Enjoy a Fall morning at Sunset Farm while learning a little bit about how we grow vegetables and fruit year-round using sustainable and organic farming practices! From experienced backyard gardeners to those just wanting to get some fresh air - all will leave with a deeper understanding of small-scale food production and an unforgettable taste of fresh fall veggies! This week we are harvesting an Asian baby greens mix with varietals that are similar in taste to spinach and leaf lettuce. This mix is unique in that it is great eaten raw in a salad and can also be cooked down to add into soups, veggie lasagna, frittata, and more!

A new root vegetable was just added to the Grab-N-Go cooler this week - Beets! This classic red variety boasts a beautiful color that will brighten up any meal. Farmer Josie enjoys either roasting or boiling these, and then pairing them with baby greens in a salad. If you haven't explored cooking with beet greens and stems yet, they are quite versatile in the kitchen for a zero-waste veggie! We highly recommend chopping the stems and greens for a quick saute and adding to your scrambled eggs for a boost of nutrients in the morning!

Our first round of carrots just germinated in the high tunnel, and we are eagerly awaiting harvest day just as much as you are anticipating them on your kitchen table! If you're already planning a menu for the upcoming holidays, be sure to keep Sunset Farm in mind for your fresh produce needs! We will have baby greens, cooking greens like kale and chard, root crops like radishes, salad turnips, and beets, as well as beautiful flowers for hosting loved ones in your home. Drop by the Grab-n-Go cooler at your convenience to see what Sunset Farm goodies you can incorporate into your holiday meals!

In Season : Broccolini, Bok Choy, Collard Greens, Kale, Arugula, Baby Kale, Radishes, Asian Spinach, Asian Lettuce, Hibiscus Pods, and Flowers

Are you looking for a convenient way to get healthy food on the table for your family without compromising on freshness? Nestled in the heart of the Jordan Ranch neighborhood, Sunset Farm's Grab-N-Go cooler stands as a unique shopping experience for residents and local community members alike. Open 24/7 and powered by a digital checkout system with card or tap pay options, this vegetable cooler serves the modern age while honoring the timeless art of small-scale food production. If you're looking to teach kids about where food comes from or would just like to meet your grower, our farmers are on-site Tuesday - Saturday from 7am - 3pm and stock the cooler with fresh produce throughout the week!

Shopping for produce at Sunset Farm is also a great time to take advantage of walking trails around the farm or enjoy the large green space behind the high tunnel with plenty of room for kids to play! If you enjoy the outdoors and are interested in learning more about how we grow veggies year-round, consider joining our Volunteer Program this Fall season! Volunteers work alongside our farmers to harvest, plant, weed, and much more - simply email jordanranch@agmenity.com to set up your volunteer orientation and become part of the Sunset Farm family!

In addition to bok choy, a new farm item that hit the shelves this week is broccolini! Different from a traditional broccoli head, these petite broccoli shoots have tender stems perfect for a quick saute or stir fry! The best part is that this crop keeps producing shoots for an extended time, so you can count on finding broccolini in the Grab-N-Go cooler for weeks to come!

In Season : Broccolini, Bok Choy, Arugula, Baby Kale, Radishes, Asian Spinach, Okra, Long Beans, Asian Eggplant, Korean Melon, Hibiscus Pods, and Flowers

This week we are taking advantage of rain by seeding Fall cover crops like clover and rye! While our farm irrigation systems are set up to be efficient and conserve water usage - there is truly no replacement for rainfall that has broad coverage and falls with an impact that penetrates the soil perfectly for new seeds to hatch. As this crop matures, beautiful red clover blooms will blanket the farm and serve as a snack for our resident bees!

As you begin to decorate your home for Fall, don't forget to stop by the Farm Stand on Saturday to grab a hand-arranged bouquet with colors to match the new season! This Fall we also plan to have fun events for the whole family on the farm - stay tuned to Facebook and Instagram for event updates!

As our final row of long beans starts producing, we are busy making way for cool-season vegetables like broccoli, beets, and carrots! Our first crop of arugula and radishes should be ready next week and stocked in the Grab-n-Go cooler. Salad turnips and Asian greens will be the next crops to mature this Fall!

In Season : Zucchini, Korean Melon, Cucumbers, Okra, Long Beans, Jalapeno Peppers, Banana Peppers, Sweet Italian Bell Peppers, Roselle Greens, and Flowers

The unique shape and versatility in the kitchen has made Patty Pan Squash a fan favorite during the Spring and Summer season! Veggie lovers enjoy this squash prepared in many ways like dicing and roasting, slicing fresh into a salad, and coring the middle to stuff with your favorite meat or rice. We are also excited to restock the Grab-n-Go cooler with tunnel-grown cucumbers! These fruits are slender, long, and crispy - perfect for a summer salad or sandwich.

This week we also enjoyed a very small taste of orchard fruits that are in abundance and slowly ripening. Freshly harvested figs warmed by the summer sun taste like a spoonful of sweet jam! These early harvests are sparse and must be caught before the birds find them, but we are hopeful for bigger harvests soon that will be sold in the Grab-n-Go cooler!

Be sure to stop by the Farm Stand this Saturday from 9am - 12pm to get your fill of summertime veggies and flowers! In coming weeks we plan to fill the field with more beautiful sunflower varieties that will bloom in late summer. For now, the birds are feasting on many sunflower heads in the field that have made delicious seeds!

In Season : Patty Pan Squash, Cucumbers, Okra, Long Beans, Basil, Peppers : Banana, Shishito, Green Bell, Sweet Bell, Jalapeno, Mad Hatter, and Poblano, and Flowers

While some crops are longing for a dry spell, frequent summer showers have caused our sunflowers to burst with blooms! These sunnies are a perfect pair to bright zinnias and marigolds that make up our summertime bouquets. This week we are preparing beds to plant more flowers that will last throughout the summer season.

Long beans are dripping off of the vine this week and are available in red and green bunches in the Grab-n-Go cooler! We are also harvesting hot peppers including Jalapenos and Mad Hatter, pictured below. This pepper resembles a bishop's hat and tastes mildly sweet with floral notes combined with a spicy heat near the seed cavity. Mad Hatter creates a beautiful color and rich flavor when preserved in a hot pepper jelly!

Just a friendly reminder to visit our Grab-n-Go cooler now fitted with new and updated signs to streamline the purchasing process! The Grab-n-Go cooler option is open 24/7, making it a super convenient way to get fresh veggies on your table throughout the year. Visitors can simply grab a paper bag, fill it with your choice of veggies, and check out at the iPad stationed on the wall. Patrons can also stop by the Farm Stand from 9am - 12pm each Saturday!

In Season : Slicing Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Roma Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Basil, Italian Eggplant, Okra, Long Beans, Peppers: Banana, Shishito, Green Bell, Sweet Bell, Jalapeno, Mad Hatter, and Poblano, Green Onion, Lettuce, and Flowers