Welcome to Rutiz Farms
Strawberry u-pick finished for this season. All good things must come to an end...and so our strawberry fields don't have much left to pick for this season. We will still continue to have strawberries, raspberries and blackberries available for purchase at our stand table...just not for u-pick. I am still waiting to see how the raspberry field comes along...maybe we will have enough for a u-pick sometime in August...just right now, not many berries out there. 
WHAT'S NEW IN THE BOX THIS WEEK:
Over the years, I have hear many comments ( complaints ) regarding the sand in our salad mix and greens. I have found that 2 to 3 washings and spinning in a salad spinner will clean any sand off...so hopefully you won't have grit in your teeth!
A simple and delicious way to prepare the zucchini squash..cut the squash lengthwise into stripes about 1/4 inch thick, cover with a little olive oil and seasonings, put them on a hot bar-b-q grill or under a broiler for 5 to 10 minutes on each side until brown and crispy. See below in our recipe section for a "zucchini burger" recipe!
Here's a quick and easy way to prepare this week's chard:
wash off the leaves and cut them in 1 inch wide ribbons
when you get to the ribs of the leaves, cut them into 1/2 inch pieces, heat some olive oil in a skillet and add the chard, season with a little sea salt and garlic powder , cook until the leaves are "wilted" and the stem portion are soft. Add a little balsamic vinegar to the chard near the end of cooking if you wish.
In this week's box you will find a bunch of fresh arugula. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge. Try to use within 5 days. This is an herb, vegetable or salad green, depending on the recipe. Try it torn up as a salad on it's own with chopped apples & blue cheese, or just add to a lettuce salad for a zip. Or as a lettuce-replacement on a sandwich. It can also replace spinach in many cooked spinach recipes. See more arugula and chard recipe ideas at our web site RutizFarms.com.
PRODUCTS AVAILABLE AT OUR STAND FROM OTHER FARMERS AND BUSINESSES:
Apricots and other fruits from Mike Cirone of See Canyon.
Ciders and Juices "flash pasteurized" from Chadmark Farms of Paso Robles....pesticide free!...not available this week....Chadmark Farms is on vacation! "Artisan" breads from the Eclair Bakery of The Village of Arroyo Grande...every Friday and Saturday.
Blueberries from the farm of Gary Teixeira, located just south of Santa Maria....pesticide free!
Sonora Whole Wheat Flour from Huasna Valley Farm..."Locally Grown, Freshly Milled"
Vegetable and herb starts from The Transitions Mental Health Growing Grounds of Santa Maria...pesticide free!
Fish CSA with pick ups at our stand each Friday..call Margie at 481-5827 or email her at slofreshcatch@gmail.com
David's Blue Ribbon Honey...regular honey, honey with comb and lemon and raspberry flavored creamed honey.
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
blue lake green beans--$2.50/ pound strawberries--$3/ basket raspberries and blackberries--$3.50/ basket "Sierra Gold" potatoes--$1.50/ pound
"rainbow" colored chard--$2 / bunch
"calvo nero" kale---$2 / bunch
broccoli--$2.50/ pound
Italian "sprouting" baby broccoli--$4 / pound
cauliflower--$2/ pound for white, $3/ pound for the orange color
carrots--$2 / bunch
beets--$2/ bunch, red, orange or pink colored
leeks--$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
basil--$1/ bunch
sunflower sprouts--$3 / 1/4 pound
Mandarin oranges--$2.50/ pound
blueberries--$4/ basket
"Haas" avocados--$1.25 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
ZUCCCHINI BURGERS
1 lg., or 2 medium, zucchini, sliced in rounds
1 1/4 cup cracker crumbs (20 Saltine crackers or other)
1 1/4 cup cheese, grated
1/4 cup sliced green onion
2 Tbs. parsley (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tbs. cooking oil
Steam zucchini until tender. Mash and mix in cracker crumbs, cheese, onion, garlic,parsley,salt and pepper. Shape into 8 patties. Cook in hot oil 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Can serve on buns with favorite garnishes.
Or,
Serve on light rye bread or buns spread with a garlic & butter mixture. Then, toast in broiler. Top with zucchini, slice of jack cheese and a tomato slice. Return to oven until cheese melts
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:
"Blue Lake" green beans
broccoli
"rainbow" colored carrots
cauliflower
multi-colored chard
arugula
zucchini squash
salad mix
a basket of blueberries from Santa Maria
PLEASE bring back the empty boxes each week. |
| 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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