Looking for a little culinary inspiration when it comes to our summer produce? We love sharing recent favorite recipes during our Saturday Farm Stand from 9am-noon! Recently, we’ve been chopping up and blanching long beans to use in salads throughout the week. Farmer Chandler made a niçoise salad with long beans recently that was phenomenal! You can use this recipe as a guide and sub in long beans for the green beans. Even though it’s a simple preparation, we love roasting okra throughout the summer and enjoying it as a side dish, piling it on tacos, or pairing it with remoulade for an appetizer. We recommend trying this simple roasted okra recipe and changing up the seasonings to suit your tastes. 

While we can’t grow cool season greens like kale and chard during the summer, there are delicious summer alternatives like roselle greens and Malabar spinach. We just planted a round of roselle in the field and have Malabar spinach in the greenhouse that just germinated! Roselle (above) is a multi-use crop that provides us with tangy leafy greens in the summer and tart ruby-red pods in the summer. Malabar spinach (below) is a tropical vining plant with succulent leaves that is not a true spinach, but rather has a similar mild flavor. We are excited for both of these leafy greens to hit the Farm Stand later this summer!

In Season at the Farm Stand: Cucumber, Long Beans, Okra, Eggplant, Tomatoes (last week!), Zucchini, Jalapenos, Bell Peppers, Shishito Peppers, Poblano Peppers, Carrots, Basil, and Flower Bouquets and Stems

Join us in welcoming our new Farm Manager, Chandler! Though originally from Houston, Chandler spent the majority of her farming career in New Mexico. She was most recently in Santa Fe, New Mexico before she made her way down to Sunset Farm to begin her 8th season farming. She enjoys the rhythms and reliability that farming brings: rain will fall, the sun will shine, and the plants will grow. Chandler is looking forward to trying out new varieties that will thrive in the micro-climate at Sunset Farm and tailoring the crop plan to fit the community’s needs. Make sure to say hi if you see her on the farm!

Long beans just made their way back into season at the Farm Stand! These lengthy beans are more heat tolerant than traditional green beans and have a similar flavor with less sweetness. Long beans are best enjoyed cooked and are perfect for stir-fries and soups. They can also be sauteed with some garlic and olive oil for a super quick side dish. Make sure to pick some up during our Farm Stand on Saturday from 9am-noon or pop by the Grab-and-Go coolers anytime it’s convenient for you.

The baby butternuts we planted at the end of April are ready for harvesting! These butternut squash are a convenient “single-serving” size with a sweet and nutty flavor. They can be used in both sweet and savory recipes depending on your preference. An easy way to enjoy them as a side dish is to cut them in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, then place them cut down on a roasting pan. Roast until nice and tender then season and serve with butter or a drizzle of olive oil. We’ll have them available for you at the Farm Stand on Saturday from 9am-noon so make sure to stop by!

In Season at the Farm Stand: Long Beans, Okra, Cherry and Slicing Tomatoes, Pickling and Slicing Cucumbers, Zucchini, Eggplants, Jalapenos, Bell Peppers, Shishito Peppers, Poblano Peppers, Cornito Peppers, Lunchbox Peppers, Baby Butternuts, Carrots, Basil, and Flowers

We are incredibly excited to share that both cherry and slicing tomatoes are back in season at the Farm Stand! Since we’re still harvesting Romaine lettuce and salad mix, we can’t wait to start adding a handful of sweet cherry tomatoes to our salads. As for the larger varieties, we love adding thick slices to burgers, sandwiches, and wraps but they’re also great in salsa. Tomatoes store best outside of the chill of the fridge so you can find them on the shelves to the left of the Grab-and-Go coolers underneath the burlap.

Just in time for Mother’s Day we have small bouquets and sunflowers by the stem at the Farm Stand! These are the first flowers from our flower patch so Farmer Anne is especially excited. Since we are just beginning to harvest from the flower patch, the availability of bouquets will be limited this weekend. If you want to snag one, we highly recommend stopping by the Grab-and-Go coolers sooner rather than later! As we move further into the season and are able to harvest a larger variety of flowers, our bouquets will be larger in size.

