Roasted Salsa and Bulk Tomatoes…But First, Some Free Stuff
Many of you may be aware that as an organic practice we use EM (efficient microorganisms) on the farm. We add these beneficial bacteria to our greenhouse water, as well as our irrigation system, to help promote healthy biological growth. It is also an excellent foliar feed for plants, crowding out harmful diseases on leaves and plant surfaces. In doing this, we are not just organic farmers but biological farmers.

Our source for these probiotics is Sustainable Community Develpment (SCD), located on 9th St. in KCMO. Recently the plant rep, Micheal Snyder, called us to see if we wanted to take some extra product off his hands. These items were nearing their listed expiration date, and he needed room in the warehouse for newer batches. The extra product filled the floor of our VW van, and we have more than we need.

Much of it is in sample containers, and we are passing it along to the membership for free. There are 4 main products to choose from:
EM Plus-this is the same product we use,
Odor Away-an industrial odor control concentrate (good for the home too),
Probiotica-an herbal probiotic supplement, and
Bio Klean– an industrial cleaning concentrate also good for the home.

There are links to info on each product above to hopefully answer any questions you may have. Hope that you find these items useful. Let us know what you think.

Tomatillo Saga
This week seems to be a peak week for tomatillos and jalapenos. So much so that we actually have enough for all 74 full shares to get a salsa packs (partials all get one next week). The tomatillos are doing well right now, due in part to our seed saving initiative.

We have found that having a vigurous and productive tomatillo plant is all in the seeds. In the past we have bought them and been disappointed with small fruit, weak plants, or ones where the fruit never seems to fill out the husk.

Last year we took time to save seeds from the plants that produced the best, in hopes of starting a dependable Fair Share Farm strain. It has paid off so far this year, with the saved seed plant producing better than the purchased seed plants. There are complications though, as each saved seed plant still seems to have its own unique characteristics. Some are sprawling and produce small fruit (but lots of them), others produce just they way we are hoping, and still others are infected with the mosaic virus. We are selectively saving seeds from many plants this year, with the hope of ending up with a productive, disease-resistant strain that will produce many a salsa pack in the future.

Roasted Salsa
A second way to enjoy your salsa pack (see Week 10 for the first).

Ingredients
1 salsa pack (tomatillo, garlic, onion, jalapeno)
1 medium tomato
1 tbsp vegetable or other oil
1 to 2 tbsp fresh chives or cilantro, chopped

Method
Remove husk from tomatillo. Core and cut in half. Clean and cut onion in half. Core tomato and cut in half. Cut jalapeno in half and remove seeds. Clean one clove of garlic.

Place above ingredients on small baking sheet. Pour 1 tbsp oil over all and mix to coat.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once or twice (toaster ovens are perfect for this). Let cool slightly and then chop on pulse mode in a food processor.

Transfer to bowl, top with chives or cilantro. Serve with corn chips or as an accompaniment to tacos, burritos or other dishes.

Bulk Order List (week of July 27)
Paste tomatoes (firsts) – $3.00/lb; $2.50/lb over 10 lbs
Tomato seconds (heirloom and hybrids) – $2.50/lb; $2.00/lb over 10 lbs
Kale – $3.00/bunch
Swiss chard – $3.00 per bunch
Carrots – $3.00/bunch
Onions $3.00/quart
Oregano, basil, mint, dill flowers $2.oo/bunch
Dried herbs $2.00/tin (thyme, marjoram, dried hot peppers, lovage, lavendar flowers, coriander, oregano, rosemary)