Welcome to Rutiz Farms
HAPPENINGS ON THE FARM . 
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.
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
This week's cauliflower is a orange colored head and is called "Cheddar" cauliflower...because it is the color of cheddar cheese...and with a little imagination, it tastes like cheese!
Use it the same way as you would regular white cauliflower..steam, roast, stir-fry, microwave or eat raw in a salad.
We are offering jicama in the boxes this week.
The root's exterior is yellow and papery (which you want to peel off using a vegetable peeler or a pairing knife), while its inside is creamy white with a crisp texture that resembles raw potato or pear. The flavor is sweet and starchy, reminiscent of some apples or raw green beans, and it is usually eaten raw, sometimes with salt, lemon, or lime juice and chili powder. It is also cooked in soups and stir-fried dishes.
Jícama is often paired with chilli powder, cilantro, ginger, lemon, lime, oranges, red onion, salsa, sesame oil, grilled fish and soy sauce. It can be cut into thin wedges and dipped in salsa. In Mexico, it is popular in salads, fresh fruit combos, fruit bars, soups, and other cooked dishes.
Jícama is high in carbohydrates in the form of dietary fiber.
Jícama should be stored dry, between 53°F and 60°F, colder temperatures will damage the root. A fresh root stored at an appropriate temperature will keep for a month or two.
The first of this season's celery will be included in this week's box. It's a little on the small side...but it is sweet and tender, with a dark green color. Use the top leaves as flavoring in soups and cut up the stalks and add to your salad or put a little cream cheese or peanut butter on the stalks for a lunchbox favorite.
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.
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).
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. Apples from Mike Cirone in See Canyon
Peaches from John Tenerelli 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 and from "Little Red Hen" Bakery every Tuesday.
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
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
apples--$1.50/ pound
cherry tomatoes--$2/ basket
"early girl" type tomatoes--$3/ pound
avocados--$1 each
honey: 1 pound--$10 / jar
"creamed" flavored honey--$10/ jar, red raspberry and lemon "honey with comb"---$16/ 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
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 head of orange colored "Cheddar" cauliflower
a bag of salad mix
celery
sweet red "Lipstick " peppers
"Blue lake" green beans
carrots
Jicama
Zucchini squashes
tomatoes
avocado
Fruit ( either blueberries 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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