If needed, please contact Richard Andres & Deb Lentz at 2510 Hayes Rd. Chelsea, MI 48118 e-mail: tantrefarm@hotmail.com phone: 734-475-4323 website: www.tantrefarm.com.

    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.  The information provided here is also published each week on our website under the NEWSLETTERS tab.
 
    **Also, if you’re having trouble identifying any unfamiliar produce, please look for “Veggie ID” with add itional information on our website under CSA INFO or under RECIPES.  

THIS WEEK’S SHARE

GREEN BEANS (Jade):  long, slender, deep green, filet bean.  See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

CELERY: tall, crisp, glossy green stalks and leaves with a strong, celery flavor; contains vitamins A, C, B-complex, and E with some other minerals; also high in fiber and sodium. *Organic celery tends to be a darker green, since it’s unblanched like commercial celery. The darker green color indicates more minerals and vitamins, but also is a bit stronger, so you may want to use a little less than you normally would.
-How to use: typically eaten raw and used in salads; ribs and leaves can be added to casseroles, soups, stews, and stir-fries.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks; can be frozen in slices on a cookie sheet and then packed into freezer bags; celery leaves can be dehydrated and added to soups or stews.  

SWEET CORN (Potawatomi): yellow kernels with excellent sweet flavor.   * We don’t treat our organic corn with pesticides, so you may find some earworms enjoying the corn too; just cut off the damaged part and cook the rest of the ear.  Delicious!! See Week 12 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).  See Week 9 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

U-PICK FLOWERS (only available for picking on the farm):  Every summer we plant a variety of flowers for drying or fresh bouquets.  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 a nd Fridays, so we can make sure to be around to show you where to go.  This week you can pick up to 10 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 $5/bunch.

GARLIC:  a bulb of several papery white cloves; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, and bolstering the immune system.  **The garlic skin is a little dirty, since we are shorthanded and did not have time to brush all the skins. Thanks for understanding.  See Week 6 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

FRESH HERBS:  Everyone will receive a bunch of  Prospera Italian Large Leaf Basil this week, 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, so it will last longer when stored in a jar, vase, or glass of water on your counter.

KALE (Green Curly): well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”.  See Week 5 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

SWEET GREEN/RED PEPPERS: You will receive Red Knight Bell (big, blocky, thick-walled, green or changing to red pepper) or Italian Sweet (8 inch long, conical, thick walled, very sweet peppers that turn red very quickly. When fully ripe the fruit is amazingly tasty and great for making sweet pickles. Perfect for munching or in salad).  See Week 12 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

POTATOES: You will receive Yukon Gold (yellowish brown skin with yellow dry flesh and pink eyes; long storage and good tasting; perfect baked, boiled, mashed or fried ) OR Red Norland (smooth, red skin and white flesh; great baked, boiled, or roasted).  See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

GREEN ZUCCHINI:  You will receive Dunja Zucchini (dark green, straight zucchini).  See Week 5 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

TOMATOES: You will receive something of the following  varieties: HEIRLOOMS –Cherokee Purple (heirloom, medium-large, flattened globe fruit with color as dusky pink and greenish blush), Brandywine (large, heirloom, beefsteak tomato–often over 1 lb–with a deep pink skin and smooth red flesh), Striped German (a Mennonite family heirloom tomato; very large, meaty, 1-2 lb fruit with red-yellow stripes and dense, juicy, red-yellow streaked flesh; excellent sweet, complex flavors), or SLICERS –Geronimo (a beefsteak slicer variety; fruits are very large, firm, nice red color and good taste) and Big Beef (Large, avg. 10-12 oz., mostly blemish-free, globe-shaped red fruit with full flavor), or  GREEN ZEBRA  (ripe as a green fruit with a yellow blush and darker green stripes; delicious, tangy salad tomato; beautiful sliced into wedges for salads), or SAUCERS–San Marzano (early, large classic Italian roma tomato; delicious, balanced acidic flavor and meaty flesh makes for good sauce and paste). See Week 9 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), Dark Belle (dark-green skin, bright-red flesh, oblong 5-7 lb. fruit with thin rind, and very sweet flavor), Early Moonbeam (3-7 pound oval fruit have attractive light green skin with dark green streaks and open to reveal lemon-yellow flesh), Sorbet Swirl (tasty sweet flesh has beautiful pastel swirls of red and yellow; average 10 pound fruits are round to oval with 8-inches diameter), or Sureness (attractive dark green skin with narr ow, dark green stripes and sweet, bright yellow flesh).  See Week 10 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. VACATIONS or OUT OF TOWN: Please remember to contact us at least by Sundays to make changes in pick up days or locations for the upcoming week.  With Labor Day weekend coming up, please make all your changes ahead of time.  If you can’t find someone to pick up your share, please let us know if you want to cancel your share  or donate to a needy family.

