Bounty Brief-10/7/25

• Arugula

• Asian Pears: Korean Giant

• Head Lettuce

• Onion: Stuttgarter

• Peppers: Sweet (see descriptions in 8/5 newsletter)

• Turnips: Hakurei

and at least one of the following: (please see **NOTE after “A Little Detail...” below)

• Bean Mix: Fortex, Provider and Gold Rush

• Cucumbers: Lemon

• Eggplant: Shinkasen (Asian, dark purple) or Listada De Gandia (striped)

• Okra (Red): Burgundy & Candle Fire

🌿Herb It! option: Sweet basil, fennel & lemon balm

🧉Jam It! option: Caramel Apple Butter & Lime Berry Jam

🧂Spice it Up! option: Pink Celery Salt

Peppery, bright, and just a little wild, arugula is one of those greens that makes everything it touches taste a little more interesting. Whether you scatter it over pizza, tuck it into sandwiches, or toss it with a simple vinaigrette, it adds that unmistakable zesty “bite” that wakes up the palate.

Arugula thrives in the cooler seasons, which is why we’re especially glad to see it back and happy this fall. Its delicate leaves grow fast and furious when the weather cooperates, giving us those tender greens that practically glow with freshness.

💡 Pro Tip: If arugula is a little strong for your taste consider adding to pesto or salad dressings to add a little “zip” without being overwhelming.

🍽️ Simple Recipe: Arugula Pesto Pasta
🍽️ Bonus Recipe: Asian Pear and Arugula Salad

Crisp, fragrant, and subtly sweet, Asian pears are one of fall’s finest gifts. Sometimes called “apple pears” for their shape and texture, they have the refreshing crunch of an apple with the floral sweetness of a pear. These beauties are a true delight straight from the fridge on a warm afternoon, or sliced thin into salads for a little sparkle of sweetness and snap.

Each variety has its own charm, but all share that signature juiciness that makes them feel almost thirst-quenching. Unlike European pears, Asian pears ripen fully on the tree—so when you receive them, they’re ready to enjoy right away.

💡 Pro Tip: Store them in the refrigerator to keep them crisp for several weeks, and handle them gently—they bruise more easily than apples.

• Arugula getting wilty? Soak in ice water for 5 minutes then pat dry.

• Don’t discard your turnip greens, they are a tasty cooked green!

• Here’s our downloadable one-page guide to storing all things produce!

Store it Fresh Guide

Can you believe next week is the final delivery of the 2025 Bounty Box season? Honestly, it boggles my mind! How can we be here already? (I know, I say it every year. What can I say? I’m a slow learner.)

We crossed a number of fall tasks off the list this week, including clearing out the high tunnel cucumbers (except the lemons) and replanting the bed with chard for winter and spring harvests. We also pulled the final bed of carrots, got them washed, and tucked away in the walk-in cooler. Once the carrots were out, we turned over the bed and transplanted one last round of head lettuce.

With all the heat and high insect pressure this fall, we’ve covered all our lettuce and chard beds with row cover to deter both the deer and the lettuce-loving bugs. Between the gusty winds and deer mischief, it’s been a bit of a wrestling match keeping the covers in place—but I think we’ve mostly won this round. So far, the deer seem mystified about where all those tasty greens disappeared to!

We’ve also been cleaning up spent crops, prepping beds, and even added new plants to our red raspberry patch. With the warm, dry, windy conditions, the irrigation round robin was back in full swing, and it seems to be paying off—our fall crops are finally hitting their stride.

Thanks to my dad, our El Sur and El Norte plots are mostly mowed and disked, ready for a late fall cover crop. Now that the rain has returned, we’re hopeful there’s enough moisture for a good germination. The farm is truly starting to look and feel like fall.

We harvested the last of our Asian pears this weekend—and though only one tree produced well this year, we’re delighted with the fruit! They’re one of my favorite crops to grow (and eat). Most of the pears will head to the jam kitchen, but we’re excited to share a little taste of these orchard gems in your boxes. If you’ve still got a few roselle calyxes from earlier this season, try pairing them with the pears—they’re a perfect match.

Yesterday’s rainy morning gave us the trifecta we’d been hoping for: cooler fall-like temps, a much-needed drink for the fields, and the perfect excuse to finish cleaning the last of the onions and shallots for storage. We even made some headway on the remaining garlic, though there’s still a bit to go before that project’s wrapped up. Next up, we’ll start prepping the seed garlic that will be planted in the coming weeks—laying the groundwork for the 2026 garlic crop. Hard to believe we’re already planting for next year, but that’s farm life for you: always looking ahead, even as we wrap up the season behind us.

And speaking of next season…

In celebration of you—and your commitment to local food—we’re doing something new this year!

Current Bounty Box members get early access to 2026 shares: your chance to secure your spot and lock in 2025 pricing before rates increase.

And because we love a good thank-you, renew by noon on Tuesday, October 14, and you’ll receive this exclusive early renewal package:

🎁 A $25 gift card good for all Blue Gate Farm products
🍿 A pound of our popular Tapestry Popcorn
🦃 Entry into a drawing for a Thanksgiving Bounty Box
📘 A digital copy of our 20th Anniversary Herb Book

This one-time reward package is only available during early renewal—don’t miss out!

Here are a few upcoming events and milestones to keep on your radar:

• Oct. 11 & 12 – Pierce’s Pumpkin Festival

• Oct. 14 at noon – Last Day for Early Bounty Box Renewal Gift Package

• Oct. 14 – Final CSA delivery (Week #20!)

