Week 9 Newsletter 2015

First there are blossoms

....then there are cucumbers!

Hello Everyone,

We can see light at the end of the tunnel! If all goes as planned, we will be wrapping up the cherry harvest very soon. The hot and dry weather was  perfect for the fresh sweet cherries this year. You may have noticed how beautiful the tart cherries were in your bin last week. Luckily we harvested the tarts before the "big" storm.

The main garden has transformed and the sunflowers are beginning to bloom as well as a few zinnias. The finches have discovered the Swiss chard in the hoophouse and I am continually shooing them out. Do have any tried and true tactics for theses persistent little birds?




Here are the items to expect to find in your bin this week:

Flowers

Sweet cherries

Zucchini

Cucumbers

Yellow beans

Dragon Tongue or Roma Beans

Basil & Dill

Lettuce

Onions

The yellow beans have arrived

Here are a couple of recipes that include some of the items you will find in your bin.

Pan-Roasted Green Beans With Golden Almonds

TARA PARKER-POPE  Time 30 minutes  Yield 4 servings


This simple almond-shallot topping goes with just about any simply cooked vegetable, but it tastes best with green beans. Instead of simply blanching the beans, they can be charred until they develop a smoky richness.


INGREDIENTS

 Kosher salt
8 ounces green and/or wax beans, trimmed
¼ cup blanched whole almonds, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 large shallot, minced
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, thinly sliced
1 lemon
 Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add salt (a teaspoon or so, or to taste). Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until bright green but still firm, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to the ice water. When cool, drain again. Pat dry with paper towels until completely dry.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the almonds and the oil, adding more oil if needed to just cover the almonds. Cook over medium heat until the almonds are golden, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the shallot. It will cook in the residual heat.
Coat a large skillet with oil. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the beans and season with salt. Cook, tossing frequently, until charred dark brown in spots and tender-crisp, about 7 minutes.
Top with the almond mixture, then the parsley. Grate the zest from a quarter of the lemon directly over the beans, then cut the lemon into wedges for serving. Season with pepper and serve.

Summer Pasta With Zucchini, Ricotta and Basil

  DAVID TANIS  Time 30 minutes  Yield 4 to 6 servings


A summer pasta should be simple and fresh, ideally made with vegetables straight from the garden or market. 


INGREDIENTS

 Extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 pounds zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick pieces (for larger zucchini, cut in half lengthwise before slicing)
 Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced, or 2 tablespoons chopped green garlic
1 ounce basil, about 2 cups loose leaves
1 pound ziti or other dry pasta
8 ounces ricotta, about 1 cup (see recipe)
 Pinch of crushed red pepper
 Zest of 1 lemon
2 ounces grated Parmesan, pecorino or a mixture, about 1 cup, plus more for serving

PREPARATION

Put a pot of water on to boil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to keep onions from browning. Add zucchini, season generously with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rather soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil and a little salt into a rough paste (or use a mini food processor). Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
Salt the pasta water well and put in the pasta, stirring. Boil per package instructions but make sure to keep pasta quite al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.

Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Check seasoning and adjust. Cook for 1 minute more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add the basil paste and half the grated cheese and quickly stir to incorporate. Spoon pasta into warm soup plates and sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve immediately.

Week 8 Newsletter 2015

This week we started harvesting tart cherries.

Hello Everyone,


We made a turning point with cherry harvest this past week. The sweet cherry harvest has come to an end for 2015 and we are now harvesting tart cherries. The cooler has boxes and boxes of sweet cherries tucked away and we will continue to market, pack and deliver sweet cherries.

The bees are buzzing in the garden.

Flowers are showing up in all corners of the garden
and attracting bees, butterflies and a few hummingbirds.

Hummingbirds love the Red Runner Beans.

What to expect to find in your bin the week:

Sweet Cherries                                             
Tart Cherries
Apricots
Broccoli
Zucchini
Parsley & Cilantro
Lettuce
Leeks
                                                                                   

Here are a couple of recipes that include items that will be in your bin this week.



Marinated Zucchini Salad

  MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN  Yield Serves four

Raw zucchini can be a dull ingredient, but when it’s very thinly sliced it marinates beautifully, especially in lemon juice. I like to use a mixture of green and yellow squash here. Assemble this dish at least four hours before you wish to serve it, so that the squash has time to soften and soak up the lemony marinade.


