The green beans, collard greens & swiss chard are coming along slowly still. I promise we planted more than what you have been getting.  I’m personally feeling impatient about the garden progress. I usually have loads of beans and squash (my favorites) by this time and I go out each day to weed and check on things and I’m all “Come on beans! Why are you taking so darn long?” and my kids just look at me silly for talking to the plants.

We are kind of curious & excited about all the winter squash that have sprung fourth in various places around the homestead. We have squash and pumpkins specifically planted for the CSA but we are loving finding and watching all the volunteer plants around the property. It is like the farm lottery. Ha, ha!

Offerings will be a similar variation on what you’ve already seen with the addition of a few zucchini. Zucchini lasagna anyone? Just sub zucchini slices for the noodles.

Of course there is lots more going on but for now I’ve got to keep things short, got a sick kiddo running a high fever

For week 4 you’ll find a combination of the following:

• Slicing cucumbers
• English Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Slicing tomatoes (maybe a few green ones for fried green tomatoes)
• Salad tomatoes
• Bell Peppers
• Sweet snack peppers
• Hungarian Wax – (these are spicy)
• Raspberries

We intended to head over to a fellow farmer friend’s place and stock up on some blackberries for you this week but had to change plans when a kiddo spiked her fever.

Sick of cucumbers? They sure are prolific and happy in this weird summer weather we are having!

Have you ever made refrigerator pickles that you can enjoy in just 24 hrs? You should try them this week with your abundance of cucumbers! You can use a regular, non-pickling cucumber for this recipe since they aren’t canned or stored for very long.

Easy Garlic & Dill Pickles Recipe

Makes 1 pint jar of pickles in 24 hrs.
Ingredients:

• 1 pint jar with lid
• 6 oz of cucumbers
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1/2 tbsp dill seed (or fresh dill weed)
• 1/2 tbsp coriander seed
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• Enough water to fill the jar

Instructions:
1. quarter the cucumbers and cut them length wise so they can fit in your jar
2. combine your spices & vinegar and seal the jar, shake vigerously until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
3. remove the lid and tightly pack in your cucumers. Add water to the mixture to fill the jar.
4. replace lid and gently invert the jar a few times to mix brine and water.
5. leave the jar in the refridgerator for 24 hrs before enjoying.

Pickles will last up to a month int he refrigerator but you’ll eat them all right away I bet.

CSA Extra Add-ons we can deliver:

The following extra items can be purchased and added to your CSA share. You can pay me cash at pickup or I can take a credit/ debit card with our card reader (note an extra charge is added to card reader purchases to cover processing fees. It’s expensive).

Local Freshwater Prawns

We can bring you some Tanglefoot Ranch, farm raised freshwater prawns and deliver it with your CSA basket- if shrimp is your thing. It’s last year’s harvest that we helped raise & harvest right here on the farm in 6 outdoor ponds. We just enjoyed some the other night and I got me thinking about mentioning it to you all.

Tanglefoot Ranch Freshwater Prawns are $25 for a 2lb bag. They are shell on to preserve freshness and moisture and they are really delicious!

Homemade Goats Milk Soap

We are still experimenting with goats milk soap recipes right now. The pumpkin spice fragranced soap we had is nearly sold out and my girls and me have been making new soap batches like crazy. You can click here to see and even order soaps.

Last week several members posted about their CSA shares online and we loved hearing about the fun recipes you tried. Keep them coming and have a wonderful, healthy next week!

The post CSA News Week 4 appeared first on Updates from Ryder Family Farm.

The harvests are in but we also wanted to compile several recipes centered around the produce that will appear in this week’s produce delivery because I know a CSA experience is just as much about experiencing new foods/ recipes as it is about stocking up on food for the week. 

July is prime eggplant eating time in these parts. As you probably know eggplant is a delicious produce item (technically it’s considered a berry!!) from the nightshade family that is often sliced up, battered and fried in this region.  

I love me some eggplant parmesan but have you ever considered making eggplant parmesan bites? I’m making these up ASAP to see if the bite sized pieces and the dipping appeals to the kiddos more than traditional eggplant parmesan. 

Did you know eggplants were tested and found to have antiproliferative activities against human colon and liver cancer cells? Eating fresh produce goes a long way to improving health but you already knew that ;)Another abundant produce item that surfaces in July and even earlier here in Southern Illinois is the cucumber.When you think of a cucumber you likely picture them on a salad. 

Eating cucumber is a wonderful way to hydrate your body, freshen your breath,  protect your brain, load up on antioxidants and reduce stress. 

Did you know a cucumber is about 95% water? It’s true! Now if you are tired of just putting cucumber on your salad consider whipping up a salad made entirely of cucumber.  

A creamy cucumber salad is a perfectly refreshing side dish for the hot summer days when cucumbers are plentiful! Give this tried and true recipe a whirl-> 

I first stumbled upon a recipe for Millet Tabbouleh when we began our sickness induced gluten free journey several years ago. I was experimenting with gluten free grain dishes. The millet was good but I personally prefer to use quinoa in this recipe (it’s super high in protein!) because it is super filling and makes for a perfect meat-free dish. It’s also refreshing and not overly heavy, something we look for in a meal after a long day out in the heat!

For many more seasonal eating recipes and inspiration see our “Eat Fresh” board on Pinterest here.

The post Southern Illinois Seasonal Eats: Early July appeared first on Updates from Ryder Family Farm.