The long beans that we sowed in the field last week are looking great! We have two varieties growing: Green Python and Red Noodle. Sometimes referred to as snake or asparagus beans, long beans have a similar texture and taste to traditional green beans but are typically 10-12 inches long. Unlike green beans, they have a vining growth habit rather than a bushy one so we’ll be installing a trellis for them to climb very soon. 

In Season at the Farm Stand: Cherry Tomatoes, Slicing Tomatoes, Pickling Cucumbers, Zucchini, Eggplant, Jalapenos, Red and Golden Beets, Carrots, Fennel, Scallions, Salad Mix, Romaine, Kale, and Sunflowers

We are pleased to introduce you to our new Farm Manager, Matt! Before he made his way to us, Matt worked at an organic farm in Southern California that sold directly to the local community through farmers markets and restaurants. After 20 years away from home, Matt decided to return to his Texas roots and move closer to family and his hometown of Spring. He is looking forward to deepening the connection of the Jordan Ranch community with the farm and growing some delicious food for you. Make sure to say hello if you see him on the farm!

Join us in wishing Reuben a fond farewell as he heads off to begin growing a farm of his own! He will miss the community and is very appreciative for all of the friends and connections he’s made over the past year at Sunset Farm. He loved being part of our first CSA program and hopes the members enjoyed their weekly farm deliveries. Best of luck Reuben and we can’t wait to see what you grow on your farm!

Long beans are in season at the Farm Stand! These lengthy beans are one of our tried and true summer crops. They have a similar flavor to green beans but with less sweetness and a more pronounced nutty flavor. Long beans are best enjoyed cooked and can be stir-fried, steamed, sautéed, or pickled. Try them in this summery potato salad or this spicy stir-fry. 

In Season at the Farm Stand: Long Beans, Eggplant, Slicing Cucumbers, Pickling Cucumbers, Serrano Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, Shishito Peppers, Poblano Peppers, Okra, Basil, and Cut Flowers (limited)

Coming Soon: Korean Melons and Summer Greens

The summer season has arrived on the farm! In order to combat the heat, we’ve installed shade cloths on both the high tunnel (pictured above) and the greenhouse. Since we use the high tunnel to extend the season of certain crops, the shade cloth will aid in keeping them cooler, less stressed, and more productive. This will allow us to provide you with more heat sensitive crops like tomatoes a bit longer than we would if they were planted in the field without any protection. If you’d like to see our shade cloth and summer crops in person, make sure to join us for our Farm Tour this Saturday, June 15th at 10:30am! This event is suitable for all ages and open to the public.

Two of our favorite summer crops will be making their way into season over the next couple of weeks: long beans and Korean melons. Both of these varieties can take the intense heat of summer and will lend delicious diversity to our future harvests. Our long beans (above) are just beginning to flower. Since the beans grow fairly quickly once the flowers are pollinated, you can expect to see them at the Farm Stand within the next week or two. Our Korean melons (below) are just beginning to set fruit. They will need slightly longer to size up and turn their characteristic bright yellow color. Be on the lookout for them in the next 2-3 weeks!

The back sections of each side of the main production field are currently planted with beneficial cover crops. One side is planted with cowpeas while the other (below) is planted with a mixed species soil builder. Planting cover crops during the summer allows us to improve the health of our soil while intentionally reducing the footprint of the farm. Both of these cover crops will be left to grow throughout the season before being turned under in preparation for fall planting.

