September 29 Newsletter

To all the Apple Fans:

We are in full swing with the apple harvest. The cooler and the packing shed have a strong fresh apple aroma and the bins keep marching in from the orchards. Our refrigerated truck made a trip to southern Michigan with the first run of apples from the packing line. Also this week, a semi-truck took a large load of apples to a processing plant. We are looking forward to another nice week of weather for the apple picking crew to keep harvesting apples.

Someone asked me "What is your favorite thing to harvest?"  I would have to say, I really enjoy picking peppers.  They vary in color and their firm texture is so forgiving of the harvesting process.  Those big peppers can fill up a packing crate in no time!



What to expect to find in this week's bin:

Honeycrisp Apples
Red Macintosh Apples
Tomatoes
Sweet Peppers
Jalapeno Peppers
Toscano Kale
Red Torpedo Onions
Red Kuri Squash
Red/Purple Potatoes
Parsley







 
Beyond  the Bin:

Raspberries pt                                      5.00
Broccoli                                               3.00
Tomatoes 1/2 bu                                  10.00
Roasting Roma Tomatoes   1/2 bu           10.00
Asian Pears qt                                      4.00
Basil                                                   2.00










So many different kind of tomatoes!

Did you notice all the anthocyanins (think purple)
in your bin last week? Anthocyanins may have antioxidant and anti-aging benefits and may even enhance memory.
Common fruits and vegetables rich in anthocyanins include blueberries, black grapes, raisins, blackberries, plums, purple cabbage, eggplant, purple cauliflower and purple potatoes.

Recipes for week 16:

Oven Roasted Red Kuri Squash

• 1 squash, cut into quarters

• Olive Oil spray

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Honey or Maple syrup — optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up. Spray squash quarters with Olive oil spray, season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 40 minutes turning once half way through. 

Serve with a drizzle of honey or Maple syrup.

Winter squash is also a source of potassium, niacin, iron and beta carotene. The orange-fleshed squash is also an excellent source of beta carotene. As a general rule, the deeper the orange color, the higher the beta carotene content.

Apple Salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 medium red Michigan Apples
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped orange segments
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 1 finely chopped jalapeno
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Servings:

• Yield: 3 cups.


Core and dice apples into 1/4 inch pieces. Toss immediately with lime juice. Stir in remaining ingredients. Chill 2 hours before serving over fish, chicken, turkey or chips.

Michigan Apple Committee