Summer CSA Week 11 and Tomato Recipes

Mollie waiting for the bus today

I know that it is still summer, but to me it feels like fall.
Today changes everything around here.
Mollie is off to school again, Emily left for university tonight and either at the end of this week, or perhaps next, another change.
Maris The Amazing will finish up his stint as my farm intern and I will again be a one woman show.

I like the thought of a bit slower pace, but that won't come for a while yet.
I have the greenhouses to plant for the fall/winter and also winter/spring CSA periods, winter rye to sow, lots of harvesting yet to do, crops to put up for the winter and seeds to harvest and organize for 2013 sales. I'm busy, bet you are too. Seems everybody is.

It's all good and will get done.

For me though the biggest thing is to figure out what I will be doing for the 2013 season.
There will be seed sales, Seedy Saturday to organize, transplant sales, and in all likelihood a smaller year round CSA.

I am imagining I'll be working solo next year, so the downsizing is inevitable. I'm enjoying the thought of a bit slower pace too, and that is my goal next year. The girls laugh when I tell them this. They think I am incapable of it, but I am.

Todays baskets had a definite focus on tomatoes.  Ya-definitely-hoo!
I did get my tomatoes in later than most people I bet, so it is now that they are coming on strong. I'm super happy to see them and I hope you are too.

Also now is pepper time and I didn't put any super hots in the baskets today. Most are sweet, with a few mild hots on the side.

Most veggies in the baskets should be recognizable.  I hope people are happy to see the salad too.  I sure was. It was a tough go getting it to germinate in the heat and dry conditions, but I watered and watered and today's salad is the result.

I am going to throw in a few simple ideas for the tomatoes.
My salad all summer tends to be a tomato one. I cut up my tomatoes in chunks, or halve the cherries.
I tear up some basil, possibly add a bit of onion, dress it with olive oil and vinegar of my choice (a good balsamic if Mollie isn't here), add a bit of sea salt and freshly ground pepper and BINGO!

Mama's tomato salad.

Last night I did this...

I sliced some tomatoes thinly and put them in my cast iron skillet. I tossed on some basil, rosemary, thyme, licorice mint, onion, garlic, sea salt and drizzled a few tablespoons of good olive oil over it all.

I broiled it for about 10 minutes and it was delicious over pasta.

I noticed this recipe on the internet tonight and this will be my next (minor) effort....a simple  tomato jam.
Check out the recipe HERE

4 weeks of summer baskets left!