Welcome to Rutiz Farms NEWS OF THE FARM
I mentioned a couple of months ago that we had installed 22 solar panels on the roof of the shed at the farm. Since hooking them into the PG&E electrical grid in mid January, we have generated over 1600 kilowatts of power (on a bright sunny day, we are producing over 30 kilowatts) and saved over 2700 pounds of CO2 emissions that would have otherwise come out of fossil fuel generating plants ( or even better...avoided the spent fuel issues of nuclear power!). At this rate, I hope to have the cost of the system recuperated in about 8 years. As electrical rates continue to go up ( and we know they will ) and the costs for individual solar generating systems become more affordable...I believe we will be seeing more of these type systems on rooftops. My only question is...how will the panels do with generating power once we hit our foggy summers...I'll keep you posted.
We are now open on Saturdays, 10am to 3pm....and Tuesdays and Fridays 1 to 6pm.
The breads from Eclair Bakery are now available at the stand on both Fridays and Saturdays.
Finally..the strawberries are looking and tasting great, with plenty to be had at the stand.
NEW ITEMS AT THE STAND: We will now be offering apple cider, apple-pomegranate cider, apple-boysenberry cider and pure pomegranate juice from Chadmark Farms of Paso Robles. Unlike conventional juice pasteurization which is left to cook in a container, the cider they offer is flash pasteurized. This process immediately chills the juice after pasteurization to retain optimum flavor and to insure its wholesome qualities. The flash pasteurization process takes advantage of new technologies to accomplish this without compromising the nutrition and crisp, fresh taste of the apple, pomegranate, and berry blended juices. Chadmark Farms is a family farm and know how important healthy foods are to you and your family. Blueberries from Gary Teixeira farms of Santa Maria...picked ripe and sweet!
WHAT'S IN THE BOX THIS WEEK
This week's tomatoes come from the Salton Sea area and are picked fully vine ripe, having a great tomato flavor...just like a summer grown tomato from your garden!
The artichokes in this week's box are full sized. Be sure to steam them for 30 to 40 minutes until the outer leaves pull off very easily...then they are cooked enough...The one complaint that we hear about the artichokes is " they were tough"! This week's artichokes are harvested from nice young plants and are not overmature and should be tender and delicious when cooked correctly.
This week's green garlic...this is a true garlic plant, just harvested early, before it makes a bulb and dries out. They are the size of a large scallion and have a sweet and mild garlic flavor. Use them the same as a onion scallion or regular garlic...raw cut up and added to salad, sauteed in a stir-fry with carrots, broccoli, snap peas, chard or potatoes... or coat them with a little olive oil and roast them on a bar-b-que or under a broiler. Use the bottom 3 to 4 inches, but not the leaves as they can be a bit tough.
The snap peas are the edible pod type, you can eat the whole pea...just remove the stem and the small "string" that runs along one edge. They are great raw in salads, with dips or snacks in the kids lunches or in a saute or stir fry. Also available at our stand from other farmers and businesses: We are proud to again offer freshly made "artisan" breads from the Eclair Bakery of The Village of Arroyo Grande. Every Friday and Saturday, we will have for sale such creations as blue cheese pecan, Asiago cheese onion, sourdough, honey whole wheat and baguettes. These breads are a real treat, coming hot out of the Bakery's oven on Friday and Saturday mornings, great to accompany our veggies for your dinner! Most loaves will run about $5, with the baguettes about $3.
Our blueberries come from the farm of Gary Texiera located just south of Santa Maria. He uses pesticide free farming methods and picks his berries fully ripe...for best flavor!
As many of you know, we travel down to the Santa Monica Farmer's Market every Wednesday. In being down there, I am able to meet other farmers from all over the state... selling all kinds of fruits and vegetables that I may not have growing on our farm. My latest find are " outside" grown tomatoes from Debbie Chamberlain of the Salton Sea ( near Palm Springs). Not being "greenhouse" grown, these tomatoes are pesticide free ( except for a little sulfur dust, which is approved for use on organic farms) and are picked fully vine ripe, having a great tomato flavor...just like a summer grown tomato from your garden!
The Transitions Mental Health Growing Grounds of Santa Maria, a non profit organization that uses growing of potted plants as therapy for their clients, is supplying us with bedding plants to sell at our stand. Vegetable and herb starts in 4 packs and 4 inch pots of perennial herbs, along with salad "bowls" are currently available for purchase. Help to support their worthwhile work programs by using their potted plant starts in your garden this spring.
Heirloom Sonora Whole Wheat Flour from Huasna Valley Farm.
"Locally Grown, Freshly Milled"
The price will be $6.75 for a 21/2 pound bag of freshly milled flour.
Recipes will be available at www.huasnavalleyfarm.com.
Do you have interest in joining the fish CSA with pick ups at our stand each Friday ( weather permitting that the fisherman can get out to catch fish!) ?... "Margie the fish lady is taking sign-ups for the spring season. Call her at 481-5827 or email her at slofreshcatch@hughes.net."
