Orchard Talk

Help! We’re being overrun by cucumbers!!!

If we can’t get to the phones, it’s because we can’t make it through the mountains of pickling and slicing cukes we’ve harvested from our gardens. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to plant 5 acres

Here’s what we’re offering this week:

Veggies: Now available at both markets: good quality slicing cukes (not too fat) and pickling cukes (sand-free). Our sweet corn is here: golden fresh and sweet. We also have lots of our own zucchini and summer squash in the market, plus amazing melons, juicy tomatoes and crisp, tasty peppers direct from Bay City.

Cherries: Last chance for delicious, fresh tart cherries. Get ‘em while you can, most likely through the middle of the week. If you absolutely can’t make it by then, you’re still in luck. We’re now offering frozen pitted tart cherries and sweet cherries as well. So many ways to enjoy this Northern Michigan favorite… What’s yours?

Peaches: Our Early Glo peaches are ready for picking. These are sweet and delicious; great for eating! Just a little while longer for the Red Haven canning peaches, which we’re expecting the last week of August.

Nectarines: They should be ready around the same time as the Red Havens. So far, it’s looking like the last week of August to enjoy these.

Apricots: The apricots are delicious and firm, still going strong. Come and U-Pick or find them ready to go at the market.

Blueberries: Direct from West Olive, we’re got luscious, plump blueberries-great for eating and making desserts.

Flowers: We have big, beautiful sunflowers available to U-Pick and in our market. We also have a plethora of statice: a bright, colorful way to brighten up your home or office.

Tags: apricots, Cherries, cherry orchard, cherry picking, Crop Updates & Orchard Talk, fresh cherries, fresh tart cherries, In the Markets, nectarines, peaches, pick your own, sweet corn, traverse city, u-pick, u-pick apricots, u-pick cherries, u-pick peaches

Tags: cherry cobbler, cooking with cherries, fresh cherries, Fresh Cherry Recipes, tart cherries

Makes about 2 1/2 cups of Hungarian Cherry Sauce or Cseresznye Martas

Prep Time:  20 minutes

Cook Time:  20 minutes

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

- 2 tablespoons of butter

- 1 pound of washed, stemmed, pitted sour cherries

- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

- 1 teaspoon of sugar

- a pinch of salt

- 1/2 to 3/4 cup of half-and-half

- 2 tablespoons of sour cream

Preparation:

1.  In a medium saucepan, lightly brown flour in butter.  Add cherries, lemon juice, sugar and salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until thickened.

2.  In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of half-and-half and sour cream until smooth.  If cherries have not given off a lot juices, you may need to use 3/4 cup of half-and-half instead of 1/2 cup.

3.  Temper the sour cream mixture with a ladleful of the cherry sauce.  Return the tempered sour cream mixture to the cherries, mix well and heat through on low for about 5 minutes.  Serve warm, cold or at room temperature with chicken, potatoes or game meat.

Tags: balaton cherries, cherry recipes, fresh cherries, michigan cherries, sour cherries, tart cherries, tart cherry recipes