So, maybe school wasn’t out forever as Alice Cooper sang, but despite the change of pace, the end of vacation and the hint of fall, the Boise Co-op Produce Department still has summer. And lots of it!

We have local melons, and this year has been particularly good. The Snake River melons— always a treat— are excellent as usual. Grown on an island in the Snake River, and sweet enough for the inhabitants of Olympus, these Cantaloupes herald the end of summer but contain enough sun and sweet to remind you of the whole vacation. Grab a few before the season ends in next few weeks. I like sectioning one most mornings for breakfast. It’s a healthy treat your kids will love!

Take the local Castleberry raspberries, for instance. Virginia brings us as many as she can every few days, but our demand is just too high (and these berries are just too good!), and they disappear mere moments after they are put on display.  If you happen by when they’re here, snap them up! (And try not to eat them all on the way home. Instead, do like I do and sprinkle them on vanilla ice cream late at night after the kids have gone to sleep.) The local Richardson strawberries are another treat that’s not to be missed. These arrive pretty regularly, but the 2-pound flats fly off the table. Don’t hesitate—  summer is almost gone.

The Grapes Have Arrived!!!

Mann Orchard in Payette delivered their signature Sweet Shelly Berries this past week. These are a tiny, concentrated, blueberry like-grape. Heaven. Mann Orchard will be supplying us with a number of grapes varieties for the next few weeks, as we move from summer into fall.  Look for their Sweet Blush variety, Cotton Candy Grape, and their Strawberry Grape. We also are displaying a beautiful Thompson Seedless grape from Nelson Farms on our fruit table. The essence of summer!

Both Nelson and Mann are offering wonderful peaches right now, too. These are the best of the season.

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Have you toured the Rice Family Farm? Act quickly and you can. Lee and Gilbert will be offering an afternoon tour of their Meridian Farm on Wednesday September 16th. Contact them and RSVP by Monday the 14th and learn all about Organic Farming! Contact Rice Family Farm for more info:

Lee or Gilbert Rice
Rice Family Farms
353 East Mason Creek Lane  Meridian, ID. 83642
masonck@msn.com
lee@ricefamilyfarms.com
www.ricefamilyfarms.com
208-887-5685 or 208-724-5367