I am sure I am not alone in highlighting this weather pattern we have been in. It has been hard on the baby greens and lettuce but the larger bunched greens are thriving. It looks like it will continue for awhile.

You are starting to see more new farms on the list and in some cases the same item offered by multiple farms. I am not trying to confuse you - quality should be comparable and in some cases I may have to balance the order but I also want you to be able to order from a farm. However there are differences in farms - so I expect you will get to know your favorites.

A word about the hotsheet. Starting this week, I will compile the hotsheet on Monday night and send it out to everyone who placed an order for the week. The hotsheet serves a few purposes. If we get last-minute offerings or very limited product this is how I will sell it. If farmers (or Green and Green) have a bounty that needs to sell this is a way to pass along some savings to you and help the farm. The hotsheet is first come first served. The deadline for getting product from the hot sheet is Tuesday at 6 PM.

You will be getting great quality and good value (large bunches) and helping more some product for farms if you pick up on the chard this week. Ridgeland and Tipi have a great supply.

The overall selection increases a lot at this time of year. Lots of herbs showing up.

Zucchini and summer squash are coming on strong. Please consider running something that showcases this great summer vegetable - this first flush is coming on pretty strong right now. Shady Maple is a new farm I am working with this year. He has a lot of green zucchini for sale and we are offering it at a good price.

Baby greens are off the list this week. Hopefully we will be back on track for next week. Ridgeland Harvest does have salad mix available. They tend to do a mix of mostly sweet baby lettuces.

Beets and carrots are doing great in this weather. We have a wide selection this week. The baby beets are looking great. Baby carrots from Stone Circle look great and John is not ready to pack a mixed case of several colors. Supply will be limited on Stone Circle this week - please get your order in early.

Mirco greens are steady but we are still running into some supply issues. No farmhouse available for this week.

Fresh onions are looking great. The scallions from David Miller are gorgeous - they have a very nice long white end - good value. The mini onions, Pearl Drop and Purplette, are perfect right now. They are shipped with the tops. They have about a 2-3 week window where they can be picked fresh - after that the greens start to not look as great and it is better to let them dry down. It think they are best right now.

I may have some tomatoes and cucumbers on the hotsheet this week.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
Rink

Summer Specialties are looking great

Greetings,

Doug Rouse at Meadowbrook is starting to dig new potatoes. New potatoes are a true early summer treat. Potatoes are usually dug by a potato digger even on a small farm though the scale and complexity varies from simple digger that pull up the potatoes and leave them on the ground to large self propelled units that dig acres and acres. Because the potato plants are still lush and growing the diggers can’t do the job. Plus the skins on new potatoes aren’t set so they have to be handled very carefully which is why the outer skin on true new potatoes so tender. Farmers also do not get the full yield from the plant which is why these are such a great treat and also higher priced.

Baby beets coming from Ridgeland Harvest and Shooting Star Farm. Shooting Star farm is offering a mixed case which will include gold, white, Chioggia and red. Beets are quarter to half dollar size with lush tops. If you are looking for a specific mix please specify and we will try our best to accommodate your request. Full size beets with tops should be available for next week.

Specialty vegetables also include some baby carrots from John at Stone Circle Farm, baby leeks and fennel from Jai and Joel at King’s Hill Farm

The first onions are available. We have a great supply of fresh mini onions. These are picked and shipped with the green tops. I think this is similar to a knob onion but the shape is round. We should have these for a couple of weeks. They are at their peak now. Tender and delicious. Following in a couple of weeks will be the fresh torpedo onions.

Lots of new herbs including: basil, shiso, thyme, cilantro.

I have started listing some of the artisan cheeses I am distributing. Each week I will be adding to the list. This week I put on a cheeses from Hooks, Uplands, Cedar Grove and Sartori.

I look forward to getting your order.

Sincerely,

Rink