Any share changes must be submitted to lucsa@theurbancanopy.org by Monday at noon!!!

WEEKLY ADD-ONS FOR YOUR BOX

Locally-sourced food and home goods to round out your CSA box! Save trips to the grocery store and get what you need delivered inside your LUCSA share.

For returning LUCSA members, we’re doing Add-Ons a little differently these days… you will access the Shop through your very own member portal! Link below…

Add-On Order form must be submitted by noon on Monday!

NOTES FROM THE FARM:

This week's shares include fennel from our farm! This is a new addition to our farm, and was added in an attempt to diversify the types of crops we grow to mitigate pest pressure. We have large numbers of an invasive fly called swede midge, which goes after long-season brassica crops like kale and collard greens. We aren't growing either of those crops, so we are trying new things that the flies won't feed on. 

Fennel is in the apiaceae family along with carrots, celery, parsley, and dill. Its leaves can be used as an herb, and the bulb can be used as a vegetable. The bulb itself is quite versatiles and can be grilled, roasted, sauteed, or eaten raw. 

ADD-ON ITEM SPOTLIGHT:
FOCACCIA: Pickled Asparagus Focaccia w/ Feta

Urban Canopy's own focaccia bread fully cooked and frozen for you to enjoy at your convenience!

*CONTAINS DAIRY & GLUTEN*

Cooking instructions: Thaw overnight or cook in 400F oven for 25 mins.

ITEM HIGHLIGHT: CHERRIES

With a cherry on top please! Cherries are botanically a part of the Prunus genus and are small sweet-tart stone fruits belonging to the Rosaceae family. They range in color from solid shades of bright red or dark red, almost black, to variegated hues of red-yellow, orange, ruby, and crimson tones.

Cherries widely range in flavor depending on the variety and sugar-acid content. Sweet Cherries generally have a balanced, sweet-tart flavor with fruity nuances. Sour Cherries contain higher acidity, contributing to tart, tangy, and unfavorable sour flavors when raw. Cherries are available for a short season in the mid-spring through the summer.

Look out for cherries from Mick Klug in your next share!

RECIPE LINKS: Sticky Cherry Chicken Thighs ~ Poppy Seed Cherry Pie ~ Roasted Sweet Cherry and Honey Ice Cream

MIDDLE BROW BEER SALE!

LET’S BEAT THE HEAT AND HAVE A PARTY WITH SOME MIDDLE BROW BLOCK PARTY BEER!

NEW VENDOR HIGHLIGHT : HEADY CUP COFFEE ROASTERS

NEW VENDOR AND NEW BEVERAGE ALERT!

We’re so excited to introduce our new vendor partner Heady Cup Coffee Roasters (McHenry, IL) with this week’s beverage, Lemon Heady!

Founders Michael Kivland and Kevin Foglesong have years of experience in speciality coffee roasting with a commitment to sustainability, traceability, and social responsibility through their custom blends and single-origin offerings.

Lemon Heady is a unique combination of lemonade and coffee that is smooth, citrusy, and energizing! Lemon Heady is a Cold Brew Shandy — a refreshing 12-oz ready-to-drink blend of our award-winning cold brew coffee and lemonade. Reminds me of sweet tea and lemonade!

Enjoy the sweet summertime vibes with a refreshing Lemon Heady in your next share!

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

If you missed a week and want to see what was in a previous share, we archive a PDF of all our previous newsletters here.

You can also use it to look at previous seasons if you are interested to see what crops are coming!

Share Contents

Refer back to this page for updated share contents and photos to help you identify produce!

• Please keep in mind that share contents may vary due to market availability so contents may vary slightly from this list. Farming is never 100% predictable. We appreciate your flexibility!!!

• Pro-tip: When your share arrives, immediately unpack your produce and move into proper storage containers!

• ALWAYS wash produce before eating!

• Remember to return your wax box, egg cartons, and pint containers during your next delivery…we re-use all of these items!

Beverage:
Lemon Heady- Heady Cup Coffee Roasters (McHenry, IL)
Storage Tip - Store in the refrigerator.
Backup Beverage- Rishi Tea & Botanicals (Milwaukee, WI) Storage Tip - Store in the refrigerator.

