• Lettuce
• Kohlrabi or radishes
• Sugar snap peas
• Onions
• Kale, collards or chard
• Chinese broccoli or spinach
• Zucchini
• Herb: Basil or cilantro or dill or parsley
• Green onions
• fennel

  We made it through the heat and now this nice cool weather will allow the plants that we got in the ground a chance to put down the roots before the scorching heat returns. We have enough pole beans in the ground to feed an army so we will need troops to help us harvest them. We  may end up with shelling beans instead and have to cook them in a pot. The sugar snap peas are in full force, both inside the greenhouse peas and the ones I planted outside are ready for harvest. Enjoy the spring candy while you can as there’s probably just a couple more weeks of this delicacy. 

Following the sugar snaps we should have a rainbow of cherry tomatoes. This year I tried a bunch of new varieties as I could not resist their delicious sounding descriptions during the winter as I perused the seed catalogs. The zucchini is starting and for the first time this week we were able to give 2 to 3 zucchini to each member on the Wednesday harvest. I kept on  planting until they started to produce so I have six beds of zucchini! Bring on the zucchini recipes. I will include my favorite which is very simple and comes from a friend who had the opportunity to have a cooking class in an Italian Villa and brought back that special recipe. I think the key is to add all the ingredients and then turn on the pan and cover it and don’t touch it for about 10 minutes. The other use for zucchini is zoodles underneath your family’s favorite pasta sauce. There is another taste of basil this week so if you want to make pesto that is another good option. 

The Chinese broccoli is on her way out and the spring broccoli is almost ready to harvest. I always forget how good broccoli is straight from the garden. We managed to harvest all of the overwintering onions and it was a bumper crop this year. Even though we lost about 300 onions to bolting there’s still plenty for you to enjoy until the next batch of onions is ready.

New potatoes should be coming soon. It is a challenge to figure out just when to harvest them so that there are plenty on the plant before the gophers start to nibble them. We are looking forward to turning over our tunnel from Chinese broccoli and potatoes to cucumbers and melons. Each year I try to make a melon bed that produces enough for everyone to taste but as many of you know I have yet to be successful. 

I began seeding for fall crops that include cauliflower and the first seating of radicchio. I am so excited about radicchio. I have three new varieties . I trialed one last year for our family called  “Puntarelle ” which happens to be the very favorite item for the gopher so I will have to try hard to keep it from being eaten by her. Here is a picture of what it is supposed to look like:

My spring and summer flowers are coming on in full force. I am pulling buckets from the field already. Nothing motivates me more than having a few orders for bouquets to make sure that there are fresh flowers for you to buy every week.

Last week I put out a few new ceramics so check them out as I am not likely to make more new material for at least a few months. We are still selling vegetable starts at the farmers market and on our website and it’s not too late to get those items in the ground. I will put in the last paste tomatoes today and the remainder of the winter squash. Pumpkins were just seeded so still have to get in the ground.

Here are some recipes to enjoy this week:

Zucchini Trifolati

Sautéed Zucchini

The secret to this fabulous cooking technique is the long slow cooking which infuses all the flavors.  Vegetables cooked this way make great pasta sauce or you can serve them as crostini.  Try mushrooms with garlic and mint.

2 pounds Zucchini

4 cloves of garlic, sliced

chili pepper (or herbs)

Salt

Cover the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil.  Add the sliced garlic and chile peppers to the pan; NOW turn on the heat.  Slice the zucchini into thin slices and add to the golden garlic, salt and cover the pan.  The salt will bring out the liquid in the zucchini and they will stew in their own juices and infuse with the garlic.  Let them over cook.  It is a pleasant surprise.

Kohlrabi and Chicken Stew

• 3-4 lb. Chicken

• 2 lb. kohlrabi/broccoli stems

• 3/4 lb. Carrots

• 4 Tb butter

• 4 cups sliced onions

• 1 cup peeled, chopped tomatoes

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• pinch saffron threads

• 1/4 tsp turmeric

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 2 tsp ground coriander

• 1 quart chicken broth or water

• 4 sprigs parsley

• 1/2 small cabbage

Cut chicken into serving pieces. Peel kohlrabis and/or broccoli stems; cut larger ones into 1-inch chunks. Cut cabbage into 1/4-inch strips. Peel carrots and slice diagonally into 1/2-inch thick pieces.

In a large saucepan, heat the butter and sauté the onions, tomatoes, salt and spices for 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add the broth or water and parsley. Bring the broth to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the kohlrabis and carrots, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Finally, add the cabbage and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes longer or until all the vegetables are completely tender.

Adapted from The Victory Garden Cookbook by Marian Morash