Week of August 18, 2025
My dear Community
I spent some time in LA this weekend and it was such a powerful reminder of what makes America beautiful: cultures, languages, and traditions all woven together to build something greater. I don’t get out much, and honestly, it felt like a nudge - a reminder that we all should step outside of our routines to experience and honor the richness of diversity around us. It’s the heartbeat of this country.
Summer is in full swing at the farm, and the melons are popping. This week’s box includes a melon variety that we grow almost exclusively for CSA and farmers markets- called Ambrosia. It's chosen for taste over shelf life - which means it may ripen a little faster, but in return, you get a flavor that’s unbeatable. That’s the kind of food worth celebrating: real, vibrant, alive- it makes you pause and feel lucky to be here. I grew up in Germany, visiting my grandmother in California every few years. Every time I take a bite of this melon, I think of how fortunate I am to now call this soil home - and how deeply grateful I am for the people who make it all possible.
Whether it’s 6:30 in the cool of the morning or 4:00 in the blazing afternoon, I see the same thing in our crew - smiles. Smiles after harvesting hundreds of pounds of food, smiles after long hours in the heat. Pride in what they do, joy in the work itself. That’s the connection that flows from the field into your box, and then onto your table.
So as you slice your cucumbers, cantaloupe, or those sweet little lunchbox peppers this week, let it be a gentle reminder: hope isn’t lost. It lives in hard work, in laughter, in diversity, in the shared meal on your table.
Be good to each other,
Carolyn
Easy Mediterranean Chopped Salad with Fresh Herbs
Ingredients:
1 large cucumber
2-3 vine-ripened tomatoes
½ red onion
¼ cup fresh parsley
¼ cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh mint
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, separated plus more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice plus more to taste
(Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Parsley and Parm)
Chocolate Avocado Pudding Truffles
Ingredients
3 ripe avocados (~450g)
3–4 tbsp (60-80g) maple syrup
1/4 cup (65g) nut/seed butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup (40g) cacao or cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder (optional)
1/4 cup (30g) shelled pistachios
1/4 cup (20g) unsweetened shredded coconut
(Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Feasting on Fruit)
{15 Minutes} Zucchini Mushroom Stir Fry
Ingredients
Vegetables
2 medium zucchinis, sliced and halved
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 cup mushroom, sliced
1/4 cup oil, for stir-frying
1 clove of garlic, minced
Salt to taste *
Teriyaki Sauce
1/3 cup coconut aminos
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp arrowroot flour
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 – 4 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice, about 1/2 an orange
(Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Shuangys Kitchen Sink)
Mediterranean Cantaloupe Salad
Ingredients:
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 medium cantaloupe, peeled, halved, seeded and cubed (3 - 4 cups)
3 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped, divided
3 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, finely chopped, divided
3 tablespoon Kalamata olives, finely chopped, divided
(Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Flavour and Savour)
Green Parsley Smoothie
Ingredients:
½ cup fresh parsley
½ cup cucumber sliced
½ cup pineapple chunks frozen or fresh
¼ avocado pitted
½ apple choose your favorite
1+½ tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
¾ cup cold water add more for thinner smoothie