July 20 Stearns Farm CSA News

The dog days of summer have arrived...and so has this week's newsletter:

• See below for a list of what to expect in your share this week.

• Ember offers some helpful tips on making your flowers keep longer.

• And speaking of flowers, the Culinary Herb Garden has edible varieties ready for picking.

• Find out more about one of the local hunger relief organizations Stearns partners with.

• Whether it's a (cold) soup or slaw, we got you covered with two delicious recipes.

See you in a week and in the meantime, stay healthy, happy and cool!

In Your Share This Week

Classic Harvest take 10, Farmer’s Choice take 8: Scallions, fresh onions, beans, cabbage, beets, carrots, cherry tomatoes/tomatillos choice, slicing cucumbers/pickling cucumbers choice, summer squash, kale/collards/chard choice, kohlrabi, basil tops.

PYO: 1 pint blueberries, 14 flower stems, herbs and edible flowers (check for gold stars)

Although the crops listed on this page represent what the farmer anticipates will be available this week, the vegetables you receive may be different due to weather conditions and other factors that affect production. For an overview of the ebb and flow of the harvest throughout the season, check out the Harvest Chart.

Bountiful Bouquets

The flower garden is looking great this year. We are so thrilled to have even more flowers than last summer, as well as some new varieties. If there is time, we hope to put signs at the end of each bed to let you know what is growing there. Whatever you end up picking, I’d like to share some tips and tricks to keep your flowers looking good all week long.

Edible Flowers and More

We have some new additions ready for harvesting in the Culinary Herb Garden. Look for the gold stars and please be VERY mindful about how you harvest your herbs.

A Place to Turn

If you generously donated to our fundraising appeal this past holiday season, you may remember we are donating eight Classic Harvest Summer Shares to two local hunger relief organizations. One of the organizations Stearns works with is A Place to Turn, located in Natick.

Eat Your Share

When cooking during these hot summer days, quick preparation with minimal cooking time is key. The borscht-inspired Cold Beet Yogurt Soup and the multi-flavored Summery Green Coleslaw both require three steps or less.

We look forward to discovering all your old and new favorites - so share them here to be included in our upcoming Stearns Farm cookbook.