This week, there was what appears to be an owl egg and a few of those pellets with bones that owls cough up at the base of the owl box overlooking the south garden.

Sanford built the box and led the project to install it 5 years ago and we have holding the space for them ever since

Please hold a point! It feels like it would be a real privilege if the owls chose this space for their new family.

fuerte avocados

gold nugget tangerines

young broccoli shoots

new crop of young multi color romaine lettuce

green onions

braising mix with chard kale and spinach

tangelos

pink and eureka lemons

sweet young carrots

fresh rosemary with flowers for making butter
fennel
kohlrabi
bouqute of Irises

We are making some of our famous purple German Bearded Irises available this week in the form of a bouquet for each CSA member. We are really not sure how well these delicate little guys are going to keep between tomorrow morning and when you get them home. We intentionally picked stems with a few unopened heads with hopes that they might open in a day or two. You might end up having to dead head a few spent flowers when you get home and put them on the table.

A crate of bouquets will be left at each drop off location. Enough for one for each member.

 This weeks showcase Avocado….Fuerte

The Fuerte avocado is a medium to large fruit with an elongated pyriform (pear) shape ranging from around five to sixteen ounces. Its skin is smooth, easy to peel and its flesh is thick, yellow and 18% oil. Its flavor is rich and creamy with notes of hazelnut and a lemony, grassy finish. 

With the commercialization of avocado production, this formerly leading market variety was displaced by the thick-skinned Haas, which handles better in shipping to distant markets. Of the almost 500 varieties of avocado, only seven are grown commercially in California, and of these seven, Haas comprises around 95% of the crop. Fuerte is considered by avocado growers and connoisseurs to be one of the best tasting commercial cultivates, and it deserves to be more widely grown and known.
 Avocado Commission Varieties List

Rosemary Flower Butter Recipe

Remove 1/4 lb butter from fridge and let soften at room temp

Chop the flowers with a sharp knife to bring out the flavor

Stir in flowers and white pepper with a fork

Wrap it in silicone foil or aluminum foil

Shape it if you want 

Stick in the fridge for a few ours.

It is awesome on bread, fish, chicken and lamb.

Here is a good video showing how to tackle another braising greens recipe

I do not understand the strange man in the background but it is a good recipe and she explains the process extremely well

 http://www.cookusinterruptus.com/index.php?video_id=66 

Braised Kohlrabi with Fennel and Leeks

This recipe is by Emeril. Maybe substitute the green onions for leeks? Just sayin…….. Recipe 

Roasted Fennel Green Onions and Kohlrabi 

This recipe works! Just julienne everything. Put everything in a pyrex. Add butter or olive oil generously. Add a dash of balsamic vinegar and some white pepper. Stick it in the oven at 400 degrees covered with foil for 25 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle parmesan on top and cook uncovered for another 10 minutes until tops of veggies are caramelized. It is great next to risotto. Note… use the bottom half of the fennel. Save the fronds for something else. Kohlrabi has to have the outer layer peeled or cut off before cutting up. It is super tough and you do not want to eat it.