• Lettuce
• Garlic
• New potatoes
• Zucchini
• Parsley
• Kale or chard
• Broccoli
• Green onions (scallions)
• Sugar snap peas – last week
• Fava beans – last week
• Beets
• Kohlrabi or fennel (last week)
Well, never a dull moment on the farm. Gusty winds yesterday tore the plastic off our greenhouse #3 sending plastic with wood and metal flying 30 feet into the air landing on our broccoli and newly weeded shallots. It looked like a giant animal ranged thru our fields flattening everything in it’s wake. The greenhouse will be torn down and moved. The crops inside (mainly tomatoes and peppers) will survive without the plastic although they will not be protected from late blight (a disease spread by summer rain splashing soil onto the leaves). We are hopeful the shallots will recover. They are just about to start forming their bulb and got their greens knocked off. Honestly this farming thing makes me want to scream!! Oh yeah, the wimpy sugar snap peas were knocked down as well.
Who knows when the greenhouse will be removed and rebuilt but it has to happen sometime this summer so that fall and winter crops can get in the ground. We have a new greenhouse on the way from the factory (taking about 10 weeks longer than projected) so there will be lots of construction happening this summer. If you are handy and interested please do let us know. These will be huge projects that go much quicker if there are many hands. We may set up some work parties if I have anything to do with it.
On the duller side this week we have been pulling out spring crops and replacing them with fall crops like cabbage and Romanesco cauliflower. We plant lettuce every week and are planting more pole beans. The hoop houses #1 and #4 have been completely transformed and transplanted. We have tons of cucumbers and melons in #1, plus some safety tomatoes and peppers (good thing right!). Greenhouse # 4 has the most beautiful peppers in full bloom. The tomatoes in there look strong and healthy as well. Greenhouse #3 you have heard about, hopefully we can fill the half that has mustard and chard gone to seed with more winter squash and pumpkins. Greenhouse #2 is half peppers and half weeds.
We managed to get the onions and leeks and shallots weeded (this is the third weeding, one more to go before harvest. They should come out of the ground at the end of July or beginning of August. We a ready need the space for the fall broccoli! The flowers are in full bloom, sunflowers galore. Please do consider buying a bouquet, they last all week and really brighten your home. I am making fewer and fewer as they languish in the cooler, so you can always text me and I will make a bouquet special for you 503-568-5760.
It is time to wish all those Fathers out there happy Father’s Day. You are all special, you are all needed and loved. Enjoy your day! Off to harvest and make cheese and . . .
Roasted Cabbage (Our families new favorite way to eat cabbage 2014)
1 head cabbage
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan cheese
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the cabbage in half and now cut into wedges 3- 4 per half leaving a bit of the core on each wedge. Arrange the wedges on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and now turn over and do the same. On the second side sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Put the cabbage in the oven for 20 – 30 minutes, it should be golden brown and crispy on the outer leaves. Remove from the oven and enjoy! We will never let another cabbage head go to waste.
And another – super easy but would be great with your beef that’s coming!
Finquita Beef and Cabbage Sauté
1 lb Finquita ground beef 🙂
large white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large head cabbage chopped
Herbamare herb seasoning salt (or other seasoning of choice)
Salt and pepper
Using a large sauté pan, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil, add ground beef, season with Herbamare, salt and pepper to taste. Cook completely. Add cabbage and simmer until tender. Serve warm. My kids like this dish served over rice with soy sauce or sweet chili sauce. I love it as is!
Roman-Style Raw Fava Beans, Scamorza(or Smoked Mozzarella), and Fresh Onion
Antipasto di Fave e Cipolla Fresca
from Verdura by Vivana La Place
A springtime antipasto of raw fava beans and new onions. Eating tender fava beans is a special treat. Eat them unpeeled if you enjoy the refreshing bitter edge of the peel, or peel them first for a sweeter flavor. Serve this dish with crusty breadsticks, a sturdy country loaf, or black pepper taralli, a type of pretzel found in Italian specialty markets, and company with a pitcher of cool dry wine.
2 pounds fava beans, unshelled weight
a few small lettuce leaves
3 scallions or 1 small fresh onion, thinly sliced
1 pound scamorza cheese, sliced (substitute smoked mozzarella)
Basket of bread sticks, black pepper taralli, or bread
Shell the favas and mound in the center of a platter. Surround with the lettuce leaves and scatter the onions over the top. Arrange slices of the cheese around the edge of the platter. Serve with the bread.
Provencal Zucchini and Green Torte (serves 8)
1 lb. greens, stemmed
2 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 lbs zucchini cut into 1/4 inch dice
2-3 large garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 c. chopped parsley
1 tsp fresh thyme
1-2 tsp fresh chopped rosemary
3 large eggs
1/2 c. Arborio rice, cooked until tender
1/2 c. Shredded Gruyere cheese
1 recipe yeasted Olive Oil Pastry
Before starting, make the olive oil dough and set it to rise while
you prepare filling.
Blanch the greens until just tender; drain and cool. Squeeze out
any excess water and finely chop.
Heat the oil in a large pan, then sauté onions until tender. Stir
in zucchini, season with salt and cook until just tender–about 8
minutes. Stir in garlic and heat for 1 minute more, then add
greens, herbs, mix well and remove from heat. Season with salt and
pepper.
Beat eggs in a separate bowl and reserve 2 Tbs for brushing crust.
Combine eggs, rice, cheese and veggie mixture.
Heat oven to 375. Oil a 10-12″ spring form pan. Roll out 2/3 of
dough into a large circle to line spring form with edges overhanging.
Scrape in filling. Roll out remaining dough to fit pan and place
onto filling; crimp edges together and brush with remaining egg.
Bake 40-50 minutes.
Olive Oil Pastry
2 tsp yeast
1/2 c lukewarm water
1/2 tsp sugar
1 beaten egg
1/4 c olive oil
2 c. flour (can be up to 1/2 c. whole wheat)
salt
Dissolve yeast in water with sugar and let sit 5-10 minutes. Add oil
and eggs, then beat in flour and work just until a smooth elastic
dough. Place in an oiled bowl to rise for 1 hour until doubled
before using.
Roasted Beets w/ Feta
Directions
Peel 4 medium beets and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste on a baking sheet. Roast at 450 degrees F, stirring once or twice, until tender, 35 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; toss with 4 chopped scallions and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Top with crumbled feta.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/roasted-beets-with-feta-recipe.html
Zucchini and Egg Casserole
Sauté 3 cups of Zucchini chopped
1 medium onion
crush 2 cloves of garlic
Mix: 4 eggs
1/4 cup dried or fresh parsley
1/2 cup parmesan
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
Then add to above and mix well. Place in an 8 X 8 baking dish gently oiled with butter or pam. Bake for 25 minutes and then add 1 cup of jack cheese to the top of the dish.
BEET SOUP (AKA Root vegetable soup)
Small bunch of beets
Small bunch of carrots
Onion or shallots or leeks
Garlic or green garlic
Cabbage (if you have it 1/3 head)
2 – 4 TBSP Olive Oil
Fresh dill
Small can tomato paste
1 tsp salt or as needed
1 tsp caraway seeds ground, or as needed
sour cream
Chop garlic & onion & gently sauté
Chop or Julianne beets, carrots, & potato & stir fry with onion &
garlic, about 10 min until just starting to get tender
Add cabbage if you have it
Add 1 – 2 cups water and about 1 – 2 small cans of tomato paste (to
taste)
Cook
When vegetables are tender it’s done.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream.
Laura