In Season at the Farm Stand: Eggplant, Slicing Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Slicing Cucumbers, Pickling Cucumbers, Serrano Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, Shishito Peppers, Poblano Peppers, Okra, Kale, Basil, and Cut Flowers (limited)

Coming Soon: Zucchini, Long Beans, and Korean Melons

The beds in the high tunnel are prepped and ready for Fall crops! Our process differs slightly in the high tunnel than in the field as we do everything by hand rather than using our BCS tractor. The first step for bed prep is to clear the area of any previous crops and weeds. Then, we spread a layer of compost and organic fertilizer over the tops of the beds. The last step before planting is to use a rake or the back of a hoe to gently incorporate these implements into the soil. Make sure to check back next week to see what we’ll be planting here!

We are excited to share that the first succession of fall crops that were sown in the greenhouse are beginning to germinate! In addition to the butternuts and pumpkins we started a couple of weeks ago, we’ve also seeded kale, Swiss chard, Napa cabbage, and pak choi. For this first round, we’re focusing on crops that have proven to be more heat tolerant in past seasons. Seeing these plants pop up has us excited for a new season and hopeful that the heat will soon begin to subside.

After a brief lull, long beans are back in season. These gorgeous, lengthy beans are best enjoyed cooked rather than raw. They can be stir-fried, steamed, roasted, sautéed, or pickled. One of our farmers loves to stir-fry chopped long beans with toasted peanuts, sesame seeds, raisins, and chili oil (or salsa macha) and serve it with a drizzle of honey. It makes for an amazing summer side dish! We’ll have long beans for you to try at the Farm Stand this weekend.

In Season at the Farm Stand: Long Beans, Malabar Spinach, Armenian Cucumbers, Eggplants, and Okra.

Remember the baby long beans we shared last week? The vines are now covered in mature beans! We’re harvesting both red and green varieties of these lengthy beans. Long beans are best enjoyed cooked and can be stir-fried, steamed, or sautéed. Our personal favorite preparation is to braise them in a coconut milk broth flavored with garlic, ginger, and chilis. Make sure to come to our Farm Tour this Saturday (June 17th) at 10:30am so you can see these fascinating beans on the vine and take home a bunch to try! 

We’re just a week or two away from making our first harvest of cucamelons! Also called Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelons (pictured above) produce small grape-sized fruits that resemble tiny watermelons. They have a tangy cucumber flavor with hints of lime and are perfect for summer snacking. Similar to cucumbers, they grow in a vining habit that requires the support of a trellis. We’re incredibly excited about this crop and can’t wait to share them with you!

We’ve reached a bit of a lull on the farm as we phase out all of our remaining spring crops to make way for high summer varietals. Celery, celeriac, and spaghetti squash have already made their way out of season and this will be the last week you’ll be able to enjoy kale. While our offerings might be on the lean side over the next couple of weeks, we’ll soon be harvesting the first okra, cucamelons, and Korean melons of the season with hot peppers, watermelons, tromboncino squash, and summer greens coming in the next month!

In Season at the Farm Stand: Cherry Tomatoes (limited), Slicing Tomatoes, Onions, Eggplant, Sweet Peppers, Banana Peppers, Long Beans, Kale (last week!), Summer Squashes, Leeks, Pickling Cucumbers, and Cut Flower Bouquets (limited and only on Saturdays).

Our flower bouquets have been incredibly popular the past few weekends! If you’d like to come see our beautiful flowers in person, we invite you to join us for our next Farm Tour on Saturday, June 17th at 10:30am. You’ll have the opportunity to see the colorful variety of zinnias and marigolds we’re growing in addition to all of the beneficial insects they bring to the farm. We’ll also be discussing some of the specialty crops we’re growing this season like cucamelons and salt and pepper cucumbers. And most importantly, you’ll be able to snack on samples of some of the veggies we’re currently harvesting! Our tours are open to the public and free of charge. We hope to see you there!

We’ll have the first eggplant of the season for you at the Farm Stand this Saturday! We’re harvesting two different Italian varieties: Black Beauty and Galine. These dark purple eggplants are versatile in the kitchen, soaking up any flavors you’d like to pair them with. Farmer Anna loves to stir-fry chopped eggplant with garlic and hoisin sauce. She also likes to make eggplant parmesan and pair it with a citrusy tomato sauce. Yum!

