Farm Update

June 15, 2007
Number 36

Hello Everyone!

Have you ever made a melon cooler? It is a delicious summer taste – we have some ideas in our recipe section today. We also have plenty of tomatoes, jalapenos and green onions in the farmstand to make some great home made salsa. Imagine, sipping a melon cooler and enjoying some chips and fresh salsa……

Over the next few weeks we are going to be changing our e-mail newsletter to a blog style newsletter. We will be updating you as we move through this process because it is going to require everyone who wants to continue to receive our update to “verify” their subscription. You will receive an e-mail with specific instructions of how to “verify”. Our blog style subscription newsletter will be through a company called Feed Blitz.

This Week In The Farmstand

• Tomatoes
• Green Beans
• Jalapenos
• Melons (Charentais, Cantaloupe, Passport, Honeydew, Spanish)
• Mixed Squash
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Green Onions
• Carrots
• Bell peppers
• Fresh Cut Herbs
• Hand Made Vegetable Herb Soap
  Lavender Mint

We also have potted herbs for sale in our hoop house. Not every herb comes in every size but there are 2" pots, 4" pots and six paks available.

• lemon balm
• parsley
• mini basil
• thyme
• epazote
• lavender
• oregano
• chives
• sage
• Mexican mint marigold
• Alpine strawberries (6 pk only)
  

Fresh From The Garden Recipe

Melon Coolers
We have several ideas and suggestions – start with one and move through the list. You won’t be disappointed!

If you don’t have time now to make these recipes but think they would be great later in the summer when things slow down you can always freeze the melon cubes now and you will be one step ahead when it comes time to relax and sip.

For most drinks you just slice or scoop the melon into cubes/balls then freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Once they are frozen, slide them into a plastic freezer bag and store them in the freezer until ready to us. While some drinks need frozen melon cubes, even the ones that don’t will turn out just fine using the frozen melon.

Classic Melon Cooler

2 2/3 cups cantaloupe OR Honeydew OR Watermelon, seeded and chopped
3 T sugar
2 T lime juice
2 cups water
ice

• Puree cantaloupe in a blender until smooth.
• Season to taste with sugar and lime juice.
• Combine fruit mixture and water in a large pitcher (straining out pulp, if desired).
• Cover and refrigerate up to a week. To serve, stir well and pour into tall glasses over ice.
  
  Makes 1 quart

Honeydew Cooler

8 cups honeydew cubes
1 ½ cups ginger ale
1/3 cup water
1 can (6-oz.) frozen lemonade concentrate

• Place honeydew cubes in a single layer in an extra-large zip-top plastic freezer bag, and freeze 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
• Place half the total amount each of honeydew, ginger ale, water, and lemonade concentrate in a blender and blend until smooth; pour mixture into a pitcher.
• Repeat procedure with remaining half of ingredients; stir into pitcher.
• Serve immediately.
  
  Makes about 8 (1 cup) servings
  

Cantaloupe Cooler

8 cups cantaloupe cubes
1 ½ cups ginger ale
1/3 cup water
1 can (6 oz) frozen limeade concentrate
2 tsp ground ginger

• Place cantaloupe cubes in a single layer in an extra-large zip-top plastic freezer bag, and freeze 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
• Place half the total amount each of cantaloupe, ginger ale, water, limeade concentrate and ginger in blender and blend until smooth; pour mixture into a pitcher.
• Repeat procedure with remaining half of ingredients; stir into pitcher.
• Serve immediately.
  
  Makes about 8 (1 cup) servings

Farmstand Details

We harvest most morning to help keep our farmstand supplied with all the freshest veggies we have available. We do our best our best to keep all the produce available but sometimes we don run out.

Most produce is weighed and bagged or bunched and in the refrigerator at the farmstand. Prices will be posted (or in the case of melons, written right on the melon). Everything is priced in 25 cent increments.

Our farmstand is self-serve and on the honor system. There is a wooden lock box where you can deposit you money. No change will be given but checks are accepted. You can make your check payable to Crooked Carrot Farm.

The stand is open from dawn until dusk every day.

Thank you for supporting our farm.

The Furlongs