Bread:
Wednesday: Pullman Sourdough Publican Quality Bread (Fulton Market, Chicago, IL) Ingredients: rye flour, wheat flour, water, sourdough starter, malted barley flour, salt
Thursday: Brioche Buns FranHer Bakery (Pilsen, Chicago, IL ) Ingredients: flour, water, sugar, butter, milk powder, natural yeast, egg, salt
Friday: Honey Whole Wheat Zeitlin’s Delicatessen (Chicago, IL) Ingredients: honey, whole wheat, hi gluten flour, water, salt, starter Storage Tip - Keep your bread cut side down in a bag on your counter for two to three days. At that point you will want to slice or rip/cut your bread into pieces and freeze for future toast, croutons, or panzanella! If it’s particularly hot, you may want to move it to the refrigerator after a day or two (the only time we will tell you to refrigerate bread).

Mushrooms:
Wednesday: Oyster Windy City Mushrooms (Chicago, IL)
Thursday: Crimini River Valley Ranch (Burlington, WI)
Friday: Crimini River Valley Ranch (Burlington, WI) Storage Tip - Open the paper bag to reduce moisture, and keep mushrooms out of plastic. Smoke, dehydrate, or par-cook and freeze for longer storage.

Eggs - Finn's Ranch (Buchanan, MI)
Storage Tip - You can freeze your eggs to make them last longer. Crack and scramble in a container, or crack whole into oiled muffin tins, and keep frozen for up to 6 months.

Walla Walla Onions - Bland Family Farm (Jacksonville, IL)
Storage Tip - Keep cool, dry and out of direct light, on your counter, in a cupboard or in a perforated paper bag, for a few weeks.

Fennel - The Urban Canopy (Auburn Gresham, Chicago, IL)
Storage Tip - Remove greens to preserve the stem longer. Greens can be used within a week and the white part can be stored in a bag in the crisper for a month or so. 

Cherries - Mick Klug Farm (St. Joseph, MI)
Storage Tip - Get your cherries in the fridge as soon as possible, preferably wrapped in a plastic bag. Wash them with cold water just before eating. Avoid washing prior to storage, as moisture can be absorbed where the stem meets the fruit and lead to splits or spoilage. Cherries can also be frozen. Pit them, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until firm, and then place in a bag or container.

Blueberries - Mick Klug Farm (St. Joseph, MI)
Storage Tip - Don't wash or remove stems until you are ready to eat your berries. Pick through your berries and remove any bad ones. Store in the fridge on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Berries should keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. If you are going to freeze berries, trim off stems and freeze on a sheet tray then transfer to a plastic bag once fully frozen. 

Zucchini - Family Farm Fresh Co-op (Rockville, Indiana)
Storage Tip - Store freshly picked, unwashed zucchini in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to one week. The bag should be perforated or loosely tied, not sealed tightly. Do not cut the zucchini until you are ready to use it.

Lettuce Mix - Wild Coyote Farm (Berrien Springs, MI)
Storage Tip - Store them in a plastic container or bag with a paper towel covering them for up to a week in the fridge.

Substitutions

Items for those already opting out of beverage, bread, mushrooms, or eggs OR having a conflicting allergy; subject to change, even if specified. Please refer back to this newsletter throughout the week for updates!!!

Beets- The Urban Canopy (Auburn Gresham, Chicago, IL)
Storage Tip - Separate greens from the root for the root to last longer the fridge. Keep the roots dry and tightly sealed in a bag in the crisper for up to a month. Greens should be used within 2 days.

Kale - Wild Coyote Farm (Berrien Springs, MI)
Storage Tip - Remove from compostable green bag. Make sure greens are good and dry. You can wrap the greens in a paper or cloth towel to cut down on extra moisture. Then store in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week. Or keep on counter in a glass of water like a bouquet!

Scallions - Wild Coyote Farm (Berrien Springs, MI)
Storage Tip - Stand upright in an inch of water in a jar or glass, cover tips with a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. Change the water if it starts to discolor.

Heirloom Tomatoes - Wild Coyote Farm (Berrien Springs, MI)
Storage Tip - Tomatoes should be kept at room temperature on the counter away from sunlight. Consume within a few days.

For more recipe ideas, follow us on Instagram! Our recipe reels provide additional information on how to use produce and processing items each week!

We have created a handy Produce Guide which includes most items you will be getting in your box this season and through out the year. It is helpful for identification and has lots of storage tips, and also includes a log of recipes. It’s not a bad idea to bookmark this page!