This is the time of year when everything is being harvested at the same time. Careful planning is needed to capture all the crops at their best. Very busy long days followed by fine tuning the next days tasks. During one of our recent evening farm walks, Marc and I noticed those familiar large dark green pods appear in our well worn melon patch. The Bradfords have arrived! We were first introduced to this variety by one of our CSA member, Mike Boland. He got his hands on a few stamped seeds from the original blood line in the US. From those few seeds we coaxed 4 melons to ripen that year. After saving those seed, the next year we were thrilled with a bountiful crop. From there we have gathered a following of those that look forward to this old style watermelon.
The legendary Bradford was one of the sweetest melon varieties ever created in South Carolina. Prized in the 1800’s they all but disappeared by the 1920’s because its tender rind didn’t ship well. The Bradford family kept their heritage stock alive for all these years and now eight generations later the variety is making a comeback with chefs and food enthusiasts everywhere. Find the Bradford boys @bradfordwatermelons on Instagram and Facebook. These large melons are great for family get together’s or just celebrating the last bit of summer.
We are selling our Bradfords through the on-line store at www.rumarfarm.ca
Here is what you can expect this week:
Sovereign Coronation Table Grapes Vibrant blue-purple seedless table grapes. Their tart skin and burst of juicy sweetness make them a great ready to eat snack. Refrigerate grapes in a container, loosely covered for up to 7-10 days.
Delecata Squash Also known as a sweet potato squash, it is a rich, creamy winter squash. Easy to handle and cooks quickly if cut into cute flower shaped slices. Just drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Coat well and bake on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes or so.
Stir Fry Mix Signature blend of mustard greens including komatsuna, choi, kale, red mustard and tsai. Chop and saute this mix with bacon and garlic and top with toasted sesame seeds and serve over rice. Bam, a quick and tasty meal.
Sweet Yellow Banana Peppers Mild, medium sized pepper with a tangy, sweet taste. Great pickled, as a topping for pizza, in sandwiches and salads, stuffed or in salsa.
Red Field Tomato Mix Make your own fast and easy homemade fresh tomato sauce. Perfect way to use up ripe summer tomatoes. Cut up tomatoes and heat them with herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Simmer on low to medium until thickened. Toss with cooked al dente pasta and serve sprinkled with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Coloured Radish Mix Why not try roasted radishes, it mellows out their bite. These coloured bulbs will be a startling surprise on the table this time of year served with a couple spoonfuls of lentils or grains. Makes a luxury brunch menu item or just a nice change from eating them raw.
Bunch Sage A native of the Mediterranean, this herb has a strong aroma and earthy flavour. The large leaves can be deep fried to yield a flavourful, crispy chip that can be used as a garnish or seasoning on a variety of dishes.
Enjoy
