Fall Harvest: Apple Guide

 Fall season is upon us, and with it comes some of our favorite treats. No, we’re not talking about pumpkin spice… We’re talking about apples! Apple pies, apple muffins, apple cider. We love apples baked into our desserts, tossed into salads, blended into butternut squash soup, and of course, simply on their own as the perfect sweet snack. You may have noticed the many apple options available to you when customizing your farm box. Today we will take a look at the flavor profiles of some of our favorite apple varieties, and for what uses they are best suited!

 

Fuji

If you’re in the mood for something sweet, Fuji is your answer. Fuji apples were discovered in the 1930s in Fujisaki, Japan (hence the name). They are a hybrid of Red Delicious and Ralls Janet, a less common apple that lends Fuji its beautiful pink hue. Sweet and juicy, biting into a Fuji apple will make you feel like you’re drinking fresh-squeezed apple juice. Fuji apples are most commonly eaten raw. They do hold their shape well when baked; however, they are very juicy so be cautious of extra moisture when baking. We especially love Fuji apples for making apple butter and homemade applesauce.

 

Gala

Gala apples are also extremely popular for eating raw. Originating from New Zealand, they are related to the Golden Delicious variety. Gala apples are a little less sweet than Fujis, but their semi-sweet flavor features hints of vanilla and floral notes. They are firm and crisp, with a creamy yellow interior. Gala apples tend to be smaller in size, making them great for on-the-go snacking. Gala apples are wonderful when sliced and tossed in a salad.

 

Granny Smith

A tried and true favorite, Granny Smith apples are good for pretty much everything - snacking, cooking, baking, freezing. They don’t brown easily, making them ideal for a fruit salad or fruit platter. Maria Ann Smith discovered these green apples growing in Australia in the late 1800s. They became popular in the 1960s when they were grown commercially in Washington. Granny Smiths are a favorite for baking - we love how their tart flavor balances out the sweetness of a brown sugar crumble topping.

 

Honeycrisp

Honeycrisp apples are perfectly described by their name - sweet like honey with a crisp texture that snaps when you bite into it. New on the scene, Honeycrisp apples were first created in the early 1990s by the University of Minnesota’s apple breeding program. They have a juicy flavor that balances sweetness and acidity. Their texture and flavor holds up extremely well, making them great for apple tarts and pies.

California-Grown Keitt Mangoes

Super sweet and oh-so-delicious, Keitt (pronounced keet) mangoes are grown here in sunny California! Did you know that Keitt mangoes are left on the tree longer than imported mangoes? This results in them being a sweeter tasting fruit with a nice, smooth texture.

Don't let the green fool you!

Though their skin may turn a bit golden, Keitt mangos may remain a deep green even when ripe! To check for ripeness, give it a slight squeeze, and it should yield under gentle pressure - similar to an avocado. If your mango still needs a little time to finish ripening, leave it out at room temperature. Once ripe, you can store it in the fridge and use within a few days.  
 

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HOW TO CUT A MANGO

The flesh of the mango is a striking golden-orange. There is a large flat seed in the center that needs to be removed. Learn how to easily cube your mango using these quick steps in the video above.

 

FRESH MANGO RECIPES 

 

Watermelon Mango Salsa

A little sweet and spicy, this cool and crisp salsa is delicious on chips, crackers or tacos. It's the perfect recipe to try with your California Grown Keitt Mangoes! 

Click here for the recipe.

 

Mango Lassi

This refreshing mango drink is perfect for a hot summer day or when eating something spicy.

Ingredients:
(serves two)
1 Keitt mango
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
4 teaspoons sugar, to taste
1 dash ground cardamom
coconut flakes for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Peel and remove the pit from the mango, then chop the flesh into chunks and measure out one cup (reserve the rest for another recipe.) Put the mango, yogurt, milk, sugar and cardamom into a blender and blend for 2 minutes.

Pour into glasses and serve. Sprinkle with coconut or more cardamom if desired.

 

Strawberry Salsa with Cinnamon Chip

This salsa is like a mini fruit salad that you eat with cinnamon-sugar chips. Our favorite part about this recipe is how adaptable this salsa can be. In the summer, you could easily make this salsa and feature mango, cantaloupe, or peaches. We enjoy eating this salsa with homemade sugar chips, but this sweeter salsa would also be good with yogurt, topped on oatmeal or plain as a snack. Store leftover salsa in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Click here for the recipe.

 

Mighty Mango & Avocado Smoothie

Ingredients:
(serves one)
1 Keitt mango, pit removed and peeled
1 avocado, pit removed and peeled
1 cup strawberries, stems removed
1/4 or more apple juice

Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix until combined. Add more apple juice depending on your smoothie thickness preference (more apple juice will help thin the smoothie out and make it easier to sip through a straw).

How To Add Mangoes and Farm Stand Products to Your Delivery:
CSA members - head on over to our online Farm Stand Market to customize your upcoming delivery. Market is open from noon on Thursday until 6 pm, 2 days before your scheduled delivery day. After you confirm your produce items, click the orange button "Confirm and Continue To Other Farm Products" to add the products to your delivery.

Not part of our farm family? Find out if we deliver to your neighborhood. You can even get your whole office in on the fun with our office snack packs. Find more information about our office deliveries here.

