Summer 2022 CSA - Week of July 11

Full share: 2 lettuce heads, chard, shelling peas, scapes, alpine radishes, oregano, carrots, cherry tomatoes, broccolini

Half share: 1 lettuce head, chard, shelling peas, scapes, alpine radishes, oregano

Howdy CSA folks and welcome to another week of summer produce!

This week you’ll see newcomers shelling peas and alpine radishes in your boxes alongside tried and true classics like lettuce heads and chard, as well as an encore performance from last week’s big ticket item: garlic scapes. (Did you try any of Jordan’s scape suggestions from last week?) Full share members will be receiving some of the first tomatoes of the season! 

Reminders:

  • On Tuesdays we open the market stand at 12pm for regular shopping and u-pick but CSA pickup starts at 2pm.

  • Half shares are in the white boxes and full shares are in brown boxes. Make sure you know which you’re picking up and double check the list if you aren’t! We do not have extras.

Produce:

Shelling peas: refers to any peas that should be removed from their pod prior to eating. The shells are not toxic, but they are tough enough that their removal greatly improves the overall eating experience. Ours are crisp and sweet and are fantastic raw, but a minute or two of blanching in salted boiling water (remove the peas from their shells while the water heats up) followed by a plunge in an ice bath brings out their flavor even more. Make this a complete dish by topping with a dollop of butter and a bit of salt, or blend your peas with lemon juice, parmesan, and toasted nuts for a pea puree to spread on toast, crackers, or to fill pasta (https://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000161.html).

Alpine radish: a variety of daikon radish known for its sweetness and tender texture. Pickled radishes make a great snack or salad topping. This recipe calls for a julienne but they can also be cubed and combined with other hearty root veggies. https://mykoreankitchen.com/pickled-carrots-and-daikon-radish/ 

Beautiful shelling peas and farmer Emma setting up a shade cloth in the greenhouse.

This week Paige is our featured farmer! A few words from Paige on farming and shelling peas below.

Hello farm friends! My name is Paige Southwood and I’ve been working for Gallatin Valley Botanical since September 2021. I originally came to the farm to take photos for a photojournalism workshop and I never left! I loved the people, location and farm work too much! It’s been exciting watching the farm operate on a year-round basis. The seeds we planted in the greenhouse in February have begun to harvest and bloom. The pigs we fed as piglets this winter are getting so big and rowdy! The lambs we saw born in the spring are almost as big as their mothers! What a gift it is to watch the seasons of life pass through so many cycles in just one year. When I’m not on the farm feeding piglets or weeding flower fields, I’m working as a photojournalist, writer and editor. This summer you can find my work in Edible Bozeman! 

This week we harvested shelling peas in the fields by the strawberry patch (come visit us during market hours to pick your own strawberries!). I couldn’t help snapping a few in my mouth as we collected each pod. The fresh taste of peas reminds me of my summer garden growing up in Pennsylania. Nothing quite so nostalgic and summery. I hope you find creative ways to use yours this week. I love them popped in salads, a quick saute as a beautiful green side, or as a snack on a hungry afternoon. 

Thanks for supporting healthy local foods and community! 

Paige

Jacy Rothschiller