If needed, please contact Richard Andres & Deb Lentz at 2510 Hayes Rd. Chelsea, MI 48118 e-mail: tantrefarm@hotmail.com phone: 734-475-4323 website: www.tantrefarm.com.

    We  try to keep the printed newsletter to a 2-page maximum, which means that we won’t list all the share items’ descriptions every week, but refer you to previous newsletters for information on items that have already appeared in your shares. In our newsletter, we try to give you an accurate listing of the produce in your box; however, since the newsletter is published before the harvest, we may sometimes substitute some vegetables for others.  The information provided here is also published each week on our website under the NEWSLETTERS tab.
 
    **Also, if you’re having trouble identifying any unfamiliar produce, please look for “Veggie ID” with additional information on our website under CSA IN FO or under RECIPES. 

THIS WEEK’S SHARE

ARUGULA: an aromatic, bright green, salad green with a peppery mustard flavor; rich in iron and vitamins A and C.
-How to use: add to salads, soups, and sautéed vegetable dishes.
-How to store: very perishable, so use up quickly; store in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

GREEN and PURPLE BEANS:  You will receive Jade (long, slender, deep green, filet bean) and Royal Burgundy (brilliant purple, smooth, round, meaty pods; add stunning color to salads when used raw; pods turn dark green when cooked; excellent fresh or frozen).  See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

ORANGE or PURPLE CARROTS: You will receive either Romance (blunt-tipped, deep orange roots with impressive flavor for a summer-harvested carrot) OR Purplesnax (sweet, mellow flavor with a dazzling combination of purple skin outside and golden color inside, which makes it a superb variety for enjoying fresh or roasted).
SWEET CORN (Vision): exceptionally tender, super sweet, yellow ears; great for fresh eating and freezing   * We don’t treat our organic corn with pesticides, so you may find some earworms enjoying the corn too; just cut off the damaged part and cook the rest of the ear.  Delicious!! See Week 12 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

EGGPLANT: You will receive Nadia (slender, purplish-black, glossy-like, bell-shaped fruit), Rosa Biana (an Italian heirloom; round fruit streaked with white and violet), or Orient Express (dark purple Asian type with long, slender, glossy fruits, which are tender, delicately flavored, and quick cooking).  See Week 9 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

U-PICK FLOWERS (only available for picking on the farm):   We welcome  you to the farm to pick your flowers on any day of the week, but please contact us if it will be on other days besides Wednesdays and Fridays, so we can make sure to be around to show you where to go.  This week you can pick up to 15 stems per household.  You may want to bring a vase/jar to keep your flowers fresh going home, but we will have donated yogurt containers to fill with water as well.  Your bouquet is part of your share, although it is always greatly appreciated when you make a donation to pay for seeds and labor.  Extra bouquets cost $5/bunch.

GARLIC:  a bulb of several papery white cloves; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, and bolstering the immune system.  **The garlic skin is a little dirty, since we are shorthanded and did not have time to brush all the skins. Thanks for understanding.  See Week 6 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

KALE (Green Curly): well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”.  See Week 5 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

MUSHROOMS (Golden Oyster):  golden oyster-shaped cap with a mild, anise, earthy odor.  This first flush is in for Wed. members, and we hope there will be more for Fri/Sat. Members, so cross your fingers.  See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

SWEET or CHILI PEPPERS: You will receive some combination of  Red Knight Bell (big, blocky, thick-walled, green or changing to red pepper) OR Poblano (a mild variety of chili pepper known as “poblanos” when dark green, but becomes an “ancho” when brick-red and fully dry; popular in Southwestern recipes; heart-shaped fruit, which is mildly pungent with a lightly sweet, medium-hot flavor), OR Shishito (sweet, mild, slender Japanese chiles about 2- to 4-inches with squarish end; often used in stir-fried dishes, salads, or as a pickled condiment).  See Week 12 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

POTATOES: You will receive Yukon Gold (yellowish brown skin with yellow dry flesh and pink eyes; long storage and good tasting; perfect baked, boiled, mashed or fried ) AND Red Norland (smooth, red skin and white flesh; great baked, boiled, or roasted).  See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

SUMMER SQUASH/ZUCCHINI:  You will receive some variety of Green or Yellow Zucchini (gourmet golden or green zucchini with uniform, cylindrical fruits), Safari (green zucchini with attractive white stripes),  or Zephyr Summer Squash (distinctive, slender fruits are yellow with faint white stripes and light-green blossom ends with a nutty flavor).  See Week 5 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

TOMATOES: You will receive something of the following  varieties: SLICERS –Geronimo (a beefsteak slicer variety; fruits are very large, firm, nice red color and good taste) or Big Beef (Large, avg. 10-12 oz., mostly blemish-free, globe-shaped red fruit with full flavor) AND  Green Zebra (ripe as a green fruit with a yellow blush and darker green stripes; delicious, tangy salad tomato; beautiful sliced into wedges for salads),  AND Mountain Magic (bright red, round tomatoes with very sweet flavor; excellent in salads). See Week 9 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

WATERMELON (Dark Belle): active dark green skin with narrow, d ark green stripes and sweet, bright yellow flesh; oval-shaped fruit. See Week 10 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. ENDING SUMMER CSA DATES:  The end is drawing near for Summer CSA.  This is just a reminder that our summer shares are ending at the end of the month.  That means Sept. 29 (Wed.), Oct. 1 (Fri.), and Oct. 2 (Sat.) are the last distribution days for our Summer Shares. You don’t have to end then though, since more information about our Extended Fall CSA for the month of October will be coming soon.

