Week #24, 2025

• Celery or fennel

• Tomatoes

• Cherry tomatoes

• Sweet peppers

• Hot peppers

• Onions

• Potatoes

• Basil

• Zucchini (last few, they are petering out)

• Cucumbers

• Lettuce

• Winter squash (some micro spaghetti squash and kabocha - our new garden did not do well 🙁)

The T-shirts finally got ordered and should come before the harvest festival. We dropped the check for $1200 ($600 from subscribers!) with Kirk and the Babbitts who are spearheading the legal fight against BESS. We managed to rally our family and move my mom from independent living to assisted living and get her room set up to look like home. I was back at the Beaverton Farmer’s market yesterday. I continue to make bird feeders and dried flower wreaths most nights. I am glad the week is over.

The farm has shifted and the mornings are cooler and damp with dew. Tomatoes, beans, and peppers hate this. The zucchini is showing signs of stress as the plants succumb to powdery mildew. Fall crops like radicchio, cauliflower and broccoli seem to be growing and will appreciate the rain we anticipate over night. Fall is definitely in the air and the days are shorter. I can harvest flowers until 7:30 or so and then it is too dark. Somewhere I have lost my favorite headlamp Jacob got me that was a lifesaver. I guess if it is dark it is time to come in and do something indoors, but I sure miss the long nights and early mornings.

Next week Kody and Luna will head to Brooklyn to visit Diego. We would love some extra help harvesting and cleaning the barn if you have time. There is a canning event at the farm put on by the Pacific Northwest  Coalition of CSA farmers that same morning. You can still join by following this link. https://www.pnwcsa.org/event-details/tomato-canning-workshop-farm-tour. The funds will go to support the local food economy.

It is soup making time! Send us your favorite recipes to share next week. Here are some recipes Sue shared this week:

Sheet Pan Feta w/Chickpeas and Tomatoes

3 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and shaken dry

2 pints cherry tomatoes

1 shallot or ½ small purple onion

¼ c EVOO

2 Tbs honey

½ tsp red pepper flakes

Salt

2 6-8oz blocks of feta, sliced 1” thick

Heat oven to 400. Stir together all ingredients EXCEPT the feta and spread out on a sheet pan in an even layer, then nestle feta on top. Roast 30-35 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and chickpeas are golden brown

Muhammara (Red Pepper and Walnut Spread)

1 large red bell pepper, roasted with skin, seeds and stem removed½ c chppoed scallions

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp kosher salt, more to taste

3 tsp pomegranate molasses

1 tsp red pepper flakes

5 Tbs olive oil 3/4 c walnuts, lightly toasted

4-6 Tbs fresh bread crumbs

Combine the red pepper, scallions, lemon juice, cumin, salt and 2 tsp of the pomegranate molasses, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 4 tablespoons of EVOO and walnuts until mostly smooth. Add the bread crumbs and pulse to combine. Adjust salt and red pepper seasoning to taste.

To serve, scrape into a bowl and make a well at the center with the back of a spoon, drizzle 1 Tbs olive oil and 1 tsp pomegranate molasses and sprinkle with red pepper into the well.

Serve with bread or crudites.

Smacked Cucumber “Quick Kimchi”

1 lb persian cukes, cut into 1” pieces on the bias

2 Tbs white vinegar

½ tsp grated garlic

4 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbs gochugaru hot sauce

2 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp white sugar

On a large cutting board use the side of a chef’s knife to crush each cucumber piece. In a medium bowl toss the cukes with the salt, transfer to a sieve or colander and let drain for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in the now empty bowl, add the vinegar and garlic and set aside

After 30 minutes, add all the ingredients except the cucumbers to the bowl and whisk to combine. Use a paper or cloth towel to pat the cucumbers dry and then toss until well coated. Serve immediately or can be put in fridge up to 24 hours.

Tajin Mango and Cucumber Salad

1 large lime

1/3 c chopped cilantro

1 Tbs Tajin

2 ripe mangoes. Peeled and cut into ¼-1/2” chunks

2 small Persian cukes cut into ¼-1/2” chunks

Finely grate the zest from the lime into a large bowl then cut the lime in half to squeeze in the juice. Add cilantro and Tajin. Add the mango and cukes and toss to serve. Can keep refrigerated for up to 4 hours

Fennel Celery Apple Salad

3 Tbs lemon juice

1/4 c EVOO

1-2 cloves garlic,  crushed

Salt, pepper to taste

1 large or 2 small heads fennel,  thinly sliced

4-5 stalks celery,  thinly sliced

1 tart apple,  cored, quartered and thinly sliced

Whisk the lemon juice, oil and garlic together and season to taste.  Combine with remaining ingredients and allow to sit at least 15 minutes before serving.

Top with chopped fennel Fri ds or fresh chopped basil,  and either fresh grated Parmesan or crumbled blue cheese.