INGREDIENTS

1 pound medium or small zucchini, preferably a mix of green and yellow
 Salt to taste
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, mint, chives, dill or a combination

PREPARATION

Slice the squash as thinly as you can. Sprinkle with salt, preferably kosher salt, and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse and drain on paper towels.
Mix together the lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. Toss with the zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for four to six hours.
Remove from the refrigerator, and remove the garlic clove. Add the fresh herbs, and toss together. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve.
Advance preparation: This dish will keep for a day or two, but it is best served just after the herbs are added. The lemony zucchini will lose its flavor over time.

Parsley Hummus

  MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN  Time About 20 minutes  Yield 2 cups

  It’s important to pick the parsley leaves off the stems, because unlike the stems of cilantro, parsley stems are tough and should be discarded. The leaves reduce quite a bit in volume when you chop them, especially if you chop them fine. Two cups of parsley leaves will yield a little over 1/2 cup of finely chopped parsley. This hummus has a pale green hue and herbal overtones.


INGREDIENTS

2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 large garlic cloves, peeled, cut in half, green shoots removed
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
 Salt to taste
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling if desired
3 tablespoons sesame tahini, stirred well if the oil has separated
 Plain low-fat yogurt as needed

PREPARATION

(Optional step): If you want to take the time to do this, remove the papery outer shells of the cooked chickpeas by gently squeezing them between your thumb and first two fingers. Discard the shells.
Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. Process until the garlic adheres to the sides of the bowl. Turn off the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the chickpeas, parsley and salt to taste and process to a coarse purée. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Turn on the machine and add the lemon juice and olive oil with the machine running. Add the tahini and process until the hummus is smooth. It should not be too thick or dry. If it is, thin out as desired with yogurt or water, or with the broth from the chickpeas if you cooked them. Season to taste with salt. Scrape out into a bowl or mound on a platter. Run a fork over the surface and drizzle with olive oil if desired. Serve with crudités or pita bread.
Advance preparation: This will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator and freezes well

Week 7 Newsletter 2015

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 this delicate fruit. 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 deliveries to southern Michigan.

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 and have both a day and night shift. Our farm receives fruit from other growers for a processor. There is a team that unloads trucks, weighs and tests the cherries and then reloads the fruit onto semi-trucks. The paperwork involves traceability and each box of fruit is labeled with the variety of fruit, harvest date and the originating farm. The processing company is receiving dozens of truck loads of fruit from all over Michigan every day, so it is important that the paperwork is accurate and we want to make sure that when the truck from Old Mission roles in, every pound of fruit is accounted for.

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.

The cool temperature have allowed for an extra long pea season. So I hope you are enjoying the edible pods and maybe even trying out a new stir-fry recipe that includes snow peas and bok choy this year.

What to expect to find in your bin this week:

Black Sweet Cherries

Lettuce  

Snow Peas

Sugar Snap Peas

Zucchini

Arugula or Purple Scallions

Bok Choy

Radishes

Here are a couple of recipes for you to try with the items you will find in your bin.

Sauteed Bok Choy

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (from 1/2-inch piece)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds bok choy (about 2 medium bunches), cleaned, ends trimmed, and cut on the bias into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Salt (optional)

Total Time: 10 mins

Active Time: 10 mins

Makes: 4 servings


Instructions

1. In a large frying pan with a tightfitting lid, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not brown, about 30 seconds.
2. Add the bok choy and, using tongs, fold it into the garlic-ginger mixture until coated, about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce and water, cover, and cook until steam accumulates, about 1 minute. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are just wilted, the stalks are just fork tender but still crisp, and most of the water has evaporated, about 2 minutes.
3.Turn off the heat, stir in the sesame oil, and season with salt if desired.

Scrambled Eggs With Grated Zucchini

MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN  TimeAbout 10 minutes  Yield Serves four

INGREDIENTS

2 medium zucchini (about 10 ounces)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
 Salt
 freshly ground pepper
6 eggs
2 tablespoons low-fat (2 percent) milk
2 tablespoons minced chives
 Optional: 1 medium avocado, diced or sliced, for garnish

PREPARATION

Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor.
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy nonstick pan. Add the zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until it wilts, about three minutes. Add the garlic, if using, and continue to cook, stirring, for another minute or two until the mixture is very fragrant. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to medium.
Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the milk and salt and pepper to taste, and whisk together. Stir in the chives. Add to the pan with the zucchini, and cook, stirring every few seconds with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, until the eggs are scrambled. Remove from the heat and serve, garnished, if you wish, with diced or sliced avocado.
Advance preparation: The dish can be prepared through Step 2 several hours before scrambling the eggs. Reheat until the zucchini is sizzling, and proceed with the recipe.

