August 3rd, 2026 Newsletter

BOX CONTENTS FOR WEEK OF AUGUST 3 - 9:

1 pint Shishito Peppers

1 lb Yolo Yolo Sweet Onions

1 lb Listada de Gandia Eggplant

1 pc Orange Honeydew Melon

4 ears Bi-Color Sweet Corn

1.50 lbs Early Girl & Heirloom Tomatoes

Farm Notes:

Sometimes the bugs win; that’s just one of the challenges that comes with growing pesticide-free. We’ve started to receive a few complaints about the corn. While we understand that finding a bug in your produce isn’t exactly exciting, the damage has been limited to the tips of the ears. We started cutting them off, so hopefully it’s a little more appetizing. Sending an extra ear this week to make up for those missing ends!

Speaking of corn… we’re down to the last few beds. For the most part, we’ve mowed down the older plantings. We’re hoping to have it until the end of August, but it could be gone as soon as two weeks.

Summer squash is also slowing down! We’ll still have it until September, but production has dropped drastically. We’re still harvesting every other day, but only a few lugs at a time. They won’t be in the boxes every week, which I’m sure some of you won’t mind… Cucumbers are done for now, but we have another planting coming up!

Thank you,

Evelyn Cordova

RDF Bookkeeper

Exciting/New in your box this week:

Shishito Peppers:

Recipe linked below! Mild and slightly sweet with a savory, smoky flavor when cooked. Most of them are very mild, but every now and then you’ll get a hotter one! Best cooked quickly over high heat until blistered, then finished with a sprinkle of salt. Great as a simple side, appetizer, or added to tacos and rice bowls. Feeling spicy? Try it in a cocktail!

Yolo Yolo Sweet Onion:

These onions are grown from seed originally developed in Walla Walla, Washington but we call ours Yolo Yolo as a little nod to our home in Yolo County! They have a mild, sweet flavor and crisp, juicy texture. Enjoy them raw in sandwiches, salads, salsas, dressings, or bring out its sweetness by grilling, roasting, sautéing, or caramelizing them. They’re also great in soups, stews, and casseroles. Heads up: these don’t store for long, so we recommend using them within the next two weeks!!

Listada de Gandia Eggplant:

Mild and slightly sweet with incredibly tender, creamy flesh and a thin skin that doesn’t need to be peeled. It’s especially good grilled, roasted, or stuffed. Works well in everything from pasta and curries to dips and eggplant parmesan. Check out this website for more details on this variety and the different ways to enjoy it!

Orange Honeydew Melon:

Exceptionally sweet with a smooth, creamy texture. It’s delicious sliced fresh, added to fruit salads, blended into smoothies/agua frescas, or paired with yogurt and granola.

Early Girl & Heirloom Tomatoes:

A classic everyday tomato with a balanced sweet-tart flavor and juicy texture. Perfect for slicing into sandwiches, adding to salads, or roasting. Heirloom tomatoes are grown for flavor rather than uniformity, so they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors! Their soft texture and rich, complex flavor make them especially delicious fresh with a sprinkle of salt, layered on toast, or used in summer salads like Tomato & Halloumi Panzanella.

Bi-Color Sweet Corn:

Sweet, juicy, and one of summer’s best treats. Enjoy it steamed, tossed into salads, salsas, or grilled over an open flame. Now is also the perfect time to start freezing. Check out CSA member Frances Kellar’s video for her favorite corn tips, including how to freeze it for later.

Roasted Shishito Pepper Sauce

Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 10 mins | Servings: 5 people

Ingredients:

1 pint Shishito Peppers

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided

2 Tablespoons Lime Juice

2 Tablespoons Plain Greek Yogurt

2 Garlic Cloves

1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper, or to taste

Instructions:

1. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add the peppers and sauté about 3-5 minutes, turning occasionally until they blister on all sides.

3. Remove peppers from heat and slice off the stems and discard.

4. Combine shishito peppers, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons greek yogurt, 2 garlic cloves and salt and pepper in a blender.

5. Pulse until desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Makes about 1/2 cup of sauce.

Serving ideas: Dress a Southwestern salad (butter lettuce, corn, beans, tomatoes, red onion and tortilla chips), drizzle over shrimp tacos, or spread on a BLT sandwich

Check out our Instagram @riverdogfarm where we share images of the crops, farming, re-posts of your farm fixings photos and videos and provide market/CSA updates!