Deliveries started last Thursday for our SLO city pick up locations.. Our pick up locations are:
1) The Montessori Childrens School
2) The Equilibrium Fitness Center
3) Pacheco School
4) Bishop's Peak School
5) The Laureate School
6) United Methodists Children's Center
Thank you to all of those who have signed up. The Harvest Boxes should be available for pick up at your location by 2:30pm each Thursday afternoon. Please don't throw away the cartons..either bring a bag with you and transfer the produce at your pick up site and leave the box or take the box home with you ...but bring it back the next week as you pick up your new Harvest Box. If you have signed up for the SLO area deliveries, you do not need to respond back to this newsletter in order to reserve a box each week...you have already done that by prepaying for the deliveries!
If you want to pick up a box on a week by week basis at our Stand in Arroyo Grande, you need to let me know each week by using the "Click Here" link to order your box.
Be sure to check out our "new and improved" web site at www.Rutizfarms.com. You will find many of our recipes and past newsletters archived and a "blog" page where you can see pictures and discussion of current and past events at the farm!
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Available at the Stand
Here are the items that we should have on the "table" for this Friday along with the prices so you may plan your meals and your budget
strawberries--$3/ basket asparagus--$2.50/ bunch snap peas, snow peas and shelling peas--$4/ pound "Sierra Gold" potatoes--$1.50/ pound
winter squashes---$1/ pound, butternut,
"rainbow" colored chard--$2 / bunch
broccoli--$2.50/ pound
Italian "sprouting" baby broccoli--$4 / pound
radishes--$1 / bunch
artichokes--50c to $1.50 each
cauliflower--$2/ pound for white, $3/ pound for the orange color
carrots--$2 / bunch
baby mixed salad greens--$2/ bag of about 1/2 pound
baby spinach--$2/ bag of about 1/2 pound
fennel bulb--$1 each Italian flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, rosemary, arugula, -$1/ bunch
sunflower sprouts--$3 / 1/4 pound
Mandarin oranges--$2.50/ pound
tomatoes--$3 / pound
kiwis--2 for $1
blueberries--$4/ basket
"Haas" avocados--$1 each
honey: 1 pound--$10 / jar
honey with comb--$16/ jar
flavored creamed honey--$10/ jar, raspberry or lemon flavor
( all honey products from David's Blue Ribbon Honey, Arroyo Grande)
fresh flowers: $5 to $8 per bunch
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Harvest Box Info
You are welcome to come by and pick out individual items from the table or continue to pick up your reserved Harvest box or both( add items that may not be included in your Box that week)..The Harvest Boxes, which cost $15 / week , will be available for pick up during the Stand hours on Fridays only. I would ask you to kindly let me know by Thursday evening of each week, with a E mail response( use the link in the right hand column of this newsletter where it says Order Your Harvest Box) if you want a Box for the week. Please take note: this ordering link is only usable for the current week's newsletter....After Friday morning of each week, the ordering link becomes unusable!
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RECIPES
for more recipe ideas, go to our web page at www.Rutizfarms.com and click on the "recipe" section
EASY TIPS FOR PERFECT ROASTED VEGETABLES
adapted from The Santa Monica Farmer's Cookbook by Amelia Saltsman
Roasting vegetables concentrates their flavors, develops and caramelizes natural sugars, and gives them that appetizing crisped look. Best of all, the same technique works for just about any vegetable you've got on hand, any time of the year. Follow these simple steps for great results.
Keep vegetables or vegetables pieces a uniform size for even cooking.
Toss cleaned, trimmed vegetables with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, kosher or sea salt, and freshly ground pepper. For convenience, do this directly in the pan.
Always preheat the oven.
Roast dense vegetables, such as beets or potatoes, at 400 degrees, quick-cooking ones, such as asparagus or tomatoes, at 425 to 450 degrees.
Don't crowd the pan, or your vegetables will steam rather than brown. Large baking sheets and heatproof-glass dishes are ideal for roasting.
Roast vegetables uncovered in the upper third of the oven for better browning.
Halfway through the cooking time, remove the pan from the oven and give it a shake or use a spatula to loosen and turn the vegetables.
When the vegetables are browned and tender, season again with your favorite seasonings...salt, pepper, garlic powder.
If serving the vegetables at room temperature, allow them to cool before piling them onto a serving dish( so they won't steam themselves and get soft).
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Order Your Harvest Box
Produce in the Harvest Box this week:
artichokes
broccoli
a bunch of green "spring" garlic
snap peas
a bag of salad mix
a bunch of carrots
tomatoes from the Salton Sea
a basket of "Jerry's Berries" strawberries
PLEASE bring back the empty boxes each week.
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| Stand Hours
Tuesdays and Fridays.. 1 to 6 pm
Saturdays..10am to 3pm
FARM STAND LOCATION: 1075 "The Pike" in Arroyo Grande. We are located on the south side of The Pike, between Halcyon Road and Elm Street. Visit our web site at www.Rutizfarms.com for a map to the farm. Our mailing address is: Rutiz Farms 333 Miller Way Arroyo Grande, Ca 93420
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