Turtle Times
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Vol. 14, No. 14, Aug. 18, ‘09 7260 NW 58th St., Johnston 50131 278-4522 (577-9208)
Rain: 8/9, 1.1”; 8/15-16, ?
In the Box . . .
Onion ‘Clear Dawn’ or ‘Mustang’
Potato ‘French Fingerling’
Haricot vert green beans ‘Maxibel’ (maybe—they’re slowing way down)
Summer squash ‘Raven’, ‘Costata romanesco’, ‘Sunburst’, ‘Dark star’, ‘Zephyr’
Cucumbers ‘Marketmore’, ‘Tokiwa’
Tomatoes ‘Sungold’ and ‘Juliet’ (some sites)
Tomatoes ‘Dona’, ‘Brandyboy’, ‘Paul Robeson’, ‘Golden boy’, ‘Amish paste’, ‘Better boy’, ‘Nebraska Wedding’, ‘Celebrity’, ‘Black Krim’, ‘Pineapple’, ‘Green Zebra’, ‘Evergreen’, ‘Italian gold’, ‘Gilberty’, ‘Myona’
Peppers ‘Ace’, ‘Romanian’, ‘Islander’, ‘Sweet Banana’, ‘Jimmy Nardello’, ‘Lipstick’, Tollli’s Sweet’, ‘Franks’, ‘Orion’ (green), jalapeno
Raspberries ‘Autumn Bliss’ and ‘Caroline’ (some sites if not all)
Basil
Ala carte options: lemon basil, Thai basil, oregano, mint, chocolate mint, rosemary, lavender, parsley, tarragon, thyme ($1 ea.), fennel ($4)
Free to those requesting it: Swiss chard, sage, basil bouquet
Email (angela@turtle-farm.com) if you want any of these free or ala carte items
Farm Update (from Ben)
I am always intrigued by why people give the names to vegetables/fruit that they do. Some names are given for a description of the appearance. Other names are given as a descriptor for the vegetable/fruit. Some varieties are so named to honor a person. We are growing a variety of tomato this year called Paul Robeson. When we began harvesting tomatoes, I began to wonder who he was. As I usually do, I have the TV on PBS while making dinner. While I was making dinner one night I heard an advertisement for a show they were doing on Paul Robeson. I missed the show, but decided to do an internet search for Paul Robeson and found some amazing information that I would like to share with you all. Paul LeRoy Bustill Robeson (April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an African-American actor of film and stage, All-American and professional athlete, writer, multi-lingual orator, lawyer, and basso profundo concert singer who was also noted for his wide-ranging social justice activism. A forerunner of the civil rights movement, Robeson was a trade union activist and peace activist. At the height of his fame, Paul Robeson decided to become a primarily political artist, speaking out against fascism and racism in the US and abroad as the United States Government failed post-World War II to end racial segregation and guarantee civil rights for people of color. His passport was revoked from 1950 to 1958 under the McCarran Act and he was under surveillance by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency and by British MI5 for well over three decades until his death in 1976. Although Paul Robeson was one of the most internationally famous cultural figures of his era, the persecution virtually erased him from mainstream culture and subsequent interpretations of 20th century history, including civil rights and black history. Hopefully, this is a little food for thought (pun intended).
Peppers and Tomatoes
We had a pepper tasting contest at the farm on Friday to see which pepper we thought was the sweetest. We may do that with tomatoes and peppers at our next potluck. Anyway, it was a tie between ‘Lipstick’ and ‘Tolli’s Sweet’. We also do not put any hot peppers in your box unless you have told us that you like them except for jalapenos, which are easily recognizable (we hope). So you may get a ‘Jimmy Nardello’ pepper in your box which is long and skinny and red, but it is a sweet Italian frying pepper. And on the tomato front, this is the last week that we will pick cherry tomatoes for you. Adam goes back to school the 24th, leaving us short on help. Anyone who wants may come out and pick them after this Friday the 21st. You might call first for an update and directions to them.
Recipes
Cathy Truesdell sent in her own gazpacho recipe creation, and we also have the first recipe from the wonderful potluck Sunday from Bonnie Boal. We are requesting everyone send in their recipes that they brought. It was a fantastic collection! Our Swedish cousins, Hans, Eva, and David enjoyed the food and their conversations with you very much.
Gazpacho (Cathy Truesdell)
3 cups tomatoes roughly chopped
2 cups cucumbers, seeded, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper
1 small red onion
2 slices coarse bread, dipped in water and "wrung out"
3 Tbsp sherry vinegar
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp salt
2 to 3 tsp Spanish smoked paprika (a marvelous spice, I get it at Penzey's)
Whir all ingredients in a food processor or blender, chill and serve cold.
May garnish with diced tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onion, hard boiled egg or croutons.
Fresh Fig and Green Zebra
Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil (Bonnie
Boal)
4 green zebra tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
6 fresh figs, cut in quarters
½ cup paper-thin lengthwise slivers red onion
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red or white balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup julienned fresh basil
Combine all ingredients.
Serve at room temperature. Serves 6 to 8.