- Kale
- Lettuce
- Herb, parsley, or thyme, or sage
- Broccoli or Chinese broccoli
- Swiss, chard, or collards
- Zucchini
- Sugar snap peas
- Kohlrabi or fennel
- Onions
- Scallions
We appreciated the tiny bit of rain we got yesterday. All of the plants in the field perked up and the weeds were able to germinate. Good thing Juvencii and Cesar spent the better part of the week weeding the onions and the leeks. The cucumbers are in bloom, the zucchini are about ready to take off, the tomatoes are setting fruit and the peppers are bulking up. As we start to think of salsa and Caprese salad, we also seed for fall and winter. I have fall cabbage and broccoli and cauliflower, freshly seeded and will start on the overwintering varieties in the next few weeks. The beds that we thought had radishes and beets germinating turned out to be a bust. They were turned over and they will now have the dry crop experimental tomatoes, and okra. I may try one more time to get some beets germinated but the weed pressure and the time constraints of keeping the bed clear have seemed insurmountable this year.
We still have lots of vegetable starts available on our website and at the Beaverton farmers market. It is much easier for me to gather the vegetables that you may want if you pre-order them rather than showing up at the farm and asking for them as I don’t always have every variety. Polly and I do this business together and starts maybe at either one of our farms. If you want things that read out of stock do text me and I can tell you if we have them and have them for you by the following week pick up. Here is the link again: https://pumpkinridgegardens.square.site/
The flowers are going crazy. I took 15 buckets of them to market yesterday after preparing a very large wedding with over 30 table bouquets, eight bridesmaids and 13 corsages. I made a few bouquets for today and I will do special orders. Today I am heading into Portland to celebrate my Mom’s birthday so I will not be around. If you want a special bouquet, text me before 11:00 or I will be gone. I always leave a few bouquets to choose from in the barn, but when they don’t sell, I focus my energy in other areas.
Off to harvest.
Recipes for the week:
Auditioned by Sue Kass:
GREEN GODDESS DRESSING
1 c parsley leaves
1 c packed spinach leaves, stemmed
2 Tbs tarragon leaves—I used 1/2 bunch of chervil and a bit less parsley
3 Tbs minced chives
1 garlic clove
2 anchovy fillets—or 2 Tbs chopped Kalamata olives
3 Tbs lemon juice
4 tsp champagne or sherry vinegar
1/2 c canola or grapeseed oil
1/2 c mayonnaise—I used Greek yogurt instead
Salt/ pepper to taste
In a blender or food processor, blend everything but the mayo/yogurt until smooth, then mayo/yogurt in.
THE SALAD
2 c snap peas, trimmed
2 hearts of romaine lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces (I used butter lettuce)
2 small thin skinned cucumbers, diced (I used celery instead, could also use a young zucchini’
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, cubed
Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil, then drop sugar snaps in for one minute—then rinse well in cold water to stop cooking and then drain and dry well.
Combine all ingredients except avocados and toss well, then gently mix the avocados in. Pour in about 1/2 c green goddess dressing, mix gently and taste—add more dressing, salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Extra dressing will be kept in the fridge x 1 week.
Italian Potato Pasta Soup with Greens
3 Tbs EVOO
2 c diced onion
1 c diced carrot
1 c diced celery or fennel
Salt, pepper
1 bay leaf
1 large sprig thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp paprika
2 Tbs tomato paste
3 quarts chicken or veggie broth, or water
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut in 1” chunks
8 oz kale or chard, stems removed and cut into 1/2 inch ribbons, about 4 c
1/2 lb pennette, or hitters or other small pasta
1 Tb finely chopped fresh rosemary or oregano
Freshly grated Parmesan
In large soup pot heat EVOO and add onions, carrots and fennel, sprinkle in salt and pepper and cook until softened and starting to golden. Stir in bay, thyme, garlic and paprika and tomato paste and cook, stirring, x 1 minute. Add broth, potatoes and large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Cook 10-15 minutes until potatoes are cooked through but firm. Stir in kale and pasta and simmer another 10 minutes or until pasta is Al dente. )If making in advance, omit pasta and cook just before serving)
Garnish w/fresh herb and Parmesan before serving.
Kale-Romaine Cesar Salad
12-16 oz been kale and romaine lettuce hearts, in roughly equal amounts
1-2 large garlic cloves
4-6 anchovies
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt, pepper
1/2 c EVOO
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 egg
4 oz freshly grated Parmesan
Croutons for serving
Remove stems from kale and cut into bite sized pieces. Cut romaine into bite sized pieces.
In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic, anchovies, mustard, salt and pepper and lemon juice—blend until smooth. Poach egg in simmering water until yolk is thickened but still runny. Put the egg in the dressing and blend. Taste and adjust seasonings.
To serve, toss the greens with half the dressing, the croutons and Parmesan cheese. Taste and mix in remaining dressing as needed.
New Potatoes Baked in Parchment
2 lbs small new potatoes
1/4 c olive oil
Salt, pepper
1 rosemary sprig
A few thyme springs
1 head garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
3 Tbs chopped parsley
Preheat the oven to 400. Place potatoes in a bowl with all other ingredients except the parsley. Toss to coat.
Arrange potatoes on an 18” round of parchment paper. Fold paper over to make 1/2 mom, then fold and crop the rounded edges to make a package. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Open package and sprinkle with parsley before serving
Onion and zucchini frittata
2 Tbs EVOO
3/4 c finely chopped onion
Salt, pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small zucchini, grated
4 eggs
1 Tb milk
Heat 1 Tb EVOO over medium heat in a heavy 8” omelet pan., then add the onion and generous pinch of salt. Cook until onion is very soft and sweet. And garlic and zucchini and cook, stirring, about 3 more minutes. Beat the eggs in a bowl and add milk, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the onion and zucchini and mix well. Clean and dry the pan. Heat the remaining oil over medium high heat in the pan. Pour in the egg mixture and shake gently, lifting up the edges of the frittata to let the eggs run underneath. After a few minutes turn heat down to low and cover and cook 7-10 minutes more or until golden and set. Slice into 4 wedges to serve.