Week 6 Newsletter 2015

Borage -  the cucumber tasting flowers were in the mixed greens last week

Hello Everyone,

It is tomato trellising time! Tomatoes are a vine and we use a trellising system to keep the plants erect. The tomato plants grow up rather than crawling on the ground which helps with moisture control, disease prevention and makes it easier at harvest time. We are looking forwards to walls of tomatoes!

I know many of you take vacations in July and August. Remember to let me know a week ahead if you would like to skip a bin. Also be sure to also schedule which week you would like to have your extra bin.

The onions you are receiving this time of year are fresh-from-the-farm onions. These onions are not cured so please plan on storing them in the refrigerator.


What to expect to find in your bin this week:

Adele at the Sarah Hardy Market

Black Sweet Cherries

Bok Choy

Zucchini

Lettuce - Summer Crisp

Beets and Beet Greens

Sugar Snap Peas or Snow Peas

Basil

Bunching Onions

Basil loves the warm temperatures

Here are couple of easy recipes for you that include items that will be in your bin this week. In the first recipe I used less zucchini and added some sugar snap peas. Ah, the taste of summer!

Summer Pasta With Zucchini, Ricotta and Basil

  DAVID TANIS  Time 30 minutes  Yield 4 to 6 servings

A summer pasta should be simple and fresh, ideally made with vegetables straight from the garden or market. Look for the best artisanal ricotta; top-quality ingredients make all the difference here.


INGREDIENTS

 Extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 pounds zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick pieces (for larger zucchini, cut in half lengthwise before slicing)
 Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced, or 2 tablespoons chopped green garlic
1 ounce basil, about 2 cups loose leaves
1 pound ziti or other dry pasta
8 ounces ricotta, about 1 cup (see recipe)
 Pinch of crushed red pepper
 Zest of 1 lemon
2 ounces grated Parmesan, pecorino or a mixture, about 1 cup, plus more for serving

PREPARATION

Put a pot of water on to boil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to keep onions from browning. Add zucchini, season generously with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rather soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil and a little salt into a rough paste (or use a mini food processor). Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
Salt the pasta water well and put in the pasta, stirring. Boil per package instructions but make sure to keep pasta quite al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.

Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Check seasoning and adjust. Cook for 1 minute more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add the basil paste and half the grated cheese and quickly stir to incorporate. Spoon pasta into warm soup plates and sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve immediately.

Grilled Bok Choy

PREP: 15 MINS  TOTAL TIME: 15 MINS  SERVINGS: 4 

SOURCE: EVERYDAY FOOD, SEPTEMBER 2004

INGREDIENTS

4 heads baby bok choy (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato-based chili sauce
2 teaspoons light-brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Heat grill to low. Trim large leaves from baby bok choy; halve heads lengthwise. Rinse well under cold water to remove grit.
In a large bowl, whisk together white-wine vinegar, tomato-based chili sauce, light-brown sugar, and vegetable oil; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Add bok choy; toss to coat. Remove from bowl, reserving sauce.
Place bok choy, cut sides down, on grill; cover, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Serve bok choy drizzled with reserved sauce.

Week 5 Newsletter 2015

Happy Summertime Everyone!

It looks like we have some warm weather coming our way this week. It is in time to give all the warm loving plants a boost including the zucchini squash, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers and melons. Somehow it seems these plants were able to tolerate the cool nights in June and the warm temperatures will bring on a spurt of growth.

We have started hand picking black sweet cherries on our farm. It is the beginning of cherry season! We are rearranging the packing shed and getting all of the packaging organized and the packing line tuned up. The cooler is running and I noticed some new ladders, buckets and black plastic bins in the packing shed this week.

Cherry harvest is under way!

What to expect to find in your bin this week:

Strawberries

Snow Peas 

Sugar Snap Peas

Mixed Greens

Swiss Chard

White Turnips 

Leek

Thyme







Here are some recipes that include items from your bins:

Lemon and Thyme Grilled Chicken Breasts

  MELISSA CLARK  Yield 4 servings


These classic herb and lemon-seasoned chicken breasts will win over fans, especially when cooked over charcoal to give them the deepest, smokiest taste. For dark meat lovers, this recipe will also work with boneless, skinless thighs, though you might have to add a minute or so to the cooking time. Or use a combination of breasts and thighs and make everyone happy.


