Week #18, 2026

• Tomatoes

• Cherry tomatoes

• Hot peppers

• Fruit bar: Apples, pluots, pears

• Zucchini

• Cucumbers

• Basil

• Parsley or shiso or thyme or rosemary

• Onions

• Garlic

• Potatoes

• Lettuce

• Sweet peppers or eggplant

• Stuffing peppers or padrón peppers or tomatillos

This week has been a world wind. We have turned over beds, weeded, seeded, transplanted and harvested. More spring crops go out and fall and winter crops get planted. Juvencio has rangled two of our 6 hoop houses back into submission. He pulled out buckets or biomass and our goats happily ate them all. We can now see the row of cucumbers that were hidden, the peppers that were loaded and the empty spaces I can pack escarole into for the winter.

There is still tons of weeding to go. The radicchio is hidden among the fresh chickweed, pigweed, lambs quarters and hated Canadian thistle. We plug away one to two beds at a time and someday will catch up. The cherry tomatoes still need tying and the flower beds still need weeds pulled. So much to do and still no more than 24 hours in a day.

The harvests are huge at this time of year. We need hands to help us harvest! Please consider signing up or just showing up! Sundays and Wednesdays we start harvesting at 0730 and aim to finish by 1100. More hands make light work! Many thanks to Christine (who just shows up most Sundays),Marianne,Catherine, Ann (who often show up Wednesdays) Andrea and Sue who often join our family crew. We appreciate you.

Besides farmwork and clinic work this week I testified at Senator Wydan’s health care summit with some of my colleagues. We were able to share with him and his staff about the vital work we do and the importance of healthcare for all Oregonians. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the “Strides for Health” 5K that I walked to raise funds for Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center. My team raised over $1000 to support the important work we do providing healthcare for the most vulnerable in Washington and Yamhill Counties. We had a great walk up Dick road and culminated with fresh focaccia and a farm tour with veggies and fruit.

Access to food remains an issue for our community. The food boxes donated by so many of you over the last 9 months have made an impact and unfortunately remain important. I heard from our clinic navigator team that there are still over 19 families on the wait list for food boxes. If you have the bandwidth consider putting a food box together and dropping it at the farm it will be useful. A special thanks to Linda Romanowski who has rallied her entire preschool to make food boxes, activity bags and school supplies. They provided over 20 activity bags for school age kids that we gave out at our Health Fair. 

Farm to table dinner at La Finquita del Buho 9/12/2026! 

Buy tickets to support kitchen table magazine and come join us

https://www.kitchentablemagazine.com/shop/p/farm-dinner

Kitchen Table + ComidaKin Present:

“Tacos Birria de Chivo at La Finquita Del Búho”

SUMMER’S END FARM DINNER

As summer gives way to fall, we’re gathering one more time around a long table.

Join Kitchen Table, ComidaKin, and a community of food-obsessed friends at La Finquita Del Búho, a small farm tucked into the northern Willamette Valley. 

We’ll spend the late afternoon meeting the people who tend this place, wandering through the orchard, and watching the late-summer light settle in—then sit down together for a feast built around a whole goat, cooked low and slow into rich, chile-spiced birria.

It’s the kind of meal that asks you to linger: tortillas made by Three Sisters Nixtamal, vegetables from local farms and gardens, warm bowls of consommé, and plenty of wine. Because food tastes better when you know where it came from, who made it, and who you’re sharing it with.

THE FEAST
- Molletes with beans, queso Oaxaca & pico de gallo
- Tacos de birria de chivo with consommé, onion, cilantro & lime
- Grilled summer vegetables with fresh chile vinaigrette (vegan)
- Caldo of squash, corn & fresh onions
- Green rice with parsley & cilantro
- Vegetarian tacos with summer squash, potato & green beans
- Masa dulce with canela

BEFORE DINNER

Meet farm owners Lyn and Juvencio, say hello to Fiora, Ricky Ticky, and Belschnikle (farm dog and cats), and join us for a farm tour. Come early—the tour is part of the meal.

Brought to you by Kitchen Table Magazine, Mary Hatz, Rodrigo Huerta, and the Comida KIN food truck community, with wine by Eagles Nest Reserve.

Come hungry. Gather around the table. Stay awhile.

Another Farm to Table event to support PNWCSA the CSA promotion organization we have been members of for over 20 years. Here are the DEETS:

Gather: A Farm-to-Table Dinner | September 19

Celebrate local farms and the delicious food they grow at PNWCSA's Gather: A Farm-to-Table Dinner on Saturday, September 19 at ChamBurn Farm in Oregon City.

Share a delicious, seasonal farm-to-table dinner prepared by the ChamBurn Farm team featuring meat raised on the farm and produce from Full Cellar Farm. Spend the evening touring the farm, playing lawn games, and enjoying the antics of Jasper and Rusty, the farm’s sweet donkeys.

