WILD HARE WEEKLY, SUMMER #13

There's plenty to be said about the level of exhaustion a farmer might feel approaching the final days of August, but I'm learning that decision fatigue is the real kicker. There are just five more weeks left before we transition into our Fall Share, and as year-round growers, we're looking at a years worth of choices all at once in August, setting the next nine months of our farms livelihood in motion at the same time that we're experiencing and evaluating the consequences of choices and plans we set in motion as far back as February of this year. If I could only insane number of decisions Mark and I find ourselves having to make on the fly, or laboring over the consequences of each and every day. Actually I don't even want to try and count that. It hurts. But you should know that the process of working backward from forming a given week's share ingredients to crop planning is a deliberate one that almost never goes off without a hitch, hence the mind numbing array of decisions that we're making as we go along.

For example, heading into this week, I was thinking we might let up on the lettuce for a week for the CSA in favor of some bunching greens, but then just look at those heads, will you? They're perfect and gorgeous this week, and looking at a forecast of nearly ninety over the next couple of days, harvesting that butter lettuce in addition to some greens, and keeping those sweet crisp heads in our collective fridges is the better choice made all the more prudent by the upcoming Labor Day weekend. I know we've had a whole lotta lettuce this Summer, but our crop rotations will thank us for it, and we'll be looking back on our lettuce wraps and quick BLTs longingly long about November, I promise. Not to mention the buckets of tomatoes, stone fruit, sweet onions, corn, zucchini and cucumbers. Let's hear it for all of those Summer sweeties this week too, because I'm not going to choose a favorite.

IN THE CSA SHARES THIS WEEK:

Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Sweet Onions
Sweet Corn
Zucchini and/or Squash
Lettuce
Greens
Italian Plums

SEASONAL RECIPES & TIPS

THE FAMILY PLUMS
Katie Green

I came up with this recipe just after Mark and I bought our first five acres in 2012.  That year, our tree out back produced crates and crates of fruit, and we had to hide them from a toddling Hazel who would have subsisted on them.  Trust me, you will want to make this again and again, year after year, plum after plum.  At best, I serve these up with a dollop of Mascarpone or Panna Cotta.  At my most utilitarian, I stir them into yogurt or hot cereal.  At my worst, I sneak them out of the bowl in the fridge when nobody is looking...and so does Mark.  Whatever you do, share these with someone you like...because they'll be back!

20 plums, halved and pitted
1/2 C Sugar
1 tsp of pure Vanilla Extract (or if you have one around, the scrapings of a vanilla bean)
Juice of 1/2 Lemon

In a bowl, stir plums with sugar, lemon juice and vanilla.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, When the oven has heated, place plum halves cut-side down onto rimmed baking dishes or sheet pans. Bake for about 45 minutes.  The plums slump slightly and release a sweet sauce that will bubble a bit in the pan.  Remove from the oven and allow the plums to cool.  You can either serve them warm with their sauce or chill in the refrigerator for sneaking/snacking later on.  

JOSHUA MCFADDEN'S CORN TOMATO SALAD
WITH TORN CROUTONS

2 large, thick slices country loaf (about 2 cups or 4 ounces)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 scallions
3 ears sweet corn, shucked
1 pound tomatoes (all shapes and colors)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 handful basil leaves
1 handful mint leaves
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

CONTINUE TO RECIPE
 

SHAVED FENNEL SALAD WITH PLUMS
Bon Appetit

2 medium fennel bulbs
6 small plums, halved, or 3 medium plums, quartered
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

CONTINUE TO RECIPE