Week 7 Newsletter 2018

Flowers to attract bees to the garden

Hello Everyone,       

This past week we have been harvesting my favorite black sweet cherry variety. The Ulster has great flavor and a stand out "crunch" texture. This will be the type of sweet cherry that will be in your bin this week.

Our farm is in full swing, we are hand picking cherries as well as packing and delivering cherries. It is remarkable how fast our hand picking crew gets the fruit off the trees while carefully handling each and every cherry with care. As soon as a picker completes a box, it is removed from the orchard and stored in our cooler. The cherries are cooled down before they are washed, run through a packing line which includes sizing, sorting, weighing and packing the cherries. We custom pack to fill orders for local customers and have deliveries to southern Michigan. This past week some of the cherries took a ride on the ferry from Michigan to Wisconsin.

While hand-picking with buckets and ladders is the traditional method of harvesting fruit, technology has made it possible for cherry growers to get their fruit harvested much faster. We hand pick our highest-quality fruit but mechanically harvest the rest for a Michigan fruit processor (where it becomes cherry pie filling, frozen fruit, dried cherries, yogurt filling etc.). In the 70s, the price of processing fruit dropped so low that farmers could no longer afford the cost of hand-picking. Thus the method of using machines to shake the tree and catch the fruit was born. This is much faster than picking, and when done right, does not damage the tree.  At this point we are also mechanically harvesting cherries at different locations on the peninsula. 

You might be amazed to learn about the long, hard hours and meticulous methods that cherry farmers and their crews are currently enduring. Although the work can be tough, this time of year most growers and workers are all smiles. After a years worth of work, it is a joy to see what we have produced and our crews take pride in this accomplishment.


What to expect to find in your bin this week:

Purple Beans

Cherries
Zucchini
Lettuce
Mixed Beans
Arugula
Apricots
Broccoli
Cucumbers

...and in the buckets:

Cherries
Cucumbers
Zucchini
Mixed Beans
Arugula

Here are a couple of recipes that include beans, cherries and arugula.

Green Beans With Ginger and Garlic

JULIA MOSKIN
YIELD 
10 servings
TIME
 20 minutes


INGREDIENTS

Salt
2 ½ pounds green beans (French-style slim haricots verts work especially well), trimmed
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup minced fresh ginger (about 6 inches ginger root, peeled)
4 medium-size garlic cloves, minced

PREPARATION

Broccoli

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill a large bowl with ice water. Working in two batches, boil beans until just tender but still crisp and bright green. Start testing after 4 minutes or so, being careful not to overcook. When done, plunge beans into ice water to stop cooking, lift out immediately when cool and drain on towels. (Recipe can be made to this point up to a day in advance and kept refrigerated, wrapped in towels.)
When ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add half the beans, half the ginger and half the garlic, and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, until beans are heated through and ginger and garlic are softened and aromatic. Sprinkle with salt, and remove to a serving dish. Repeat with remaining oil, beans, ginger and garlic. Serve.

Arugula, Cherry and Goat Cheese Salad

MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
YIELD
 4 servings.
TIME
 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 6-ounce bag baby arugula
16 cherries, halved and pitted
Scant 1/4 cup pistachios or almonds, (about 1 ounce), lightly toasted and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

PREPARATION

Combine the arugula, cherries, half the nuts and the tarragon in a large bowl.
Whisk together the vinegars, salt and pepper and olive oil. Toss with the salad. Arrange on a platter, sprinkle the goat cheese and remaining pistachios over the top, and serve.
Tip
Advance preparation: You can have the salad and the dressing prepared a few hours ahead, but don't toss until just before serving.