Welcome to Rutiz Farms
HAPPENINGS ON THE FARM  . 

     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!    

Alan Johansing ( our "grass fed" beef rancher from San Miguel ) will be back at our stand NEXT Friday (March 2) with more of his beef. Alan will be there to answer any of your questions about  his families' ranching practices and tips on how to cook and prepare grass fed beef.  He will have several different "CSA" combinations of beef cuts available for you to choose from.  The prices range from $90 to $136 per bag...depending on the cuts included.  If you are interested in getting a bag next Friday ( or if you have questions ), contact Alan directly at (805) 591-0401 or email him at Alanjohansing@gmail.com.   

Beginning March 2, the stand will be open until 6pm on Fridays and Tuesday...great for all of you who have trouble making to us after a day of work.  We plan to be open on Saturdays once the strawberries are plentiful...probably the end of March or the beginning of April.   

We are slowly phasing out the use of the white plastic shopping bags ( as per the new county-wide ordinance that will take affect this summer).  Please try to bring your own reusable shopping bags when you come to the stand.  We will continue to have the smaller "roll" bags available to put individual items in. We also have a supply of reusable shopping bags that we can sell you for $1.  

 WHAT'S  IN THE BOX THIS WEEK    

 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 celery root in this week's box is the funny looking whitish colored ball cover with small roots.  Here's a easy and tasty way to prepare....wash off any dirt, cut off and discard the green leafy top and peel away the outer roots until you have a round, white root about the size of a baseball, slice in half or quarters and steam with the potatoes until soft like a cooked potato ( a fork will easily past through it ),  Combine with the cooked potatoes to make a delicious mashed celery root/potato dish.  You can also roast the celery root the same way as you would the potatoes or cut them up and add to a soup or stew.  

Sugar snap peas...sweet and crunchy!  These are the "edible" pod peas...so you eat the whole pod, no need to shell them.  Great to use in a saute or stir-fry or raw with your favorite dip...put a few in the kid's lunch...they might really eat them.
The "Persian" cucumbers come from Ocean Breeze Farms in Nipomo.  They are grown using pesticide- free farming practices.  . The "Persian" cucumber is unique among cucumbers in that it has a thin skin that doesn't require peeling and has no bitter aftertaste.

The Mandarin Oranges come from Bob Polito of San Diego County and Mike Cirone of See Canyon...all of our fruit growers follow pesticide-free farming practices.  

      PRODUCTS AVAILABLE AT OUR STAND FROM OTHER FARMERS AND BUSINESSES:
Almond Brittle from Paso Almonds of SLO...freshly made each week by Rusty and his crew. 

Tree fruit  from  Cirone Farms of See Canyon and Polito Family Farms of San Diego County
Kiwis and avocados from Mallard Lake Farms of Nipomo

Blueberries from Gary Teixeria of Santa Maria 

Ciders and Juices "flash pasteurized" from Chadmark Farms of Paso Robles....pesticide free!..

David's Blue Ribbon Honey...regular honey, honey with comb and lemon and raspberry flavored creamed honey.