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, since 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: known as “wild rocket” with more deeply lobed leaves and a more pungent flavor; an aromatic, bright salad green with a peppery mustard flavor. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

GREEN BEANS (Jade): long, slender, deep green, filet bean. See Week 14 newsletter for usage and storage tips..

CARROTS: You will receive Romance (blunt-tipped, deep orange roots with impressive flavor for a summer-harvested carrot) OR Red Dragon (beautiful magenta-red, smooth, thin skin and broad, Chantenay-type shoulders with orange internal color and yellow core). See Week 5 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

SWEET CORN (Vision): exceptionally tender, super sweet, yellow ears; great for fresh eating and freezing. See Week 11 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 18 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 15 to 20 stems.

GARLIC: a bulb of several papery white cloves; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, bolstering the immune system, and lowering blood pressure. See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

KALE (Green Curly): well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”. See Week 3 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

LETTUCE (Tropicana): Large, bright green heads with thick crumpled leaves; excellent in salads and sandwiches. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

ONIONS: You will receive any of the following Ailsa Craig Exhibition (a huge, sweet, mild, yellow-skinned, heirloom onion that is well known by British gardeners who grow show-size onions), Red Long of Tropea (specialty variety of tall, elongated, red bulbs traditionally grown in Mediterranean Italy and France), OR Cipollini (a traditional Italian onion known for its flat, oval shape and delicately mild, sweet flavor; ranges in size from 1-3 inches; used for pickling and to season a wide variety of dishes and especially good grilled on a skewer). See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

CHILI & SWEET PEPPERS: You will receive Poblano (a mild variety of chili pepper known as “poblanos” when dark green, but becomes an “ancho” when brick-red and fully dry; popular in Southwestern recipes; heart-shaped fruit, which is mildly pungent with a lightly sweet, medium-hot flavor) and 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) and/or Red Knight Bell (big, blocky, thick-walled, green-to-red pepper with sweet flesh). See Week 12 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

POTATOES: You will receive Carola (yellow potato from Germany; smooth, creamy texture that is good for baking or frying) and/or 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) and/or Adirondack Blue (round to oblong, slightly flattened tubers have glistening blue skin enclosing deep blue flesh; moist, flavorful flesh is superb for mashing or salads; very high in antioxidants!). See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

TOMATOES: You will receive any of the following– a mix of tomatoes of 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) and Verona (similar to Juliet, but with even tastier, somewhat plumper, deep red “cocktail plum” fruits; good in sauces and in salads), AND HEIRLOOMS –Cherokee Purple (heirloom, medium-large, flattened globe fruit with color as dusky pink and greenish blush), Brandywine (large, heirloom, beefsteak tomato with a deep pink skin and smooth red flesh), or Striped German (very large, meaty, 1-2 lb fruit with red-yellow stripes and dense, juicy, red-yellow streaked flesh; excellent sweet, complex flavors), AND Geronimo Slicers (a beefsteak slicer variety; fruits are very large, firm, nice red color and good taste). See Week 9 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

WINTER SQUASH (Spaghetti): 2-3 pounds, golden-yellow, oblong, smooth, medium size with “spaghetti” (stringy) flesh; bake like squash or boil and fork out the flesh, topping the “spaghetti” flesh with your favorite sauce; mildly sweet.
-How to use: slice in half, scoop seeds out and bake with a little water in baking pan at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender; good in soups or stews; add small amounts to yeast breads, muffins, cookies, pies, oatmeal, etc.
-How to store: keep dry at room temperature.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. “EXTENDED FALL CSA” SHARE REGISTRATION IS OPEN: We are offering an Extended Fall CSA Share for $150 for 4 weeks after the Summer Share is over. This will begin the week of October 2-8 and the last distribution will be the week of October 23-29. Our Fall Share will give you an opportunity to receive many varieties of fall produce from Tantre Farm. In order to receive all 4 shares, please register online anytime before Sept. 24 at https://tantrefarm.csaware.com/extended-fall-csa-2022-C24117. Please go to our website for more information.

