Dear Common Thread CSA Members and Friends,

Packard and Asher harvesting garlic (and Tiffany above)

Planting is starting to wind down as we are now putting in late fall and winter share crops.  At the same time, summer crops are just starting to come in and we're exited to have carrots, onions, peppers, green beans, basil, and the blush

of the first tomatoes.  We finished our garlic harvest this week and the greenhouse is full of garlic drying down!  Last year we had a hard time getting it all in in time so we were very glad it went quickly and easily this year.  

We've been enjoying watching an Eagle pair while working in the field we rent down the road.  Talon, who is working with us this summer and knows a lot about raptors, has also informed us that there are two red tailed hawk pairs and one solo hawk living near the fields.  

We have Fall CSA Shares available - please help us spread the word!  Fall shares start the first week in September and run through the end of October and include potatoes, winter squash, carrots, onions, broccoli, spinach, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and more.  We also have a few summer shares still available (that can be pro-rated) so folks who want to start earlier can start before September.  

We are happy to be donating 10-15 bushel cases of vegetables each week to the Rescue Mission in Utica and Samaritan Center in Syracuse.  When members don't pick up their shares their food is donated as are the perishables at the end of farmers market.  We are also happy to have received enough donations from CSA members to offer 10 subsidized CSA shares to low income members this season!  

We welcome volunteers on the farm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings or on Saturday morning.  Please just give us a heads up before you come so we can be ready for you.  We also welcome pictures, recipes, facebook posts, etc.  

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There is a lot of nice pick your own right now - green beans are finally here!  The early flowers are full and the main season flowers are just starting to have blooms.   In a picture at the top of this message is CSA members Susan and Susan with the bouquets they picked today.  We also opened the basil today - please pick high so that it can regrow.  

We grilled zucchini/summer squash, eggplant, banana peppers and radicchio this weekend.  Delicious!

We are now harvesting green topped onions.  These are onions with tops that have not dried down yet, so they won't store for months like a dried down onion but they'll be fine for several weeks on your counter.  You can use the greens if you like and the onions can be used like any standard onion.  

Escarole is a tasty headed green in the chicory family.  It has some bitterness so many folks prefer it cooked although some eat it raw.  I usually sautee it with olive oil and garlic.  Recently we've been grilling all our chicories (frisee, radicchio, escarole) by cutting them in half, so the leaves remain attached at the bottom and washing them well, brush them with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and put them on the grill for approximately 4 minutes on the cut side and 1 minute on the other.  It's very tasty.  Around here, escarole is well known as a key ingredient in Utica Greens.  Here is a recipe from joeysitalianrestaurant.com:

2 heads escarole (about 2 pounds) 

˝ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil 

˝ cup sliced onion 

˝ cup (4 ounces) fi nely chopped pancetta-or half prosciutto and half cooked bacon 

5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 

3 hot cherry peppers in vinegar, drained, stemmed, seeded, and chopped 

˝ cup Chicken Stock 

˝ cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Salt and black pepper, to taste 

˝ cup grated Asiago cheese 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Because escarole tends to be sandy, wash it thoroughly by filling the sink with cold water and swishing the leaves through the water. Drain the water from the sink and repeat the process twice more. Drain well and cut the escarole into 1-inch strips. In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil, add the escarole and blanche for 2 minutes. Drain the pot and plunge the escarole into an ice bath (4 cups cold water, 4 cups ice) to stop cooking. Drain thoroughly. In a large skillet, heat ˝ cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and pancetta and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Do not brown. Increase heat to medium-high, and add the garlic. Sauté until lightly browned, then add the escarole, peppers, and chicken broth. Combine thoroughly and cook until escarole is wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. In small bowl, combine the bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Spread the moistened bread crumbs over the escarole, then sprinkle with Asiago. Bake until the cheese melts, about 15 minutes.

Wendy and Asher