Recently we were chatting at distribution with one of our shareholders, Emma, who is a baker /pastry chef at Devil's Food in Denver, and the idea of a Cookie Share to accompany the vegetable share was born. We always hoped to expand our share options, figuring next season we would get into mushrooms and eggs and fruit, but why not now?! Email us or let us know at distribution if you would be interested in a weekly Cookie Share (Emma makes a dazzling array of cookies - her Earl Grey shortbread lives on years after the fact as perhaps the greatest cookie I've ever experienced) and if you are gluten free. If there is enough interest we'll get details together and let everyone know. We have an incredibly talented group of shareholders and if you would like to contribute to the CSA by sending on recipes, sharing writing or art, or any other way, let us know! We are fed by the energy, creativity and passion of this community and it is an honor to be able to feed you.
Harvest List: Kale Green onions Head lettuce Baby bok choy Summer squash Hakurei or scarlet turnips Shungiku Please note this list is dependent on weather and crop conditions, not guaranteed or comprehensive.
There is something about the above photograph that made us very happy, other than the very healthy eggplant plants. The green in the lower righthand corner is white dutch clover, which we have been establishing in our aisles between the black plastic mulch. This clover is a low-growing perennial which requires little water and can stand being trampled. A perfect cover for our walkways. It also is part of our efforts to create a healthy, dynamic system of plants, insects and animals on our land. What is less readily apparent is that the leaves on much of it have been munched down to bare stalks. We had noticed it but didn't realize what was happening until we saw a rabbit happily munching on the clover, that is until our farm dog Oyster ran it off. The clover can withstand being food for the rabbits much more than our crops can, so we are delighted that it has been prevented much crop loss from the significant population of rabbits who reside on the farm. We have not sprayed any pesticides on the farm, and it has not been sprayed with any chemicals in living memory. We aim to keep it this way, and so we rely on things like rowcover to protect our plants from predation by insects or animals. We also do things like planting strong-scented marigolds at the end of our tomato and pepper beds, attracting beneficial insects and deterring pests. By creating a system of plants and not just cash crops hope to be able to create a balanced system which eliminates the need for pesticides.
Recipe: Shungiku is the obvious candidate for a recipe this week. Shungiku is edible chrysanthemum greens, and the taste is floral and bittersweet.They can be used raw, blanched, or in stir-fry. If cooked, I would toss them in at the last moment, just wilt them so you don't lose the flavor. You can add the shungiku into this recipe, and if you've still got the tatsoi around, you can use it in place of spinach. SOBA SALAD INGREDIENTS 4 oz Soba noodles 1 carrot, grated or finely chopped 2 c edamame 2 T soy sauce juice of 1 lime 1 T freshly grated ginger 2T light miso 10 oz fresh spinach, washed and trimmed 1/4 c scallion or green onion PREPARATION Boil noodles 2-4 minutes, until tender. Add edamame for 1 minute. Drain and set aside. Whisk together soy sauce, lime and miso. Add spinach, carrot, noodles and scallion.