2. VACATIONS or OUT OF TOWN: Please remember to contact us at least by Sundays to make changes in pick up days or locations for the upcoming week.  With Labor Day weekend coming up, please make all your changes ahead of time.  If you can’t find someone to pick up your share, please let us know if you want to cancel your share  or donate to a needy family.

3. TOMATO PRESERVING WORKSHOP on Sept. 12: We have decided to revive o ne of our favorite classes this summer, since it will mainly be outside.  This workshop is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 12 from 1 to 4 PM. Our neighbor, Stephanie Doll, will teach mostly how to can tomatoes, but also some information will be on dehydrating and freezing them. She is respectively asking that folks who are attending are vaccinated, but is okay with unvaccinated members outside with masks. There will be active participation and “take-home” samples for those attending.  Plan on bringing a Quart Size Canning Jar or $1 if you need one, so you can take a jar of canned tomatoes home.  Please register with an email entitled TOMATOES and your Name, Phone Number, and E-mail Address in the body of the email to us.  There will be a small $5 fee for materials.  Bulk tomatoes will be available to buy.

4. WANTED: TOMATO PICKERS!!   Is there anyone interested in helping us pick tomatoes any weekday morning for the next few weeks, but especially on Mon, Tues, Thurs, a nd Friday mornings.  We will even feed you a homemade, farm-cooked lunch at 12 PM if you stay.  We are a little short-handed starting this week with students going back to college.

5. WEEDING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:  We have so many weeds to pull with all this rain and sun.  If you are interested in helping out–even if it’s just for 10 or 15 minutes before you pick up your box at the farm, come join us.  Please contact us any day of the week or evenings.

6. U-PICK RASPBERRY PATCH OPEN WEDNESDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY THIS WEEK:  Our August and September berries continue to ripen more and more at the Honey Bee U-Pick site (5700 Scio Church Rd., Ann Arbor), and will continue into September with different varieties.  We are selling them for $4/pint when you pick and $6/pint if we pick.  We will be open on Wed., Sat., and Sun. from 8 AM-5 PM this coming week.   To see updates go to https://www.tantrefarm.com/tantre-farm-raspberry-u-pick.

7. IMMUNE BOOSTER CSA THIS WEEK:  Please feel free also to sign up for our weekly, collaborative CSA share if you would like to supplement your box or give it as a gift. This  menu is updated  on our website every Monday – Wednesday http://www.tantrefarm.com/how-does-our-immune-booster-csa-work/.  Still time to sign up this week until midnight!

8. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER:  
*Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)—7 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there  the whole time)
*MOVE Fitness & Wellness Studio (Wed)—8 AM to 10 AM (SARA there the whole time)
*Farm (Wed.)—10 AM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there with some self check-in)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.) –6 PM to 8 PM (LIZZIE will be  there the whole time)
*Pure Pastures (Wed.) (limited site) —10 AM to 5 PM (JESSICA there from 9 AM – 11 AM)
*Farm (Fri.)—2 PM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there with some self check-in)
*CHANGE:  Community High School is now Ann Arbor Farmers Market (Sat.) —7 AM to 12 PM (SHANNON there t he whole time)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 AM to 12 PM (RYAN and Staff there the whole time)
*Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)—8 AM to 12 PM (DEB and staff there the whole time)
*Argus-Packard (Sat) (limited site)—12 PM to 3 PM (ARGUS STAFF there the whole time)
*RoosRoast-Rosewood (Sat)–9 AM  to 11 AM (DEBRA is there the whole time)

RECIPES

PURPLE BEAN AND TOMATO SALAD (from www.grouprecipes.com)  Serves 1-2
6 oz green or purple beans, chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 Tbsp hummus
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp oregano
1-2 sprigs parsley, minced
3 oz Romaine lettuce, shredded
1 plum tomato (any tomato), halved lengthwise and sliced thinly
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

    Steam the bean pieces 4 minutes over boiling water.  Set aside.  In a small bowl, mix together hummus, lemon juice, oregano and parsley.  Set aside.  Place lettuce in a salad bowl.  Top with tomato slices and warm, steamed beans.  Season with pepper.  Pour hummus mixture overtop of everything, toss lightly to coat.  Serve immediately.

PURPLE EGGPLANT, BEAN, AND PEPPER STIR FRY (from www.seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com)
Sauce:
2 tsp arrowroot or corn starch
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes
    Mix ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside.

Main Ingredients:
1 lb cooked purple potatoes, in chunks
1/2 lb purple beans, (which will turn green when cooked), chopped
1/2 lb or 2 large eggplants, 1/2-inch slices
1 large onion, chopped coarsely
1 large red pepper, deseeded and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 Tbsp peeled, minced ginger
4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3-4 Tbsp mild vegetable oil
    When the potatoes have boiled for 10 minutes, put the beans in a colander, and drain the water from the potatoes over them to blanch them, but keep the potatoes in the pot so they are separate from each other.  Rinse them both in cold water, and drain again.  Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a very large skillet.  Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minute until they are lightly browned.  Add another tablespoon of oil, and add the eggplants.  Cook, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes.  Add the onions, pepper, and beans and a little more oil if need ed, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the ginger and garlic; stir in well.  Then add the sauce ingredients, still stirring.  As soon as the sauce thickens (in moments) remove from the heat and serve.

Thank you for supporting your local food system! – Tantre Farm