Week 5

Photo courtesy of Peter Caswell

While Melissa and I have been barely tolerating the recent heat and humidity out in the fields, many of our summer crops have been thriving under these conditions. Our cucumber, summer squash and zucchini plants are cranking out fruit at a rate that is challenging to keep up with (but believe me, it's a good type of challenge!). Some of our pepper plants have nearly full-sized green peppers and every time we turn around it seems like our tomato plants need another line of trellising. One of the most exciting sights this past week, though, was the appearance of baby watermelons. These will take a few more weeks to achieve full size (we grow smaller varieties of watermelon, so "full size" is much more manageable than what you're probably used to seeing in the grocery store) and ripeness, but they are really worth the wait!


Many thanks to Peter Caswell, who came by the farm on Saturday and took some lovely photos of our veggies (including the ones in this blog post).

In the CSA:
Cucumbers - We grow both pickling cukes and slicing (also called "salad") cukes. Pickling cucumbers tend to have thinner skins and fewer seeds, which make them more suited to pickling, but I also slice them up on salads.

• St. Valery carrots - Melissa tasted this heirloom variety for the first time last year while visiting some farms on the west coast. These carrots are quite sweet, but they are also known for storing really well. We grow another variety in the fall for winter storage, but if you do plan to store your St. Valery carrots for a while, we recommend storing them without the tops in a plastic bag in your refrigerator's vegetable crisper. They should keep for several months this way (if you have the willpower not to eat them before then!)
• Caraflex cabbage - This is our first time growing this type of cabbage based on the recommendation of another farmer friend. It has a unique conical shape and is known for a sweet and mild cabbage flavor.

  Caraflex cabbage. Photo courtesy of Peter Caswell

• Japanese Eggplant or Beets - Some mystery animal has taken a liking to our Japanese eggplants and hollowed out a significant percentage of the ripe fruit. For this reason, we don't have quite enough to offer all our CSA members this week, so you'll likely have the choice between an eggplant or another purple vegetable - beets!
• Fennel
• Summer squash - This week we've added Patty Pan squash to the mix. These summer squash are shaped like flying saucers!
• Zucchini
• Napa cabbage
• Mini green cabbage
• Lettuce
• Carrots (Nelson) - Nelson carrots are the same type of carrots you've already been enjoying so far this season.
• Scallions
• Kale- Toscano and Curly- Toscano kale is also called dinosaur kale because the texture looks like dinosaur skin!
• Arugula
• Yukina savoy
• Radishes
• Kohlrabi
• Baby bok choy

CSA pick-your-own crops: 

• Green Beans
• Basil
• Thai Basil
• Parsley

In the farm store:
Most of the same veggies, with the exception of eggplant and beets.


Multi Bean Salad

Green Beans are ready and for Melissa that means batches of Multi Bean Salad from her go-to cookbook: Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. Leftovers keep well for easy summer dinners. Melissa's favorite beans to use are dried pinto beans (they boil quickly with just an overnight soak), canned chick peas, and green beans of course!

Make this one day ahead of time. 6-8 servings.

From Moosewood: This recipe calls for 5 cups of cooked beans. Any kind of beans will do, but it’s extra nice if you use several different kinds and one of those is steamed whole green beans. If you are starting from scratch with dried beans, begin soaking them the night before. Don’t mix the different kinds of beans until after they are cooked, because cooking times vary. You don’t want them too crunchy or too mushy. Cook them in plenty of water (except green beans which should be cooked in as little water as possible) and test them periodically. How to gauge amounts: you can safely expect the amount of dried beans to double after they're soaked and cooked. You can marinate Hot Beans and cool, then chill them in marinade. They’ll really absorb the flavors this way.

The Marinade:

• 1/2 cup vinegar (cider or wine)
• 3/4 cup mixed olive and safflower oils
• 1/2-1 tsp salt
• lots of fresh black pepper
• a few dashes of marjoram or oregano
• 1/2tsp basil
• 3 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 tbs red wine
• rind and juice from 1/2 a large lemon

Pour marinade over these and gently mix:

5 cups of cooked beans
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup finely minced red onion (optional)
freshly chopped parsley

Week 4

On Monday mornings Lise and I take a field walk. We plan the harvest for the week as well as scout what needs to be done to plan for the following week and beyond. This morning it was no surprise that summer squash and zucchini are in abundance; cucumbers and green beans are almost ready so we have them to look forward to in the coming weeks! During our field walk we also assess what we need to do to make each crop its best (and occasionally, what to do to save it!). We look at potential challenges, make our to-do list for the week, and then get to work! This morning that included mowing, weed whacking, seeding greens, carrots and beets, and preparing ground for our fall brassicas. Before we knew it it was time for lunch. Good thing it’s only Monday, we have plenty more left to do!

