Week 3


This is a time of year when the farm changes rapidly. As I looked back through my photos from just a few days ago, they look like old news! Plants have grown, seedlings have germinated, and we have mulched and trellised more beds, changing the landscape of the farm in just a few days.  It must be July! And for us that means Week 3 of CSA pick-ups.

This week in the CSA bag:
  • Carrots
  • Swiss Chard- We plant a variety called Rainbow which has stems of different shades of yellow, pink, red and white. It is as nutritious as it is beautiful! Use it any way you would cooked spinach or other tender cooking green. Below is a recipe for eggs and chard, my favorite combination!
  • Beets- The greens are our favorite part! We put them in fritatas or sautee them as a side dish, see the recipe below! For the beets I take Didi Emmons advice from Vegetarian Planet in her “How to Beat the Mess of Beets” advice: “Boil the beets whole until they are tender (about 30 or 40 minutes), then rinse them under cold running water while you press the skins off with your hands.” It’s grew to cook up all my beets at once, then I store them in the fridge to slice on salads throughout the week.
  • Curly Kale
  • Kohlrabi- This flying saucer shaped vegetable is crunchy and refreshing! I like it best chopped in a salad, serious fans slice it up and dip in sauces for a snack like you would carrots or celery. 
  • Hakurei salad turnips
  • Red Russian Kale
  • Lettuce
  • Salanova Lettuce Mix
  • Bok Choi 
  • Fennel
  • Scallions

CSA Pick-your-own
  • Basil- Time for pesto! 
  • Parsley 

In the Store

Most of the crops listed above for the CSA will also be available in the store (exceptions for this week include kohlrabi and bok choi). We will have the first of our summer squash in the store on Thursday. When the harvest picks up (likely next week) we will begin to have summer squash and zucchini in the CSA bag as well.

Frittata With Greens
NY Times Recipe for Health
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN 

This is a typical Provençal or Italian frittata, something that is quickly thrown together, especially if you make a point of washing and blanching greens when you get them home from the market. It works best with the more tender greens like chard, beet greens, and spinach.

1 pound Swiss chard (any color), beet greens, or spinach, stemmed and washed thoroughly

Salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

Freshly ground pepper

8 large or extra-large eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1. Heat a large pot of water over high heat while you stem and wash the greens in two changes of water. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add a generous tablespoon of salt, and the greens. Blanch spinach for 30 seconds only, chard and beet greens for 1 minute, or until tender, and transfer to the ice water. Let sit for a few minutes, then drain, squeeze dry, and chop.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and stir in the greens. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until coated with oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

3. Beat the eggs in a bowl, stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper to taste, the milk, and the cooked greens.

4. Clean and dry your pan and return to the stove. Heat over medium-high heat and add the remaining olive oil. Hold your hand above it; it should feel hot. Drop a bit of egg into the pan and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture, scraping every last bit out of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with the spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking. Turn the heat down to low and cover the pan. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan every once in a while, until the frittata is just about set. Meanwhile, light the broiler.

5. If the frittata is not quite set on the top, place under the broiler, about 3 inches from the heat, for 1 minute, watching closely, until just beginning to color on the top. Do not allow the eggs to brown too much or they’ll taste bitter.

6. Remove from the heat, allow to sit in the pan for 5 minutes or longer, then carefully slide out onto a platter, or cut in wedges in the pan and serve.

Advance preparation:
The greens can be prepared through Step 1 or Step 2 several hours or even a day or two ahead. The frittata can be made a few hours or even a day ahead and served at room temperature. It does not reheat well.




Sautéed Beet Greens With Garlic and Olive Oil
NY Times Recipe for Health
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN 

This simple classic (which can be made with any type of green) is great on its own as a side dish, or you can toss the greens with pasta, add them to an omelet or risotto, or use them in a gratin or a quiche.

1/2 pound beet greens (1 large bunch)

Salt

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, to taste

1 garlic clove, minced

1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)

Freshly ground pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem the greens and wash the leaves in 2 rinses of water. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the greens. Blanch for 2 minutes, until tender. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water, then drain and squeeze the water out from its leaves. Chop coarsely.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the garlic and hot red pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and translucent, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the greens. Stir for a couple of minutes, until the greens are nicely seasoned with garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and serve.

Note: Some people enjoy a few drops of lemon juice with their cooked greens, so you might want to pass a plate of lemon wedges.

Advance preparation: The blanched greens will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days.

Week 2 - Summer has arrived!

The recent warm weather has reminded us that it is now officially summer. While sun and heat are great for the beach, the lack of rain combined with our very sandy soils mean that we've had to begin irrigating our fields. Melissa spent most of Saturday setting up our pump and hooking up drip irrigation lines to our newly laid-out irrigation header. Thanks to her efforts our more recent transplants have a little more life to them! We've also been thinking ahead to next season. This past week, Lise has been occupied with plowing more land in order to work on some perennial weed issues and plant some cover crops so that we can build up soil organic matter for next season.

