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Letter from Publisher

Headshot of publisher Peggy Malecki

Peggy Malecki

My window is open, and I’m listening to the sounds of a warm, midsummer day. A cardinal is singing somewhere nearby, blue jays are calling to each other from the treetops and a few crows are discussing things under a nearby bird feeder. As the chipmunks and squirrels scurry about their business, the song of cicadas rises and falls in the annual chorus. August is on the threshold and summer embraces the Midwest.

Tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers and the other delights of the summer garden have gradually appeared at local farmers markets through July, and now it’s peak tomato season! If you love summer vegetables like I do, it’s time to savor every flavorful variety and also plan ahead to keep eating these favorites into the fall and winter months. If you also consciously try to eat in rhythm with the seasonal availability of our Midwestern crops,  with a little planning and effort, you can enjoy the mid-summer bounty for months to come.

Growing up, my family avidly canned fruits and veggies each year, and I remember enjoying cinnamon-spiced peach butters, rustic raspberry preserves, bread and butter pickles, jars of whole tomatoes and more well into the winter months. I’ve canned some butters and jams over the years, but don’t typically have the time needed to devote to proper canning. Thankfully, there are many ways to easily and relatively quickly (and inexpensively) preserve the summer harvest for short- and long-term use.

Refrigerator pickles can be made as simply or elaborately as your taste decides with what’s available. Tomatoes freeze nicely in resealable bags or containers; I’ve found the trick to easily using individual veggies later is to clean, pre-slice/chop/halve/etc., and then spread them out and freeze as individual pieces on cookie trays (lined with parchment or wax paper). Then freeze the separate frozen bits in a container so you can take out only what you need for a recipe rather than a large clump of icy veggies. Many veggies benefit from a quick blanch in a water bath to preserve flavor, then apply the same process. Grate and drain summer squash well, spread on a tray to freeze and then pack into a resealable bag to store. Veggies and herbs can be dehydrated in a machine,  on a very low oven setting or even in some countertop ovens (a quick internet search will bring up some simple instructions, including olive oil methods that freeze nicely). Dehydrated foods are great for winter soups, stews and pasta sauces, and use less shelf space than jars.

While some of us may have counters overflowing with extra vegetables, many of our neighbors do not, and there are ways to share our bounty with those less fortunate this summer. In our Conscious Eating department, Tiffany Hinton reminds us in her recipe intro notes that many food pantries welcome fresh produce. Check your area pantry or visit AmpleHarvest.org to connect with a nearby pantry as a donor or a recipient. Consider sharing extra produce, as well as pickles and sauces, and cut flowers with loved ones, friends, neighbors and on your local Facebook “freebox” group. Finally, compost the scraps and whatever is unused to recycle all the energy of nature’s garden for next year.

As always, I encourage you to get outside every day  and savor the summer. It’s August, get out and feel the heat, enjoy the warm rain, and notice a gusty southwest or cooling northeast breeze on your skin. Watch for hummingbirds and monarch butterflies, take a quiet hike to calm your mind and refresh your spirit, get the kids out in nature before school starts, share the wonders of your garden with a friend or reacquaint with your community at an evening concert. Enjoy the still-long days and treasure each and every warm summer evening. Summer is here for another month; let’s all make the most of every moment.