Summer 2025 CSA Newsletter - June 10, 2025 (Week 3)

Howdy Folks,

• Farm News -The Hoot!
  
  
  
  

• In Your Box
  
  
  
  

• Picking up your share
  
  
  
  

• Recipe Ideas
  
  
  
  

THE HOOT

This heat has been good to us.  I mean it was good for the crops.  87 degrees and very warm nights is a perfect recipe to make vegetables grow.  The sugar snap peas put on a million blossoms in 2 days of heat.  Strawberries are ripening.  Lettuces and spinach grew so much in just a couple of days.  We were planting sweet potato slips…about an acre and a half…and after an hour of planting, at approximately 10:45, I looked at my planting partner, and he was entirely soaked through with sweat.  I had already realized I was cooking like an egg and was doing my best not to think about the following hours of planting…to be present…plant by plant.  Enjoying movement, sweating, changing soil texture, conversation…plant by plant.   There is a really meditative sort of rhythm I can find, and it doesn’t matter so much if it is raining or if it is super hot.  Get out of the way, sort of thingy.  I did find myself thinking that this may have been the hottest 87 degrees I’ve ever felt.

As for an update on field stuff…

A lot is going on these days in the field.  It’s the standard trying to keep lots of different crops happy with just a bit of stress to push them along.  Lots and lots of soil preparation for all the little transplants that will soon call it home.  Weeding and more weeding…scouting for surprise diseases and insect pests.  Round after round double, triple checking to make sure everything is being watered every 3 or 4 days depending on the heat.  Lots to think about and lots to watch and learn.

There can be so much movement happening here and it all comes crashing to a complete stop as the weather changes.  I think this is the hardest part to get used to.  I’m not sure we ever will get used to this aspect of farming.  Nature does what it does and we have to be clever enough to figure out ways to continue progress in ways that the farm doesn’t suffer.  We’re very clued into the weather at all times, and although most of the time it is wrong, it’s still useful.

We always do a lot of planting just before a rain.  Plants like to be planted in cloudy cooler conditions versus a brilliant sunny hot day.  As a transplant, plants are vulnerable because their roots aren’t established yet.  The sun is essential, but it is very stressful.  Add some dry wind to sun and you will lose lots of your transplants.  The sweet potato slips looked really bad as they were cooking with us, but we pushed along cause we knew there was supposed to be some rain that evening.  Finishing the sweet potatoes we quickly cruised over to planting a lot of cucumbers.  The moment we finished planting cukes, it started to pour…I love it when that happens. 

Have a great week!

Your Farmers,

Chris, Aeros and the Who Crew 

 IN YOUR BOX:

In this week’s boxes is a miracle!  Nothing needed to be swapped out due to low inventory!!!

Add On Shares:

Mushrooms: It’s a mix this week!  Hens of the Woods & Cremini

Hen of the Woods grows in a distinctive cluster with flattened caps and has a rippling fan shape. Their texture is crunchy and the flavor fruity and earthy. Try roasting, baking, grilling, frying, stir-frying, stewing or soup.

Cremini Mushrooms, also sometimes called “Baby Portobellos” are small, brown mushrooms with a mild earthy taste. Cremini Mushrooms are good sauteed with butter and garlic, baked into a quiche, or used in pasta dishes.

Cheese:

Pleasant Lane Farms Creamery’s from Latrobe, Pa

Roasted Garlic Cheese Curds.  They have a complex roasted garlic flavor mixed with cheddar cheese curds.  They are an  amazingly delicious snack that can’t be beat when it comes to curd flavors! Enjoy!

PICKING UP OF YOUR SHARE/S:

When you arrive at your pick up site, please look for a box with your name on the label, this is your box.  Please unpack this box and take the contents home.  You are not to take home this box! This box is for farm to pick up site transportation only!  Please do not take this box home with you, but if you do, please return it the following week.  HERE IS A LINK TO A FACEBOOKS PAGE VIDEO SHOWING YOU HOW TO OPEN THIS BOX.

READ YOUR BOX LABELS: On your label you will see all that you should be picking up today.  Please note, that none of the optional shares are inside of this box!  These optional shares include, Eggs, Cheese, Mushrooms, and Coffee. These shares are located in the blue coolers.  Please reference your box label to make sure you get the correct optional shares that you paid for on each given week. 

• The mushrooms are in brown paper bags.
  
  
  
  

• Eggs, half dozen = 6 egg carton
  
  
  
  

• Eggs dozen = 12 egg carton
  
  
  
  

• Cheese is by the piece, just take a block. ( If a cheese has a name on it, don’t take this cheese unless it has your name on it)
  
  
  
  

• *Fruit
  
  
  
  

• If you don’t see a share that you think you should be getting, please don’t take it, please instead be in touch with the farm. Call/Text 814-221-7177.
  
  
  
  

*Friendly Reminder Fruit shares don’t start until the 3rd full week of July!!! 