In addition to the more routine farming tasks of planting weeding and harvesting, this week's projects will likely include expanding our drip irrigation to one of our pick-your-own fields, disking our recently plowed field to break up debris, trellising tomato plants and picking Colorado potato beetles off of our beautiful potato plants. We also have an important seeding project to tackle this week: our fall carrots! It's hard to believe, especially since we're just beginning to harvest our spring-seeded carrots, but it's a good reminder that you can never rest on your laurels (or in this case, our carrot tops!).

This week in the CSA bag:
  • Carrots - These are the first of the season and they're extra sweet.
  • Fennel - If you love the strong licorice flavor of fennel, shred it raw on top of your salad. For the more hesitant fennel consumers, try roasting it. Don't forget that you can use the fronds chopped up on top of salads!
  • Scallions - Use both the white and green parts raw as garnish on potato salad, soup or burritos, or cook them up in your stir fry.
  • Curly kale - See the recipe below for a great way to make a raw "massaged" kale salad!
  • Red Komatsuna - This looks like a purple version of baby bok choi and is a good substitute for spinach when cooked (spinach is done for the spring, but we'll have more again in the fall!)
  • Lettuce
  • Salanova salad mix
  • Arugula
  • Red Russian kale
  • Baby bok choi
  • Bok choi
  • Radishes or Hakurei turnips


CSA Pick-your-own crops:
  • Basil 
  • Sugar snap peas
  • Snow peas
  • Cilantro
  • Dill
  • Parsley

In the store:
Most of the crops listed above for the CSA will also be available in the store (exceptions include fennel, arugula and turnips for this week). In addition, there will be a limited amount of broccoli available in the store.


RECIPES:
 
Kale Salad with Oranges, Currants and Feta
from Boston Globe Magazine January 13, 2013

Ingredients
  • 2 large oranges
  • 1 large bunch kale (about 1 pound), stems removed and leaves washed, spun dry, and torn into bite-size pieces
  • 1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup crumbled feta
  • 1½ tablespoons milk, or more if necessary
  • Salt and black pepper
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup currants

Preparation
Finely grate 2 teaspoons zest from 1 of the oranges and set aside. Cut the peel and pith off the oranges and, working over a strainer set in a bowl, cut the segments free of the membranes and reserve; discard the membranes. Place the kale in a large salad bowl and set aside.

In a blender or food processor, process the orange zest, vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, ⅓cup feta, milk, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper to a smooth puree. With the motor running, very slowly add the oil and process briefly until dressing is thick and emulsified; you should have about 2/3 cup. (If the dressing seems too thick to coat the kale leaves, add more milk about 1½ teaspoons at a time to adjust consistency.)

Add the dressing to the kale and, with your hands, mix the salad thoroughly until all the kale is coated. Rest the salad to allow the kale to soften slightly, about 30 minutes.

Add the currants, most of the remaining feta, and most of the orange segments to the kale and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper, if necessary. Sprinkle with the remaining feta and orange segments and serve.


Chickpea, Fennel, and Citrus Salad
Bon Appétit | March 2013

Ingredients
1 grapefruit
1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed, coarsely chopped)
1 thinly sliced fennel bulb and stalks
A handful of fennel fronds

Preparation

Cut peel and pith from 1 grapefruit and 1 lemon; cut between membranes to release segments. Squeeze juice from membranes into a medium bowl; whisk in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss in citrus, one 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed, coarsely chopped), 1 thinly sliced fennel bulb and stalks, and a handful of fennel fronds.




Week 1 of the CSA season begins!

Asparagus and rhubarb are done for the season, but the next crops are coming on strong in time for the start of the CSA season. This week will feature a wide variety of salad and cooking greens. There will also be scallions, hakurei turnips and sugar snap peas, so that means you'll have the fixings for some nice stir-fries! See below for some fun recipe ideas, including Garden Greens and Goat Cheese Pasta, and Glazed Hakurei Turnips.

This week in the CSA bag:
  • Lettuce
  • Salanova lettuce mix - Salanova is a new type of cut lettuce that is similar to mesclun.
  • Spinach
  • Curly kale
  • Red Russian kale - It tastes like regular kale, but is more tender. The greens can be eaten raw mixed in salad, or you can add to soups, sautee with garlic or shallots, or mix cooked greens into an omelette or quiche.
  • Bok choi
  • Baby bok choi - Both regular and baby bok choi go well in stir-fry. The baby bok choi is also really tasty when grilled.
  • Arugula
  • Mustard greens - These greens are quite spicy, so when eating raw, moderation is key! They become milder when cooked.
  • Hakurei turnips (salad turnips) - These sweet turnips have a nice crisp texture and mild flavor. They are a tasty addition to salads or are a sweet side dish for dinner when roasted.
  • Scallions
  • Radishes (maybe) - Our second radish planting is just now maturing, so you may see cherriette radishes, Easter Egg, or French breakfast varieties in the CSA area.