INGREDIENTS

4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped thyme leaves
4 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
2 lemons, as needed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
 Torn basil or mint leaves, as needed

PREPARATION

Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment or plastic wrap. Using a mallet or rolling pin, pound each to an even thickness of 1/2 inch. Do not make them any thinner or they could dry out.
Place chicken in a large bowl and toss with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic and the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Mix in olive oil. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Remove chicken from fridge while you heat the grill.
Light the grill, building a hot fire, or heat your gas grill to high. Once grill is fully heated, brush breasts lightly with olive oil and place chicken on the grill. Cook until undersides are browned and chicken is about halfway cooked, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip breasts and grill until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.
Transfer chicken to a platter. Drizzle with oil and garnish with additional lemon juice, olive oil and basil or mint leaves.

Swiss Chard and Chickpea Minestrone

  MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN  Time 45 minutes  Yield 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, cut in small dice
1 celery stalk, cut in small dice
1 leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, cleaned thoroughly and sliced thin
 Salt
4 large garlic cloves, minced
7 cups water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
 A bouquet garni consisting of 1 Parmesan rind, 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs thyme, tied together with kitchen string or tied into a piece of cheesecloth
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ pound Swiss chard, stemmed, leaves washed and cut crosswise in thin strips (chiffonade) (4 cups, tightly packed, chiffonade)
½ cup soup pasta, like elbow macaroni or broken spaghetti
 Freshly ground pepper to taste
 Freshly grated Parmesan

PREPARATION

Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about three minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the leek. Continue to cook, stirring often, until tender, about three minutes. Add the garlic, stir for about a minute, and then stir in the water, tomato paste and the bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bouquet garni.
Add the Swiss chard and the pasta to the soup, bring back to a simmer, and simmer another 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente. Grind in some pepper, taste and adjust seasonings. It should be savory and rich-tasting. Serve in wide soup bowls, with a sprinkling of Parmesan over the top.
Advance preparation: You can make this through Step 1 several days ahead and keep in the refrigerator or freeze. The closer to serving time you add the chard, the brighter it will be.

Week 4 Newsletter 2015

Hello Everyone,      

Ah, finally the strawberry patch is changing color. There will be some bright red berries in the bins this week. You will also find some other early summer delights including garlic scapes.

You may ask, "What are garlic scapes? " Garlic scapes are leafless flower stalks of a plant that grow directly from the root. Garlic scapes are the thin, green curlicues that grow directly from the root of a hard-necked variety of garlic plant.

The scapes need to be harvested early in the season, typically late spring or early summer so that the actual garlic bulb can form for harvest later in the season. If left to grow, the scapes flower and draw nutrients and flavor away from the actual bulb, leaving the greens as a discarded byproduct. 

Scapes look great, and can be used as a garnish or in a salad, but there are a surprising number of ways you can eat them. You can treat scapes as you would green onions--the difference? The mild garlic flavor and touch of sweetness makes these little wispies an adventurous addition to early summer dishes. 


A big thanks to all of you for returning the black bins each week!

What to expect to find in your bin this week:

Strawberries

Sugar Snap Peas

Snow Peas

Broccoli or Kale

Garlic Scape and Green Garlic

Purple Scallions

Lettuce - Summer Crisp

French Breakfast Radishes

Dill


Beyond the Bin additions:

Cilantro

Tarragon

Snow Peas 

Strawberries


Here are a couple of recipes that include items from your bin:  

Green Sugar Snap Peas With Tarragon

PIERRE FRANEY  Time 10 minutes  Yield 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup sugar snap peas, trimmed

 Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon or parsley

⅛ teaspoon ground cumin

PREPARATION

In a saucepan, bring to a boil enough water to cover the peas. Add the peas and salt to taste. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until they are crisp-tender. Drain immediately.

Return the peas to the saucepan and add the butter, tarragon, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir until the peas are well coated. Serve immediately.

Farro Salad with Peas, Asparagus, and Feta

BON APPÉTIT JUNE 2005

YIELD: Makes 4 main-course servings
ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups semi-pearled farro
12 ounces asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
1 8-ounce package sugar snap peas
12 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped red onion
6 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Sherry wine vinegar
1 7-ounce package feta cheese, crumbled

PREPARATION

Cook farro in large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Transfer to large bowl.

Meanwhile, cook asparagus and sugar snap peas in another saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Add to farro with tomatoes, onion, and dill. Whisk oil and vinegar in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Add dressing and feta to salad; toss to coat and serve.

market tip:
Farro is an ancient Tuscan grain with a mellow, nutty flavor. You'll find it in some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and Italian markets.

