Big Red Farm Stand, Wednesday September 3, 1-5pm

Deer fence in last winter's ice storm.
This is to help you cool off.

Hello friends,

Now that it's September, we're really getting some summer weather.  Let's hope these hot, airless days don't last too much longer... in the meantime, think fresh salads, cold soups, and especially BLTs.  And when we do get a break in the weather, and it's possible to imagine something like canning, think bulk tomatoes.  Quantities are excellent in the field right now, and this week marks the beginning of bulk tomato ordering!  See below for details.

In other farm stand news, this will be our last week for lettuce for awhile.  No matter how hard we try, there seems to come a moment every year when we experience the dreaded Lettuce Hiatus.  Rest assured, though, that more lettuce seedlings are growing, and they'll be on the farm stand table in a few short weeks.

3 colors and sizes of cherry
tomatoes; pick your own on 9/20!

This week we will also have a limited quantity of sweet potatoes.  We had some setbacks with our sweet potato crop this year, but managed to harvest a few.  They are small and dainty -- none of your 12-lb behemoths here! -- and will roast up nicely once it seems like a good idea to turn on the oven again.

Finally, we've changed the date for our September farm party/potluck: it will now take place Saturday, September 20th.  Hope you can join us -- more info soon!


ON THE FARM: Bulk tomatoes available!

Slicers are the round ones.

If you've been thinking about freezing some tomato soup or sauce, or doing some canning, this is your moment! The tomatoes are ripening faster than we can pick them, and we'd love to share some of them with all of you. We'll offer a discount for any amount over 10 pounds, and this offer holds until the harvest slows down (we'll let you know!). Here's what to do:

• Choose Roma (plum) tomatoes, regular slicing tomatoes, or both
• Order at least 10 lbs, up to 25 lbs
• Email us your order at bigredfarm@lawrenceville.org any time during the week, but NO LATER THAN Tuesday 9pm for a Wednesday pickup. We'll have your tomatoes packed and ready for you at the farmstand.
• Bulk pricing is as follows: Big Red Farm Share members $1.20 per pound; everyone else $1.50 per pound (regular retail price is $2.50 per pound).

Also, here's a link to last year's smash-hit slow-cooker tomato sauce recipe, in case anyone's looking for it.  It really could not be easier.  Actually, I take it back.  If you were to leave out all the seasonings and just pack your slow cooker with tomatoes, you could can tomato puree for use in any recipe (soup, sauce, chili, risotto, etc.), and that would be slightly easier and more versatile.  Either way, happy tomato-ing!

RECIPE

Both attractive and delicious!

If there is such a thing as a perfect sandwich, the BLT may be it, especially at the height of tomato season, with some juicy heirlooms, crunchy lettuce, and local bacon... yum.  And of course, if you're a vegetarian or keep kosher, a sandwich substituting mozzarella or goat cheese for the bacon is also delicious.  I hesitate to publish a "recipe" for a sandwich that everyone knows how to make (for goodness' sake, the instructions are right there in the name), but I was inspired by a brief segment on public radio's The Splendid Table a couple weeks ago.  Check out the show here (the BLT part runs from about 27:45 to 33:17).  So, I noted down a few ideas from the show, plus a few ideas from the last time we made BLTs here at the Reynolds House homestead.  Enjoy!  {BLT Ideas}


AT THE FARM STAND

This week we hope to have the following available from 1pm to 5pm in front of Pop Hall:

• Beets (red and gold) - $2.50 bunch
• Carrots - $2.50 bunch
• Cucumbers (limited quantity) - $2.00 lb
• Eggplant - $3.00 lb
• Flowers - $5.00 bouquet
• Garlic - $1.00 bulb
• Red Russian Kale - $2.50 bunch
• Green or Red Lettuce - $2.50 head
• Romaine Lettuce - $3.00 head
• Okra (limited quantity) - $2.50 pt
• Onions - $2.00 lb
• Peppers (limited quantity) - $2.00 lb
• Jalapeno peppers - 2/$1.00
• Potatoes - $3.00 lb
• Rainbow Chard - $2.50 bunch
• Cherry Tomatoes - $3.50 pt
• Heirloom Tomatoes - $3.50 lb
• 'Juliet' Mini-Plum Tomatoes - $4.00 quart
• Roma Tomatoes - $2.50 lb
• Slicing Tomatoes - $2.50 lb
• Sweet Corn (from Village Farms) - 2/$1.00

HOW TO FIND US:

The farm stand is located right in front of Pop Hall, at the top of the stairs that lead down into the Bowl. Enter campus by the main gate on Route 206 (opposite the Lawrenceville Post Office and Craven Lane) and bear right into the circle. Bear right again at the fork in the road and continue straight until you see the Farm Stand signs.