Hi SLO Veg Family & Friends 🌿

Happy Tuesday!

Tuesday is one of my favorite days of the week because I know harvest boxes are making their way into your homes. I always find myself wondering what everyone is making for dinner. Some of you are probably already slicing into a peach, others are putting together a salad, and I know a few of you are already planning taco night!

This week’s harvest just feels like summer to me.

The first organic Anaheim and pasilla peppers of the season have arrived, and I couldn’t wait to share them with you. They’re wonderful stuffed, roasted, grilled, or sliced into fajitas. If your box includes jalapeños or Caribbean peppers, why not make a batch of poppers or chop a little into fresh salsa? It doesn’t take much to turn fresh ingredients into something everyone gathers around.

I’ve also been thinking about this week’s stone fruit. Peaches, nectarines, and plums are delicious all by themselves, but one of my favorite ways to enjoy them is in a fresh fruit salsa. Just chop them with cilantro, red onion, a little jalapeño, and plenty of fresh lime. Spoon it over grilled Coho salmon, chicken, or tacos… or do what I’d probably do and set the bowl on the table with tortilla chips and let everyone dig in. Those sweet, fresh flavors are what summer is all about.

I visited with Javier recently, and I know many of you will be just as excited as I am to hear his vine-ripened round and Roma tomatoes are almost ready. He and Irma have spent months caring for nearly 15,000 tomato plants, and if Mother Nature keeps cooperating, we should be enjoying those beautiful tomatoes in another week or two. There is just nothing quite like that first tomato of summer.

I also wanted to share a little update about our friends at Wind Dance Farms. We’ll soon be receiving another harvest of their beautiful Hass avocados, and it will be a bittersweet one. Scott Ritterbuck and his family have been growing avocados for SLO Veg for more than ten years, and I’ve always been grateful for our friendship and partnership. Their family recently sold their Avila ranch, so this will be our last harvest together. I talked with Scott today, and while it’s certainly the end of a chapter, he’s excited for what’s ahead. If you know Scott, you know he loves cycling, and next month he’s heading off on a backpacking adventure across Europe. I couldn’t be happier for him, and I’m thankful for all the years his family has shared their harvests with ours.

Another little thing I’m excited about… our Etto Pastificio pasta order arrived! We received all of our favorite pasta shapes, and this week we’ll be adding Mezzi Rigatoni to the Marketplace. I have to tell you, it’s become my favorite. Since I’m gluten intolerant, I’m always careful about what I eat, and this pasta has honestly surprised me. It’s made with just whole wheat semolina flour and water—nothing else. It has such a wonderful texture, and I never get that heavy, overfull feeling afterward. If you’ve been thinking about trying it, I really think you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.

For my fellow cheese lovers, we’ve also refreshed our selection from Central Coast Creamery, and next month we’ll be adding a few new cheeses that I’m really looking forward to sharing with you.

As I packed boxes this week, I kept thinking about all the kitchens these beautiful ingredients are headed to. Maybe you’ll make stuffed peppers. Maybe you’ll grill salmon and top it with peach salsa. Maybe you’ll invite friends over for tacos or enjoy a quiet dinner on the patio with your family. However you enjoy your harvest, I hope it inspires you to slow down a little, cook something delicious, and enjoy the simple pleasure of sharing a meal together.

Thank you for supporting our local farmers, our family, and this little dream of mine that has now been growing for 17 years. Every box you receive helps support so many hardworking people, and I never forget that it’s your trust that makes all of this possible.

I hope you have a wonderful week, and I can’t wait to see what you’re creating in your kitchens. Be sure to share your photos with me—they truly make my day.

With love and gratitude,

Rachael 💚