The First Fall Squash of the year is here to say "HI". Spaghetti squash is so versatile that you can literally use it as a spaghetti noodle substitute. It's a squash that dreams it's a pasta...(or maybe spaghetti pasta is dreaming it could be a squash??)

I usually cook all my fall/winter squash the same. Cut them in half and turn them upside down on an oiled pan and back until fork tender. From there you can season and use however you desire.

Welcome to week 37 of the year 2020...it’s been a good one huh? (snicker snicker)

What can we do but laugh? Answer: Cry...probably should be doing both at times.

Each week I write this newsletter, I try to check back into my optimistic self to talk about the good things we are seeing in terms of food security, personal health, and changing the world one bite at a time.

This week I want to highlight the “Italian Frying Peppers”.

We’ve finally got some 2020 apples in from Quarry Hill Orchard. The story about the “zestar” is as follows...

Finally, an early season apple with a crisp, juicy texture, and an exciting zesty flavor with a hint of brown sugar!

For generations, the University of Minnesota has taken great pride in developing high quality apples. Since 1878 when our breeding efforts began, we've brought you 24 new apple varieties including Haralson, Fireside, Honeygold, Regent, Sweet 16, Honeycrisp, and SnowSweet®. Zestar!® was introduced in 1999 from a hybridization of State Fair x MN 1691. We're confident that you will be pleased with this flavorful, crisp apple.

Folks, can you feel the shift in the seasons? I feel it most in the height of the sun...it must have something to do with the way the shadows change. What that means as always, is that our food is shifting again.

Out ahead of us we have hot peppers, sweet peppers, melons, peaches, plums, apples, grapes, beans, and brussels!!!

Corn and Blackberries again…#sorrynotsorry

These blackberries are the example of how each year is different. The strawberries were a bust this year for a few different reasons but these blackberries just keep on giving so we are just going to let them...keep on giving.

Last Monday I went to Groveport, OH to meet with Kendyl and Andy who we also know as Three Creeks Organic Produce. They live on 7 acres right in the middle of a bunch of warehouses and have carved out a serene food growing space. We had a discussion that we will release next Monday as a podcast episode.

Friends….Lend me your ears!...(so corny)
Cobbs in every box this week but you can also add more for next week right here.

Judging by people’s posts on social media, it looks like the summer boxes are finding their way into your belly in all kinds of fantastic ways.

This time of year I start to shift into eating a lot of “ratatouille” type dishes. For those of you that are not familiar with Ratatouille…

Early on in our vision for this company, we decided that we didn’t want to make fruit cost “extra”. This is usually the model that is used for doing what we do, primarily because fruit is waaaayyyyy more expensive than veggies.

We have always stuck by that desire to include the fruits in the box because like everyone, it is many of our favorite items!!

4 of our drivers went out yesterday like the 4 winds to the 4 corners of the state.

What they brought back around 7pm last night was over 32 varieties of produce from over 15 farms….

Logistical nightmare? Yes

Worth every minute and mile? Absolutely.

WE ARE REPRESENTING 17 FARMS in our boxes this week!! 
A few special shout outs!!

• Darista Dips - FINALLY, we get to send each of you the best hummus in the land.  I dare you to try and NOT eat this entire container in one sitting.

• Three Creeks Produce - We strive to grow tasty food in ways that nurture our land, our environment, and our community. Refraining from the use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides, we keep our focus on feeding our soils through regenerative practices and careful stewardship. 

This week I have listened to a couple of podcasts about the dire situation many of the people in our country are facing as it relates to both their personal health and the supply chain issues of the conventional food system. Both of these issues we have been able to circumvent as we continue to be supplied with the tastiest and most nutritious food from our very own OHIO growers.

WE take YOUR grocery shopping very seriously. Each week we have a budget for you, that we are able to take DIRECTLY to our growers and producers to get you the cleanest, tastiest, freshest produce and products in our market.

This is when things start to get really fun.  All the food is going to change quickly now as we start to see the early spring plantings, ready to harvest.

Over the next few weeks EVERYBODY will be getting LOTS of STRAWBERRIES and LOTS of ASPARAGUS...part of the power of being involved as a member is that you get a box each week so we can space out everything and make sure that everyone gets the goodies, but without having to force the growers to do something that contradicts nature in order to have enough for everyone all at once.  

We’ve waited patiently for a year to be able to sing our favorite song….All together now! “This is the dawning of the age of A-SPARA-GUS, the age of A-SPARA-GUUUU-UUUS….ASPAAARAGUUUUUUSS…..ASPARRRRRAGUUUUUUS!”

As always, our sweet mother nature has delivered again. We should have a couple nice weeks now of asparagus, which truly is the dawning of the new year of fresh food. It stores best standing up in a glass of water in your fridge. (as if you had the patience to keep it longer than 1 day before eating)

One of the coolest things that has developed over the last 3 months, is working with vendors and producers to provide something that can be put in EVERY box.  This happens because companies want their product in your hands now that they know the YB Fam Runs DEEP!  We have done it with kimchi, yogurt, and this week we get to do it with COLD PRESSED JUICE!

Mother Nature did a “Tricked Ya!” on us Ohio-ans this week...freezing nights in May are NOT normal and so some of the products that we were hoping to have by now (asparagus), will take just another week or two.  

What we do have though I think is going to make your hearts SING for SPRING!

RHUBARB - There are so many things that this can be used for...try a “quick pickle” on it and then add to a salad

It’s that time of week, where we all gather round the dinner table and start to see what Ohio (and sometimes Florida) has to offer us. Sunsprout Farms of Central Ohio is a well established sprout farm that we have wanted to work with for years….nothing like a little pandemic to bring together NEW PARTNERSHIPS! The first signs of asparagus showed up this week and they will be going out in the FULLS. Bases and Mini’s stay tuned though because you will be next up.

There are about 10 items a year that are turning into “cult classic’s”.  RAMP’s are quickly becoming a contender for TOP 5.

If we are lucky, they are around each spring for about a month.  Also, they are WILD...meaning, if we get them from anyone, they are foraged and not grown.  Couple that with having over 1000 members at a time when we normally have about 350, and I was not sure we were going to be able to get EVERYONE ramps this year.  

We had a MAJOR influx of product this week to meet the new demands that our community is ordering. Every single time you place an order it’s like you are showing up at the polls and casting a vote for the way you want this state to handle it’s agricultural, local economies, and health care…(let food be thy medicine...someone smart said that once). We are hitting the time of year where there are a LOT of green things coming your way.