Tickets are $95 and include appetizers, dinner, the farm tour, and all evening activities. An optional Oregon wine add-on is available for $25. Proceeds support PNWCSA's work strengthening CSA and expanding access to locally grown food through Double Up Food Bucks for CSA.

Learn more and purchase tickets: https://www.pnwcsa.org/event-details/gather-a-farm-to-table-dinner

Our neighbors at Helvetia Market have hog and beef shares available- here is how to get on the list and get pasture raised meat to stock your freezer: HALF Share Pastured Pork (Deposit) | $6.50/lb | marionacres 

Recipes to enjoy this week:

Vegan Pesto Pasta Salad w/Cherry Tomatoes 

Yield:4 servings 

• Salt  

• 1 pound fusilli or other twirly noodle 

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 

• ½ cup raw pistachios, slivered almonds or pine nuts 

• ⅓ cup rinsed capers 

• 1 large garlic clove, peeled 

• 2 packed cups basil leaves, plus more for serving 

• Black pepper 

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil  

• 2 big handfuls arugula 

• Step 1 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water’s boiling, add the pasta and cook until tender. Drain the pasta, rinse under cold water until cool to the touch, then shake dry. 

• Step 2 

Meanwhile, transfer the tomatoes and a big pinch of salt to a large bowl. Stir to combine and set aside. Make the pesto: Add the pistachios, capers and garlic to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the basil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the lemon juice. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in the oil until well blended, scraping down the sides as needed. Scrape the pesto into the bowl of tomatoes. 

• Step 3 

Add the pasta to the pesto and tomatoes and stir until well coated. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes, then stir in the arugula and a few torn basil leaves. Season to taste with salt. The salad can sit for up to 2 hours, or refrigerated for up to 2 days. Refresh with salt, lemon juice and oil as needed. 

Spiced Chickpea Salad With Tahini and Pita Chips 

Yield:4 main-course servings 

FOR THE CHICKPEAS 

• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, well drained, or 4 cups cooked chickpeas 

• ¾ to 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 

• 2 garlic cloves, minced 

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin, or 1 teaspoon each ground cumin and ground coriander 

• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 

• Salt and pepper 

FOR THE TAHINI SAUCE 

• ⅓ cup tahini 

• Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon, plus more to taste 

• 1 garlic clove, minced 

• Warm water, as needed 

TO FINISH 

• Olive oil, for cooking 

• About 10 ounces kale, chard or spinach, well washed and thick stems removed 

• 3 cups store-bought or homemade pita chips (see Tip) 

• Handful of roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley 

• Handful of roughly chopped mint 

• 1 large or 2 small cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced 

• Step 1 

Make the chickpeas: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Pour the chickpeas into a small baking dish, about 6 inches by 8 inches. The chickpeas should be crowded together in a thick layer, not spread out. Pour in olive oil just until chickpeas are covered. (This will look like a lot, but don’t worry: It forms part of the dressing.) 

• Step 2 

Add garlic, cumin, paprika, and 2 big pinches each of salt and pepper. Stir gently to combine. Bake until oil is bubbling around the chickpeas and they are turning reddish-brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Set aside to cool. 

• Step 3 

Meanwhile, make tahini sauce: Pour tahini into a bowl and whisk in lemon juice and garlic. The tahini will thicken and clump. Slowly whisk in warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until sauce becomes smooth, creamy and pourable. Taste and season with salt, pepper and more lemon juice, if desired. Set aside. 

• Step 4 

Cook the greens: Place a large frying pan over medium heat and drizzle lightly with olive oil. When hot, add the greens in batches, along with a big pinch of salt. Stir until wilted and tender and set aside. (I usually don’t cook the greens—just chop then finely and “massage” with a pinch of salt and tsp of EVOO) 

• Step 5 

When ready to serve, in a large bowl, gently mix chickpeas and their cooking oil with the cooked greens, half the pita chips, and the chopped herbs. Mound chickpea mixture in 4 shallow bowls. Divide cucumber slices around chickpeas. Drizzle thickly with half the tahini sauce and scatter remaining pita chips on top. Place a lemon wedge on the side and serve, passing extra tahini sauce at the table. 

TIP 

• It’s easy to make pita chips from stale pita bread. Cut each round into triangles like a pie and separate the top and bottom layers. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it ripples, add the pita triangles and cook, stirring often, until golden brown. Reduce the heat as needed to prevent scorching. 

Stuffed Zucchini 

Yield:6 to 8 servings 

• 3 large (12- to 14-ounce) or 4 medium (10- to 12-ounce) zucchini  

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed 

• 1 pound sweet Italian pork or chicken sausage, casings removed 

• 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion (from 1 medium onion) 

• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered 

• 3 garlic cloves, minced 

• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper 

• Salt and black pepper 

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar  

• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more for serving 

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 

• ⅔ cup panko bread crumbs, divided 

• ⅔ cup grated Parmesan, divided 

1. Step 1 

Heat the oven to 425 degrees and line a sheet panwith aluminum foil. 

