Howdy folks, and welcome to Week 11 of your Tumbleweed Farm CSA harvest!

We hope you had a wonderful week and got to enjoy some delicious meals with last week's bounty. This week's share has a fun little surprise: the first of the summer green beans!

Funny enough, we weren't planning on harvesting beans quite yet. We figured they still had another week to go. But as Monday's harvest was winding down, I took one last stroll through the field and realized those beans had other plans—they were huge! So I asked the crew if anyone was willing to stick around a little longer to help pick them. Two hours later, we had enough beautiful green beans for every single share. I’m so proud of our team!! We did it!

Now, onto the recipes...because this week's lineup is one of my favorites yet. Also, y’all got some big bunches of parley so it’s chimichurri time. Don’t stress over how big some of the bunches are. Chimichurri lasts forever in the fridge and freezes really well. I don’t have a recipe on my blog for chimichurri but I am typing out the recipe from my cookbook “Local Dirt” below so you have it. It’s. lovely and taste great served over steak, fish, chicken or even drizzled over white beans and rice.

The Celery and Date Salad is an absolute must-make. It's incredibly simple, surprisingly flavorful, and one of those dishes that has everyone asking for the recipe after the first bite.

The Broiled Miso Salmon with Cucumber Salad is another recipe you won't want to miss. It's fresh, packed with flavor, and comes together in about 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy summer evenings.

And if you're looking for a cozy, family-friendly dinner, the Italian Chicken, Chickpea, and Zucchini Skillet is the answer. It's an easy one-pan meal that's hearty, nourishing, and was officially declared my kids' favorite recipe of the summer. If that's not a glowing review, I don't know what is!

If you make any of this week's recipes, we'd love to hear what you think.

Enjoy this week's haul, friends. We worked our tails off to fill these boxes, and we hope you can taste the love that went into every single one. Happy cooking!

Local Dirt’s Chimichurri Sauce (makes 1 1/2 cups)

1 cup coarsely chopped parsley
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Blend everything together in a food processor until smooth. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed. This usually means more salt and pepper!

Harvest 11

Head Lettuce—Anti-infamatory and a rich source of vitamins A, K and folate.
Green Beans—Green beans are rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients such as vitamins A & C, calcium, iron, manganese, beta-carotene, and protein. They are also a wonderful source of dietary fiber.
Collard Greens—not only are they high in vitamin K they are also a good source of cancer fighting compounds. They are rich in glucosinolates which is a sulfur-containing compound which is thought to help stop cancer process at different stages of development. Pretty rad!
Celery—it’s rich in over 25 anti-inflmatory compounds and has a natural and healthy sodium content and is a great source of electrolytes.
Walla Walla Sweet Onions— Onions are high in probiotics and fiber which is great for gut health. They are also high in vitamin C, which may help regulate your immune health, collagen production, and iron absorption. Onions are rich in B vitamins, including folate and vitamin B6.
Zucchini/Summer Squash—Zucchini/summer squash is a highly alkaline food that is one of the mildest and easiest vegetables to digest. Zucchini is a great source of vitamin A, C, & B-complex as well as minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, and manganese.
Cucumber— If you are feeling dehydrated eat a cucumber! Cucumbers are hydrating and contain more than 50 trace minerals. They contain chlorophyll in their skins that’s bonded to B vitamins and vitamins A and C. And cucumbers support digestion and hydration.
Carrots—Rich in beta-carotene which your body converts into Vitamin A. This vitamin is important for vision, bone and immune function. Carrots are also high in antioxidants and important minerals for overall body health. Remove the greens on the carrots before storing them so they don’t go soft.
Basil—It’s antibacterial and antiviral making it effective against bacterial infections, colds and flu. Basil is a rich source of magnesium and is chock full of vitamins and minerals essential for overall body health and wellness.
Parsley—This herb is an all-purpose pathogen-fighter; it keeps bacteria, parasites, and fungus at bay. It helps alkalize all systems in the body and includes important vitamins and minerals such as vitamins B, A, C, and K. It’s also a highly remineralizing food, especially for those low in trace minerals; parsley provides magnesium, sulfur, iron, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, chromium, selenium, iodine, and calcium.
Garlic —the list of health benefits is almost too long!! It’s anti-fungal, anti- inflammatory, boosts immune health, and is full of antioxidants! Just eat garlic with every meal!

Recipe Suggestions

Celery, Date & Hazelnut Salad (so simple and very, very good!)

Italian Ground Chicken, Chickpea & Zucchini Skillet Dinner (family favorite and one pan!!)

Broiled Miso Salmon Bites with Cucumber Salad (best salmon recipe I’ve ever made!!)

Carrot Parsley Salad with Hazelnuts (this is so simple and flavorful)

Chicken, Chickpea & Zucchini Soup (even on a hot summer evening this soup hits just right! And it uses up your parsley!)

Celery Grape Salad with Chili Crisp (so delicious with all the sweet, spicy, and savory flavors going on!)

Coconut Braised Collard Greens (this is by far the best use of Collards. It’s goes well with chicken and rice)

Warm Collard Greens with Burst Tomatoes and Coconut (this is a lovely and unique way to serve collards. If you have cherry tomatoes make this dish!)