Dear community of meadowlark eaters,

          Boxes today are full of new and lovely summer treats.  Don't forget to take a watermelon(or half of one).  Yours may be yellow, orange or pink inside and delicious!  They are ripe and ready to eat.  Enjoy also a little bit of sugar buns as a small and special offering(that's sweet corn).  The tomatoes are starting to hit their stride and. we take pleasure in passing along the first bounty of heirloom tomatoes.  These, our pride and joy are lovingly tended by the tomato master Price Watts.  He has several willing and able apprentices and together they manage to stake, prune and trellis the hundreds of heirlooms that we grow.  There are over 45 varieties planted this year, a record for us.  These beauties are orange, purple, green, yellow and some are many colored like a sunrise. Enjoy!  We hope that you relish these boxes of summer's goodness:  salad mix, sweet onion, leeks, garlic, purple majesty potatoes, purple carrots, green pepper, collards, sugar buns sweet corn, zucchini, cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, watermelon for all and bonus basil. For premiums extra rainbow chard, sweet red pepper(long and skinny) and cauliflower.  Fruit shares receive the first blackberries and yellow shiro plums plus some sweet purple plums.

          Here's a recipe to try:

                                                 STOPLIGHT SALAD

-2 cups chopped tomatoes(try using a combo of colors)                

-2 c. corn(try it grilled!) 

-1 medium green pepper, diced                         -1/2 c. diced sweet onion

-1 medium sweet pepper, diced                         -1/4 c. fresh cilantro, parsley or basil

-2 c. cooked black beans   optional additions:  chopped fresh oregano, ground cumin and chili powder

Dressing:  3 TBL olive oil, 3 TBL fresh lime juice and 2 cloves freshly minced garlic

Combine veggies in a bowl and whisk dressing in separate bowl then marry the two.  Yum!  Easy and delicious and with fresh veggies, you will be in heaven.

          We are saddened by the loss of a longtime friend of the farm and shareholder, Susan Scott.  We will miss her unflagging support of our sometimes crazy schemes; she was an untiring supporter of our farm and family.  Her sweet, thoughtful and kind words in the winter time would often be the light of my day.  We will miss her quiet and thoughtful self.  Our love and sympathy goes out to her children and family.   We will be planting a weeping willow in our boggy garden in her memory. 

          We have set the date for the annual harvest party event!  SUNDAY SEPT. 21^ST will be the time and the place is here!  We will gather starting around 3:30 and we will plan to eat at 5:30.  Please bring a dish to pass and your own table settings.  We will press cider and provide beer and wine.  Please mark your calendar for this lovely gathering of community and food. We'll send along more details soon.  Love, the meadowlarks