Tomatoes growing in the Hoop house

small boxes this week:  1 eggplant, 2 each of pink wonder and red panzer tomatoes grown in the hoophouse, 1 canteloupe, 1 bunch of yellow onions, 1/2 # lettuce mix, 1 # mix of yellow wax bean and snap beans, 1 red bell pepper, 1 sweet italia pepper, 1 zephyr squash, 2 patty pan squash.
regular boxes have all the above and 1 # more beans, 1 quart juliet tomatoes, 1 bunch beets, 1/2 # more lettuce.

This morning dawned a chilly 48 degrees at our farm and has us in the mind of fall crops.  We are transplanting broccoli, cabbages, kales, cauliflower for your october boxes today.  The winter squashes are looking great and we will begin the harvest of those next week.  They will then sit in the barn loft for several weeks to sweeten up.  All the onions are harvested and curing in the barn.  I'm sure it will get hot again but this cool is a nice break for us.

The eggplant is producing amazing amounts and so I decided to put another one in your box this week.  I hope you aren't getting tired of it.  Sometimes I roast it with salt and pepper and herbs and then grind it up and freeze it to make patties with in the winter.
The peppers are both sweet and will finish ripening all the way to red sitting on your counter.

Bean Salad
Put a pot of water on the stove to bring to a boil.
While you're waiting, pop the ends off the beans and wash them.
Blanch the beans by putting them in the boiling water for just 3 to 5 minutes (just to slightly soften).
Strain the beans.
Make a dressing of:  2 T balsamic vinegar, 1 T ume plum vinegar (or some salt), 1 T red wine vinegar, 3T olive oil, black pepper, 2 crushed cloves of garlic, 1 shallot.
Pour over the beans while they're still warm and refrigerate.
Before serving, toast some sesame seeds and sprinkle over the beans.

Foreground:  Leeks.  Background:  Aaron making beds for fall transplants.