Week #8

  • · Radish
  • · Lettuce
  • · Parsley
  • · Green onions (scallions)
  • · Sugar snap peas
  • · Carrots or beets
  • · Kale
  • · Chard
  • · Chinese broccoli
  • · Walla Walla sweet onion
  • · Dill or other herb
The battle against the cucumber beetle continues. We managed to spray the “Surround” that coats the plants white (and makes them look anemic) mixed with the “Pyganic” and the preliminary word is good. The plants don’t seem to have grown but they haven’t disappeared either. Last week when we planted the beans within 2 days we could see the beans being eaten to the ground. Now, the plants are present in suspended animation waiting for warm weather to grow.
Members helped cover some of the other crops with agro-fabric which allows sunlight in and keeps beetles off. We are pulling out all the stops to try and get the garden up and running ahead of the voracious pests. We had a visit from the AP Environmental Science class at Liberty High School last week. Students came and learned about sustainable agriculture, made pizza and toured the farm. The visit culminated with an hour of feverish work as we planted 20 flats of winter squash and pumpkins. Students first protected plants with “Surround” and then planted the squash in neat rows filling about 12 beds. Other students laid straw in the aisles helping to discourage weeds and prevent erosion. It turned out to be a great project and really got the work done in quick order.
This week we need to weed the remainder of the onions. We managed to get 3 of the 6 beds weeded and they look great. The weed of the week is the bunching grass. It looks fairly harmless, like little stacks of onions but it is a formidable foe. It is able to grow a bunch of grass from any or all of the bulbs, it sends out runners like crab grass and can grow towards light from 8 – 10 inches underground. It loves to be tilled as this separates the little bulbs and allows them all to grow, thus the field is filled with it. It is tedious work to pull each bulb from the ground while avoiding the cultivar(the vegetable we are trying to grow).
The lambs are back in our field with Ruffles and Gypsy looking out for them and no more have disappeared. Jacob or Juvencio locks them in a smaller pen each night. We hope the remainder of the lambs make it to the fall. We have a very open policy at the farm. Members are allowed to frolic with the animals and guests of members are welcome. The animals as well as the vegetables make our farm a destination for families.
We ask that you follow a few guidelines to keep your children  and our animals and vegetables safe.
1) Please know where your children are at all times and supervise them.
2) Always close gates and doors behind you (last week the chickens were visited and the door was left open and coyotes got in and ate some)
3) Please do not walk through the vegetable gardens, but rather walk around them
4) Do not allow children to run through the gardens or jump over beds where vegetables are planted
5) Please Close the cooler tightly so that we do not waste energy
6) Please do not allow children to chase any animal on the farm. We want children to learn respect for animals and to read their body language. If a dog (usually Oliver) runs away please teach children to let him be.
7) Be aware of animals at all times especially the cow, goats and sheep. We have male animals that are aggressive and are defending their herd. The ram will get more aggressive over time and needs to be avoided. Bella the cow is a large animal and needs to be watched as she may inadvertently step on small children.
8) If you bring a guest to the farm please educate them on how to behave around farm animals and how to respect the work we do. Set an example for them and encourage your children to model good farm etiquette. Our goal is safety for all.
9) Please be very careful out on the road, the speed limit is 55 and cars and trucks often go zipping by. We hope to create a safer passage across our property soon, until then use the road with caution.
RADISHES WITH GOAT CHEESE
1/2 cup soft mild goat cheese, softened
3 tablespoons heavy cream
12 large radishes with tops
Garnish: 24 small fresh chervil sprigs
In a bowl stir together goat cheese, cream, and salt and pepper to taste until combined and transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch tip. (Alternatively, transfer mixture to a small heavy-duty sealable plastic bag and press out excess air. Snip off 1 corner, making a small hole.) Cheese mixture may be made 2 days ahead and chilled in bag. Bring cheese mixture to room temperature before proceeding. Trim radish tops to 1/2 inch and halve radishes lengthwise. Decoratively pipe mixture onto radish halves. Garnish hors d’oeuvres with chervil. Makes 24 hors d’oeuvres. Gourmet April 1998
SIMPLE BEET SALAD WITH ONIONS
Grate scrubbed beets or cut into julienne; toss with chopped green onions and vinaigrette you make or from a bottle in your fridge. Add toasted nuts and/or a sharp cheese (blue, Parmesan, feta). Serve alone or with lettuce
SPAGHETTI WITH FRESH CLAMS, PARSLEY, AND LEMON
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 pounds fresh Manila clams or small littleneck clams, scrubbed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 pound spaghetti
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté until light brown, about 1 minute. Add clams and 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley; stir 2 minutes. Add wine; simmer 2 minutes. Add fresh lemon juice. Cover and simmer until clams open, about 6 minutes (discard any clams that do not open).
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Add pasta to clam mixture and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and serve.
Bon Appétit
May 2002
Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas
Chez Panisse Vegetables, Alice Waters
Top and tail the sugar snap peas, pulling off the threadlike strings. Slice on the diagonal into ½ inch thick pieces. Put into a sauté pan with ¼ inch of water, butter and a sprinkling of salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Cook until done, about 3 minutes. The water and butter should be emulsified and coat the snap peas, which should be bright green and just tender. Adjust the seasoning and serve. You can also cook fresh peas shoots with the snap peas.
Mediterranean-Style Marinated Red Beets
2 garlic cloves
1 shallot
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
¾ teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground
¼ teaspoon coriander, toasted and ground
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon
½ teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup extra virgin live oil
6 red beets, about 8 ounces each
Finely chop the garlic and shallot in a blender. Add the lemon juice, cumin, coriander, turmeric, tarragon, salt, pepper and honey. Process until well blended. With the motor running, start adding the olive oil very slowly. To keep the mixture from breaking add the oil slowly at first and wait until it is fully incorporated before adding more. This process is similar to making mayonnaise.) Once all the oil is incorporated, set the dressing side.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Peel the beets and cut into ¼ to ½ inch slices, then into cubes. Add to the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, or until beets are just tender. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well.
Transfer the beets to a bowl add the dressing and toss gently. The beets may be served immediately, but the best flavor is obtained by letting them marinate covered for up to 24 hours. Refrigerate the beets if you plan to marinate them longer than 1 hour.
Serves 6
Dutch Beet Salad
from Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Shepherd and Raboff
6 large beets, peeled
1 bunch scallions, chopped
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs. water
½ cup vegetable oil
pinch sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Grate the fresh beets on the finest grater you have-preferably one used to grate lemon peel. If you are using a food processor, use the blade with the smallest holes. Place the grated beets in a bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients until blended and pour over the beets. Toss and marinate in refrigerator for several hours before serving. For an interesting variation substitute grated carrots and/or grated daikon radishes for 1/3 of the beets. Serves 4 to 6.

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