2. Step 2 

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds, then scoop out some of the zucchini flesh, leaving a ¼-inch border around the edges of each half. Arrange the zucchini halves in a single layer on the prepared pan and set aside. Roughly chop the zucchini flesh, then place in a paper towel or dish towel and squeeze to remove as much water as you can. Set aside. 

3. Step 3 

In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate. 

4. Step 4 

Add the onion and cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. (If the pan looks dry at any point, add a splash of olive oil.) Add the reserved zucchini flesh, the tomatoes, garlic, red pepper and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have released their juices and most of the liquid in the pan has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the red wine vinegar and cook for 1 minute, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. 

5. Step 5 

Return the sausage to the pan and add the basil. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until incorporated. Set sausage mixture aside to cool slightly. 

6. Step 6 

Meanwhile, drizzle the zucchini halves all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

7. Step 7 

Add ⅓ cup panko and ⅓ cup Parmesan to the sausage mixture and stir. Spoon into the zucchini halves, heaping the filling if necessary. 

8. Step 8 

In a small bowl, combine the remaining panko and Parmesan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, tossing to coat. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the stuffed zucchini. 

9. Step 9 

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the bread crumbs are golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges. If the breadcrumbs begin browning too much, tent loosely with foil. Cool for at least 10 minutes, then sprinkle with more basil and serve. 

Curry Tomatoes and Chickpeas WithCucumber Yogurt 

Yield:3 to 4 servings 

• 1½ cups full-fat Greek or Indian yogurt 

• 3 Persian or mini seedless cucumbers, finely chopped 

• ¼ cup basil or mint leaves, finely chopped, plus more for serving 

• 1 garlic clove, finely grated 

• 1 lemon 

• Salt and black pepper 

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes 

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and shaken dry 

• 1½ teaspoons curry powder (see Tip) 

• 3 tablespoons raw (or roasted and salted pistachios), coarsely chopped (optional) 

• Rice, focaccia or flatbread such as roti or doubles, for serving 

• Step 1 

In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, cucumbers, basil, garlic and zest of half the lemon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until Step 3. Cut the lemon into wedges for serving. 

• Step 2 

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium until shimmering. Add the tomatoes and cook, shaking occasionally, until browned in spots and starting to burst, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas and curry powder and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and most of the tomatoes have burst, 2 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

• Step 3 

On a platter or in a wide shallow bowl, spread the yogurt into an even layer. Top with the tomatoes and chickpeas, followed by more basil leaves and the pistachios, if using. Serve with the lemon wedges for squeezing over. Serve right away, with rice or a flatbread. 

TIP 

• If you don’t have curry powder, use ½ teaspoon each of ground turmeric, cumin and coriander and a pinch of cayenne. 

Cold Cucumber soup 

Yield:2 to 4 servings 

• 1 teaspoon dried edible Damask rose petals (optional; see Tip) 

• 2 cups buttermilk, plus more if desired 

• ½ cup plain yogurt 

• Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) 

• 3 Persian cucumbers (7 ounces), cut into ¼-inch pieces, plus more for garnish 

• ⅓ cup golden or black raisins, plus more for garnish 

• ¼ cup walnut halves, coarsely chopped, plus more for garnish 

• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish 

• ¼ cup finely chopped chives or green onion 

• 1 teaspoon dried mint, plus more for garnish 

• ½ lavash rectangle or 1 large slice bread of choice (such as sourdough) 

• 4 ice cubes  

• Fresh mint leaves, for garnish 

• Step 1 

If using dried rose, crumble a few petals coarsely for garnish and set aside. Place the rest on a cutting board and chop as finely as possible. 

• Step 2 

Place the buttermilk, yogurt and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender and blend until frothy, about 30 seconds, or whisk together in a large bowl until smooth and frothy. If you used a blender, pour the mixture into a large bowl. Add the cucumbers, raisins, walnuts, dill, chives, dried mint and ¼ teaspoon of the finely chopped rose petals. Stir well to combine and season to taste with more salt. Cover and refrigerate to chill and allow the flavors to come to life, at least 1 hour and up to overnight. 

• Step 3 

Just before serving, toast the lavash or bread until crisp but not burned, and break into pieces. Stir the soup to mix. It should be the consistency of a thin, runny soup. If it’s too thick, thin it out with water or more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Keep in mind that you will be adding ice cubes, which will also thin out the soup as they melt. Divide the soup among serving bowls and add the ice cubes. Garnish the top as creatively as you like with crumbled dried rose petals, cucumber, dried mint, dill sprigs, raisins, walnuts and fresh mint leaves. Add the bread pieces right before serving or serve on the side. 

TIP 

• Dried edible Damask rose petals, available in Middle Eastern markets and online, are used in various Iranian dishes as a fragrant and savory spice. They’re worth seeking out, grinding to a powder (whole petals are pretty as a garnish but tough to chew) and adding to your spice cabinet. Feel free to swap out for more of the fresh herbs, as you like.