A Season of Change

Farm News

There is no denying that nothing is the same. Each week, we wonder how much will change next week, and in the back of my mind, a breeze gently begs the question, “Will it ever return to normal?” This is what I am escaping from as I leave the desk, my inventory, my crop plans, my fulfillment challenges behind to exercise my heart. It is hard to start the run, but it doesn’t take long for me to remember that I am healthy and happy to be using my heart—this small act gives it the love it needs to keep me strong.

A slight breeze started this week. It was welcome because the days were hot enough for it blow away the heat, but I was wrong, it wasn’t that kind of breeze. This breeze was the reminder that the seasons are changing, it was a breeze that later grew into a powerful wind. Every season of every year of my life on this farm has had this wind, the wind that blows out the current season leaving room for the next to settle. As I crumpled along, pondering this routine of the seasons, I was stopped by the rustle of bushes by the creek. From the sound, a blue heron exploded into flight not ten feet away. The wind is the best mask from which to stumble onto wildlife. In the same bushes, a bright yellow dot caught my eye, so bright, pulsing yellow with color, so much so that I couldn’t understand what it could even be. Then the details around the color came into focus, the beak, the feet, the black eyes of an Oriole. I am not a birder, so I have no idea where this guy came from or where he is going, but I know this farm well enough to know that like the breeze brings the new season, these birds make this farm home for a piece of the year.

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With all the disruption in our routine, I found comfort in the predictability of the season on the farm. This breeze, that bird, the tomatoes ready for their first stakes, the first cutting of alfalfa sitting in huge blocks, the second set of weeds starting in the field where my cover crops have just been disked it, the list goes on. I am by the pumping station now, I can hear the motor whirling, and on the ground, running along the road, is an eight inch aluminum pipe—an above-ground river moving water from here to the crops. At this spot, my memory is jogged of a huge gopher snake I saw here many years ago. Fat, bright brown in color, stretched fully across the road, holding perfectly still with hopes that I would not see him. I look around for him, but he isn’t there. He hasn’t been there since the one time but every time I cross this spot I remember.

This change will come to an end or at least come to a place where life is normal again. When that happens, I hope that our farm and our farm box on your doorstep have earned a permanent spot in your lives. Like the exercise I give my heart five times a week, our local food system needs to be kept in shape, too. Buying your food locally builds a robust food system that will care for you always, but in order for it to do that you need to exercise it.

5 Easy Earth Day Resolutions

Who says New Year's is the only time for resolutions? Earth Day is every April 22nd and it’s the perfect occasion to adopt a new habit for the greater good of our planet. At Farm Fresh To You, we take our responsibility as stewards of the land seriously by using these sustainable farming practices, but we also have some great tips for conserving natural resources at home. Here are 5 easy ways that we can help save the Earth by saving water, saving energy and minimizing waste.

What a Week!

We are so fortunate to be part of such a robust local food system. As the news of society’s reaction to COVID-19 spread, we all wondered what, if anything, was going to change. It was my wife, Moyra, who delivered the news. While we sat around the kitchen table after dinner, she logged on to customize our weekly Farm Fresh To You box (yes, we get one too), “Thad, everything is sold out, even the radicchio.” We looked at each other. “Radicchio is sold out?” Radicchio is great, but it never ever, ever, sells out and I knew we had a field full of that stuff. It has been an around-the-clock process from that moment to catch up to the unprecedented demand.

COVID-19 Update

Update: Monday, March 16th, 6pm
Before we dive in with an update, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our community of customers and family of employees. The positive support and kind patience we are seeing online and in correspondence has been tremendous.

Female Founders: A Maker's Spotlight

Everyday women around the world are doing something sensational. Because March is Women’s History Month, all month long we will be celebrating the inspirational women we partner with because of their dedication to their craft and the kind of hard work the makes dreams come true!

Spice It Up: Mulling Spices

This week’s blog post is a bit of a twist on our Spice It Up series. Rather than talking about one spice, we’re talking about one of our favorite blends, mulling spices.

History:

Super Snacks for Super Bowl

For all of the football fans out there, the Super Bowl is just two weeks away and we're looking forward to a fierce and competitive game! And for those of you that don't care about football, you get to look forward to some fierce Super Bowl snacking! We admit that one of our favorite parts of Super Bowl Sunday is the delicious array of tailgate snacks and appetizers. If you are hosting or attending a viewing party this year, consider trying one of these fun recipes, and make sure to check out our selection of Super Bowl favorites when you customize your box.

Spice It Up: Turmeric

About

Turmeric is a perennial herbaceous plant that is a member of the ginger family. It’s native to Southeast Asia and India, but it can grow anywhere that has a warm and humid climate. Turmeric plants grow long leaves that emerge from rhizomes, which is more or less a root, that is hidden beneath the soil. When the rhizome is harvested, it is boiled, dried under sunlight for about a week, then polished. Dried rhizomes are about two to three inches in length, but are most commonly sold ground up into a powder that is found in the spice aisle. The name turmeric comes from the Latin word terra merita, which refers to the golden yellow color of ground turmeric.

Artisan Producers That Give Back

Giving back to our community and supporting other small farms & artisans has always been a part of our mission. We are proud to have the opportunity to work with producers who also embody similar missions. Here are a few companies we partner with that are making a difference both locally, and globally.