CSA Week 13

Howdy, Misfit Members! Here's what's in your box this week:

-Tomatoes:

-Red and Orange Slicers

-Roma

-Cherry and Baby Roma

-Peppers:

-Emerald Giant and Purple Bell

-Ancho-Poblano

-Jalapeno

-Banana

-Red Pontiac Potatoes

-Kale

-Yardlong Beans

-Watermelon

Some of y'all might be unfamiliar with yardlong beans, but not to worry- they are similar to green beans! The only difference is, you probably don't want to boil these before sauteing. They tend to get waterlogged, as the texture is just a bit different. They are a staple in Asian cuisine and are great cooked with ginger and garlic.

We are taking a break from the sweet corn this week while the third crop is maturing. The second crop quit on us a little early, due to the extreme heat, then extreme rain, then extreme heat... you get the idea. The ears are growing quickly so hopefully we will have more by next week!

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Stir-Fried Chinese Yardlong Beans

Ingredients:

-1 bunch yardlong beans (washed and trimmed to 3" or so)

-1 Tbsp. cooking oil of choice

-2 tsp. minced garlic 1/4 cup water

-1 Tbsp. oyster sauce

-1 tsp. soy sauce

Directions:

-Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.

-Add beans and saute, tossing to coat in the oil for a minute or so.

-Reduce heat to medium. Add water, oyster sauce, and soy sauce and cover. Steam for 3-5 minutes, until fairly tender but not soggy. Uncover and let the rest of the water evaporate, 1-2 minutes.

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I spotted one of my favorite things this week! I usually have tomato hornworms on my tomato plants every summer that I have to scout for every day, but this year, thankfully, has been mostly absent of them. The best way to control these giant caterpillars is to simply remove them by hand, as their damage is easy to spot. The chickens like to eat them for a snack so they usually get lots of them to eat! There is a naturally occurring control for these destructive pests though, which is what's happening in the image to the right. This hornworm has been implanted with eggs from a parasitic wasp that targets these specific caterpillars. Those white things coming out of its back will soon be a horde of parasitic wasps. If I see these, I leave them completely alone, even if they are still munching on a tomato plant. I know they aren't long for this world, so I don't mind waiting it out!

That's all for this week! Have a great one and don't forget to wash your produce!