1 T. vegetable oil                                             ¼ tsp. ground black pepper

In a blender, combine all of the dressing ingredients and puree until smooth.  Drizzle the dressing over 2 ½ pounds of sliced tomatoes or tomato wedges.  Extra dressing should keep covered in a refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Variations:

For Dill buttermilk dressing, add 2 T. of chopped fresh dill and an extra T. of vinegar (good on cucumbers, too)

For Curried buttermilk dressing, add 1 tsp curry powder, ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, and ¼ tsp. turmeric (hard boiled eggs good here, too)

For Cumin buttermilk dressing, add ¾ tsp. ground cumin and ¼ tsp. ground cardamom (add corn kernels and chopped scallions with this, too)

Zucchini and Fresh Tomato Pizza with Fontina

2 c. thinly sliced onions                                  4 c. sliced zucchini

2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed           2 c. chopped fresh tomatoes

2 tsp. salt                                                         ¼ c. chopped fresh basil

2 tsp. olive oil                                                  pizza crust

2 tsp. ground fennel seeds                              2 c. grated Fontina cheese (optional)

In a skillet , sauté the onions, garlic, and salt in the olive oil on medium heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until translucent.  Add the ground fennel and zucchini and cook until the zucchini starts to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add the tomatoes and basil.  Allow to cool somewhat and drain any excess liquid before spreading on the pizza crust.  Then top with cheese if you wish and bake according to the pizza crust directions. Yields enough for two 14-inch pizzas.