RECIPE IDEAS

Honey Lemon Vinaigrette on Strawberry Cucumber Salad

Adapted from www.RockRecipes.com

This vinaigrette is great with salads containing summer fruits. Try subbing in

peaches, raspberries, blueberries, or plums.

Ingredients:

For the vinaigrette:

3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 tsp finely minced lemon zest

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

pinch salt and pepper to season

1 tsp honey

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or other fresh herbs

For the salad:

Cut loose-leaf lettuce

diced cucumber

slices fresh strawberries

crisp cooked smoked bacon chopped

Directions:

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette or shake together well in a covered

mason jar.

Pour over the assembled salad ingredients, toss and serve immediately.

Radish and Pea Shoot Crostini

Recipe adapted from readingmytealeaves.com

For some reason, a salad served on toast is more exciting than serving it in a bowl. The pea

shoots and radishes are dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil, then piled onto

toasted bread with a smear of ricotta cheese.

Ingredients:

1 baguette or loaf of “artisan-style” bread

1 bunch of radishes, sliced thinly

1 bundle of pea shoot leaves and tendrils, washed, dried, and chopped coarsely

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

zest from one lemon

2 T lemon juice

salt to taste

1 c. ricotta cheese (cream cheese or simply salted butter works too if ricotta isn’t your thing)

Directions:

Turn on the oven to broil. Slice the baguette into ½-inch slices, place them on a sheet pan,

and toast until they are golden. Be careful! The bread can burn quickly under the broiler.

Combine the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine,

then toss in the sliced radishes and pea shoots.

Spread a spoonful of ricotta onto each baguette slice and top with a generous amount of the

radish and pea shoot salad. Serve immediately!

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Crisps

Adapted from www.jocooks.com

Wow. These are seriously good. Total time: 40 minutes; Serves: 8

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 zucchinis, thinly sliced to about ¼-inch thick rounds

3 large eggs, beaten

1 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper

Directions:

Lay out a couple paper towels and place the zucchini rounds on the paper towels. Sprinkle

zucchini with salt on both sides. Cover zucchini slices with more paper towels and press

down them. Leave for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes you will notice that the paper

towels are wet and the zucchini slices are pretty dry.

Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a shallow plate, combine Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano and season with

salt and pepper if preferred; set aside.

In another shallow plate add the flour which you also need to season with salt and pepper.

In a 3rd plate beat eggs, with salt and pepper.

Start dredging zucchini rounds in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture,

pressing to coat. Place zucchini slices on a prepared baking sheet.

Repeat until all zucchini slices are done. One large baking sheet was enough for me.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the zucchini rounds are golden and crispy.

Serve with your favorite dip.

Kale Frittata

Adapted from mykitchenintherockies.com

This frittata is equally at home for breakfast or dinner. Sometimes I substitute bacon for the

pepperoni or salami listed here. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

8 large eggs

3 T freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, divided

¼ t coarse kosher salt

¼ t freshly ground black pepper

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

3 white bunching onions, thinly sliced

1 bunch curly kale, stems and center ribs cut away, leaves coarsely chopped

2 ounces pepperoni or thinly sliced Italian spicy salami, cut into ½-inch pieces (about ⅔

cup)

1 garlic scape, minced (or 1 minced clove of garlic)

Directions:

Preheat broiler.

Whisk all the eggs, 1½ tablespoons cheese, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in large

bowl. Heat olive oil in a medium nonstick broiler-proof skillet over medium heat. Add onion

and sauté until tender but not brown, about 6 minutes.

Add kale in 3 batches; toss until each begins to wilt before adding next. Sprinkle with salt

and pepper. Sauté until any liquid in the skillet evaporates. Increase heat to medium-high; add

salami and garlic to skillet and stir for 1 minute. Add eggs to skillet; stir to distribute evenly.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until eggs are almost set but still moist in

center, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 1½ tablespoons cheese over top.

Transfer frittata to broiler and cook just until set in center and beginning to brown, about 1

minute. Using flexible spatula, loosen frittata around edges. Slide frittata out onto a platter.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Simple Roasted Garlic Scapes

Ingredients:

1 Bunch of garlic scares

Butter

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 F for 20 minutes.

Wash and then chop the scapes into smaller more manageable lengths.

Brush a roasting pan (lined with foil) with olive oil.

Lay the scapes on the oiled cookie sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground

pepper. Roast at 350 degrees for about twenty minutes.

Serve with a dish of melted butter to dip them in.

Strawberry Salsa by Cookie + Kate

Field tomatoes are getting staked!  This is great progress!  Hello Sunshine!!! They have 

since been trellised as well.

This is hoophouse 11, we built this new 500' x 30' hoophouse this spring!  This whole house is 

planted in tomatoes. They were transplanted into this house in mid April. They are 

prunned weekly.

One plants, first cluster of tomatoes from hoophouse 11! 

There are 1665 tomato plants planted in hoophouse 11.  Yep lots of matters!