July 3, 2016 - Share #2

 Holler Fest is less than two months away - we hope you will join us!
Card designed and colored by Frog Holler intern Daniela Risquez

Intern Stevie Snyder-Barker with one of our super-sized lettuce heads! 

WHAT'S IN THE BOX:

LETTUCES

KALE - TUSCAN, AKA DINOSAUR                         KALE

RAINBOW CHARD

KOHLRABI

BEETS

SCALLIONS

ARUGULA

PARSLEY OR BASIL - YOUR CHOICE

GARLIC - FRESHLY DUG, NEW CROP!



NOTES FROM THE BOX:

We are starting to harvest a new lettuce patch so the heads won't all be "out of the box" as in last week's share! Tuscan Kale is also called Dinosaur Kale because the crinkled dark green leaves are said to look like a dinosaur's skin. We promise you they won't be as tough as a dinosaur's skin! The arugula is from a new patch that we are sharing with the flea beetles, hence the little holes. The flavor and tenderness are not affected! Flea beetles are just like their name sounds - small black little flea-sized bugs with a prodigious jump! Kohlrabi is a versatile spring root crop, with a flavor sometimes described as a cross between cauliflower and apple - good roasted or eaten raw. These are the first garlic heads from the 2016 crop, which looks pretty good. They haven't been cured so eat them up or refrigerate.

NOTES FROM THE RECIPE BOX:

Rainbow Chard Stems - pickling!

This week we enjoyed a big pot of Grains n' Greens, which can use the beet greens in your share. Nutritionists always point to the higher vitamin and mineral content in the greens relative to the beets, so this tasty and satisfying dish will give you a nutritional as well as flavor boost. Beets keep longer than their greens so it's good to have some beet green recipes on hand!


Just like it feels good to use the greens as well as the beets, it feels really good to use the stems as well as the chard! Emily made these pickled chard stems this week and we have been enjoying them with many and any meals! They are quick and tasty, and the Rainbow Chard stems are especially pretty. If you Google "Chard Stems" you will find a surprising array of suggestions. Of course you can slice the stems finely and add to any stir-fry, but why not Chard Stem Hummus or Chard Stem Gratin or Roasted Swiss Chard Stems - lots of possibilities!


NOTES FROM AROUND THE FARM:

A stream of water from the well going into the irrigation pond.

Although determined not to complain, your editor must acknowledge, as you all well know, how much we need rain! Actually the USDA drought status weekly report says that parts of southeastern Michigan are "abnormally dry" and very close to drought status. If you look at the map on the link, you will see Jackson County, where Frog Holler Farm is located, smack dab in the middle of the "close to drought" area. Our irrigation pond is getting very low, especially for so early in the summer. Right now we are "watering" the irrigation pond from our well. We keep the stream going overnight, hopefully replenishing the pond so we can keep irrigating the garden. We also use the well for irrigation, but the pond serves more areas of the garden - when it has water!





And the groundhogs are thirsty too! We have seen an uptick in groundhog incursions and our four live traps are constantly busy. Since Frog Holler farmer Billy King is also a musician, sometimes his day and night jobs overlap. Here is one of the many groundhogs we have caught this year being resettled - traveling in the van still full of music gear from the night before. That's a trip the groundhog can tell his children about!

Well, some good news is that we passed our organic certification inspection this week with flying colors - no issues!


And finally, this past Monday evening we joined fellow farmers and good friends, Paul Bantle and Anne Elder, at Community Farm of Ann Arbor. Paul and Anne have been at the helm of one of the country's oldest CSA farms for 17 years. Before that Paul lived and worked at Frog Holler and before that Paul and Anne both worked at Wildflour Community Bakery. They have served the Ann Arbor community well and will be leaving next year for California and a meditation retreat where Paul teaches. But for now, we joined them for a potluck and game night, taking time from worries about groundhogs and drought to enjoy fellowship and silliness in a sweet and peaceful setting.

Community Farm of Ann Arbor farmers Paul Bantle (standing) and Anne Elder (sitting in foreground and about to snuff your editor in a game of Labyrinth!)

Have a great week everyone and thank for bringing your boxes back!