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.
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.
