July 28th Newsletter

Hola CSA Campañeros 

The circus continues at Wunsch Farms. Week three of cherry harvest marked the transition to tart cherry harvest. Tart cherries ripen later than brine and dark-sweets so they are alway the last variety we harvest. The "COE" our cherry-shaking machine is hungry for cherries and now feeding day and night.  Caffeine and from-the-garden berry muffins have been fueling our crews as they harvest at all hours of the day.
This is a very rewarding time of harvest. The crew has been working together non-stop and it is always so fun to watch the new kids getting into the groove. Working a cherry harvest is often a first job for high-school kids in the area and an meaningful experience for them.
 With all the chaos of harvest, Barb somehow still keeps up with the garden and the bins should be great this week. There is quite an abundance of beautiful stuff in the garden, so get that beyond-the-bin while you can!
This week's line-up:

• Cherries
• Blueberries 
• French Green Beans
• Onions
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini
• Red Norland Potatoes
• Parsley

Beyond-the-Bin:

• Blueberries (quart) - 5.00
• Cherries 2.25# - 10.00
• Cherries 20# - 35.00
• Apricots (quart) - 5.00
• Red Potatoes - 3.00
• Broccoli - 2.00
• Kale - 2.00
• Rattail Radishes - 2.00 

The Traverse City Film Festival starts this week and I hope you all get the chance to check out some good films this year. Headed to the free movie at the Open Space? Come say hi to me (Adele) at the vendor booth. Take a wild guess as to what I'll be offering. . .

Anyway, here is a simple recipe from the New York Times:

Classic Parsley Potatoes

• 2 1/2 pounds small new potatoes, peeled
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons finely minced flat-leaf parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper

1.

Place the potatoes in a saucepan with salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Drain them and return to the saucepan.

2.

Add the butter and roll the potatoes in it until it melts. Gently toss the potatoes in the parsley, season with salt and pepper and serve at once.

 Wish us luck as we wrap up cherry harvest. It is so great to come back to Old Mission every summer and be a part of the harvest. The farm has changed a lot since my parents first bought the property, and continues to grow and change to meet the needs of our community. From meeting new health standards to pioneering the CSA, my parents have are always seeking out ways to improve our standards.
There is something special about working in a family business and so rewarding to see all the years of work pay off. We yearn for cherry harvest all year long, but by this point in the season, we begin looking for the last tree... and a good nights sleep too!