Week 9: Sunshine, Showers, and Rainbow Carrots

‍I woke up around 3:30 this morning to one of the most beautiful sounds... rain! We headed out to the farm early and had already measured 3.5 inches. I'm curious to see what the final total will be by the end of the day, but one thing I do know is that our vegetables and our thirsty soil will soak it all up in no time.

This week, we had the opportunity to give a presentation to kids of all ages about the farmers market as part of a summer program focused on community resources. We talked about where vegetables grow, what they look like in the field, what we do as farmers, and everyone's favorite question: "What's your favorite vegetable?"

Of course, there were samples! The kids were so brave and willing to try everything we brought. The biggest hits of the day were the rainbow carrots and kohlrabi.

As you may have noticed, we haven't had as much lettuce at the St. John Produce stands lately. Every summer brings a bit of a lull in lettuce production. Lettuce doesn't love growing in hot weather, and the seeds don't like germinating in the heat either. We're doing everything we can to keep the stands stocked, and more lettuce growing. The best way to guarantee your weekly greens it to place an order through the online store.

Please place your orders by 5 p.m. Tuesday for pickup later this week.

Online Store:
www.thatonefarmerguy.com/onlinestore

This Week's Salad Club Share Includes:

• Head lettuce

• Rainbow carrots

• Tropea onion

This head lettuce is a variety called Concept, and it definitely lives up to its name! It's a cross between a summer crisp lettuce and romaine, giving you the best of both worlds: crisp leaves with a tender bite. It's perfect for lettuce wraps, BLTs, burgers, or chopped into your favorite salad.

Rainbow carrots have been a crowd favorite at the market. These sweet, crunchy roots come in beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and purple, bringing vibrant colors and antioxidants to your plate. They're perfect for fresh snacking, roasting, or steaming. Lately, we've been steaming a lot of our vegetables at home. It's a quick, easy way to get dinner on the table without heating up the whole kitchen.

Tropea onions are an Italian heirloom variety prized for their sweet, mild flavor. Unlike many red onions, they have very little bite, making them delicious sliced raw on sandwiches, salads, tacos, or burgers. Their natural sweetness also shines when grilled, roasted, or caramelized. If you think you don't like raw onions, give these a try! Tropea onions are so mild and sweet that they often win over even the biggest onion skeptics. ‍

Enjoy them fresh now and store them in your refrigerator. Later this season, we'll harvest and cure them for long-term storage, so you'll be seeing these beauties throughout the fall and winter.

Check out this recipe for inspiration! It’s a simple pasta dish that really allows the flavor of these onions to shine.

https://www.the-pasta-project.com/elicoidali-tropea-onions/

We hope you enjoy this week's harvest and that these beautiful summer vegetables find their way into a few memorable meals around your table. We'll see you next week!

With greens and gratitude,

Matt and Allie

That One Farmer Guy

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