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this week's
HARVEST
This list may change, but here's our best guess of what you'll be getting in your share this week.
Beets
Cantaloupe - Lopes
Eggplant - Huevos
Hot Peppers - Hots
Onions - Candy's
Peppers - Sweets
Potatoes - Taters
Tomatoes - Toms
Watermelon - H2O
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| 2014 CSA MANUAL |
Just about everything you need to know about the Rushton Farm CSA is located HERE! 
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| Upcoming Events | |
September 4, Fall Migration bird banding begins.
September 13, Fall Warbler Walk at Summerhill Preserve.
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KEEP US IN THE LOOP!
Email is our primary means of communicating all CSA matters, so please contact us if your address changes, or if you'd like a family member's address to be added to the CSA mailing list.
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WHEREABOUTS
Rushton Farm is located within the 85-acre Rushton Woods Preserve on Delchester Road, just south of Goshen Road in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. |
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Week of August 18, 2014 - Issue No. 14
IN THE BAG tidbits from Fred
Watermelons in the field at Rushton Farm.
H2 Whoa!
Nearly every field crop has a universal nickname that farmers use when discussing a growing season. Cukes, zukes, huevos (eggplant), toms and lopes are all used regularly in field discussion. This year much of the talk has been around the H2O's (watermelon).
Cool weather and a regular rain should have resulted in the watermelon crop producing poorly. Indeed we thought we were going to lose the crop entirely when the vines died back a couple of weeks ago. To our happy surprise we found that the watermelon not only made it but we have a record crop! With over 300 melons harvested you can look for them to be part of your share over the next two weeks.
A quick note on selecting the melons. We have two varieties. The dark green ones are called sugar babies and are a red seeded watermelon. The green striped ones are yellow and some are seeded and some are seedless. They will be marked at pick up. With the unusual conditions this season we have had some difficulty ensuring that every melon is ripe so if you select a melon that does not seem entirely ripe let us know and we will replace it. With that being said we have found almost every watermelon we have cut to be ripe and very sweet.
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THE DIRT notes from the field
While we have been happily surprised by the watermelon production we have been thrilled with the honey production. With over 400lbs harvested and bottled we have nearly 60 jars more than we have had in any previous season. Because of this we are going to do a rare discount on the honey for CSA members.
Each jar is regularly $10 but for the next two weeks we are offering 2 for $15. We do not sell the honey for much more than it costs to produce it so this really is a good deal.
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RECIPES what to do with all those veggies
Sweet, Salty, and Spicy Watermelon Refresher
Yield: 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 jalapeņo or 2 peppers, seeded and minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint
- 1 small seedless watermelon
- 1 small cantaloupe
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 jicama (a mexican yam or turnip)
- 2 mangoes
Directions:
1. Combine lime juice, turbinado sugar, orange juice, peppers, sea or kosher salt and crushed red pepper in bowl. Set aside lime juice mixture.
2. Place red onion, cilantro, and mint in a large bowl. Dice watermelon and cantaloupe into 1-inch pieces; add to bowl. Peel and dice cucumbers, jicama, and mangoes; add to bowl. Stir in lime juice mixture.
3. Cover and chill 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Carolyn Kumpe
Southern Living
Watermelon-Mint Margaritas
Yield: 5 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Freeze Time: 4 hours
Ingredients:
- 4 cups seeded and chopped watermelon
- 1/2 cup tequila
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated lime rind
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
For the cocktail glass rim and garnish:
- Fresh lime juice
- Sugar
- Garnish: fresh mint
Directions:
1. Place watermelon in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze 4 hours or until firm.
2. Coat rims of cocktail glasses with lime juice; dip in sugar.
3. Process/blend frozen watermelon, tequila, sugar, grated lime rind, lime juice, mint leaves in a blender until slushy. Pour into glasses. Garnish, if desired.
*1/2 cup orange or apple juice may be substituted for tequila.
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About Us
Rushton Farm is part of Willistown Conservation Trust's Community Farm Program.  Willistown Conservation Trust is a non-profit organization working to preserve and manage the open land, rural character, scenic, recreational, historic, agricultural and natural resources of the Willistown area and nearby communities, and to share these unique resources with people of all ages and backgrounds to inspire, educate and develop a lifelong commitment to the land and the natural world.
To learn more or to find out how you can get involved visit
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