CSA Newsletter - June 20, 2020

Solstice greetings! What says summer like dogs and roses?

Cinder and Freya smelling the roses - and probably a lot of other things!

WHAT IS IN THIS WEEK'S BOX:

LETTUCE X 2 - you'll receive two heads from this beautiful patchwork quilt of lettuce

KALE - CURLY OR TUSCAN

Milan, Keegen and Edwin harvesting in the kale patch

RADISHES - NEW PATCH!

Keegen and Milan harvesting in the radish patch

We couldn't have photographers follow Keegen and Milan around all day :-) but, along with the rest of the crew, they also harvested:

SCALLIONS - SPRING ONIONS 

In salad and stir-fry. Use some of the tender green part as well

GARLIC SCAPES - twisty, curly bonus harvest from the garlic plants. Use in salad and stir-fry. Tender with mild garlic flavor.

Harvesting these "scapes" gives the garlic more energy to make nice cloves!

BROCCOLI - high in Vitamins C and K.

Spring broccoli is so tender!

ARUGULA - NEW PATCH! We have to share early arugula with the flea beetles, who are mighty little jumpers as they nibble from leaf to leaf, but they don't bother the plants that much and definitely don't affect the classic, nutty/peppery arugula flavor!

Arugula, sometimes called "Rocket" or "Roquette"

SWEET BASIL - Genovese variety 

What tastes like summer more than basil?

And finally, those of you who are getting your first share  - Frog Holler Farm Recipe Book!

RECIPES: At Frog Holler, we grow what we eat; we eat what we cook; we cook what we grow. Our little recipe book is chock full of original ideas for creating delicious plant-based meals - recipes that have evolved over years of growing, cooking and eating at the farm!. We also believe that recipes are "jumping off points", so be inspired to add your own creativity to these plant-iful ideas!

Recipe Book suggestions for cool salads in a hot week: Massaged Kale Salad, p.28 - using kale, of course, with add-ons and dressing of your choice.

Sesame "Snoodle" Noodles, p. 63 - using broccoli, scallions/scapes

At the farm this week we had Roasted Rad-nips, p.72. We also had Original Arugula Rice, p. 51and a simple rice salad with chopped garlic scapes, chopped scallions, sliced radishes, and a bit of chopped basil. A vinaigrette dressing finished off a satisfying simple salad supper!

STORING YOUR PRODUCE: Most of your veggies keep best in a plastic bag in the fridge, with these exceptions: Radishes keep best with the greens removed, and then put in a plastic bag. What to do with the greens? Lots of possibilities (besides compost) and the greens, as in most root vegetables, are tons more nutritious than the roots themselves! Store the radish greens as you would other greens.

Basil does not like to be refrigerated; it shows that by the leaves turning brown or black. We pick basil Friday afternoon, then dip it, pack it in a box, and store covered wth a wet cloth overnight, out of the cooler. At home, try putting your bunch, stems down, in a glass of water out of the fridge. Bet you'll use it up before you have to think about long-term storage!

NOTES FROM THE FARM: WEEDING!

Keegan, Cale, Ashleh, Milan weeding in the onion patch

Some wag once said, "Plant a garden with your spouse, weed a garden by yourself." Well, our farm crew did not have to weed alone, and with good humor they took on a rather daunting task in the onion patch. You can see what they were facing in the foreground of the photo, and what they had accomplished behind them. 

We realize that ... a weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows! (Doug Larson) We do keep lots of land where the wild plants can grow unfettered and contribute to the ecosystem in their unique and varied ways, but onions like rows and those weeds must go! 

Onions do require a full season of growing before they yield those beautiful pungent storage globes, so truth be told, we just may be revisiting this task during the season. One author (Richard Powers) described a character in a story who was "...as eager and generous as weeds." We appreciate our "eager and generous" weeding crew who give us their time and energy to bring the harvest home. Watch for onions in your share boxes come September.

Have a great week everyone!