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

ARUGULA: an aromatic, bright green, salad green with a peppery mustard flavor; rich in iron and vitamins A and C. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

BEETS: You will receive Red Ace (round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor; you will receive just the roots without the greens or Cylindra Beet (a uniquely-shaped 6-inch cylindrical beet with especially sweet flavor; this heirloom is a favorite with chefs due to uniform slices and ease of peeling). See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

CARROTS: You will receive Red Dragon (beautiful magenta-purple, smooth, thin skin and broad, Chantenay-type shoulders with orange internal color and yellow core) or Purple Haze (bright purplish-red roots with bright orange interior and a sweet flavor; cooking will cause the color to fade). See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

CILANTRO: the flat, delicate, lacy-edged leaves and stems of the coriander plant, which look a lot like flat-leaf parsley, but has a distinctive, almost citrus fragrance that lends itself to highly spiced foods, such as tacos, salsas, soups, stews, and salads. Medicinally has been proved to chelate toxic metals from our bodies and considered a powerful tissue cleanser. Store upright with cut stems in 1 or 2 inches of water and refrigerate for up to 1 week or wrap in slightly dampened cloth or plastic bag and store in refrigerator.

SWEET CORN (Vision): exceptionally tender, super sweet, yellow ears; great for fresh eating and freezing. See Week 12 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

U-PICK FLOWERS (only available for picking on the farm): We welcome you to the farm to pick your flowers on any day of the week, but please contact us if it will be on other days besides Wednesdays and Fridays, so we can make sure to be around to show you where to go. This week you can pick up to 15 stems per household. You may want to bring a vase/jar to keep your flowers fresh going home, but we will have donated yogurt containers to fill with water as well. Your bouquet is part of your share, although it is always greatly appreciated when you make a donation to pay for seeds and labor. Extra bouquets cost $6/bunch for 10 stems.

GARLIC: a bulb of several papery white cloves; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, bolstering the immune system. See Week 3 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

KALE (Lacinato): also called Dinosaur Kale, Black Kale, and Tuscano, this dark green kale has noncurled, blistered leaves, and is heavily savoyed. See Week 3 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

LETTUCE: You will receive Romaine (upright, dense heads produce long, uniform hearts with good flavor) and Ruby Sky (all-season red leaf lettuce with dense, heavy heads; ruffled leaves are intense purple-red at the tips, and green at the inner base); rich in calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

SWEET RED PEPPERS (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. See Week 10 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

POTATOES (Red Sangre): one of the prettiest of all red skinned varieties with medium-sized oblong tubers; creamy white flesh that is especially delicious boiled or baked. See Week 8 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

RADISHES (Cherriette): smooth, bright red roots with short green, edible tops and a sweet/hot taste. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

TOMATOES: You will receive any of the following: Small Tomato Mix (may include a colorful variety of Sun Gold, Sungreen, Sakura, Indigo Cherry, Clementine, Green Zebra, Verona, and Roma) and HEIRLOOMS –Brandywine (large, heirloom, beefsteak tomato–often over 1 lb–with a deep pink skin and smooth red flesh) See Week 10 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

WATERMELON: You will receive Mini Love (sweet and firm, oval-round fruits avg. 5–7 lb and distinctive, bright green rind with dark green stripes and dense, bright red flesh) OR 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.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. ALREADY PICKED “VERONA” TOMATOES AVAILABLE FOR SALE: We have an abundance of Verona tomatoes ready for harvest and ready for sale for $2/lb. Veronas are small Roma tomatoes, which are perfect for cutting in half for dehydrating or canning for tomato sauce, and extremely easy to freeze. Bulk orders available for pick up at the Farm Friday (some on Wed. too) and the Sat. Ann Arbor and Sat. Chelsea Farmers Market. It is extremely easy to freeze all tomatoes, but for cherry and these Verona tomatoes, just pop the stem off, wash, and plop in freezer bags for excellent tomato soup or other cooked dishes throughout the winter. Please email us your name, phone number, amount needed in lbs, and pick up location at the Ann Arbor or Chelsea Farmers Markets or the Farm ONLY with BULK TOMATOES in your Subject Line.

2. U-PICK RASPBERRY PATCH OPEN SATURDAY AND SUNDAY THIS WEEK: We will be open on August 25 and 26 from 8 AM-4 PM, since there are definitely some ripe raspberries finally really ready at the HoneyBee Upick patch! It should be really good and fast picking! U-pick is $6/pint and $4/half pint for Already Picked Raspberries. 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. 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. NO IMMUNE BOOSTER CSA for a few weeks, so we can let folks finish all of their summer vacations.