During the field walks we take note of what is going well on the farm, but it's dinner time when we really appreciate it!   Everyone here at Barrett’s Mill Farm loves eating vegetables.  I eat most veggies plain and simple either in salad or as a quick sauté with olive oil and salt. I find it delicious, but if you are wondering where that great smell is coming from in the evening look no further than the Holdorf-Conroy house, where more ambitious meals are the norm. A favorite that we all agree is well worth the time in the kitchen are Summer Rolls (see recipe below). They take some chopping but there isn’t much cooking so the house stays cool and the fresh summer flavors can not be beat! We will let you know what we are up to in the kitchen this summer, both simple and elaborate. Feel free to email us recipes if you come across one you love to make with farm produce!

In the CSA:

• Summer squash 
• Zucchini
• Napa cabbage- This is the main ingredient in kimchi and goes great in stir fry.
• Mini green cabbage
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Beets
• Swiss chard
• Scallions
• Curly kale
• Arugula
• Mustard greens
• Yukina savoy - Looks like little green lollipops! Great in salads and lightly cooked.
• Red Russian kale
• French breakfast radishes
• Kohlrabi- This crunchy vegetable shredded in salads and coleslaw!

CSA pick-your-own crops:

• Basil
• Thai Basil
• Parsley

In the Store: 

Most CSA crops will be available in the store. In addition, we will have salad turnips and broccoli available in the store.

Coming Soon: 

Cucumbers, Green Beans, Sunflowers, and Japanese eggplant!

RECIPE

Vegetable Summer Rolls
Gourmet | May 2001
http://www.epicurious.com/

Makes 4 rolls but we always at least double the recipe so everyone can eat their fill!

Ingredients

For peanut sauce

3 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1 small garlic clove, minced

3/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

1 teaspoon tomato paste

3/4 teaspoon sugar


For summer rolls

1 ounce bean thread noodles (cellophane noodles)

1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar

4 (8-inch) rice-paper rounds, plus additional in case some tear

2 red-leaf lettuce leaves, ribs cut out and discarded and leaves halved

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (preferably Thai)

1/2 cup thinly sliced Napa cabbage

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional- when we don’t have it we use extra thai basil)

1/3 cup coarsely shredded carrot (1 medium)

(Lise suggests chopped scallions, kohlrabi or radishes as tasty additions!)


Preparation

Make sauce:

Cook onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes in oil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden, about 4 minutes. Whisk in remaining sauce ingredients. Simmer, whisking, 1 minute, then cool.

Make summer rolls:

Cover noodles with boiling-hot water and soak 15 minutes, then drain well in a sieve. Pat dry between paper towels and toss with vinegar and salt to taste.


Put a double thickness of paper towel on a work surface and fill a shallow baking pan with warm water. Soak 1 rice-paper round (make sure there are no holes) in warm water until pliable, 30 seconds to 1 minute, then transfer to paper towels.

Arrange 1 piece of lettuce on bottom half of soaked rice paper, folding or tearing to fit and leaving a 1-inch border along edge. Spread one fourth of peanut sauce over lettuce and top with one fourth each of mint, basil, cabbage, and noodles. Roll up rice paper tightly around filling and, after rolling halfway, arrange one fourth of cilantro and carrot along crease. Then fold in sides and continue rolling. Transfer summer roll to a plate and cover with dampened paper towels.

Make 3 more rolls in same manner. Serve rolls halved on the diagonal.

Summer rolls may be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, wrapped in dampened paper towels in a sealed plastic bag. Bring rolls to room temperature before halving and serving.

Zucchini and Summer Squash!

Our zucchini and summer squash plants really exploded in the past two days - just in time for Fourth of July grilling festivities! We will have them available in the store starting today.

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.