• Oct. 25 – Final Saturday VegEmail delivery

• Nov. 4 – Fall VegEmail schedule begins (delivery every other Tuesday, 4–6pm)

Got big plans this week? Whether you’re feeding a crowd, craving salsa, or stocking up on potatoes for the pantry, we’ve got you covered.

Our VegEmail program is your go-to source for ordering extra farm-fresh produce beyond your Bounty Box. Use it to stock up on your favorites or snag more of what you loved this week.

👉 Click here to place your VegEmail order (by Thursday at noon)
Pick-up is Saturday from 10am–noon at Singlespeed Brewing (downtown Des Moines), Mayalu Coffee (southside Des Moines), the Grand Theater in Knoxville or on the farm.

It’s one more way we’re making it easier for you to eat seasonally, locally, and deliciously—on your schedule.

You’ve seen our photos, we’d love to see yours! Share photos of your Bounty Box haul or how you’re using your weekly produce. We’d LOVE to see them! You can email or text them to us or post them on the BGF Community Page. Every week we’ll feature photos from the membership on our social media outlets.

BASIL hates the cold and will turn black with exposure. Keep long stemmed basil in a glass/vase of water on your counter top (out of direct sunlight). Stems that are too short (trimmings/tops) should be placed in a glass or plastic container with a dry paper towel. Then put inside of a paper bag (for insulation) and put in the warmest part of your refrigerator (usually the door) or on the top shelf towards the front.

BEANS: Fresh beans are an easy “store.” Just leave them in their plastic bag and keep them in the produce drawer. Can last up to 2 weeks.

EGGPLANT: Eggplant prefers to be kept at about 50° F, which is warmer than most refrigerators and cooler than most kitchen counters. Wrap unwashed eggplant in a towel (not in plastic) to absorb any moisture and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator. Used within a week, it should still be fresh and mild. Many people like to peel, salt, and drain their eggplant to draw out any bitter flavor; however, bitterness develops only in eggplant that has been stored for a while, so with farm-fresh specimens this is generally not necessary. Many recipes call for salting in order to make the vegetable less watery and more absorbent—much like draining tofu. Salting is not an essential step, but it can greatly enhance the taste and texture of your dish and is well worth the extra effort. The shape of an eggplant determines how it is best prepared. Slice a straight, narrow eggplant into rounds or halves for grilling or broiling, and cut a rounded, bulbous eggplant into cubes for stews and stir-fries.

GARLIC, ONIONS & SHALLOTS: Fully cured bulbs don’t require refrigeration. For longest storage, keep in a dark place with good airflow. Once cut, store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

All of your GREENS will keep best if stored in a plastic bag, with the top folded over and placed in the produce drawer of your refrigerator. If there is extra moisture in the bag, just tuck in a cotton or paper towel.

HERBS: Generally, except for basil, set unwashed bunches of fresh herbs (with stems) upright into small jars filled with 1 to 2 inches of water, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to two weeks. Rinse fresh herbs right before use. To release their scents and flavors, rub them between your hands before mincing or chopping. If you have no idea what to do with fresh herbs, there is one great default answer “compound butter.” Finely mince leaves and knead them into a stick of room temperature butter. Roll the butter into a log in plastic wrap and store in the freezer. Then simply slice off the amount you need to add delicious, ready-to-use flavor to vegetables, bread or meats.

OKRA: These lovely, horn-shaped vegetables are a warm weather treat. Extremely cold sensitive, wrap with a dishcloth or paper towel and store in their plastic bag in the warmest part of your fridge, or place the plastic bag in a small paper sack and store in the fridge door and use within the week. Traditional southerners will cut into rounds, bread in cornmeal and fry, but our favorite version is our dear friend Annie’s method, “All I do is rinse off the pods and lay them in a saucepan with a little water in the bottom. Ten to fifteen minutes is all it takes...twenty if the pods are really big and “woody” feeling. I put salt on them and eat as finger food. It reminds me of young sweet corn.”’

PEPPERS: Place whole, unwashed peppers in a plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate for a week or more. Rinse peppers just before use. For sweet peppers, cut around the stem with a small knife and lift out the core. Slice down the side to open it up and then cut out the inner membranes. Store unused portions in a sealed bag or container in the refrigerator.

TURNIPS (Spinruts): keep best if separated from their greens. Greens are stored in a plastic bag and can be cooked like mustard or collard greens. Trimmed roots can go into a lidded container or zip-close bag. These aren’t your grandma’s turnips. These are a sweet, Japanese salad variety that is particularly tasty for fresh eating. They will still work great in cooked dishes, but we love to eat them raw, often right out of hand like an apple. One of the farm crew’s favorite mid-field snacks.

** NOTE: You will notice over the course of the season that some box contents listed above say “Perhaps one of the following...” These are items that we can’t harvest in sufficient quantities for the whole CSA to receive at one time. We do track who gets what and we will do our best to ensure that everyone eventually receives each item. On some items this may take several weeks, so please be patient.

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📧 Questions? Email us: bluegatefarmIA@gmail.com

What would make this newsletter more useful or enjoyable for you? Anything we can do to make your Bounty Box experience even better?

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Thank you for being a member-supporter of the farm this season. We’re glad you’re here!

Best from the farm,
— Jill and Sean & the whole BGF Crew