Yay, rain! While we all enjoy the final weeks of summer, on the farms we’re tending to crops that will feed us through the fall, the winter and all the way into next spring! These days of nice, soaking rain were just the ticket to breathe life into these plans (and plants ;)—enough water to seep into the deepest layers of soil after the summer dry spell, and to nourish the fields that will nourish us all in the weeks and months to come.

…for those wondering, Winter CSA sign up will open in early September :)

fruit bowl this week

• yellow peaches - beckens

• yellow watermelon - stick and stone

this week’s Remembrance cheese

• Moby - morbier style cheese with a line of grape vine ash. The rind is included for those who enjoy funkier cheeses, if you're not one of those people, just remove the rind and enjoy the rest!

preorder and pickup

PEACHES - pickup this week, 8/24-8/27 - Beckens

ROMA TOMATOES - pickup NEXT week, 8/31-9/3 - Stick and Stone Farm

GREEN BEANS - pickup NEXT week, 8/31-9/3 - Stick and Stone Farm

Last chance for a la carte CHEESE & YOGURT from Remembrance as our seasonal milk supply decreases. Orders placed today to be filled next week.

updates from the farm & friends…

NEXT WEEK: FARM TO FOOD TRUCK FUNDRAISER WITH STONE BEND FARM, WEDNESDAY 8/30 AT STICK & STONE

Stone Bend Farm will be serving up fresh wood fired pizza at Stick and Stone Farm Wednesday 8/30 from 4-7. Plus beer from Buried Acorn Brewing! A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Healthy Food For All, our partner in making CSA shares affordable & accessible to all in our community.

WORK PARTY SATURDAY AT THE YOUTH FARM

Volunteer Work Parties are held monthly one Saturday a month from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, perfectly paired with your CSA pickup! Come lend a helping hand and chat with Joe about soil health! Thank you so much in advance for helping!

Please register with this form or email Joseph at jpa28@cornell.edu ​

on our plates…

Recipes available on our website here. Send us your favorite recipes here!

Ratatouille

• 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes (6 medium or 4 large)

• 1 medium eggplant (1 pound), diced into ½-inch cubes

• 1 large sweet pepper (about 8 ounces), cut into ¾-inch squares

• 2 medium-to-large summer squash/zucchini (about 8 oz), diced to ½-inch cubes

• 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, more to taste

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil (upick)

• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, more or less to taste (try upick hot peppers!)

• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano (upick)

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with one rack in the middle of the oven and one in the upper third of the oven. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper for easy clean-up, if desired.

2. To prepare your tomatoes, remove any woody cores with a paring knife. Then, grate them on the large holes of a box grater into a bowl (this is easiest if you hold the tomato at a diagonal), and chop any remaining tomato skin. Or, blitz the tomatoes in a food processor. Set aside.

3. On one baking sheet, toss the diced eggplant with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until lightly coated. Arrange the eggplant in a single layer across the pan, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and set aside.

4. On the other baking sheet, toss the bell pepper, zucchini and yellow squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer. Place the eggplant pan on the middle rack and the other vegetables on the top rack. Set the timer for 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, warm 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and caramelizing on the edges, about 8-10 mins.

6. Add the garlic, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, and use a wooden spoon or sturdy silicone spatula to stir any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan into the mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low, or as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.

7. Once 15 minutes are up, remove both pans from the oven, stir, and redistribute the contents of each evenly across the pans. This time, place the eggplant on the top rack and other vegetables on the middle rack.

8. Bake until the eggplant is nice and golden on the edges, about 10 more minutes (the eggplant will be done sooner than the rest). Remove the eggplant from the oven, and carefully stir the eggplant into the simmering tomato sauce.

9. Let the squash and bell pepper pan continue to bake until the peppers are caramelized, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Then, transfer the contents of the pan into the simmering sauce. Continue simmering for 5 more minutes

10. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon olive oil, the fresh basil and red pepper flakes. Crumble the dried oregano between your fingers as you drop it into the pot. Season to taste with additional salt (I usually add ¼ teaspoon more) and black pepper.

11. Serve in bowls, perhaps with a little drizzle of olive oil, additional chopped basil, or black pepper on top (all optional). Like all stews, this ratatouille’s flavor improves as it cools. It’s even better reheated the next day. Ratatouille keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 days, or for several months in the freezer.

More in-season inspiration…

• Eggplant lends itself well to many wonderful dips! Try Baba Ganoush, Brinjal Pickle (Indian Eggplant Relish), Eggplant & Goat Cheese Dip, or Eggplant Caviar

• Eggplant, fruit bowl peaches, upick basil: Grilled Eggplant & Peach Caprese Salad

• Tomato, sweet pepper, cucumber, upick herbs: Gazpacho

• Beans, salad greens: French Green Bean Salad with Warm Goat Cheese

• Beans: Warm Green Bean Salad with Shallots & Mustard

• Sweet corn, sweet peppers, onion, upick herbs and upick cherry tomatoes: Smashed Potatoes with Sweet Corn Relish

• Sweet corn, onion, upick basil: Sweet Corn Gnocchi Skillet

• Sweet corn, summer squash, upick basil: Sweet Corn, Zucchini & Mozz Pizza

• Watermelon: Watermelon Daquiri or Watermelon Granita with Chile & Lime

• Sweet peppers: Roasted Red Bell Pepper Dip

U-Pick Gardens

open 7 days/week during daylight hours. unlimited use. for Full Plate vegetable share members only. see more u-pick info and maps!

• Pick what you’ll use, but be mindful of those that follow you

• Please check out the maps linked below if you’re unsure where to pick!

AT STICK AND STONE FARM (see map)

Abundant parsley, thai basil, basil, perilla, and cherry tomatoes, plus paste/roma tomatoes starting in the creekside garden. In the roadside garden, find flowers, tomatillos, ground cherries, okra and hot peppers. Herbs and flowers in the perennial garden too!

AT THE YOUTH FARM PROJECT (see map)

The main garden is full of flowers, basil, parsley, cutting celery, hot peppers, ground cherries, fun greens, okra and tomatoes too! The perennial garden has been nicely weeded and labeled with come chives, mint, and more herbs :)