Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Transition to Local Fall Vegetables

As the days grow shorter and cooler, the nights grow colder, and the sun's rays become less direct, the conditions for growing local vegetables get much worse and much better. The cold-intolerant vegetables such as cucumbers, summer squashes, and beans are rapidly winding down, and tomatoes will soon be at risk. Green leafy vegetables that wither and burn under the scorching summer sun can now begin to thrive. Collards, kales, mustards, lettuces, etc., are healthier, happier and greener and will be abundantly available from local sources. Root crops, some of which we haven't seen since the spring, have begun to arrive. Recent local organic arrivals include:

Bunched arugula
Mei Qing Choy
Loose and bunched spinach
Broccoli rabe
Turnips loose and Japanese bunched
Parsnips
Celeriac
Loose Carrots
Fennel
Mustards
Watercress
Blue and Fingerling potatoes
Acorn, Buttercup, Butternut, Carnival, Delicata, Kabocha, Spaghetti, Sweet Dumpling, and Sweet Mama Squash.
Pumpkins

September 25, 2007 PSFC Produce Update

Transition to Fall Fruits

Stone fruits are winding down now and the last reliable peach is gone. We still have local minimally treated nectarines for a brief time, and we'll have a plum or pluot or two for the next month. Melons will get scarce and expensive soon, so it's time to look forward to a transition to apples and pears and continue to enjoy the grapes.

Local minimally treated apples now include the Cortland, Golden Supreme, Honeycrisp, Jonamac, and Spartan, with Gala beginning next week. Our first local organic apple is the Macintosh (in 3# bags).

Local minimally treated pears include Bartlett or Bosc (in 3# bags), Devoe, Red Bartlett, and Seckel.

We have two local grapes with seeds, Niagara and Concord, from Fino Farms in Milton, NY. We have a very limited supply of organic Concord grapes from Finger Lakes Organic Growers in NY, and from Cevaj Farm in Northeastern PA. In addition to our mainstay organic seedless red and green grapes, we now have the Ribier, a black grape with seeds.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Beef Brisket Available

Rosh Hashanah begins on Wednesday, September 12, and we've been busily building up a stock of beef brisket for members' holiday needs.

Fresh brisket from local providers who bring us 100% grass-fed beef—Hardwick Farms, Slope Farms, and McDonald Farm—is available fresh in limited quantities, and there's plenty in the Aisle Three freezers. Prices range from $4.89 to $6.68 per lb. depending on the farmer.

Shop early enough to defrost!

—Bill the Butcher