A Very Veggie Classy Cookout

Farm Update

The pigs are really growing!  They've been loving all of the
veggie scraps they get to eat.

Hi everyone!  We finally got some rain on Thursday night, which we so badly needed!  Both crops and people alike are looking less stressed and more refreshed, and you could almost hear a collective sigh of relief rise up from all the farmers in mid-Michigan when we woke up in the night to hear rain on the roof.  It came at a pretty critical time too, especially for our corn-and-beans producing neighbors, because another day or two without rain would have turned on a stress response in the plants, which would significantly reduce yield in a way there would be no coming back from for them.  So we are all so grateful for the rain!  The results of it being so dry for so long are not completely undone.  Since I have small children, I naturally think of the last scene of The Lion King, where it starts raining and suddenly the parched land greens up and becomes plentiful again.  Yeah... it doesn't actually work like that.  But it is a huge step in the right direction.  And it means we can plant again!  Fred is doing a ton of planting today, because we have a window of a few days where the ground will have enough moisture in it for us to put in crops before it dries back out.

On a completely different note, Monday is Independence Day!  If you normally pick up in Alma but will be unable to make it to the drop-off, let me know!  As long as I know by Sunday, you can either pick up your share in Mt. Pleasant on Tuesday instead, or you can postpone your share this week entirely and pick up a double share next week.  We hope you are all having an awesome holiday weekend, and we'll see you next week!

What to Expect in Your Share this Week

Here are the options in each veggie station this week!  If you have a half share, you'll choose one from each category, and if you have a full share, you'll choose two.

If you're cooking out this week, these pearl onions are
amazing on the grill!

• Baby carrots
• Pearl onions or green onions
• Zucchini
• Romaine or spring mix
• Kale, Swiss chard, or bok choy
• New potatoes or beets
• Cabbage, microgreens, or basil

If you have your share delivered to your home or workplace, or if you pick up at our East Lansing drop-off, here are your options for this week.  If you have a half share, choose one, and if you have a full share, choose two.

Share A:                                      Share B:

Baby carrots                                Baby carrots
Pearl onions                                Green onions
Zucchini                                      Zucchini
Romaine                                      Spring mix
Bok choy                                     Kale
New potatoes                               Beets
Basil                                            Cabbage

If you have a preference for share A or share B, just let me know by noonish the day before your delivery day, and I'll make sure you get your preferred share.  If you don't have a preference, I'll just choose for you. :-)

A Very Veggie Classy Cookout

It's cookout season!  With the 4th of July holiday coming up, most people will be relaxing, celebrating with family and friends, enjoying fireworks, and of course, eating!  Although most of you will actually be getting this week's veggies after the actual holiday, here are some great ideas for how to incorporate your CSA veggies into any cookout adventures you might be having this week!

When I think of traditional cookout food, I think of burgers and hot dogs, a green salad, some classic Midwestern side dishes that call themselves salads but aren't (pasta salad and potato salad come to mind), and of course, cole slaw.  So for an update on an old classic, check out this Napa Cabbage Slaw by Bobby Flay.  Or if you're ready to try something non-traditional but completely delicious, grilled zucchini and pearl onions make a delicious side dish!  Preheat your grill to about medium heat, quarter the pearl onions, cut the zucchini into medium sized chunks, toss them in olive oil, and put them in a grill basket or aluminum foil.  Then grill them for a few minutes until they are tender, and add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.  Super easy!  You can also toss this combination into a grilled pita pocket with some Greek yogurt and mint for another delicious variation.  Pretty much all meals we make at home these days involve our trusty grill, because it gives such great flavor to everything!  If you're new to grilling vegetables, here are some helpful tips and tricks from allrecipes.com.  And while you've got the grill fired up, here are some great recipes for Grilled Bok Choy and Grilled Beets.  Also, here's a tip for the die-hard traditionalists: please please please don't use your new potatoes in a potato salad, even if it is 4th of July!  These are seriously some of the best potatoes you will ever eat, so you will want to prepare them in a way that takes advantage of all the wonderful flavor and creamy texture they provide.  We like to sauté them up with onions and garlic and top them with a little Gruyere cheese.  So if you're making a potato salad this week, you're better off using larger, more generic potatoes for that, and doing something really special with your CSA potatoes.  So here's to a fun and relaxing holiday, full of good celebrations with friends and family, and of course, great food! :-)