Chatfield Farms CSA e-news for Augus 15 - 19

Dear Shareholders,

We are officially in the middle of the season! With school starting soon, sometimes it feels like the end of the summer - however for a farm in Colorado we are just hitting our stride with tomatoes, peppers and coming soon...melons! As you will read in this edition, we have some really wonderful melon varieties.

Many Farmer’s Markets around Colorado this week are celebrating tomatoes. Which I think is a great idea! Look for our tomato guide at your next pick up so you can check out all the different types of tomatoes and their names. We will also be sharing additional recipes at distribution so you can get inspired by our awesome tomatoes.

 

harvest list for August 15-19 *this list is tentative and subject to changes based on conditions

basil
mint
tomatoes
kale
anaheim or poblano peppers
red onions

weekly featured recipe: chickpea, barley salad with mint (Vegetarian)

Produce 2 cups Chickpeas 2 tbsp Mint, fresh 2 Zucchini, medium

Condiments 1 tsp Lemon juice

Pasta & Grains 1/3 cup Pearl barley - cook then cool or prepare ahead of time

Baking & Spices 3/4 tsp

Salt Oils & Vinegars 1/4 cup Olive oil, extra-virgin 1 tsp White wine vinegar

Dairy 3 tbsp Feta cheese – very important here but use the cheese you like!

Chop up everything and toss with the liquids. If you are out of zucchini - which I would find hard to believe but still, then replace the zucchini with chopped tomatoes. Trader Joe's has many options for quick, easy grains similar to pearl barley that only take 10 minutes to cook and can store in the fridge for up to a week if it's sealed (not to endorse Trader's but I like their quick grains). 

For those of you who pick up on Tuesday and haven't met her yet, here she is with her favorite melon, the Moon & Stars watermelon. And here are a few words from her as we continue to introduce our crew:

 

 

Convivial: adjective: Relating to, occupied with, or fond of feasting, drinking, and good company

A friend recently asked why I do this work. He asked "What is your strength? What makes you feel ultimately satisfied?" I believe that my strength is in appreciating relationships, in recognizing patterns. Farming is above all else, about relationships. The relationship of nitrogen to carbon in the soil, the relationship between the weather and the timing, between the vegetable plant and the weeds around it, competing for resources, racing to the sunlight.

The relationship of the farmers to their tools, of the plants to the bugs that harm them and the bugs that help them. Once upon a time I went to college wanting to study physics. The patterns of the universe were fantastic and engaging, and even the math equations that described the phenomenon were beautiful because they described relationships between beautiful processes. But oh, how those descriptions pale next to the simply indulgent luxury of eating a darn good tomato with basil and olive oil on toast! How could the calculus of stars be more gorgeous that the sweetness of a Moon & Stars watermelon running down your chin?    

The sheer joy of eating and sharing food is one of the best parts of being human. Wendell Berry, my favorite author (and a farmer himself), has said that "Healing is impossible in loneliness. Conviviality is healing." And who of us hasn't been healed at some point by food? By a lovingly made pie? By a meal shared with friends and loved ones? The relationship between the farmer and the people they feed is one of conviviality. We all work to heal the connection between ourselves and our food, between ourselves and the land. Thank you for being our community.

Thank you for sharing this feast with us. This week, maybe have a feast. (Remember, tomatoes on toast definitely count as a feast-it's all in the attitude) Feast with your families, your friends, yourself, and indulge in being human. 

In Conviviality,
Betzi