Welcome to Rutiz Farms
HAPPENINGS ON FARM: Raspberry u-pick this Friday and Saturday...$5/ pound....we are having some problems with a fruit-fly larva being inside some of the raspberries from the u-pick field. Please plan on using the raspberries sooner than later, it seems that the larva become more of a problem if you let the berries sit out for a day and then eat them. They are "safe" to eat, just not terrible appetizing after they sit around for a while. Either way, use the raspberries soon...oh, the trials and tribulations of trying to farm organically!
Plenty of blackberries available for sale on the stand table...not to worry, no larva problems with the blackberries.
Lots of tomatoes in the field right now...so if anyone wants to do a u-pick for tomatoes this Friday or Saturday...they will be only $1/ pound when you pick them...these would be great for sauces.
What's in the Box this week:
How about a bunch of red beets....here's a simple recipe to roast them in the oven and use as a topping for your salad.
Wash the beets and remove the stems and leaves ( save the leaves to cook up for "greens"), place the beet roots on a piece of foil and roast in the oven at 350 degrees until they are soft, let them cool and remove the skin (Roasting beets intensifies their flavor, brings out their earthy sweetness, and makes their skins peel off easily), slice up the cooked beet and add to your salad.
The red 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)
What to do with the basil and tomatoes...how about a simple brochette by putting a slice of tomato and a basil leaf on top of a toasted slice of French Bread...with a little olive oil sprinkled on top. Or how about a Caprese salad...cut up tomatoes, basil leaves and
mozzarella cheese.
The round, greenish-yellowish things in your box this week are lemon cucumbers . They are delicious cut up and added to your salad...you can skin them first or just slice them up with the skin and all. The tatsoi is a dark green Asian salad green that has a spoon like shape, a pleasant and sweet aroma flavor like a mild mustard flavor, similar to bok choi. Tatsoi is generally eaten raw, but may be added to a veggie stir-fry at the end of the cooking period. When tatsoi is mixed with other greens it enhances the flavor and nutritional value.
The bi-color sweet corn tastes great...and there is the problem!
The "corn ear" worms love it too...so from here on out, we will be cutting off the tip of each ear before we put them in the boxes.
An easy way to prepare the corn on the bar-b-Que...keep the husk in tact, soak the entire ear in water for a few minutes, then put on the grill for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once or twice..until the outer husk is browned nicely, remove the husk and enjoy!
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).
"Raw Foods Betsy" next comes to our stand on Tuesday, September 17..bringing her wonderful eating treats using only raw ingredients.
Juices from Chadmark Farms of Paso Robles...apple, berry cider, and pomegranate cider . All of his juices are "flashed pasteurized" for best flavor and nutrient retention.
Almond Brittle from Paso Almonds of SLO...freshly made each week by Rusty and his crew.
Peaches and pears from Mike Cirone of See Canyon
Peaches and Nectarines from John Tenerellii of Littlerock, California.
Mandarin oranges from Friend's Ranch of Ojai, California.
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!
Fresh fish and canned albacore for sale every Friday. 100% wild caught by San Luis Obispo County commercial fishermen. Or join the Fish CSA and get weekly deliveries; contact Margie at slofreshcatch@gmail.com or 481-5827." David's Blue Ribbon Honey from Arroyo Grande Sunflower "sprouts" from Carl and Ruth...one of our neighbors at the farm.
"At Rutiz Farms, our goal is to provide the highest quality fresh produce while using sustainable farming practices, including legume green manure cover cropping, organic fertilizers, no pesticides and no GMO crops." Our goal is simple...to bring to our customers ( and their families ).. fresh, nutritious, and safe food at a reasonable price and good value.
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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.
"Sierra Gold" potatoes---$1.50/ pound
raspberries and blackberries---$4/ basket
"blue lake" green beans---$2.50/ pound
"rainbow" colored chard--$2 / bunch
"calvo nero" kale---$2 / bunch
Italian "sprouting" baby broccoli--$4 / pound
cauliflower--$2/ pound
carrots--$2 / bunch
leeks--$2/ bunch
sweet yellow onions--$1.50/ pound
tomatoes--$3/ pound
cucumbers---$2/ pound
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, cilantro, rosemary, arugula, basil,-$1/ bunch
sunflower sprouts--$3 per 1/4 pound
avocados--$1.25 each
honey: 1 pound--$11 / jar
"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 Friday morning ( 7am ) 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
GRILLED EGGPLANT, PEPPERS AND ONIONS Ingredients: Globe-type eggplant - fresh & firm, sliced thick, salted to express water. Green, Red, Orange large peppers - roast whole Sweet onions, large - peeled and sliced thick Fresh basil leaves, olive oil, salt & pepper Grill: Fill the grill with an assortment of the vegies, brush with oil and flip continuously. The eggplant will cook the fastest and should not be too charred. The peppers you will turn as each side does char. The onions will be darkened but if left too long will be too soft to flip without losing them into the fire. Remove the veggies from the grill and set to cool on countertop while you prepare the peppers. Assembling the dish: First step is the peppers. They need to be "sweated" (Cooled in a plastic bag), skins and seeds removed then cut into strips. The eggplant goes on directly, separate the onions into rings. Start the layers with the eggplant, sprinkle with basil leaves,a little olive oil, salt&pepper. Then onion and peppers. Repeat. *Note- this dish is best made a day ahead, left in the refrigerator to set and served at room temperature on bruchetta or as a side dish.
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
Click Here (this ordering link is only active until 7am Friday of the week that this newsletter was originally sent out.)
Produce in the Harvest Box this week:
sweet lipstick peppers
carrots
cherry tomatoes
sweet yellow onions
Tatsoi
3 ears of our bi-color sweet corn
beets
"lemon" cucumbers
basil
apples
Yellow peaches
PLEASE bring back the empty boxes each week. |
| Stand Hours
Tuesdays and Fridays.. Noon 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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