Tahoe Time: Summer CSA ’11 – Week 7

 In CSA Newsletter

Taking a summer vacation is not usually something farmers get to do. In a normal year (which this one hasn’t been with the late spring), if a farm family was going to try and get away, mid-July would be the time to do it. So back in the winter when my family suggested a July family reunion in Lake Tahoe, Mike and I optimistically said we’d make it happen.

It has been 11 years since that entire side of the family has all been in one place together. My family members hail from California, Maryland, Illinois, Virginia, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Four generations are with us, from my grandmother in her late-eighties, to four great-grandchildren, the youngest being twin 7 month olds. Mike and were determined to get to Tahoe. We decided to take five full days off, something Mike and I have only done during a farm season one other time before€¦ our wedding.

The days preceding the vacation were utter insanity. We’d skipped weekends entirely for multiple weeks and worked many, many nights way past dark. Mental lists seemed to be mating, and the tasks to teach others seemed endless. There were moments prior to the trip that we wondered if all the stress of trying to get away was really going to be worth it.

The summit of Maggie's Peak

Let me tell you, it was. It was so worth it.  We ate delicious meals with our family. We laughed. We danced. We played.  Each of our three days there, Mike and I made sure we went hiking in those beautiful mountains. There was no humidity, a deep blue lake, gorgeous mountains, mountain lakes for dipping, and the heat never pushed the mercury past 72.

We have returned home to a farm scene where everything, absolutely everything went according to plan. Our hope is that you didn’t even know we were gone. Sneaky, aren’t we? We want to send a big thanks to our crew. They did a wonderful job keeping things going. We appreciate their hard work immensely.

While the hot, humid weather isn’t so much a treat upon our return home, new foods from the fields are. This week, new items include Japanese eggplant, green bell peppers, and sweet corn. Japanese eggplant can be cooked just like the larger, globe eggplants you may be used to. I love to cook with these because they are much easier to cut! Check out the Emeril recipe for these this week. Sungold tomatoes from our hoop house are also starting to come on. We don’t have nearly enough for everyone yet. Instead, we will begin circulating them through the dropsites. Epic REGs will be the only members to get them this week.

According to our site hosts, the choice boxes of chard and kale seemed to be a big hit last week. We will do the same this week. Feel free to take a chard and/or kale if you’d like to.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy your veggies this week! Sincerely, Mike, Cassie and Zea

In the Box:

  • Basil – EOs
  • Carrots
  • Cucumbers
  • Garlic
  • Green Beans
  • Green Pepper
  • Head Lettuce. Red Summercrisp
  • Japanese Eggplant
  • Pearl Onions
  • Sugar Snap Peas – EOs
  • Sweet Corn
  • Zucchini

This Week’s Recipes:

Summer Week 7: Wednesday, July 20th – Everyother Group A