2. TOMATO PRESERVING WORKSHOP on Sept. 12: We have decided to revive one of our favorite classes this summer, since it will mainly be outside.  This workshop is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 12 from 1 to 4 PM. Our neighbor, Stephanie Doll, will teach mostly how to can tomatoes, but also some information will be on dehydrating and freezing them. She is respectively asking that folks who are attending are vaccinated, but is okay with unvaccinated members outside with mas ks. There will be active participation and “take-home” samples for those attending.  Plan on bringing a Quart Size Canning Jar or $1 if you need one.  Please register with an email titled TOMATOES and your Name, Phone Number, and E-mail Address in the body of the email to us.  There will be a small $5 fee for materials.  Bulk tomatoes will be available to buy.

3. WANTED: TOMATO PICKERS!!   Is there anyone interested in helping us pick tomatoes any weekday morning for the next few weeks, but especially on Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday mornings.  We will even feed you a homemade, farm-cooked lunch at 12 PM if you stay.  We are a little short-handed starting next week with students going back to college.

4. U-PICK RASPBERRY PATCH OPEN WEDNESDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY THIS WEEK:  Our August and September berries continue to ripen more and more at the Honey Bee U-Pick site (5700 Scio Church Rd., Ann Arbor), and will continue in to September with different varieties.  We are selling them for $4/pint when you pick and $6/pint if we pick.  We will be open on Wed., Sat., and Sun. from 8 AM-5 PM this coming week.   To see updates go to https://www.tantrefarm.com/tantre-farm-raspberry-u-pick.

5. IMMUNE BOOSTER CSA THIS WEEK:  Please feel free also to sign up for our weekly, collaborative CSA share if you would like to supplement your box or give it as a gift. This  menu is updated  on our website every Monday – Wednesday http://www.tantrefarm.com/how-does-our-immune-booster-csa-work/.  Still time to sign up this week until midnight!

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 10 AM (SARA there the whole time)
*Farm (Wed.)—10 AM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there with some self check-in)
*Washtenaw Fo od Hub (Wed.) –6 PM to 8 PM (LIZZIE will be  there the whole time)
*Pure Pastures (Wed.) (limited site) —10 AM to 5 PM (JESSICA there from 9 AM – 11 AM)
*Farm (Fri.)—2 PM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there with some self check-in)
*CHANGE:  Community High School is now 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 (DEB and staff there the whole time)
*Argus-Packard (Sat) (limited site)—12 PM to 3 PM (ARGUS STAFF there the whole time)
*RoosRoast-Rosewood (Sat)–9 AM  to 11 AM (DEBRA is there the whole time)

RECIPES

GREEN BEANS WITH TOMATOES AND BASIL (from From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce by MACSAC)  Serves 4-6
1 1/2 lbs green beans, cooked
1 garlic clove, diced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp of dried basil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
    Cut beans into 1-inch lengths; set aside.  Saute garlic and onion in oil in skillet until soft.  Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook 2 minutes.  Stir in basil and green beans.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 3 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in parsley, and serve immediately.

CELERY SALAD WITH ROASTED PEPPERS AND MOZZARELLA (from Farmer John’s Cookbook by John Peterson)  Serves 4-6
1 bunch celery
2 roasted red peppers, cut into strips
4 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into strips
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs, hard-cooked, sliced
    Combine the celery, roasted red peppe rs, mozzarella, and basil in a large bowl.  Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.  Pour the dressing over the salad; toss to coat.  Cover the bowl and chill for at least 2 hours.  Toss again before serving.  Arrange the egg slices decoratively around the salad.

BASIL GRAIN SALAD (from Lorna Sass’ Complete Vegetarian Kitchen)  Serves 4-6
3 cup cooked grains
1 lb small zucchini, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 cup cooked corn kernels
3/4 cup tightly packed minced fresh basil
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens or chives or onions
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice or balsamic    vinegar, approximately
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
    Place the cooked grains in a large serving bowl.  Add zucchini, corn, basil, and scallion greens and toss.  In a food processor or jar, prepare the dressing by c ombining the remaining ingredients.  Pour the dressing over the grain mixture and toss well.  Taste and add more lemon juice and salt, if needed.
Variation: Substitute fresh dill or coriander for the basil.

Thank you for supporting your local food system! – Tantre Farm