5. 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)

WHAT’S AN HEIRLOOM?
by Joel Heeres – 2001 Tantre Alumnus

 It’s not a loom for your heirs, as you might think. Heirloom fruit and vegetable varieties are hundreds and sometimes thousands of years old. Heirlooms differ in shape, color, size, flavor, and storability, but they all share one characteristic– their seeds can be saved one season to plant in the next. Heirloom varieties have been bred by local farmers and gardeners over many generations and have been established as stable varieties that grow “true to seed“. These varieties are special, because they have been adapted to certain climates over a long time.

 Heirloom vegetables are often more flavorful than hybrid vegetables. Hybrids are bred for high productivity, disease and pest resistance, drought resistance, and hardiness. While these traits are undeniably helpful, they often come at the cost of flavor. In addition, farmers cannot save seed from hybrid crops, as they are unstable crosses from two different varieties.

 In summary, heirloom crops are beneficial to small farmers and home gardeners, because their seeds can be saved to plant again. They have better flavor and are more unique than hybrids, although they can be less hardy and prone to diseases.

 At Tantré Farm, we grow both hybrid and heirloom crops. Some of the crops we grow from heirloom seeds are tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, winter squash, potatoes, onions, kale, beans, turnips, and radishes. Sometimes we will have some varieties of heirlooms only on the market tables, since we may not have a lot of them available. We’ll try to let you know when you are getting heirloom produce in your share box in the produce descriptions.

RECIPES

EIGHT GREAT WAYS TO SERVE SUMMER TOMATOES (Capay Organic Farm CSA “Farm Fresh To You” website)
1. Cut tomatoes into wedges. Toss with finely chopped shallots, then splash with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.
2. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Remove center of each, and fill with a large basil leaf and a chunk of fresh mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with purchased garlic-infused oil, and wrap in foil. Roast on an outdoor grill for five minutes.
3. Cut tomatoes in wedges. Shower with grated Parmesan cheese. Top with fresh oregano and a drizzle of olive oil.
4. Cut tomatoes into chunks, and place in blender. Add a pinch of sea salt, a few fresh basil leaves and several ice cubes. Blend until smooth and frothy for a refreshing drink.
5. Cube tomatoes and firm ricotta salt or feta cheese. Toss with cooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta), fresh mint and a favorite vinaigrette.
6. For bruschetta, top grilled Italian bread with a mixture of chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, extra- virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
7. Toss arugula with chopped tomatoes, orange segments, basil and toasted pine nuts. Dress with olive oil, orange juice and a splash of wine vinegar.
8. Slather a thick slice of bread with good mayonnaise. Cover with thick slices of juicy tomatoes. Sprinkle with coarse salt and Szechuan pepper or some cracked mixed peppercorns. Add some fresh mozzarella cheese slices. Mmmmmm!!!

NANCY’S CILANTRO SAUCE (from Seeds of Change Catalog)
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch parsley
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice
1 Tbsp tamari
1 Tbsp honey or rice syrup
Basil or ginger to taste (optional)
1/4-1/2 cup tahini

 Wash cilantro and parsley and remove the stems. Blend all ingredients, except tahini, in blender on medium speed for 1 minute. Empty into a bowl. Vigorously stir in tahini to desired thickness. Chill. Serve as a salad dressing over steamed vegetables, or as a dip. Also delicious as a sauce for brown rice. Makes 1 1/2 cups

GARLIC-BASIL CORN ON THE COB
Combine 2 tablespoons butter (softened), 1 tablespoon basil, and 1 garlic clove (minced) in a small bowl. Place 4 ears of corn into a large saucepan of boiling water; cook 4 minutes. Drain. Spoon 1 teaspoon butter mixture over each ear of corn.

WATERMELON LEMONADE WITH BERRIES (from Rolling Prairie Cookbook by Nancy O’Connor) Serves 2
2 cups seeded, cold watermelon chunks
1/2 cup frozen raspberries or strawberries
1/2 cup chilled lemonade
1-2 Tbsp sugar or honey (to taste)
8-10 ice cubes

 Place all ingredients in a blender until well-blended. Pour into large, frosty mugs.

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