Week 9 CSA Pick Up

Happy Labor Day! What glorious weather we have enjoyed over this last official weekend of summer. It’s been a great time to be on the farm and to enjoy the sunny warm days and cooler evenings - though the earlier sunsets are not as welcome! 

This week finally brings lots of beautiful tomatoes: cherry, slicers, hybrids and heirloom. It’s been a bit of a wait, but it is worth it when you taste the sweetness and flavor of a freshly picked tomato at the height of the season. Since we have several varieties of tomatoes in the greenhouse, we're going to share some details on each so you can impress your friends!

Heirlooms and hybrids. Did you know that an "heirloom" tomato comes from seed lines that can be traced back at least 50 years? A "hybrid" is a seed that comes from the cross-pollination of two "parent" plants to yield a fruit that will be more hardy, disease resistant and consistent. A hybrid may originate from heirloom parents, and have many of the same qualities, but can't technically call itself a heirloom because it is now something new altogether. 

We have one true heirloom in our lineup, the Brandywine (pictured above), which dates back to 1885! The largest in our crop, the Brandywine is a true beefsteak tomato, and we have some absolute units on the vine. It's great for sandwiches and burgers or just as a meal in itself with basil, EVO and salt and pepper.

Our primary hybrids are the Marnero, Marbonne and Margold. As you can guess, they're closely related, and all originate from the Provence region of France.  To tell them apart in your share, the Marnero will be deep-red-to-purple in color, while the Marbonne is a more classic red and the Margold a red-streaked yellow fruit. All are very versatile varieties, and eating them raw is never a bad choice, but they're great roasted or sautéd, and can add a real punch to your marinara sauce.

Finally, our slicers are also hybrids, namely the New Girl (pictured above, on the vine) and the Valley Girl. Packed full of flavor, they can fill in pretty much anywhere a recipe calls for tomatoes, and are perhaps a little less intimidating in size, making it easier to use a whole tomato when cooking for one.

So now you know what to look for, feel free to try some of each and tell us which are your favorites on Facebook, Instagram or even by leaving us a Google Review. We already know the Cherry Tomatoes were a big hit, how do these varieties compare?

Enjoy the week ahead and these last fleeting days of summer. 
Reminder: Pick up days this week are Monday, 9/7 and Wednesday, 9/9 from 4-6:30pm. 

Emma