EAT LIKE A FARMER

The best part of being a farmer in my opinion is the abundance of food. There is truly not a more luxurious feeling than swimming in the riches of home grown vegetables. But this glorious abundance is almost never evenly spaced out. When it rains zucchini, it pours. When the tomatoes arrive, they are here. And when it's not pepper season, there simply aren't peppers. It's the epitome of seasonal eating. Constraints and abundance together create creativity in the kitchen.

When I first started farming with Jake in Northern California, I was determined to eat as locally as possible. Oils, grains, protein, vegetables, fruit, I wanted everything to come from nearby. It was during that time that I really discovered the intimacy of eating with the seasons. I can romanticize it now, looking back. The honest truth is that there were some bleak January weeks when kohlrabi greens were the only vegetable on my plate. But when the first cucumbers finally arrived each summer, it felt like a fairy tale.

Eating seasonally means embracing both abundance and scarcity. It's one of the ways farming keeps me connected to the passing of time and to the landscape around us. Yes, we're growing cultivated crops, but they still remind us that we aren't entirely in control. We wait. We celebrate. We adapt. Somehow, limitations in the garden  almost always lead to more interesting meals. Our carrots are still being ravaged by squirrels (photo below), so every bunch feels like a little victory.

I first understood this idea from one of my favorite books by a farmer and chef, The Third Plate by Dan Barber. He writes, "Most of the greatest cuisines of the world came out of hardship." I think he's right. A diversified garden outside an industrial system means crop failures and gluts. It means figuring out how to use everything you've got because that's what's there. The hardest part isn't growing the food, it's resisting the urge to fill in the gaps at the grocery store. To cook with what you have instead of what you wish you had. That's where creativity lives.

For most people, the closest way to eat like a farmer is to join a CSA. A farm share invites you into that same rhythm of abundance and lack. Some weeks your fridge overflows with zucchini. Other weeks you haven't seen a tomato in months. Instead of expecting every ingredient year-round, you begin letting the seasons shape your meals. There's something deeply satisfying about allowing your diet to reflect the place where you live and the time of year you're in.

In honor of eating like a farmer, creativity in the kitchen and our wonderfully overachieving zucchini plants, which producing nearly 30 pounds every three days, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite ways to use them.

TOO MUCH ZUCCHINI? NEVER!

The message: You can add zucchini to anything!

• Zucchini waffles or pancakes (recipe below !)
• Crispy zucchini fritters
• Caramelized zucchini pasta sauce: blend it, shred it, or chop it for variety!
• Breakfast zucchini scramble
• Mandolined and tossed into salads for lunch (you can eat zucchini raw)

• Zucchini boats
• Zucchini pizza
• Ratatouille

• Zucchini fries

• Tzatziki made with zucchini instead of cucumber
• Zucchini bread duhhhh and all the other desserts they can sneak into
• Any curry dish wins with zucchini

If you have a favorite zucchini recipe, send it our way!

POPPY’S BLENDER ZUCCHINI WAFFLES

These waffles are an easy way to use up summer zucchini. I’ve made them three times this week lol. They are gluten and dairy free. I am sure the batter could also work for pancakes, I just haven’t tried that yet with this recipe.

• 4  eggs

• 3 medium zucchini, roughly chopped (about 4 cups)

• 2 scoops  whey protein powder

• 1 cups rolled oats

• 3 tablespoons chia seeds

• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (optional, for a slightly fluffier texture)

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• Optional: 1–2 handfuls spinach or kale

• Add the eggs and chopped zucchini to a high-powered blender. Blend until completely smooth.

• Add the remaining ingredients and blend again until the batter is smooth. Let it rest for 5–10 minutes so the oats and chia can absorb some of the moisture.

• If the batter seems too thin, blend in a few more  oats. If it's too thick, add a splash of milk or water.

• For waffles, cook according to your waffle maker's directions until golden and crisp.

Serve with butter, yogurt, fresh berries, nut butter, or a drizzle of maple syrup.

• I use this whey protein powder, I don’t know how it would work with other proteins

• The optional greens blend in almost invisibly and add extra nutrients.

• Because the zucchini is blended whole, there's no need to squeeze out any liquid, making this a quick recipe for peak zucchini season!

AVAILABILITY THIS WEEK

We’ve got some goodies featured this week. Find them at the Morro Bay Farmers Market on Thursday and our Farmtand on Monday (4-6:30)!

Summer crops:

• Zucchini

• Persian Cucumber

• Cherry Tomatoes

• Slicer Tomatoes

• Heirloom & Beefsteaks

• Peppers (limited to CSA)
  

Greens:

• Mighty mix

• Mellow mix

• Red and Green Head Lettuces

• Endive

Carrots and beets are back but limited and just going to the CSA :)

Herbs:

• Genovese Basil

• Thai Basil

• Tulsi Basil

• Tarragon

• Thyme

• Dill

• Sage

Bread Bike is also featuring our Za’atar Oregano (pictured below) in their seasonal savory scone! So creative and absolutely delish!

We're already dreaming up next year's crop plan, and we'd love your input. If you have a minute, please fill out our quick three-question survey. Your feedback helps shape what we'll grow in 2027 and ensures we're planting the vegetables you most look forward to bringing home.

Your farmers,

Jake & Jesse :)