The unseasonably cool nights in the last half of July and moist conditions have been hard on the garlic, tomatoes, cantaloupe and cucumbers. We hope that warmer weather helps stop the spread of Late Blight and Downy Mildew! Good news is that the sweet corn is coming along and we expect to have some for the August 1st pick-up. The gladiolas are slow to start, but I do see some flowers coming. We have pick-your-own sunflowers in the garden to the north of the house. A tip is to re-cut the stem when you get home and put them into warm/hot water.

Ken had to hook up his team of wooden horses to pull out one of our really big zucchini this year as the pictures shows! We have lots of Zucchini and Summer Squash, both can be used in the following recipe Jolianne has made this on her cooking night and it has been a big hit here at Orchard Hill Farm

.

Italian Zucchini Pie

From Simply in Season by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert

Yields 2 pies

¼ cup warm water

1-tablespoon active dry yeast

Mix until yeast dissolves. Set aside.

¼ cup milk

1-tablespoon olive oil

1 egg (beaten)

Combine in a mixing bowl or food processor. Add dissolved yeast and stir.

¼ cup whole-wheat flour

¼ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)

1-teaspoon salt

1 –2 teaspoons fresh basil (chopped)

Blend in.

2 cups bread flour

Add ½ cup at a time to make a smooth but slightly sticky dough. Place in a greased bowl, turn to grease both sides, cover with a damp cloth, and place in a warm place while preparing the zucchini filling.

¼ cup butter

9 cups zucchini (thinly sliced)

1-2 cups onion (chopped)

Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add zucchini and onions and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

1 clove garlic (minced)

1 tablespoon each fresh basil and oregano (chopped; or ½ teaspoon dried)

1-teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Stir in.

5 large eggs (beaten)

4 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)

Combine in a separate bowl, then stir into zucchini mixture.

Divide dough in half. Place each half on a lightly floured surface and roll into a circle 12 inches in diameter. Place each into a lightly greased 10-inch pie dish.

4 teaspoons prepared mustard

¼ cup Parmesan cheese (grated; optional)

Spread the pie crests with mustard. Divide the zucchini mixture between the two crests. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top, if using. Bake in preheated oven at 375F until center is set 18-20 minutes. If crust begins to brown before center is done, cover edges with aluminum foil. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Our apprentices are busy putting the final coat of sand/clay plaster on the interior straw bale walls in the bunkhouse. CSA members are welcome to go and have a look when they come to the farm.