We spotted the first baby long beans on our trellis last week! Long beans are a type of pole bean which means they require the support of a trellis as they grow. This helps keep their vines off the ground and makes it much easier for us to harvest. Once harvested, each bean will be about 10-12 inches long! We have both a green and a red variety growing and expect to make the first harvest within the next week or two.

In Season at the Farm Stand: Eggplant, Spaghetti Squash (limited), Cherry and Slicing Tomatoes, Banana Peppers, Bell Peppers, Onions, Celeriac, Celery, Summer Squash, Leeks, Cucumbers, Kale, Basil, Cilantro, and Cut Flower Bouquets (limited and only on Saturdays).

Planting cover crops is integral to managing the health of our soil on the farm. In order to improve the soil in one of the back sections of the farm, we’re planting it with a cover crop of cowpeas for the season. As they grow, the cowpeas will work to fix beneficial nitrogen to the soil, reduce soil erosion, and hopefully crowd out pesky weeds like nutsedge. Our plan is to let the cover crop grow throughout the summer until we can mow it down in the fall. The bonus with a cowpea cover crop is that we will be able to harvest both fresh and dried peas for you as it grows!

We’re harvesting four new crops for you this week: tomatillos, long beans, jalapenos, and eggplant. Long beans are not only fun to play with out in the field as seen in the photo above but in the kitchen as well! Farmer Alex recommends stir-frying them with garlic, soy sauce, and honey and a quick and flavorful side dish. As for the tomatillos and jalapenos, they make a great salsa along with our scallions that can be paired with slices of grilled or roasted eggplant. If you’d like to try out these recipes, make sure to pop by the farm stand to stock up!

Just in case you hadn’t noticed it yet, it’s mighty hot outside! The arrival of a record-breaking heat wave means that our more sensitive crops like tomatoes won’t be around much longer. Overall, the high heat and dry conditions will be stressful for most of our crops so we’ll keep you updated as it might affect what’s available at the farm stand week to week. And, it means that we’ll most likely be doing work off-farm in the afternoons past 2pm on days when the highs reach 100 degrees and above to avoid heat stress for ourselves. Stay cool out there!

In Season at the Farm Stand: Long Beans, Eggplant, Tomatillos, Jalapenos, Sweet Peppers, Tomatoes, Spaghetti Squash, Delicata Squash, Cucumbers, Amaranth Greens, Zucchini, Cousa Squash, Carrots, Beets, Scallions, and Cut Flowers

June 9th, 2021

We’re delighted to introduce you to our newest farmer, Alex Serrao! Originally from the Northeast, Alex farmed for five years in that region before making her way down to the Houston area. She was drawn to Houston to learn more about the climate and year-round growing season. Farmer Alex begins this week, stepping in to fill the space left by Farmer Josh as he moves on to another Agmenity farm. Both Farmers Kim and Alex are excited to be part of an all-female farming team and are eager to grow food for the community!

Now that we’ve had a few days without rain, we’ve been able to tackle the most arduous of farming tasks: weeding. While hand-weeding our melons, we noticed the first fruits on the vine! We’re growing Sugar Baby watermelons and Arava melons. Arava is a type of tropical Galia melon that has a netted yellowish skin and green flesh. After falling in love with their aroma and sweetness last summer, we knew we had to include these incredibly delicious melons in our crop plan this year. Farmer Kim estimates that we are about six weeks away from the first melon harvest.

We added a trellis system for our long beans this week and they are already beginning to make the vertical climb. We expect that they will begin flowering and setting fruit within the next week or two. Chinese long beans, sometimes referred to as yardlong beans, asparagus beans, or snake beans, produce edible pods that can reach up to 18 inches in length. The crisp and tender pods can be enjoyed just as you would a standard green bean.