We try to keep the printed newsletter to a 2-page maximum, which means that we won’t list all the share items’ descriptions every week, but refer you to previous newsletters for information on items that have already appeared in your shares. In our newsletter, we try to give you an accurate listing of the produce in your box; however, since the newsletter is published before the harvest, we may sometimes substitute some vegetables for others. **Also, if you’re having trouble identifying any unfamiliar produce, please look for “Veggie ID” with additional information on our website under CSA INFO or under RECIPES.

If you are new to our CSA, because you signed up with a prorated share, you can find all past newsletters on our website under the NEWSLETTERS section in the CSA Info tab.

THIS WEEK’S SHARE

GREEN, YELLOW, or PURPLE BEANS: You will receive Affirmed (straight, attractive, 5–6″, deep-green pods) OR Goldilocks Yellow (beautiful bright yellow beans; 5–6″ pods are straight, attractive, and flavorful) OR Royal Burgundy (brilliant purple, smooth, round, meaty pods; add stunning color to salads when used raw; pods turn dark green when cooked; excellent fresh or frozen). See Week 9 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

BEETS (Red Ace): round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor; you will receive just the roots without the greens. See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

CARROTS (Mokum): a very sweet, slender, “pencil carrot” with roots only this week. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

CUCUMBERS: You will receive either Bristol (classic American cucumber look; fruits avg. 8″ long) OR General Lee (fruit is long and fairly narrow with white spines and an attractive mid-green color) OR Suyo Long (traditional, long-fruited variety from China; a sweet-flavored, ribbed fruit growing up to 15″ long; try using this unusual-looking cucumber in salads, for bread-and-butter or mixed vegetable pickles; excellent eating quality). See Week 5 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

EGGPLANT: You will receive Nadia (slender, purplish-black, glossy-like, bell-shaped fruit), Rosa Biana (an Italian heirloom; round fruit streaked with white and violet), or Orient Express (dark purple Asian type with long, slender, glossy fruits, which are tender, delicately flavored, and quick cooking).
-How to use: may be salted to remove bitterness from old fruit, but also makes it less watery and more absorbent, and can greatly enhance the taste and texture of your dish; can be baked, boiled, fried, grilled, or can be sliced into rounds for grilling or broiling, and cut into cubes for stews and stir-fries; lots of recipes and basic cooking tips online.
-How to store: best fresh, but can be stored at room temperature or in refrigerator drawer for up to 1 week.

FRESH HERBS: Everyone will receive a bunch of Prospera Italian Large Leaf Basil (an herb with a sweet aroma with notes of anise in its green leaves; traditionally used in pesto, and originally from India where it was traded in ancient times via the spice routes). This herb does not store well in a refrigerator, since it does not like cold temperatures. It will last longer when stored in a jar, vase, or glass of water on your counter or table top.

KALE (Green Curly): well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”. See Week 2 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

LETTUCE: You will receive Green Romaine (upright, dense, green heads produce long, uniform hearts with good flavor) or Red Cherokee (medium-sized heads with thick, crisp leaves that have dark red color with good flavor). See Week 2 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

BULB ONIONS: You will receive Ailsa Craig (a sweet, mild, yellow-skinned, heirloom onion that is well known by British gardeners who grow show-size onions) or Red Long of Tropea (specialty variety of tall, elongated, red bulbs traditionally grown in Mediterranean Italy and France).
-How to use: great for salads, soups, sandwiches, slices, onion rings, and other dishes for flavor
-How to store: not for long storage; wrap in damp towel or plastic bag in fridge for 2-7 days.

SWEET PEPPERS: You will receive Red Knight Bell (big, blocky, thick-walled, green-to-red pepper with sweet flesh) or Carmen (6 inch long, tapered fruit that ripens from green to a deep “carmine” red; sweet taste in salads and when roasted and fully red-ripe).
-How to use: eat raw for best nutrient retention; can be added to soups, stews, omelets, quiches, stir-fries, etc.; excellent roasted.
-How to store: refrigerate unwashed in hydrator drawer for 1-2 weeks.

TOMATOES: You will receive any of the following: Sun Gold Cherry (exceptionally sweet, bright tangerine-orange cherry tomato; less acidic than the red cherry tomato, so slightly less bland in flavor; popular as a garnish, in salads, or as a cooked side dish that can be sautéed with herbs), Sakura (bright-red, shiny, medium-large cherry tomato with sweet tomato flavor), or Cherry Mix (may include a colorful variety of Sungold, Sungreen, Sakura, Indigo Cherry)
-How to use: sauté, bake, broil, or grill; eat raw in salads or add to soups, stews, or sauces.
-How to store: keep at room temperature for up to 1 week.

WATERMELON (Sureness): superior yellow flesh watermelon with attractive dark green skin with narrow, dark green stripes and sweet, bright yellow flesh. See Week 9 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

ZUCCHINI (Golden & Green): gourmet golden and green zucchini with uniform, cylindrical fruits. See Week 5 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. UPCOMING HONEYBEE EVENT THIS SUNDAY, AUG. 6: Some of you may know that we hosted “Outstanding in the Field” at HoneyBee U-pick for 2 magical days last year, and it was a great success complete with rainbows and delicious food!  This year we are proud to host the event again at HoneyBee in Ann Arbor this Sunday, August 6.  For those of you who are interested in “a celebration of local producers and meaningful human connections”, there are still a few tickets available! Learn more about this event and get your tickets HERE.

