Conditions change quickly out here — last night a sudden thunderstorm dropped hailstones large enough to dent cars in nearby Middleburg — so we never know exactly what CSA boxes will contain until we start packing them, but we can usually be sure about a couple of items. Last year many members asked us to post a box preview so they could plan their shopping in advance. To that end, here’s what we know for sure about week three:
kale
tart cherries
garlic scapes
Here’s what Epicurious says about garlic scapes:
“Garlic scapes are the soft, lime-green-colored stems and unopened flower buds of hard-neck garlic varieties. Scapes have a mild garlic flavor and a slight sweetness, which makes them a prized addition in the kitchen. You can find them in the early summer and midfall at farmers’ markets. If you grow your own garlic (which is easy), trim the scapes off before their flowers open. This forces the plant to focus on bulb production and increases the size of the garlic cloves.”
And the Washington Post recently carried a great article about the benefits of tart cherries. It’s called “I had a big pain in the neck. Then I ate a bunch of tart cherries.”
We’ll publish the full list of box contents in Crop Talk on Monday.
