The beet — the long-suffering, red-blooded, forgotten cousin of the ubiquitous potato — is having its day in the sun. Tangy, nutritious, and florid fuschia, this root vegetable is here to put pop in your salads, soups, and sides.

Ham, the old winter fallback, is having a summer revival. Prosciutto? Try it with strawberries, fresh cheese, and herbs. Serrano? Great with a dry white wine and iced melons for those July nights that last forever.

In the cheese plant, we recently hosted our first class in the new space! Six students spent a day learning about making Bulgarian style feta, scooping chevre and taking care of the washed rind cheeses.