Big Red Farmstand ON CAMPUS, Wed. August 28 & Sat. August 31, 1pm to 6pm

Hello friends,

See you next year...

We have several things to tell you about this week, so we'll get right to it.  First, cherry tomatoes are, sadly, on their way out.  The harvest has been diminishing steadily over the past two weeks, and we'll only have a few this week.  There are lots of green tomatoes on the plants, though, so we're holding out hope that the plants will rally and give us a second flush of fruit before cool weather really sets in!  Also, we're taking a break from scallions this week, but they'll be back very soon.

On the other hand, our first fall crops will be making an appearance this week!  We welcome the return of potatoes, as well as three newcomers to the farmstand table: endive, fennel, and red Tropea onions.  Tropea onions (sometimes called "Torpedo" onions, for their shape) are an Italian heirloom variety that is unusually sweet and mild, perfect for using raw, where most red onions are too pungent.  We love Tropea onions in salsa fresca or on burgers; these little treasures are also terrific grilled whole.

Sunflowers

Our sunflowers are really doing their thing now, too; we are growing several different colors, and we'll have sunflowers for sale in addition to our regular small bouquets.

Also, we'll have sweet corn this week, grown by our neighbor Walt at Village Farms.  Walt has been unstintingly supportive and helpful to us as we get our little farm started, and we're delighted to have the opportunity to offer some of his delicious corn in a convenient, on-campus location!  Village Farms also got a visit earlier this week from the Big Red football team (see below).


ON THE FARM NEXT-DOOR:

Bins of sweet corn
waiting to be picked up.

Many of you have no doubt bought sweet corn and other produce from our neighbor Walt's stand on 206, and if you haven't, you've seen the signs.  Walt and his family have been operating Village Farms and the roadside stand since 1978, and are widely regarded as having some of the best sweet corn in the state.  Every year, Walt grows over 25 acres of delicious sweet corn which he and his family harvest by hand, and as he's told us many times, they just can't pick it all!

Enter the Lawrenceville School football team, back on campus this week for pre-season.  The players and coaches came out on Tuesday to glean sweet corn from an area that Walt won't be picking (check out Lawrenceville's Facebook page for some photos of the pickers!).  Two huge bins of corn were donated to Farmers Against Hunger, who will distribute it to local food banks and soup kitchens.  Many thanks to Coach O'Dea and the team for their time and labor, to Walt for his generosity, and to Rachel Cantlay in the Community Service Office for connecting us with Farmers Against Hunger.


RECIPES:

Endive, unscathed

The endive we're growing is the curly French type, also known as frisee (rather than the pale, bullet-shaped Belgian endive), and we had a pleasant surprise in the endive department.  It was planted right next to our lettuce, but it turns out that our groundhogs have relatively unsophisticated palates.  They went right for the Romaine, mowing it to the ground, and left the endive alone (I hear it's just the opposite in France).  We are delighted to once again be harvesting something one can use to make salad!  (Frisee Salad with Bacon and Poached Egg)

Fennel bulb

Crunchy, anise-y fennel is actually more versatile than it might seem at first glance.  Sliced very thinly raw, it makes a delicious addition to salads and slaws.  Roasted with olive oil and dusted with grated parmesan, it's a satisfying accompaniment to grilled meats or root vegetables.  In this soup, fennel acts as one of several complementary flavors without overpowering any of them.  (Fennel-Potato Soup)

Special bulk tomato delivery

Finally, a number of people have asked me to re-post the recipe for tomato sauce in the slow cooker, because it's so easy and delicious, so here it is!  Bulk sauce tomatoes are still available this week; email us by 9pm Tuesday or Friday if you'd like some.  (Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce)


AT THE FARMSTAND:

This week, we hope to have the following available on Wednesday and Saturday in front of Edith Chapel from 1pm to 6pm:

• Beets - $2.00 lb
• Chard - $2.50 bunch
• Sweet Corn from Village Farms - $0.50 ear
• Eggplant - $3.00 lb
• Eggs - $5.00 dozen (limit 1 dozen per customer)
• Endive (new!) - $2.50 each
• Fennel (new!) - $2.00 each
• Flowers - $2.50 bouquet
• Okra (limited quantity) - $2.50 pint
• Red Tropea Onions (new!) - $3.00 lb
• Colored Peppers - $4.00 lb
• Green Peppers - $0.75 each
• Hot Peppers - 2 for $1.00
• Potatoes (back!) - $4.50 quart
• Summer Squash - $2.00 lb
• Sunflowers (new!) - $0.50 stem
• Tomatillos - $2.00 pint
• Cherry Tomatoes (limited quantity; last week for these) - $3.50 pint
• Heirloom Tomatoes - $4.00 lb
• 'Juliet' (mini-plum) Tomatoes - $5.00 quart
• Roma (plum) Tomatoes - $3.00 lb
• Slicing Tomatoes - $3.00 lb

HOW TO FIND US:

The Big Red Farmstand will be on the Lawrenceville Campus for the fall.  Right now we're located in front of Edith Chapel.  Enter campus by the main gate on Route 206 (opposite the Lawrenceville Post Office and Craven Lane), and bear right into the circle.  The Chapel is about halfway around the circle, and you'll see our sign.  Don't forget your shopping bags!