Dear Farm Community -

The peppers are officially poppin’ off at Diamond Hill. We hope you’ll share in the joy of what we have planted this summer! Beyond the steadfast and ubiquitous bell pepper, we have been seeing beautiful harvests of our Corno di Toro peppers - an Italian sweet pepper named for its bull-horn shape. While the pointy shape might lead you to think “spicy!,” this pepper is actually incredibly sweet with no heat, making it awesome for snacking! It also adds incredible flavor to any cooked or stewed dish.

We’re also starting to see harvests of a crowd favorite here at the farm, Jimmy Nardello Peppers. There’s a lot to say about these sweet frying peppers and their rich history. We’ll do a deeper dive into them later in the season when they hit their peak, but for now let me extoll the virtues of their sweet, complex flavor and unmatched texture when fried. They are widely coveted by the culinary world and every home chef who’s encountered them! Our shishito peppers are ramping up, too - another frying pepper that’s got a mild to moderate spice level and is perfect for a tapas-style meal or as a side dish. Beyond those we have sweet banana peppers, lunchbox snacking peppers, jalapeño peppers, and hot peppers!

Outside of pepper land on the farm, this week we continued to string our new tomato plantings, got a lot of squash seedlings in the ground, and seeded many trays of fall brassicas that will become this autumn’s bounty. Summer continues to be busy, sweaty, heavy, and a battleground for weeds. Our crew is doing a great job in keeping up with the huge harvests, planting puzzles, and summertime farm chores. The heat, abundance of heavy veggies, and myriad moving pieces makes this part of the year extra challenging, so wherever you are be sure to thank your local famers when you see them - even if you’re reading this email from another state or country! :)

Let’s get down to the fun items in your CSA this week! We hope you’ve been enjoying the bell peppers and mixed peppers that you’ve seen already in your shares. This week in your shares we’re including some beautiful Corno di Toro peppers. Roast them in this mouth-watering recipe for Corno di Toro Peppers with Anchovies and Salsa Verde, or cut them up and use as crudite with a dip or two. You’ll also be receiving spaghetti squash! The roasted flesh of this squash comes out in long strands, very much resembling the noodles for which it is named. Here is a great recipe that makes use of the tomatoes in your share and brings some mediterranean flavors with feta, black olives, and basil. Or get cheesier with it and make this Spaghetti Squash Parmesan. We hope you enjoy these delicious flavors of the season! And if you aren’t yet a member but would like to get on board with our CSA, sign up here, we’d love to have you!

Stay cool out there :)
Diamond Hill Farmers

P.S. We are delighted to have started harvesting peaches from a long-dormant peach tree on the farm! See below for a photo of one of our peaches (the fruit) and a visit we got from Peaches (the dog).

all that the summer offers and more:

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