Basil
Bean Mix: Fortex, Provider and Gold Rush
Cucumbers (asst. varieties)
Garlic
Head Lettuce (asst. varieties)
Hot Peppers: Wenk’s Yellow Hots (in the small plastic bag)
Jubilee Cherry Tomato Mix
Onion: Candy
Peppers: Sweet (see descriptions in 8/5 newsletter)
Roselle
Tomatoes: slicers (see descriptions in 8/5 newsletter)
and perhaps one of the following: (please see **NOTE after "A Little Detail..." below)
Eggplant: Shinkasen (Asian, dark purple) or Listada De Gandia (striped)
Okra (Red): Burgundy & Candle Fire
🌿Herb It! option: Everleaf Lemon Basil, Italian Flat-leaf Parsley, Peppermint
🧉Jam It! option: Mulberry Rhubarb Jam & Peach Fire Jam
🧂Spice it Up! option: Lavender Sugar
This week’s box brings a little 🔥 spice to your life! Hot peppers may be small, but they pack a punch, adding heat and depth to just about any dish. There come in a wide range of heats, the one we grow is an heirloom called “Wenk’s Yellow Hot.” They are a nice, fruity-flavored pepper with a well-mannered heat, about like a jalapeño. Not sure how to use them? Start small and build up—toss one into a salsa, sauté a sliver into stir-fries, or infuse oil for a gentle kick. And remember, most of the heat lives in the seeds and ribs, so remove those if you want to turn the dial down.
🍽️ Simple Recipe: Fresh Tomato Salsa
🍽️ Bonus Recipe: Roasted Tomato Salsa
🍽️ Bonus Recipe II: BGF Favorite Salsa Recipes (scroll to page bottom)
Freeze whole peppers for adding a little heat to winter soups or other dishes
Make too much salsa and don’t want to can it? Salsa can be frozen, but it will be watery when defrosted. Not perfect for eating with chips but adds a punch of flavor added to soups!
Here’s our downloadable one-page guide to storing all things produce!
A few weeks ago I shared our favorite balsamic tomato salad recipe. When you make it, do yourself a favor and make extra. Puree leftovers for an amazing gazpacho or add a hot pepper (or not) and puree for a delicious twist on salsa. You won’t be sorry!
Welcome to the Salsa Box!
Or the Sauce Box, if that’s more your style. Each year, when tomatoes are at their peak, we pack in as many as possible so you have the chance to stock up for salsa- or sauce-making. We’ve included a mix of recipes to suit different tastes, but one we always return to is Mezair, a fresh Kurdish salsa. Since the FarmHer-in-charge isn’t much of a cilantro fan, we usually substitute parsley, mint, sorrel, or roselle in our salsas—and if you feel the same, we encourage you to try it! Of course, if cilantro is your love language, we won’t hold it against you.
Weather Whiplash, Again
We’re certainly “enjoying” another round of weather weirdness. While the cooler temps and lower humidity feel wonderful on a personal level, they have us worried for the season ahead. A dip into the mid-40s is in the forecast later this week, so be sure to protect basil and other tender plants if you’ve got them in your garden. On that note, you might notice a little discoloration on the basil in your box today. That first cold snap about 10 days ago was just enough to do a bit of cosmetic damage to the leaves. It’s perfectly good to eat, it just doesn’t look quite as pretty.
Clearing Out, Moving Forward
This past week brought real progress. We cleared out the last of the summer squash, melons, and field cucumbers. It’s always bittersweet to say goodbye—those crops worked hard for months—but it’s a relief not to stare at tired plants struggling along. Out with the old makes room for the new.
Meanwhile, we kept busy cleaning up current beds and cultivating fall crops. Germination has been a challenge in the dry soil, but a light shower on Sunday gave us a little hope. If Wednesday brings the soaking rain they’ve promised, our seedlings (and the farmher) will be very grateful.
Goodbyes and Gratitude
As summer winds down, so does the season with our younger crew members. Last week was their final stretch before heading back to school. Their energy, grit, and willingness carried us through many long, hot days—we truly couldn’t do this work without them. We celebrated with a crew lunch and kazoo gifts, because what’s a farm party without a little music?
Their absence was felt immediately. On Monday, Danielle and I faced the regular Monday harvest alone, and the tomatoes nearly did us in. It took us the entire afternoon and we still ran past our normal end time. I seriously doubt the crew missed us as much as we missed them!
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.
CUCUMBER: Store unwashed cucumbers wrapped in a cloth or paper towel then sealed in a plastic bag in the vegetable crisper bin for about a week. Keep cucumbers tucked far away from tomatoes, apples, and citrus—these give off ethylene gas that accelerates cucumber deterioration. You can do a lot of fancy things to the skin of a cucumber, but when it is young, fresh (and unwaxed), it really only needs to be thoroughly washed. However, if the skin seems tough or bitter you can remove it; if the seeds are bulky, slice the cucumber lengthwise and scoop them out.
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.
ROSELLE: Store in a cloth or paper-lined plastic bag in the produce drawer of your refrigerator and use within a week. To use, strip leaves from the stems and use as a leafy green or as an herb. If your roselle includes the calyxes (“fruits"), remove center seed and chop or pull apart. Use like dried cranberries or cherries.
TOMATOES: always store whole tomatoes at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. Once cut, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
** 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?
Just hit reply or click the comment button below and let us know — we really appreciate your input!
Thank you for being part of the farm this season. We’re glad you’re here!
Best from the farm,
— Jill and Sean & the whole BGF Crew
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