Share #7 July 28th & 30th

Crop List: Cosmic Mix, Tomatoes, Marjoram, Turnips, Kale, Cucumbers, Fresh Garlic, maybe Summer Squash and/or Sunflowers

The cucurbit family is beginning to yield! Cucumbers, Zucchini, Patty Pan and Yellow Crooknecks are all beginning to show themselves. We have 4 rows dedicated to these beauties. We keep them covered until all threat of frost is gone (does that ever really happen around here?). They are usually beginning to flower when we uncover them. They have gorgeous big showy yellow flowers. The first  fruits off of each plant can be a bit funky. Generally one end of the squash is smaller and soft.  This is because of improper or poor flower fertilization. It is hard for the insects to do their job when the plants are covered.
Once the plants are free of the row cover the insects help grow our food. We depend on them and are grateful to hear them buzzing around the garden. It is always a joy to watch the bees crawling in and out of the flowers. A single cucurbit plant grows male and female flowers. The male flower pollen is needed to fertilize the female flower, the stem of the female flower becomes the fruit. The bit of dried brown papery residue on the end of your cucumber or summer squash is the dried flower.
Our cucumbers don't look like the ones in the store! We grow a variety of "pickling" cucumbers because they produce a lot, in a short amount of time...in other words, they work for a Teton summer! We also chose this variety for its flavor. The skin is nice and thin. My kids want nothing to do with traditional slicing cucumbers when they have the choice of eating the "pickling cukes". You can use them just like a regular cucumber after you wash the little spikes off of them. We eat them like apples. They are the best trail snack on a hot day! Cucumbers are 95% water and are one of the best foods to eat to hydrate yourself. We went camping last weekend with another family and our middle son was so excited about the cucumbers coming in that he picked 20 for the trip. All 6 kids with us were thrilled to be eating whole cucumbers on the banks of a high mountain lake and they finished them all!
Zucchinis are famous for getting huge when they are missed during harvesting. It can be easy to neglect a fruit when you are harvesting and when you come back it is the size of a small wiffle ball bat. We harvest every Monday and Thursday. What those plants do in the days between is incredible. Pounds are put on!
Our workers have to wear protective clothing to pick the squash plants. The stems and leaves are really spiky and hurt! Some people can have an allergic reaction to the plants but are fine eating the fruits. Without gloves and long sleeves you must move slow and look really hard to find the fruits. The protective layers allow you to move the leaves to get a better view...and we don't have time to go slow!
The summer squash (zuchinni, yellow crookneck and patty pan) and the cucumbers are just starting to come in. They will keep producing until we get a freeze. These veggies symbolize of August for me! They also mark the turning point of things becoming more heavy from the garden. It's not just leafy greens any more! 

Farm lunch this week: Veggie (Squash, turnips and Kale) Burritos with Idaho Salsa
Recipe Ideas: Lemon Marjoram Vinaigrette (you can sub Marjoram for oregano in any recipe! This is actually on the Oregano page...but use marjoram instead!), Garlicky Greens (using Kale), Zucchini with Garlic and Tomatoes (add some marjoram!)

Recipes

The coolers at your site are stocked with Lifeline cheese and a selection of the beef and pork listed below. If you know you want something, please email me and I will make sure it is in the cooler, reserved for you. I don't send every cut every week, they simply won't all fit!
Beef Available: Tenderloin, Ribeye Steak, Sirloin Steak, Eye of the Round Steak, Round Roast, Sirloin Tip Roast, Liver, Ground Beef, Patties, Stew, Kabobs, Hot Dogs and Bratwurst
​Pork Available: Neck Bones and Fat

WASH YOUR VEGGIES!!
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Bring Bags to pick-ups!

If you can't make it to pick up your veggies, send a friend!
Missed shares are forfeited for the week. 
Members get 20% off at the Farmer's Markets!
The People's Market: Wednesdays 4-7
The Driggs Market: Fridays 9-1
Jackson Hole Farmer's Market: Saturdays 8-1
Farm to Fork Festival: October 3rd 11-4  Center for the Arts
Questions? Comments? Recipes to share? [email protected]