2. U-PICK RASPBERRY PATCH RESTING SOME OF THIS WEEK: We will be open on Sat., Aug. 5 from 8 AM to 7 PM. Our August raspberries are starting to trickle in, but we are letting the patch rest for some good picking on Saturday. To keep informed go to https://www.tantrefarm.com/tantre-farm-raspberry-u-pick.

3. HIRED HELP NEEDED: We are looking for additional help for the rest of the summer and into the fall. Some of our summer crew were students and they are heading back to school, so we are short-handed going into the fall. We are looking for part-time and full-time workers who are interested in getting their hands dirty and enjoy healthy, hearty, hard work. We provide home-cooked lunches every day with food from the farm. Room and board are available for full time work, and part time work is available as well for an hourly wage. Please email us or fill out an application from our website at https://www.tantrefarm.com/internships/

4. WEEDING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: If you are interested in helping out–even if it’s just for 10 or 15 minutes before you pick up your box at the farm, come join us. Please contact us any day of the week or evenings until dark. Thank you!

5. STILL PLENTY OF BOXES AVAILABLE FOR OUR IMMUNE BOOSTER CSA THIS WEEK: Still time to sign up this week for the “Powered by Plants” share this week! This collaborative CSA started with several local farms and food businesses. You can opt in or out of this share each week. If you are interested in supplementing your share with more veggies and other locally produced, value-added products or gifting someone else, please go to our website to sign up every Monday – Wednesday night. Pick up is from 9 AM to 12 PM every Saturday at the Washtenaw Food Hub and the Chelsea Farmers Market during the summer: http://www.tantrefarm.com/how-does-our-immune-booster-csa-work/. Still time to sign up this week!

6. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER:
*Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)—7 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time)
*MOVE Fitness & Wellness Studio (Wed)—8 AM to 9:30 AM (SARA there the whole time)
*Farm (Wed.)—10 AM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time with some self check-in)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.) –6 PM to 8 PM (No Distribution Coordinator at this time. Please contact Deb @ 734-385-6748 for questions)
*Pure Pastures (Wed.) —9 AM to 11 AM (JESSICA there most of the time)
*Farm (Fri.)—2 PM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time with some self check-in)
*Ann Arbor Farmers Market (Sat.) —7 AM to 12 PM (SHANNON there the whole time)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 AM to 12 PM (RYAN and Staff there the whole time)
*Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)—8 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time)
*Argus-Packard (Sat) — 9 AM to 3 PM (ARGUS STAFF there the whole time)
*RoosRoast-Rosewood (Sat)–9 AM to 11 AM (LIZ there the whole time)
*HoneyBee U-pick (Sat)–8 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time)

SAVORING THE MOMENT
By Richard and Deb

 Savoring the red-hot sunball near the horizon shrouded in hazy clouds of smoke from the Canadian wildfires these past few weeks. Or has it been months? There are perhaps upwards of 600 wildfires this week. A problem that seems uncontrollable. At least the sun is beautiful lingering with its tangential light for hours at the end of the day.

 Savoring the cool weather and the rain, while we watch the millions of drips drop. The thunder and lightning crisscross the horizon lighting up the early morning sky.

 Peach season offers a new experience of savoring in an old context. In the morning we eat a peach fuzzy and cool. In the afternoon the peach is warm and soft. In the evening the glowing ball of sweetness carries us into the full moon night. Beautiful peaches on the ends of the boughs bending until they almost break. Who could guess that a tree would break itself to provide us with a peach? Each season the context of growing produce and watching nature respond and unfold is proportional to the heat, the water, the soil, and sometimes the wind.

 We need to remember to savor and celebrate the sharing of a meal with each other. At least we have that moment to share good flavor of good food. We may savor each moment of each day and night as it begins and ends–sometimes bright and clear, sometimes gray and rainy. Such a miracle of abundance whispers the response of the crops to the weather. The harvest is heavy, but the hands are few. Here we find the interdependence of birth and death on earth. All of our life is here together to savor this moment.

RECIPES

COUSCOUS WITH TOMATO EGGPLANT SAUCE (from Farm-Fresh Recipes by Janet Majure) Serves 6
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 eggplant, skin on, diced
1 green pepper, cut julienne
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp fresh basil or 1/4 tsp dry basil
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cup water
1 lb couscous

Cook onion until golden in olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute. Add eggplant and green pepper; cook and stir 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, paprika, herbs, and water; stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring often. Mash eggplant, then cook 30 minutes more. Cook couscous according to package directions. Serve sauce over hot couscous.

PURPLE BEAN AND TOMATO SALAD (from www.grouprecipes.com)
1 cup purple (or green or yellow) beans, chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 Tbsp hummus
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp oregano
1 sprig parsley, minced
3 oz lettuce, shredded
4 cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Steam the bean pieces 4 minutes over boiling water. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix together hummus, lemon juice, oregano and parsley. Set aside. Place lettuce in a salad bowl. Top with tomato slices and warm, steamed beans. Season with pepper. Pour hummus mixture overtop of everything, toss lightly to coat. Serve immediately. Serves 1-2

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