Greetings!   

This is one of those week's where it looks like all the stars will align....but then not.  When we do our planning in January and February for the coming season, there are certain week's where the theme is already known.  This week was intended to be a chicken dinner week including a whole chicken and all the fixings.  The chicken is relatively easy to time.  The produce is another story. 

The goal for chicken dinner week was to have onion, shallot, and a few vegetables to accompany the chicken, especially potatoes.  Potatoes are dug when the ground is dry.  They must then be set out to "cure" quickly.  For a new potato like the red norland that will be featured next week, that "cure" is simply to allow us to sort out any over-ripe ones or ones that will rot immediately.  With all the wet weather last week, our potato farmer wasn't able to harvest any potatoes last week and we made the decision to not rush them into the bag this week as there would be a chance that a few taters would turn on you.  You should expect potatoes next week.  

Speaking of the weather, some of the Friday and Saturday stops last week might have realized they got peaches instead of black raspberries.  Last Wednesday's heavy rains delivered over 5" of rain to our primary black raspberry farm.  Earlier last week, we were getting 100 flats (1200 pints) per day from one farmer.  By Thursday and Friday we were only able to get 20 flats per day from multiple farmers.  This is one of the challenges of sourcing only local food items.  Changes in the weather can effect our supply from one day to the next.  

On the bright side, this week everyone is hitting the jackpot on fruit.  We have blueberries and cling peaches.  Back in May I visited the peach farm in Clyde OH.  Rich took me for a ride around the orchard and the peach trees were so thick in blossoms that it is sure to be an abundant year on peaches.  These peaches will be delivered about medium ripe.  To continue to ripen them simply leave them out of the refrigerator for a day or two.  To slow the ripening, refrigerate them.  

Taste of Tremont this Weekened

This Sunday, July 21 from Noon until 6 PM is the Taste of Tremont. This is our 4th year doing the event and each year it gets bigger and better.  Come join us this Sunday for a pig roast, grilled sweet corn, and some smoked, grilled chicken wings!  We are usually located at the corner of College and Professor near the Tree House bar, but this year we may be moved due to the street-scape construction going on.  Either way, we will be somewhere on Professor.  

We will have pig roast platters including roast pig, charcoal grilled Ohio sweet corn (from Marietta, hence why it isn't in your bag yet), and coleslaw.  In addition, this year we are adding smoked and grilled chicken wings to the menu, which will be tossed in one of three sauces, including bbq, hot sauce, or a sorghum garlic glaze.  

Oh, and for photos from last year please see the link below.  These were taking immediately after a huge thunderstorm rolled through so if we look wet, we are wet.  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/freshforkmarket/sets/72157632837643046/ 

Full details about the Taste of Tremont and the other activities that day can be found here:  http://www.tasteoftremont.com/  

So here is this week's entire list: 

Summer Week 7: 

Small Share

1 whole chicken, approx 5 lbs

1 lb yellow wax beans or green beans

1 shallot

1 candy onion

1 bunch swiss chard

1 pint blueberries

1 quarter peck cling peaches 

Large Share

Small package plus:

1 bunch green onions

Approx 1 lb tomatoes

1 bunch kale

2 ct cucumbers

2 ct heirloom summer squash, assorted varieties  

Vegetarian Substitutions (in place of chicken)

Approx 1 lb tomatoes

1 head broccoli

1 bunch kale

2 ct cucumbers

2 ct heirloom summer squash

1 lb whole wheat linguine 

Vegan Substitutions (in place of pasta in vegetarian bag)

Small except chicken,

Vegetarian additions except pasta, add

1 package luna burgers

1 bunch carrots with tops