July 8th, 2026
Eggplant
Beans
Cherry Tomatoes OR Zucchini
Head Lettuce
Early Onions
Carrots
Cilantro
Surprise! Cherry Tomatoes - are just making their debut. We only had enough for one dropsite this week, but don’t worry - they’re coming and won’t stop for awhile. We like to pick them a little underripe, so that they don’t split in your bags or turn mushy before you get them. We usually use paper bags, but we ran out this week, so take them out of the plastic ones and put them in a cute little bowl on your counter. If you didn’t get cherries this week, your cilantro and early onions and cilantro should last you until next week so you can make a pico de gallo!
Cilantro - the best way for storing fresh herbs is to take off the twist tie, remove any dry leaves of other stuff that may have made its way in the bunches, and store the “bouquet” in a jar or vase in the fridge.
Early Onions - are just onions that are harvested early! They are the same varieties that will eventually turn into our storage onions, but harvested with fresh skins and tops. Lots of farmers will plant special early varieties, but we just like to keep it simple and plant a few varieties that have dual purposes. Cut the leaves right above the bulb, and store inside your fridge. They have not been cured yet, so their outer leaves and tender and meant to be eaten within a couple weeks. You can eat the leaves, too!
Eggplant- Japanese or Italian: We love both, but they have their differences. The Japanese variety is smaller, reducing cooking time. Because of its shape, there is less concentration of water in the bulk of the fruit, making it ideal for sautéing and skewering. The Italian variety is probably more familiar. The fruit is meatier, making it ideal for layering and grilling in rounds. The water content is higher, so if you’re going to roast it in halves, we recommend scoring it to create more surface area for water to evaporate while cooking. The skin on Italian varieties is thicker than the Japanese variety. This is the link to last year’s newsletter with LOTS of info about eggplant!
Lots of carrots going to Hunger Task Force! If you didn’t already know, Sam spends A LOT of his time organizing for, and with, with food organizations in the Milwaukee and Southern Wisconsin area to create a better food system, free from exploitation of people and planet. This caption cannot possibly do this immense topic justice, but if you’re interested in reading further, take a look at the Milwaukee Food Council Newsletter that Sam just published.