2. ENDING SUMMER CSA DATES:  The end is drawing near for Summer CSA. This is just a reminder that our summer shares are ending in just a few weeks. That means Sept. 28 (Wed.), Sept. 30 (Fri.), and Oct. 1 (Sat.) are the last distribution days for our Summer Shares.

3. U-PICK BASIL AVAILABLE:  If you haven’t made PESTO yet or dried or frozen your basil leaves, then you are in luck! We will not be providing basil anymore this summer, since the storm last week knocked down some of our basil, so it’s time consuming for us to harvest for all of you, but If you are interested in clipping some of your own basil, it will be $3/lb. Please call ahead if you plan to pick on other days besides Farm Distribution Days (Wed. and Fri.), so we can make sure someone is around to help you. The basil field location is posted on the map outside the Distribution Shed, and there is a scale in the shed.

4. HIRED HELP STILL 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/.

5. 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 anytime from 7 – 11:30 AM? You may volunteer or we are able to pay $10/hr AND you can take home a few tomatoes.

6. ALREADY PICKED TOMATOES and CORN AVAILABLE FOR SALE:  We have many tomato varieties and sweet corn ready for preserving. Please email us your name, phone number, amount needed in lbs or ears, and pick up location ONLY at the Markets or the Farm with BULK TOMATOES or BULK CORN in your Subject Line a few days ahead of time.
-Already Picked Tomatoes ($1.50/lb) – $30/half bushel (20 lbs)
-Already Picked Sweet Corn – $5/half doz or $10/dozen

7. U-PICK RASPBERRY PATCH OPEN SATURDAY and SUNDAY:  We will be open this Saturday and Sunday from 8 AM-4 PM. 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.

8. STILL PLENTY OF BOXES AVAILABLE FOR OUR IMMUNE BOOSTER CSA THIS WEEK:   Please feel free to sign up for our weekly, collaborative CSA share if you would like to supplement your box or give it as a gift. The 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 for a share!

9. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER:
*Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)—7 AM to 12 PM
*MOVE Fitness & Wellness Studio (Wed)—8 AM to 12 PM
*Farm (Wed.)—10 AM to 7 PM
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.) –6 PM to 8 PM (Hub Farm Market open during this time!)
*Pure Pastures (Wed.)—9 AM to 11 AM
*Farm (Fri.)—2 PM to 7 PM
**Community High School CHANGED TO AA FARMERS MARKET (Sat.) —7 AM to 12 PM
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 AM to 12 PM
*Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)—9 AM to 12 PM
*Argus-Packard (Sat) 10:30 AM to 3 PM
*RoosRoast-Rosewood (Sat)–9 AM to 11 AM
*HoneyBee U-pick (Sat)–8 AM to 12 PM

RECIPES

SPAGHETTI SQUASH CASSEROLE (from Moosewood Cookbook) Serves 4-6
1 spaghetti squash, 8-inches long
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb fresh, sliced mushrooms
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil or 1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup cottage or ricotta cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup fine bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Parmesan cheese

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Halve the squash and scoop out seeds. Bake face-down on oiled sheet until it is easily pierced by a fork, about 30 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to touch, then scoop out pulp and place in large bowl. Meanwhile, heat butter and saute onions, garlic, and mushrooms with herbs, salt and pepper. When onions are soft, add tomatoes and continue to cook until most of the liquid evaporates. Stir this mixture into squash pulp with remaining ingredients except Parmesan. Spread into buttered 2-quart casserole. Top with Parmesan. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes.

SWEET PEPPER SAUCE (from The Victory Garden) Makes around 3 cups
1 1/2 lb sweet red peppers, roasted
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped celery with leaves
1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

 Peel the peppers, if desired. Cut into strips. Heat the oil and saute the onions and celery until wilted and golden. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, then stir in peppers, tomatoes, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook 5 minutes; uncover and simmer 15-30 minutes or until thickened. The cooking time depends upon the juiciness of the tomatoes. Puree smooth in the blender, food processor, or food mill. Serve with cooked vegetables, eggs, fish, or poultry.

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