Produce Guide:

1) Live Oak Farm Herbal Tea - SPRING Blend

2) White Nectarines

3) Persian Cucumbers

4) Genovese Basil

5) Live Oak Farm Mixed Greens*

6) Live Oak Farm Strawberry Preserves

7) Row 7 - 7082 (Pickling / Grilling) Cucumbers

8) Spring Onions

9) Albion Strawberries (Not pictured)

*This week's Salad Greens mix includes Oak Leaf, Butter Lettuce, Truchas, Flashy Trout, Nasturtium leaves & Baby Kales

Friends of the Farm-

Happy Friday!

Our orchards are kicking into gear. A few weeks ago we shared our Mirabelle plums, this week we welcome our first White Nectarines to CSA, and pluots to the weekend farm stand. We're happy to report many more organic plums and pluots of mixed varieties are just weeks away. The fruit set looks good and trees are full with stone fruit that gets sweeter by the day. Also seen here are our pomegranate trees in bloom. Apples and fall persimmons are also maturing nicely. Future weeks of CSA and farm stand look ripe for fruit additions. We can't wait to share these!

A produce note about this week's cucumbers- this variety is developed by Chef Dan Barber's team at Row 7 Seeds. These 7802 Cucumbers are ideal for pickling or....grilling! (Try them halved lengthwise, marinated and grilled over medium high heat until charred. The flavors work nicely with a touch of yogurt or labneh. They are complimented by Persian cucumbers in this week's box too. We invite you to try them both side by side and let us know which you prefer or what recipes you like for each. This week's featured recipe is for a go-to quick pickle. The beauty of this recipe is its ability to be customized to any additions beyond its base. 

Lastly, we welcome you to enjoy our weekly music playlist.

One of the quintessential "sounds-of summer" songs that has always followed me in life is Norman Greenbaum's, Spirit in the Sky. Perhaps it's the way that first riff of fuzz-heavy guitar hits or the memory of this song being featured in the film The Sandlot. Either way, this and Booker T. & The M.G's - Green Onions are definitive summer songs in my book. Another fun discovery this week that will let you feel the summer air whip through your air - Harley Davidson by Bridget Bardot. This week's mix is a culmination of songs and singers from around the globe, perhaps best personified by the latin cover of Daft Punk's, Around the World by Señor Coconut. Have fun with this one! 

All our best from the farm,

Tom & William and Live Oak Farm team

Quick Pickles

Ingredients:

all Row 7 - 7802 Cucumbers

1.5 Cups Water

1.5 Cups Unseasoned Rice Vinegar

3 Tbsp Sugar

1.25 Tbsp Salt

1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

6 Cloves garlic, smashed

Method:

The secret to success here is to slice your cucumbers as uniformly as possible. A mandolin may be best served here, just watch your fingers! A consistent and thin cucumber slice works best. Slice your cucumbers and pack into mason jars or any resealable air-tight jar of your choosing. (You may need to mix and match depending on your batch size and how many cucumbers you choose to pickle.) Top each jar with garlic cloves. In a separate bowl, combine water, vinegar, red chili flakes and stir in salt & sugar until dissolved. Taste and adjust salt / sweetness to your liking. Pour over cucumbers, ensuring all are fully submerged by your liquid. Cover with lids and refrigerate. Pickles should be left for an hour minimum to fully marinate. Try throughout the week to check in on flavor and crunch. These pickles can be stored air-tight & refrigerated for up to two months. Enjoy!

Our summer farm dinner series continues with the next August date just a month away - Saturday August 13th!

In this edition we've partnered with Birk O'Halloran owner and beverage maker for Rockwell Vermouth & Iconic Wines. Dinner will showcase both wines and speciality vermouths that speak to California native plants, local terroir, and overlapping farming practices and ethos shared with Live Oak Farm.

Join us! Link below for dinner tickets via EventBrite. We look forward to another fun night here at the farm surrounded by our community & new friends.

A reminder that next Friday, 7/29 marks the last week of our current 13-week SUMMER season of Live Oak Farm CSA. We will be reaching out in the next week to confirm those that look to continue their produce pick-ups and delivery into the next Fall quarter, running August 5 - October 28. This is also a great time to make any adjustments to your membership (add eggs, move from every-other week to every-week or vice versa, ect) as well as introduce our CSA to neighbors, family, or friends. 

Look out for more info and billing. As always, you can respond to this email with any questions or requests. We thank you for you support of our growing farm and joining us in the current Summer season of our Live Oak Farm CSA.