What’s Inside This Week?
August 20, 2026
Essentials Box
- Cherry Tomatoes, 1pt, $4.00
- Baby Kale, 8oz, $5.00
- Baby Arugula, 8oz, $5.00
- Pluots, 1lb, $4.00
- Poblano, 1lb, $4.00
- Carrots, 1 bu, $3.00
Original Box
- Essentials Box, plus:
- Squash Mix, 1lb, $3.00
- Eggplant, 1lb, $4.00
- Heirloom Tomatoes, 1lb, $4.00
- Butternut Squash, 1ct, $4.00
- White Onion, 2lbs, $4.00
Hearty Box
- Original Box, plus:
- Roma Tomatoes, 1pt, $4.00
- Beets, 1 bu, $4.00
- Celery, 1ct, $3.00
- Strawberries, 1 clam, $6.00
Microgreens: officially a success!
We completed our test round of microgreens this week, and it worked. Radishes were first up, and the greenhouse conversion into a dedicated seed-starting and microgreen space is officially paying off.
Field Notes
We have a new WWOOFer this week — Dylan, here for a week and diving straight into weeding, which we appreciate more than we can say. The weeds are WAY out of control right now. It’s been a good stretch for the pollinator project too: the wildflower mix seed we broadcast across the wildlife habitats is starting to come up. Myron finished Wildlife Habitat under the barn in the garden, and Jeremy has started on the hedgerow around section 8, where we grow our squash, corn, and garlic.
Jeremy also managed to trap several enormous gophers this week — not a romantic win but it matters enormously for everything we’ve been planting.
Our first successful round of radish microgreens, fresh out of the new greenhouse setup.
We also want to say thank you for a wonderful summer of Friday night Old Town Markets. It was wonderful connecting with so many of you week after week, and we’re already looking forward to next season.
At home, the Raff kids are back to homeschool this week — which means the farm gets to be the classroom again. Zoe took the wheel of the tractor, and Jeremy and Waylon hosted a Santa Maria homeschool group for a visit to see the animals.
Zoe behind the wheel of the tractor. Homeschool has its perks.
A Santa Maria homeschool group stopped by to visit the cows this week.
Storage Tips
Greens: baby kale, baby arugula → wrap in a towel, bag in the fridge; use within 5–7 days.
Peppers: poblano → fridge in a bag; keeps 1–2 weeks.
Nightshades: cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, roma tomatoes, eggplant → counter, never the fridge; use within a few days.
Squash: squash mix → fridge crisper, unwashed; best within 4–5 days. Butternut squash → cool, dry counter; refrigerate once cut.
Alliums: white onion → cool, dry, dark place; fridge once cut.
Roots: carrots, beets → fridge crisper, bagged; store greens separately.
Celery: wrap in foil and refrigerate; stays crisp for weeks.
Fruit: pluots → counter to ripen, fridge once soft; use within 2–3 days. Strawberries → don’t wash until ready to eat; fridge, use within 2–3 days.
Poblano & Heirloom Tomato Salsa
Poblano heirloom tomato salsa takes the smoky depth of a charred poblano and pairs it with the sweetness of peak-season heirloom tomatoes for a salsa that’s a real step above anything from a jar. This poblano heirloom tomato salsa comes together in 25 minutes and disappears even faster.
Ingredients
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1lb heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 white onion, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Pinch of cumin, optional
- Fresh cilantro, if you have it, chopped
Instructions
- Char the poblano directly over a gas flame, under the broiler, or on a hot grill, turning until blackened on all sides, about 8–10 minutes.
- Place the charred poblano in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a plate, and let steam for 10 minutes. Peel off the blackened skin, remove seeds and stem, and roughly chop.
- Combine chopped poblano, heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, onion, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and cumin in a bowl.
- Pulse briefly in a food processor for a smoother salsa, or leave chunky and stir by hand.
- Taste and adjust salt and lime. Top with cilantro if using. Let sit 10 minutes before serving so the flavors meld.
Charring peppers — a technique worth learning
Charring a poblano before using it isn’t just for looks — it fundamentally changes the pepper’s flavor. Raw poblano is mild and slightly grassy; charred, it becomes smoky and deep, with a sweetness that balances beautifully against the acidity of tomatoes. The technique works on almost any thick-skinned pepper: bell peppers, jalapeños, even Italian frying peppers benefit from the same char-steam-peel method.
The steaming step matters more than people expect. Trapping the hot pepper under a cover softens the skin from the inside, so it slides off in sheets instead of clinging stubbornly to the flesh. Skip it, and you’ll spend twice as long scraping at blackened skin with a knife.
This poblano heirloom tomato salsa also freezes well without the onion and lime — make a big batch of just the charred poblano and tomato base, freeze it flat in a bag, and stir in fresh onion, lime, and salt whenever you’re ready to use it. It’s a great way to use up an abundance of tomatoes before they turn.
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2026-08-20 CSA by Megan_Raff
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