7/9/25 Mid-July Farm Update

Can you believe it’s July 16th. We’re sort of in shock!

Some cool things happening on the farm right now.

Let’s start with seed and take you through harvest…

The nursery is looking great and about to explode. End of July nursery is one of the biggest of the year as every week that we plant now for autumn may come to fruition 2 or even 3 weeks apart as the days shorten and growing time too. We just put in a big seed order for fall and winter seeds which include more cut and come again lettuces for lettuce leaf mix, a new spinach, arugula, cauliflowers and more chicories including radicchio.

We’re on a regular schedule of seeding carrots every 2-3 weeks which should give us a bountiful fall and early winter of carrots. We also seeded three areas with summer cover crops, trying to get more rest and nutrients into beds that are not otherwise in production. We trialed and loved buckwheat last summer and are doing more with Sudan grass in some of our bottom fields but also a couple hoop house beds we’re resting before they get filled with winter greens.

We’re planting so much into the field right now, getting into our second round of Brussels sprouts plus lots of lettuces, beets, and bunching greens, broccolis and cauliflowers for the autumn and winter plus even autumn flowers.

The fields look really amazing right now, we have an excellent crew on weeding. Last year was the best year in many, and this year is even better. It’s such a relief.

Summer crops are being tended. We took out our first crop of cucumbers and are trellising our fourth and planting our fifth! Peppers are getting another trellis and starting to come on. We’re excited about Shishito Peppers (see below) but also our sweet and hot peppers are starting to do better. The corn tassels are turning brown and we have fully germinated (full) cobs but they’re small and lacking color or flavor… but soon. Of course every week we have more tomatoes. Winter squash, especially Kabocha and Black Futsu have huge and vibrant plants - up to 3 feet tall with leaves bigger than my head.

We harvested the last of the garlic yesterday and it’s almost all hung up to dry. We even braided some last week with dried flowers in between.

Zinnias are on this week, as are celosia and gomphrena! It feels like summer in the flower beds. Produce Notes & Recipes

This Week’s Box

Tokyo Bekana

Mixed Beets

Broccoli (Classic) OR Cabbage (Family)

Shishito Peppers (Classic) OR Eggplant (Family)

Summer Squash

Herb: Basil (SR) OR Parsley (WC)

Plums

Family: Red Russian Kale & 4x Tomatoes

In Friday’s email we told you one item would be Summer Surprise! We're on the cusp of summer delights but didn’t know exactly what we would have for you. As it turns out we had enough Shishito Peppers for all Classic Boxes and then Family boxes are getting Eggplant.

Shishitos are from Japan (their word is derived from shish or lion) although developed from Padron peppers from Spain which were introduced to Japan by Portuguese traders in the 16th century. Shishitos are best suited to light cooking applications such as blistering, grilling, sautéing or roasting. That said, they are also great pickled or dipped in tempura. 9 out of 10 pepper are quite mild, but they you’ll come across one that makes your eyes water! That’s part of the fun we think and we hope you agree.

Charred Shishitos & Summer Squash with Herbs
¾ lb shishito peppers
1 medium squash, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼"
2 Tbs olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
1–2 Tbs chopped parsley or basil
1 tsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
½ tsp honey or maple syrup
1 tsp finely minced shallot or garlic (optional)

1. Heat 1 Tbs oil in a cast iron or heavy skillet over med-high.

2. Add squash in a single layer, cook 3–4 min per side until golden, remove and set aside.

3. Add remaining oil and shishitos to hot pan, cook 6–8 min, turning occasionally, until blistered.

4. Meanwhile, whisk herbs, vinegar, honey, shallot/garlic, and a pinch of salt + pepper in a small bowl.

5. Combine squash and shishitos in a serving dish, drizzle with herb vinaigrette, toss gently.

6. Serve warm or room temp.

Although we don’t have a classic Lettuce for you this week (thanks again skunks!), we have one of the next best things.  Tokyo Bekana is a delightful light Asian green we love. We think of it as a cross between Panisse lettuce and Napa Cabbage. It goes great as a salad with a ginger or sesame salad dressing. Below is one example. That said, Tokyo Bekana is also great with a very light sauté.

Tokyo Bekana & Beet Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing

1 head Tokyo Bekana, washed and chopped

2–3 medium beets, roasted or boiled, peeled and sliced into wedges or thin half-moons

2 scallions or garlic scapes, thinly sliced (optional)

A handful of fresh herbs like cilantro, dill, or basil (optional)

2 Tbs toasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or walnuts

Dressing:

1 Tbs lime juice (or lemon)

1 Tbs rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 Tbs olive oil or neutral oil

1 tsp sesame oil (optional for depth)

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp honey or maple syrup

Salt to taste

1. Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.

2. In a salad bowl, gently toss the Tokyo Bekana with sliced beets and scallions (or scapes).

3. Drizzle with the dressing and toss again to coat evenly.

4. Sprinkle with seeds or nuts and herbs if using.

5. Serve immediately, or let sit for 5–10 minutes to let flavors meld.

We have some lovely Mixed Beets for you today! These grew some beds that we haven’t planted much in the last couple of years because they were so shady, but this winter we cut back the willow trees that were shading them out and they grew amazing Chicories in the spring and now these Beets!

All colors can be used interchangeably, but mixing them offers a beautiful range of flavors and colors on the plate.

Red beets are the most common—deeply earthy, rich in flavor, and intensely colored. Their juice can stain, but their classic beet taste makes them great for roasting, boiling, or grating raw.

Gold beets are milder and slightly sweeter, with a bright yellow-orange flesh that won’t bleed into other ingredients. They’re a great choice when you want beet flavor without the mess.

Chioggia beets (also called candy-stripe) have stunning pink and white rings inside. Their flavor is the mildest and sweetest of the bunch, and they're best enjoyed raw or lightly cooked to preserve their color.

Beet Muhammarah (The MacKinnon Family)

We’ve made with Red beets only and we’ve also made with a mix of red and chioggia, I can’t imagine gold wouldn’t work too!

3-4 medium beets washed and trimmed

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

3/4 c walnuts, lightly toasted

4 medium scallions or 2 shallots

2 cloves garlic

1½ lemon juice, more to taste

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

Kosher salt

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

2. Put the beets in a small baking dish and rub them with 1 Tbs. of the oil. Cover with foil and roast until tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool, then peel and coarsely chop to yield 1 cup.

3. Pulse the beets, walnuts, and scallions in a food processor until very finely chopped. Add the remaining 1/4 cup oil, the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, pepper, cumin, and 1/2 tsp. salt; process into a purée. Season to taste with more salt, lemon juice, and pepper. Serve at room temperature or cold. Store, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

We have a second round of Plums for you.  Most are Santa Rosa Plums but there are a couple others. They are all slightly under ripe so they get home to you in one piece. Eat them right away and they’ll be a little tart or let them sit on your counter until they darken and give a little to the touch.

Extra Shares

Flower Share: Focus on Zinnia! 🌸

Lettuce Share: Little Gems x4 🥬

Bunching Greens Share: Toscano Kale

Eggs… 🥚yes we still have plenty!