Week 3 Newsletter 2015

*CSA newsletter written by Adele (Barb's daughter) this week

As six generation cherry growers, my brother and I have a lot to be grateful for. What more could a kid want then a backyard consisting of orchards, woods and freshwater beaches? Today we celebrate Father's Day with our dad. We not only have him to thank for teaching us how to operate a successful farm, but also how to have a good time and truly enjoy the work we do. Growing trees is a unique type of farming, because an orchard can be productive for decades. This means that when a grower plants his orchard, he is making an investment that will have a greater impact on the next generation of growers than on himself. The fruit in your bins might be from trees that Isaiah and I "helped" my dad plant when we were kids or maybe from trees my grandfather planted in the 70s. 

To me, it is incredible that my father, my grandfather and the generations before them maintained our family farm business that involved facing Michigan's capricious weather, economic highs and lows and a myriad of other challenges. Today we are grateful for the guys that raised us, their ingenuity, creativity, optimism and selflessness in creating a place for us to thrive. 

What do you have your dad to thank for? Maybe he taught you the importance of eating well and supporting local business. If so, I guess we should be thanking your pop too! We hope you are getting out and enjoying Michigan's first official week of summer with dad or with him in mind. Enjoy the early-season offerings!

PS We are beginning to see a few pink cherries out there. . . 

Josh and Isaiah, 1989

Jose & Alex packing bok choy

What to expect to find in your bin this week:

Sugar Snap Peas

Strawberries

Purple Scallions

Tarragon

Rat's Tail Radishes

Lettuce -  Green

Lettuce - Red

Mixed Greens



Beyond the Bin this week:

Honey  

White  Turnips

Rhubarb



Stir-Fried Beef and Sugar Snap Peas

  MELISSA CLARK    Time 30 minutes      Yield 4 servings


Here's a stir-fry far better than most take-out Chinese, and you can make it with any lean cut of meat — flank steak, London broil, tenderloin, sirloin or skirt steak — so long as it is cut thin against the grain. Most takeout joints use snow peas, but sugar snaps are juicier and more succulent, and just as crunchy. (Their downside is that they are slightly more work: they need to be thinly sliced.) As for the sauce, it's simple: thick dark soy sauce (tamari works well), sesame oil, chicken broth and Madeira.



INGREDIENTS

1 pound lean beef, cut into 1/4-inch strips
3 tablespoons tamari or dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, more for drizzling
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
3 fat scallions
⅔ cup chicken broth
2 ½ tablespoons Madeira or sweet sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons peanut or olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
 Rice, for serving
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)
 Sriracha or other hot sauce, or rice wine vinegar for garnish
 chili oil, for garnish

PREPARATIOn

In a medium bowl, mix beef, 2 tablespoons tamari, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Thinly slice sugar snap peas crosswise into disks. Thinly slice scallions, reserving dark green parts for garnish.
In a small bowl, mix chicken broth, Madeira, 2 tablespoons water, remaining 1 tablespoon tamari and cornstarch.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When pan is hot, stir-fry beef until browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer beef and any liquid to a plate.
Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and when hot, add garlic and white and light green scallion parts until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add sugar snap peas and chicken broth mixture, lower heat to medium and cover. Let cook for 2 minutes. Transfer beef and juices to skillet and stir-fry 2 minutes. Serve over rice, garnished with more sesame oil, sesame seeds, dark parts of scallions, and hot sauce or vinegar and chili oil.

Sautéed Chicken Breasts With Tarragon

  KIM SEVERSON     Time 20 minutes    Yield 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
6 large (about 6 ounces each) or 12 small (about 3 ounces each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
 Kosher salt
 Canola oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced shallot
¼ cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped tarragon plus 1 tablespoon whole tarragon leaves
 Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

In a small bowl mix together paprika and curry powder, and sprinkle on both sides of chicken breasts; cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Place 2 breasts on large sheet of plastic wrap, cover with more plastic and pound with a mallet until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with remaining breasts. (Chicken may be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 12 hours.)
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Season chicken on both sides with salt. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add enough canola oil to film the bottom of pan. Working in batches, without crowding, place breasts smooth side down and let cook until golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Turn and cook for another 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in oven.
Wipe out skillet and return to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and shallot, and sauté for 30 seconds, swirling pan to coat shallot with butter. Add wine, raise heat to medium-high, and cook until wine is reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add stock, bring to boil, and cook until reduced and slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in chopped tarragon, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and any juices that have accumulated on baking sheet. Swirl to melt butter, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange chicken on a warmed platter, pour sauce over it, and garnish with whole tarragon leaves.