Thursday, May 23, 2013

Tasty and Healthy - May 23, 2013 and U-PICK

Welcome to this week's Tasty and Healthy newsletter. (Please note the new hours and venue below)

Wonderful zucchini pancakes! I spent a lovely Sunday morning playing in the kitchen and developed this VERY flavorful, fluffy pancake. Recipe is below.

U-Pick Green Beans will have a short harvest due to weather conditions - the rains have arrived early - so pick these tender, sweet bens while they are here! These are pesticide-free. All the U-Pick info is here. (hint: wear old clothing and bring old shoes)

Special - THIS SUNDAY ONLY - see where Rolo will be by looking below.

In addition to this awesome harvest, just take a look at what is happening on the farm (a picture is worth a thousand words, right?)

Yellow Squash in the fields:

Yellow Squash on the plant:

Yellow squash ready for your evening meal:

Zucchini freshly harvested today:

For TEN WAYS to use Kale, click here.

SPECIAL on KALE - for juicers or freezers - $10 per case, please phone the farm to reserve. Not bunched, straight from the field.

We are enjoying the Beasley Farm Kale primarily in sandwiches and salads, though it is fabulous for juicing, freezing, in soups, stews and as a side dish. It is pesticide-free.

Community Supported Agriculture

CSAs are weekly produce "basket" programs, where a variety of vegetables and produce become available in predetermined "baskets" each week to a group of individuals who have planned ahead of time to purchase the baskets. If this appeals to you, or you'd be interested in more information, will you please advise Joann on Saturday or by phoning 352-232-3381. Thank you!

Because Greens are extremely perishable, we ask our customers to special order them if picking up at a satellite location. At the farm, we keep them in children's swimming pools of water.

Peas and Beans

Peas and Beans are ready for harvest NOW - pesticide-free crops will be harvested beginning today.

Our fields are planted with three varieties of beans.

The Yellow Wax and Pole Beans will be ready for picking beginning on Monday May 27 after 10AM.

Green beans are ready NOW.

Click here or phone the farm for more information.

Green Beans

Yellow Wax Beans

Pole Beans

Fresh pesticide-free Black-eye Peas are available now. If you would like unshelled Black-eyes please phone the farm to place a reservation. Joann will phone you as soon as your peas are harvested to ensure they are extremely fresh. Because the harvest begins today, you possibly can stop by to pick up the unshelled peas. Shelling will begin Monday May 27, to prevent nutritional loss, if there are no reservations.

Also planted on the farm, but not ready for harvest are:

Okra
Pole Beans (U-Pick coming Monday)
Yellow Beans (U-Pick coming Monday)
Conk Peas
Zipper Peas
Red and White radishes - (new crop)
Beets - (new crop)

Being Harvested on the Farm:

Pesticide-Free Kale
Pesticide-Free Red and White Swiss Chard (phone to reserve for satellite locations)
Pesticide-free Zucchini
Pesticide-free Eight-ball Zucchini
Pesticide-free Yellow Zucchini
Pesticide-free Yellow Summer Squash
Pesticide-free Scallop Squash
Pesticide-free Black-eye Peas
Pesticide-free small beets
Pesticide-free fat pickle (cucumbers)

As always, please feel free to phone the farm for special requests or special orders. We'll do everything we can to accommodate you. If you need something from the Farmers Market in Plant City, it is best to phone by Wednesday afternoon.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services visits to our farm regularly to test our soil and plants. For more information about our farming techniques,

and the testing we undergo, please click here.

Thank You for recycling your shopping bags with us.

Please keep them coming!

This Week From the Farmers Market:

Mushrooms

Florida Tomatoes

Eggplant

Jalapeno Pepper
Florida Green and Red Bell Peppers

Green Cubanella Peppers

Carrots

Sweet Potatoes

Baking Potatoes

Red Skin Potatoes

Gold Skin Potatoes

Spanish Sweet Onions

Scallions
White Onions

Red Radishes

Green Cabbage

Florida Bi-Color Sweet Corn

Cucumber

Florida Romaine

Head Lettuce

Lemons
Limes
Mangos

Bananas

Valencia Oranges

Watermelon
Fresh Herb Plants: Oregano, Basil, Mint

As of February 1, 2013, we are no longer accepting checks unless prior arrangements have been made. "Bad Checks" have become a burdensome business expense.

We appreciate your understanding.

Attention Tarpon Springs visitors -
We are very sad to temporarily suspend our produce stand on Sundays.
We will advise when the stand reopens.
Thank you for understanding.

On June 8 The Food Truck Rally

will return to the Hernando County Farmers Market!

Everyday - until 6PM Gran'ma Angie, Nana Phyllis, Joann and Rolo will man the Produce Barn.

1st and 3rd Monday - 9AM - Noon We are now serving our north Brooksville customers in the Cloverleaf Farm Mobile Home Park - just off Hwy 41, across from the Hernando County School Compound and south of Croom Road in North Brooksville. Turn into Cloverleaf Farm's main entrance, on the right side by the golf driving range.

Friday - 7:30AM - 5PM Rolo will be at our Spring Hill Drive location next to the Chevron location. Be sure to phone the farm for any special orders!

Saturday - 10AM-3PM Joann and Rolo will be at the Hernando County Farmers Market on Hwy 19 with 40 other vendors! Enjoy live entertainment, wonderful food, browse, shop, and visit with your neighbors - it's an all 'round enjoyable time. You'll also be supporting local businesses by visiting their booths. Be sure to phone the farm for any special orders!