- Lettuce
- Cabbage
- Basil or parsley
- Tomato
- Cucumbers
- Zucchini
- Green beans
- Garlic
- Potatoes
- Kale or chard
Welcome to week # 15 of the 29 week season. We are just over halfway into the season it is hard to believe the time has both flown and crawled by. As anticipated the onions are starting to Bulb and will come out of ground soon. Hopefully in the nick of time for us to get overwintering broccoli and cauliflower tucked into those beds before they are overgrown in their flats. We are bound and determined to intercrop this year with such great success from the cover crops . The first brussels sprouts are already knee-high and it seems I have missed the opportunity to plant Crimson Clover beneath them I will make an effort to sneak it in this week and hope that it can just rest there until the brussels sprouts are harvested and then takeoff in the spring providing us with rich nitrogen for the late spring/summer crops.
I had committed to weeding the seeded crops and yet I find myself on week #3, weeds over taking seeds if I don’t get there this weekend it will be for not. We have three greenhouses going strong and two of them awaiting our attention. Our meat chickens are enjoying the grubs and bugs in greenhouse number two before they head off to The butcher in a few short weeks. The new chicks arrived on schedule and amazingly all were alive after two days of travel with no food and water. We have over 50 layers and over 50 meat chickens that will grow strong on the farm ready to produce eggs next spring. They always send one surprise chick and this year he/ she has a cute little tuft on her head we will see if she crows or lays.
Last weekend 12 of you participated in the lavender wand making event that seemed quite successful. Six people at a time sat socially distant while Janet instructed how to create these delicious smelling wands that provide lavender scent for an entire year. As the summer sets in lavender gives way to dahlias and other summer flowers. I was able to harvest 21 buckets of flowers for the farmers market yesterday. I have plenty for those orders today, please do send me a message if you would like a special bouquet otherwise take your chances on the bouquets that remain.
This week we have a lot of cucumbers and Sue Kass true to form has come up with several delicious recipes for you to try. Please remember the quick pickle, it is easy and a great way to preserve your cucumbers for up to three months in your fridge without having to pull out your canning jars and make A hot brine.
As always I must add a few words about the pandemic and current political situation. The pandemic sores in Oregon and across the nation as a result incompetent leadership. As a healthcare worker I am acutely aware of the lack of PPE as we struggle to keep up with the mounting cases. There is no reason that at this point in the pandemic we should be struggling with enough gowns to wear to protect ourselves as we see patients suffering from Covid. Please know that the recent surge is due to people not keeping their distance and not wearing masks. I have been baffled by the weak advise coming from OHA and the governor. The messaging from the White House is not a surprise, that we have not been able to remove him is.
We have urged mask and face coverings since early April. We hope that you are leaders in your community, your household and among your colleagues as we work once again to flatten the curve. We are at the point where we cannot test all of the people that need to be tested. We are having trouble tracing and tracking all of the cases. All of those measures put in place to ensure that we would not get to this point have failed due to lack of leadership and the simple yet vital act of wearing a face covering. There is no way to safely reopen our economy, which seems to be the top priority without protecting others from our respiratory droplets. I understand that as the weather warms it becomes more and more difficult to keep your face covered, I live this every day. Please, please make sure that you and your family members, especially young people in the teenage years keep socially distant and wear face coverings. Good hand hygiene is essential and not touching one’s face, I sound like a broken record.
Portland is on fire. Trump has sent in the National Guard to use us as an example for his tyranny. Here are ways to get involved:
https://j20strikeforblacklives.org/
As always, make sure that everyone in your circle, small and large is registered to vote!
https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote
https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/registration.aspx?lang=en
Recipes for this week:
http://yummysupper.blogspot.com/2012/08/ottolenghis-green-gazpacho.htm
Thai-style cabbage salad
4 Tbs lemon juice
4 tsp peanut oil (or 3tsp sunflower 1 tsp sesame)
4 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp fish sauce
1 cabbage finely sliced or shredded (about 4 cups)
1 c. kale sliced into thin ribbons
1/2 c thinly sliced shallot or red onion
3/4 c julienned or shredded carrot
1/2 c each chopped mint and chopped cilantro
handful of roasted peanuts.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl, then add veggies and herbs and toss well—allow to sit 1/2 hour or more before serving. Toss in the peanuts just before serving.
I added some slivered snap peas to tonight’s salad because I had them. This is very pretty with red cabbage; I have also done it with Bok Choy, Chinese cabbage