Welcome to Rutiz Farms
HAPPENINGS ON THE FARM . 
With the shorter days of the fall, comes the setting back one hour on your clock this coming Sunday. This will mean that we will be closing our farm stand at about 5pm on Tuesdays and Fridays...due to the early onset of darkness. Our Saturday hours will remain the same...10am to 3pm. Sorry for the inconvenience for those of you who don't get off from work until after 5pm, but we don't have adequate lighting at the parking lot and farm stand...so it becomes a safety issue.
For those of you who missed out on the Rutiz Farms beef shares ( we received over 60 requests for the shares...but unfortunately, our 2 steers only give us enough meat for 20 shares ) , Alan Johansing will be bringing his grass-fed beef to the stand in 2 weeks. Watch for more info about his beef packages in next week's newsletter.
Please remember to vote YES on Prop 37 in next Tuesdays election. Please inform your family, friends and neighbors that this is an important issue...we have the right to know what we are eating. Don't be fooled by the misinformation given by Monsanto and DuPont! Check out our Facebook page to see how we painted our new truck for the drive to Los Angeles on Wednesday.
WHAT'S NEW IN THE BOX THIS WEEK
Our pomegranates come from Chadmark Farms of Paso Robles. An easy way to prepare the pomegranate for eating...cut into quarters, place the cut fruit in a large bowl of water and separate the seeds from the skin while keeping the fruit pieces underwater, then strain the seeds out of the water...the seeds are ready to eat without the mess of juice squirting all over. Then you must decide if you are a seed "swallower" or a seed "spitter".
Here's a quick and easy way to prepare this week's chard:
wash off the leaves and cut them in 1 inch wide ribbons
when you get to the ribs of the leaves, cut them into 1/2 inch pieces, heat some olive oil in a skillet and add the chard, season with a little sea salt and garlic powder , cook until the leaves are "wilted" and the stem portion are soft. Add a little balsamic vinegar to the chard near the end of cooking if you wish.
We are again 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.
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). Juices from Chadmark Farms of Paso Robles...apple, berry cider and pomegranate cider..."flashed pasteurized" for best flavor and nutrient retention.
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
ROASTED BEETS and SAUTEED GREENS
Ingredients
- 1 bunch beets with greens
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped onion (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C). Wash the beets thoroughly, leaving the skins on, and remove the greens. Rinse greens, removing any large stems, and set aside. Place the beets in a small baking dish or roasting pan, and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. If you wish to peel the beets, it is easier to do so once they have been roasted.
- Cover, and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a knife can slide easily through the largest beet.
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:
"Blue Lake" green beans
orange or green cauliflower
JIcama
"Rainbow Colored" chard
a bag of salad mix
sweet red "Lipstick " peppers
carrots
pomegranate
avocado
apples or peaches
PLEASE bring back the empty boxes each week. |
| Stand Hours
Tuesdays and Fridays.. 1 to 5 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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