CSA Pick-your-own crops:
  • Sugar snap peas - We think these need no preparation (they rarely make it to our kitchens before getting devoured), but they are a tasty addition to salads and stir-fries (especially when only very lightly cooked).
  • Cilantro
  • Dill
  • Parsley

Many of these crops will also be available in the store for purchase.

RECIPES:

Garden Greens and Goat Cheese Pasta
from Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food II

This pasta is tasty made with kale, collards, or any greens you have growing in the garden. I will go and cut whatever is ready or use what I brought home from the farmers' market. I like to include something that has a bit of spice, such as broccoli rabe, red mustards, or mature rocket. Many times I will cook more greens than I need and put them in the refrigerator to make a quick pasta another time. (Add the garlic and goat cheese at the time you are going to toss them with the pasta.) This is perfect for those days when dinnertime shows up before you know it.

Preparation

Pull the tough stems away from the leaves of:
1 bunch of kale (lacinato, Red Russian, or Siberian)
Put the stems into the compost bucket and wash the leaves in cool water. Drain. Cook the leaves until tender in boiling salted water. Remove from the water and let cool. Bring the water back to a boil and add:
1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti

While the pasta is cooking, heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and pour in:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Stir in the greens and heat through. Move the greens from the center of the pan and add:
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Allow to cook for a minute and stir into the greens. Taste for salt and add as needed. When the pasta is cooked, drain it in a colander, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Add the drained pasta to the greens with:
1/3 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese
A pinch of dried chile flakes
A drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil


Stir the greens, pasta, and goat cheese together. The cheese will melt, making a creamy sauce. Add cooking water as needed to loosen. Taste for salt one last time before serving.

Variation: Depending on how sharp the cheese is, sometimes I add a splash of vinegar to the finished greens.



Glazed Hakurei Turnips
Bon Appétit | November 2011
by Anita Lo

Ingredients
1 bunch baby hakurei turnips, baby turnips, or red radishes (about 1 pounds), trimmed, greens reserved
1/4 stick unsalted butter
1-2 tablespoons sugar
Kosher salt

Preparation
Place turnips in a large skillet; add water to cover turnips halfway. Add butter, sugar, and a large pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is syrupy and turnips are tender, about 15 minutes. (if turnips are tender before liquid has reduced, use a slotted spoon to transfer turnips to a plate and reduce liquid until syrupy. Return turnips to pan and stir to coat well.) DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm before continuing.

Add turnip greens to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt.


This week at the farm store


This Tuesday and Thursday from 5pm to 6pm we are holding CSA member orientation. Come find out how your CSA membership works and pick up your CSA bag along with a bonus vegetable!

This week at the store we will continue to have asparagus, rhubarb, lettuce, radishes, spinach, arugula and red Russian kale. In addition, we've begun harvesting Salanova lettuce mix, which is similar to mesclun mix. Today (Tuesday), we will also have a very limited amount of "Happy Rich" broccoli. This was our first time growing this mini broccoli, so we only planted a small amount, but we are definitely planning more for the fall!

This will be our last week harvesting asparagus, but we have plenty of other exciting vegetables to look forward to in the near future!

June!




It is hard for us to believe we moved onto the farm just two and half months ago! In that short time the farm has become our home and passion. Time on the farm feels expanded not only because it feels like home, but because the nature of farm work means that our big projects and concerns change each week as the season evolves. Worries we had three weeks ago seem far in the rearview mirror today. We recently planted peppers, tomatoes and eggplant while appreciating, but not thinking much about, the weeks before spent plowing, disking, and laying fertilizer in preparation. Farming is like a puzzle: the things we need to get done are the puzzle pieces, and we have to find the right order and timing that make the farm as a whole work. We have some anticipated needs, such as the number of trays to seed in the greenhouse to fill a bed of cucumbers, but other factors such as the weather and pests are less predictable. Among other projects this week, we chose to hoe and weed carrots, spinach, lettuce, and scallions, plow and disk the remaining acre we will plant this year, seed fall crops in the greenhouse, and transplant lettuce, celeriac, husk cherries, tomatillos, and more. There are always decisions to be made. Do we get those perennial flowers planted so that we and our customers can all enjoy them next spring, or work on something that is more urgent in the short term, like weeding beets? Fortunately this week we were able to do both!