July 14, 2012 - Share # 1

NOTES FROM THE FIELD:

presenting...

the Frog Holler Farm interns - 2012!

l. to r., back row: Colleen, Katie, Samuel. Front row: Kirstin, Shannon, Bretton, Susan. You'll hear more about this hard-workin' crew in the weeks to come!

and Emily! 2011 intern just back for another tour - arrived too late for the group photo.

 This week we: dug our first potatoes (crop looks good so far), skipped Wednesday market again (crops a little off from the drought), tied up a lot of tomatoes (look good so far - some are starting to turn), cleaned up for the party (hope you can make it!), and continued to plant for the fall crops, and the rains that WILL come!

After the Garlic...We're planting green beans in the patch where we harvested garlic last week. As legumes, the beans will "fix" nitrogen in the soil, replenishing some nutrients that the garlic used up.

 IN THE BOX: Everything keeps best in the refrigerator, except garlic. Potatoes can stay out, but since they are freshly dug, they will appreciate cool storage if you don't use them right away.

Carrots - carrots keep best with greens removed; plastic bag keeps them crisp. Bunched.

Beets and greens - rinse, drain and store in plastic bag. Bunched.

Zucchini/Summer Squash - plastic bag keeps them firm.


Pac Choi (Asian Greens)  - light green, smooth, spoon-shaped leaves. Crunchy stalk. All tender and good for stir-fry. Mild, "cabbagey" flavor. Rinse, drain, plastic bag. One head.

Kale - Curly (sturdy leaves, curly edges), Russian (fringed-edge leaves) or Tuscan (dark green, dimpled leaves). Rinse, drain, plastic bag. Bunched.

Potatoes - just dug!

Endive - this very frilly leafy green doesn't seem to mind the extreme hot weather. The lettuce definitely does, and will be in short supply until we get some rain and it cools down. Check out the Recipe Box section for ways to prepare endive. Or let us know what you do! Rinse, drain, plastic bag. One head.

Garlic - no need to refrigerate.

Herbs: Arugula - strong flavor in the heat! Chop fine for salads or see the Recipe Box for more ideas. Large dark green frilled leaves, peppery flavor. Bunched.  Rinse, drain, plastic bag.

Purslane - !? Pink/green stems and leaves. "Succulent" leaves are thick, but tender.We include purslane in the box at least once a year, for its educational value as well as its sprightly flavor and many uses. A popular permaculture element, purslane is a perennial wild plant (okay, sometimes called a weed!) that appears when the weather is warm; purslane does well in drought conditions. Needless to say, we have a lot of it this year. Recipe Box section has ideas for use. Bunched. Rinse, drain, plastic bag.

Perennial herb bunches: you choose from sorrel, rosemary, tarragon, sage or chives. Enjoy! Rosemary, tarragon and sage can be hung upside down to dry; sorrel and chives are best rinsed and refrigerated.

NOTES FROM THE FROG HOLLER RECIPE BOX:

Okay - for many of you, your first share! Here are some ideas for using all the vegetable bounty. Besides these suggestions, of course there is a universe of food blogs at your fingertips. The Frog Holler Recipe Box compiles some of our favorites from over the years.

Carrots: We roasted carrots this week, once it cooled down and we felt like using the oven! Simply wash and trim carrots; slice the long way in half or quarters; drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with kosher salt, and your choice of herbs. Spread on cookie sheet and roast at 375 degrees until slightly browned and tender. You can check and stir after ten minutes, then stir occasionally until done.Great snacks!

 Beets: We tend to keep it simple at the farm - some form of grains, veggies and beans makes a filling and nourishing meal, especially when the veggies are fresh, organic, and abundant!. But sometimes it's fun to add a flourish to meal prep, and this Chickpea, Beet and Apple Panini looks festive and flavorful. A golden beet was probably suggested to eliminate the deep red beet color spreading to the rest of the ingredients. But the flavor won't be affected and it might be pretty!Just slice the beet on the thin side.

Zucchini/Summer Squash: Did y'all see the recipe suggestion in last week's newsletter? Anyone try it? Member Patty Swaney suggests foregoing the nifty little parchment packages unless you're making a special presentation. Simply chop your veggies, mix them with the suggested accompaniments (or your modifications - word has it a little beer can be added!), roast in a covered casserole, and dig in when done. Zucchini likes this weather; time to dust off your favorite zucchini recipes. Let us know if you have some winners!

Pac Choi - A tender green, so it fits nicely into a quick stirfry when you don't want to spend a lot of time cooking. Good with garlic!

Kale - sturdier leaves that take a little longer to cook. Kale Chips are a popular way to serve this nutritious green; your bunch will disappear fast!

Potatoes - you probably don't need any suggestions for this favorite vegetable, but if you're making potato salad, try adding some chopped purslane! It will add some crunch like celery as well as a little lemony zip. Or just roast your potatoes with one of your perennial herbs. Sorrel would be the least successful; everything else should be delicious!

Endive - This is a strong-flavored green, not as common in the States as in Europe. But this recipe for grilled endive takes some of the bite out of this robust leafy green.

 Arugula - also packs a punch in hot weather. We tamed it with Arugula Pesto this week. The blanching in the recipe is an extra step, but does take a little of the pepper out of the flavor. We also used walnuts instead of pine nuts - less expensive and the earthy walnut flavor seems to balance the zip in the arugula.

Purslane - although many folks call this wild plant a common weed, it is revered around the world and was known as "Gandhi's favorite vegetable," probably for its abundance AND high nutritional value. Wikipedia says that  "purslane contains more omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid in particular) than any other leafy vegetable plant." Read more about the history and benefits of purslane (or verdolaga) at the wikipedia  entry. The Greek method of preparation sounds the tastiest: fry the leaves and the stems with feta cheese, tomato, onion, garlic, oregano, and olive oil.That should work!

Garlic/perennial herbs - roast with potatoes! If you have chosen sorrel, try this Sorrel Pesto. No need to wait for basil to make a flavorful herb condiment!

See you at the party!