Welcome to Rutiz Farms
HAPPENINGS ON THE FARM . 
This Friday, September 28, we are welcoming to our farm Ruth Madocks, owner of Ruth's Herbal Remedies. She will be sharing samples of her Tomatillo Salsa, Italian Marinera sauce and her dad's famous marmalade. In addition, Ruth will showcase her product line of facial crèmes, aromatherapy roll-ons, sprays, salves, herbal tinctures, bath salts, soy candles, & lip balms. Ruth makes her products "handcrafted in small batches with loving care"using all organic ingredients. If you are so inclined, she will have her creations available for sale on her table. You can visit her web site at www.ruthsherbalremedies.com for more info on Ruth and her other products. Be sure to stop in and say hello, 1 to 5:30 pm, this Friday.
Our pumpkins are ready to harvest and they are looking for some good homes. Come out to the field during our regular farm stand hours and select your own "great pumpkin". We charge 40c/ pound..most of the pumpkins are $3 to $6 each.
Kelli ( Sweet Pea Bakery ) will be taking this Friday off from selling her baked goods at our stand. So, no tasty treats this week...just Jerry's fruits and veggies. Don't worry, she'll be back the next Friday.
If you come out to the Arroyo Grande Harvest Festival this coming Saturday, be sure to look for Jerry and Carol driving our tractors in the parade. After the morning parade, we will have a display set up in the Agriculture Area, located on Bridge Street, between the bridge and Nelson St...come by and say hello!
A busy weekend it is...we will also be having a display table set up at Savor The Central Coast event this Saturday and Sunday at the Santa Margarita Ranch. Our table will be located in the Ag Pavilion ( Farmers' Market to Meal tent). We participated in this event last year and had a great time ...lots of food, beer and wine sampling. You definitely don't go away hungry or sober ( if that is your intention ). Go to their web site at Savorcentralcoast.com for more info and to purchase tickets. Come by and say hello, we'll treat you to a glass of wine!
Please be sure to bring your own reusable shopping bag when coming to the farm stand. We will continue to have the smaller "roll" bags available for you to put individual items into.
WHAT'S NEW IN THE BOX THIS WEEK
The sprouting 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.
What to do with this bunch of Italian parsley? ....how about a parsley pesto sauce...just substitute parsley for basil, adding the garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese...put it all in the food processor or blender, and you have a nice spread for bread or add to your pasta. Remove the stems and use the finely chopped leaves to flavor rice, meat or pasta dishes.
The Lipstick peppers are very sweet...great chopped up raw and added to a salad or into your favorite stir fry. You can roast them whole on the bar-b-que and then put them in a small paper sack to 'steam" for a few minutes ( it makes it easier to peel the skins off).
The Persian cucumbers are from our own farm this week...no bitter skins, no need to peel...just be sure to eat them within a few days. Their thin skins make them especially crunchy, but they don't hold up in the refrigerator as long as a typical "waxed" thick skinned cucumber...in other words, if you try to store them for more than a few days, they will get slimy!
This week's tomatoes are from our own farm... a basket of "Sun Gold" cherry tomatoes or some "Early Girl" red tomatoes.
PRODUCTS AVAILABLE AT OUR STAND FROM OTHER FARMERS AND BUSINESSES: Kelli ( aka Sweet Pea) has her tasty baked cookies and cakes at the stand each Friday ...(you can reach her direct at Sweetpeabakeryag.blogspot.com).
Almond Brittle from Paso Almonds of SLO...freshly made each week by Rusty and his crew. Tree Fruit from Mike Cirone in See Canyon and John Tennereli from Littlerock, California.
Blueberries from Gary Teixeria of Santa Maria
Avocados from David Righetti of San Luis Obispo
"Artisan" breads from the Eclair Bakery of The Village of Arroyo Grande...every Friday
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 from Arroyo Grande Sunflower "sprouts" from Carl and Ruth...one of our neighbors 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.
Green beans--$2.50/ pound
raspberries or blackberries--$4/ 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 green or orange color
carrots--$2 / bunch
"Persian" cucumbers--$2/ pound
beets--$2/ bunch, red or orange
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, mint, cilantro, rosemary, arugula, -$1/ bunch
sunflower sprouts--$3 per 1/4 pound
peaches--$2.50/ pound
cherry tomatoes--$2/ basket
"early girl" type tomatoes--$3/ pound
avocados--$1 each
honey: 1 pound--$10 / jar
( all honey products from David's Blue Ribbon Honey, Arroyo Grande)
eggs from our "free range" happy chickens--$5/ dozen
fresh flower bouquets---$5 to $9 / 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
Adapted from Cookus Interruptus Serves: 6 Preparation Time: 15 minutes Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
¼ cup diced red onion
1/3 cup currants
¾ cup diced apple, (½ apple)
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Instructions: De-stem kale by pulling leaf away from the stem. Wash leaves. Spin or pat dry. Stack leaves, rollup and cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade). Put kale in a large mixing bowl. Add salt, massage salt into kale with your hands for 2 minutes. To toast seeds, put in a dry skillet over low to medium heat and stir constantly for a few minutes until they change color and give off a nutty aroma. Put kale in a fresh bowl and discard any leftover liquid. Stir onion, currants, apple and toasted seeds into kale. Dress with oil and vinegar and toss. Taste for salt and vinegar, adding more if necessary. When at desired flavor, toss in cheese.
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:
a bag of salad mix
baby broccoli
sweet red "Lipstick " peppers
"Blue lake" green beans
carrots
"Sierra Gold" potatoes
sweet yellow onions
tomatoes
Italian flat leaf parsley
"Persian" cucumbers
avocado
Fruit ( either apples or peaches..let me see which of these are the nicest on box packing day)
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 Our E-mail address is:
info@Rutizfarms.com
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