Welcome to Rutiz Farms
HAPPENINGS ON THE FARM  . 

The stand is now open on Saturdays...10am to 3pm.

The strawberries should be starting to look better for the end of this week...hopefully the rainy weather has pasted and we should have some great tasting berries from here on out!  

For those of you who are thinking about planting their own garden, we now have plenty of tomato plants in 4 inch pots from The Growing Grounds Farm in Santa Maria.  We have old standard heirloom varieties and the newest hybrids.  Be sure to check out the "tomato variety info chart" that is posted on the wall next to the potted plant section.  You can read all about the various varieties of tomatoes that we have for sale and see a color picture of how the tomato will look when ripe.

A welcome to those of you who signed up to receive our Harvest Boxes delivered in the SLO city area starting this Thursday, April 19.  Your boxes should be available for your pick up after 2pm each Thursday afternoon.  

 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.  As an delicious addition to a  lettuce salad...cut up the garlic and saute in olive oil for a few minutes ( don't burn) and then add to the salad.  You can also sauteed in a stir-fry with carrots, broccoli, fennel 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.

  Use the fennel bulb as you might use an onion...cut up the white bulb portion and add to a stir fry...it will give you a mildly, sweet licorices flavor  

   The "Sierra Gold" potatoes are great for mashed, steamed, fried or roasting...my favorite is:
--scrub the dirt off the skin---no need to peel the potatoes ( the skins have much of the vitamins of the potato)
--cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes
--place in a bowl and sprinkle with olive oil and seasonings 
--place on a cookie sheet or roasting pan, single layer
--roast in the oven at 425 degrees for about 35 minutes or until the outsides are crispy and the insides are still moist and soft.    

.The tomatoes come from the Southern California desert area near the Salton Sea. Debbie Chamberlain and her family grow these tomatoes "outside" ( not in greenhouses ), and pick them fully ripe for summertime like flavor.  I pick up the tomatoes from her each Wednesday at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market.
  The artichokes are large size...good for one or two people ( if you cut them in half).. lots of "meat" on the leaves and a big "heart".  Just be sure to steam them enough ( put them in a large sauce pan with a steamer screen and 2 inches of water )...steam maybe an half hour or so...until the outer leaves pull off very easily.  Did you know that an artichoke are high in antioxidants, has only 25 calories, no fat, 170 mg of potassium, and is a good source of folate, vitamin C, magnesium, and dietary fiber? Try dipping leaves in a mixture of low fat yogurt, salt, pepper, garlic, and lemon instead of mayo or butter.  If you say your artichoke was tough and difficult to eat...it is because you under cooked it!   

  The  baby broccoli is an old fashion variety of broccoli that forms many small side shoots instead of one large main head ( like the broccoli in the supermarkets that may have a big, woody stem and sometimes bitter tasting ).  The stems on the sprouting broccoli are small and thin, with a sweet flavor throughout.  No need to cut off any portion, use the whole stalk and head in your saute or stir fry.

 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.

      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  Polito Family Farms of San Diego County
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.