Newsletter Week 6! Cherries and Music!

Newsletter Week 6! Cherries and Music!

Hello Followers!!
Week 6 is here!  We've had an awesome time getting to know you all at the stand these past few weeks.  Unfortunately, we can't necessarily say "time flies" but are having fun meeting everyone and hearing how excited and appreciative everyone is!

🥕 What’s in the Box:
A quick list of the produce or farm goodies for the week.

Rainbow chard/Red Russian Kale

Head Lettuce

Salad Mix

Cherry Tomatoes

Large Tomatoes

Basil and Thyme combo

Sweet Pepper

Hot Pepper (optional)

Cucumber

FLATHEAD CHERRIES!!

🌿 Featured Item: Cucumbers

We're beyond excited that Lisa Stravakas from Renew Wellness has decided to contribute her wealth of knowledge on the health benefits of eating and utilizing fresh produce and herbs. Thank you Lisa!! 

Cucumbers are often considered a vegetable, these elongated cylindrical delicacies are a fruit. Cucumber is an easy-going vegetable with a delightfully pleasing crunch. If you're feeling a little hot and bothered, this natural refresher will alleviate your thirst and freshen your breath. Its jade green skin recalls a cool afternoon under your favorite shade tree, ideal for your next picnic. Moisturizing & cool, a single slice is restorative, helping you mellow the summer heat.

As they calm your eyes and cool down your liver, you may feel the pressure in your arteries decreasing - cucumber's diuretic nature has been used to reduce blood pressure, water retention and detoxify the blood. It's cooling & soothing nature aids urinary, bladder and kidney function. Those who suffer from gout will be pleased to know that cucumbers aids removal of uric acid from the blood.

SKIN  BENEFITS:  If you're looking for healthy, glowing supple skin, then cucumber is your answer. Topical application of cucumbers restores smoother skin to your face or thighs. The appreciation of cucumbers in cosmetics is ancient, a beauty ritual passed down from generation to generation. To rejuvenate your skin with cucumber, simply place raw cucumber slices on the affected area. Or make a mask with shredded cucumber. For stronger effect, chill before use. The juice, especially when mixed with aloe vera or rose water, softens and whitens the skin.

Natural chemicals in cucumbers help collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer of skin - good for eyes, and good for reducing visible signs of cellulite. In their true essence, cucumbers are cooling, soothing and nutritive. If you are experiencing tired eyes or hot inflamed skin (whether from excess eye strain, wind, sun exposure, or other environmental elements), a slice of cucumber on your eyes helps them relax while reducing redness, puffiness, and the appearance of bags. External application of cucumber has also shown healing effects for acne, eczema, rosacea and psoriasis. Cucumbers are mother natures' cooling ointment. High silica content may help strengthen connective tissues in joints.

For a quick fix stress relief, place cucumber slices into a pot of boiled water, and take some deep breaths. You will walk away from this soothing experience feeling a little more relaxed. For a quick anti-stress facial mask, mix 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt with 2 teaspoons of shredded cucumber for a quick calming fix. Shredded cucumber with honey (3 to 1 ratio) is a soothing remedy for dark under-eyes.

Medicinal Benefits:

Quenches Thirst

Internal Detoxicant

Nutritive

Skin Tonic

Soothes Throat

Anti Inflammatory

Hypotensive

Diuretic

Lowers Blood Sugar

Constituents: Nitric Oxide, Salicylates, Vitamin K

Potential herb drug interactions with Cucumber. Please see your health care provider for more information.

  • Diuretic: Diuretics may clear pharmaceutical drugs more quickly, lowering the effect. Avoid if taking water pills or pharmaceutical diuretics.
  • Hypotensive: Herbs that lower blood pressure can magnify the effect of blood pressure reducing pharmaceuticals.
  • Lowers-blood-sugar: Avoid if taking diabetes or other blood sugar lowering medication

🍽️ Recipe of the Week:  

White Chicken Caprese Lasagna (https://www.yammiesnoshery.com)

Ricotta Layer:

2 lbs ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Ingredients for Sauce:

1/2 stick butter

4 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or all-purpose gluten free flour mix like this one)

4 cups milk (I used whole)

1 cup heavy cream

2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

2 cups packed spinach, swiss chard, or kale

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Ingredients for Layering:

1 1/2 cups more mozzarella

1 box of oven ready lasagna noodles (you can use these gluten free ones)

2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

Halved cherry tomatoes (about 20)

More fresh basil for garnish

Balsamic glaze

Instructions:

  1. Combine all of the ingredients for the ricotta layer and set aside.
  2. For the sauce, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook for about 30 seconds. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Add the milk, a little at a time, whisking well as you add it. Add the heavy cream. Bring to a boil, stirring the whole time.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the mozzarella, spinach, salt, pepper, and basil. Continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the spinach is wilted. Set aside.
To Assemble:
  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  2. Place a couple ladles of sauce in the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch pan. Top with a layer of noodles followed by 1/3 of the ricotta mixture followed by 1/3 of the chopped chicken followed by 1/3 of the remaining sauce mixture. Continue layering in this pattern, ending with sauce (you should have sauce, noodles, ricotta, chicken, sauce, noodles, ricotta, chicken, sauce, noodles, ricotta, chicken, sauce). Top with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and then scatter on the halved cherry tomatoes.
  3. Bake for about 45 minutes (I like to put the 9x13 pan on a cookie sheet in the oven, just in case it overflows at all). If the top browns before the 45 minutes are up, just cover it with a sheet of tin foil for the rest of the time.
  4. Allow to cool about 10-20 minutes before serving. Top with fresh basil and balsamic glaze

📣 Farm News & Notes:

The biggest thing happening at the farm this week is FLATHEAD CHERRIES!! We have teamed up with Last Best Place Orchard from BigFork again to bring in their delicious flathead cherries, available for sale as well as included in shares this week.  They had a crop failure last year, as well as many cherry orchards, so we went a year without them.  We are so pumped to have them back again this year! If you'd like cherries in bulk please reach out and we can secure that for you.

We are still battling aphids in the greenhouse.  Although we are seeing more dead ones than live, they are still taking a toll on the later cuttings of lettuce.  Thank you for bearing with us as we continue to battles these things.  Because we don't use pesticides, our options are limited on how to control them.  We are considering bringing in more ladybugs this week to hopefully finish off the job.  Fortunately, we are not seeing really any other bugs (knock on wood), so our first round of beneficial insects are holding off any new outbreaks.

On another note, for our Philipsburg customers, next week is Flint Creek Valley Days.  Please be prepared for parking issues and overall chaos when you come and pick up your box or your weekly vegetable haul!  On the plus side, we will have live music at the market from 11-2!!!  Come see Sally and Cotton on our stage at the back of the market!

 

💬 Your Turn:
Encourage engagement. This is your call to action.

Got a favorite way to use cucumbers? Tag us on Instagram @moonrivercsa or reply to this email—we love seeing your creations!

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