Thursday, April 25, 2013

Tasty and Healthy - April 25, 2013

Welcome to this week's Tasty and Healthy newsletter. Such beautiful Florida Spring Time weather - and our crops like it, too!

The photo above is part of last week's Kale harvest - so delicious. We are enjoying it primarily in sandwiches and salads, though it is fabulous in soups, stews and as a side dish.

To see which Winter Crops are currently being harvested on Beasley Farm, please see the highlighted areas below.

BIG QUESTION PLEASE: A few customers have asked us about CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture). CSA's are weekly produce "basket"programs. It is 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!

Gorgeous Red Swiss Chard - freshly harvested!

Wanna see more?

How about some beautiful White Swiss Chard?

Both are pesticide-free.

Swiss Chard may be used just like spinach - raw, cooked, or juiced, as a side dish, in salads, on sandwiches.

Did you know Swiss Chard can be frozen? Perfect for soups and stews.

More about Swiss Chard here.

Over on the JoyFul Abode website Emily creates a wonderful sautéed recipe using Chard, Onions, Walnuts, and more. Take a look!

For Gorgeous Kale or Beautiful Swiss Chard, please phone the farm. We will cut it especially for you to keep it at its freshest.

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.

Our fields are planted with three varieties of beans in preparation for the Big U-Pick in May! More details to follow in coming weeks.

Currently planted on the farm, but not yet ready for harvest:

Beets
Yellow Squash
Zucchini
Scallop Squash
Yellow Zucchini
Okra
Green Beans
Pole Beans
Yellow Beans
Spinach - new crop
White and Red Radishes
Black-eye Peas
Conk Peas
Pink-eye Peas

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.

A big thanks from Gran'ma Angie for recycling your shopping bags with us. Please keep them coming!

We Support Our Troops

Being Harvested on the Farm:

Pesticide-Free Kale
Pesticide-Free Red and White Swiss Chard (phone to reserve for satellite locations)
Pesticide-Free Red and White radishes
Pesticide-free Bunched Beets with tops

From the Farmers Market:

Mushrooms

Florida Tomatoes

Florida Cherry Tomatoes

Green Tomatoes

Eggplant

Jalapeno Pepper
Florida Green and Red Bell Peppers

Cubanella Peppers

Poblano Peppers, Red and Green!

Carrots

Sweet Potatoes

Baking Potatoes

Red Skin Potatoes

Gold Skin Potatoes

Spanish Sweet Onions

Florida Sweet Purple Onions

Scallions

Green Cabbage

Florida Bi-Color Sweet Corn

Cucumber

Pickle cucumbers

Zucchini

Yellow Squash

Florida Romaine

Head Lettuce

Lemons

Bananas

Valencia Oranges - Beautiful!

Pineapple

fresh herbs - nice variety - basil, mint, oregano, parsley

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.

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!

Sunday - 9AM-2PM Rolo will be at The Tarpon Springs Sunday Morning Farmers Market in downtown Tarpon Springs (Corner of Alt 19 and Tarpon Ave). A great Pinellas County addition to our satellite locations. Be sure to phone the farm for any special orders!