• Onions ( seeded in August 2021, transplanted in October , harvested last week of May)
• Chinese broccoli (this is a very vegetable – make sure to use one of the included recipes, don’t let this one go to waste)
• Lettuce
• Radishes (french breakfast – special request from long time subscriber Jo Whitsel) 
• Beets or kohlrabi
• Kale
• Chard or spinach 
• Herb (cilantro or dill or parsley)
• Sugar snap peas?? Just starting, the first greenhouse is about three weeks ahead of the remaining 3 rows, so just a preview of what is to come)

I am finding it impossible to ignore the horrors of this week. I am sure all of you have thought about the mass shooting of this week and read about the number of school shootings that happen in this country on a regular basis. Here is how I took action today, consider making a donation and writing to your elected officials: https://www.everytown.org/ at this site you can do both. Reading Amanda Gorman also gave me strength:

Schools scared to death.

The truth is, one education under desks,

Stooped low from bullets;

That plunge when we ask

Where our children

Shall live

& how

& if

I also took time to watch this About our Oregon dreamers, powerful reality : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul8uhB9L6uU&ab_channel=BienestarOR

 Here is what is going on at the farm:

This has been a big week for transplanting and weeding. We got closer to completing the summer planting last Sunday with getting 120 cherry tomato plants in the ground. Thanks to Dee, Dan and Max for helping us get that done in short order. Juvencio and I planted our first sweet potatoes which we hope to harvest at the end of the summer and have some held over for winter. We have grown one or two sweet potato plants in the past and they were extremely productive but they also seem to be a favorite food of the Gopher. This is the first time we will share with our subscribers. The tomatoes have had their first pruning and will soon be staked and ready to set fruit. Our goal is always mid July but this year all bets are off. 

I am writing this as I head to the farmers market with 3/4 of an inch of rain predicted today it is hard to know how it will go. I remain hopeful that people will want to get their gardens planted tomorrow so hopefully they’ll show up today to buy their plants. Polly and I with the help of Luna and sometimes Kody seed every single week to have fresh beautiful starts available for our customers. We select varieties that we know have the extra flavor that you expect from a home garden as well as from CSA vegetables. We have a wide variety from exotic cherry tomatoes to heirloom tomatoes, crunchy cabbage and delicious celery. We always look forward to conversations that help people select the perfect cucumber for their home garden and the perfect plant for that extra 1 foot space. The best time to order is on Friday afternoon as Polly has just updated the inventory. I can gather your plants for you and have them at La Finquita for pick up on Sunday or Wednesday. Here is our website again: https://pumpkinridgegardens.square.site/

Flowers this week are glorious. Some of the very early spring planted flowers are starting to bloom as are the perennials. Sweet William is amazing. I have a hot pink variety of red and white variety and a light pink variety. I can’t wait to arrange flowers with these beauties. I have columbine and foxglove, figwart and viburnum. It seems like the end of the ranunculus although we were promised six weeks it seems like we’re going to get 3 to 4. Hopefully they will have more blooms to share in the upcoming weeks. I it seems like this week nation built on slave labor is disintegrating. We are becoming numb to gun violence our children are not safe in schools or at home.

Here are some tips on beets from Sue Kass. Don’t get excited, we have not conquered the curse of the beet yet, but we are trying.  “If I am roasting/baking something on high temp (400-450) I put beets in a Dutch oven with a few Tbs water—or you can wrap them tightly in foil—and roast til a knife pierces easily.  Once they cool the skins slip off,  then I cut them into slices or chunks and put in a tupperware with a crushed clove of garlic and a splash or two of vinegar.  I keep these barely pickled beets in the fridge to toss in salads.  Our favorite is chunks of these beets, a handful of toasted nuts and some crumbled feta or goat cheese sprinkled with a little EVOO —yum!!!

This not only has a recipe but is full of handy tips on how to roast beets,  how to get beet stains out of things,  etc:

https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipewinners.com%2Froasted-red-beet-salad%2F&data=05%7C01%7C%7Cbf0460cbfc514a085a2f08da41001ba1%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637893765955597684%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=GG0AbhDkkYsBVNdACnBbb5L2SBfhlaUc9slg0B7%2BaQk%3D&reserved=0 “

Zaatar Spiced Beet Dip:

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/zaatar-spiced-beet-dip-goat-cheese-and-hazelnuts

Here are some recipes for this week featuring Chinese Broccoli.

Do this one with the chines broccoli—definitely better the longer it marinated

https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.recipetineats.com%2Fwprm_print%2F53487&data=05%7C01%7C%7C059a92defaa14cc0f0e808da3fe09044%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637892530966327177%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=bV66oit8GLc9clMeF5fn6JBw270JNk086r2okuAIflg%3D&reserved=0

https://cookswithoutborders.com/chinese-broccoli-in-ginger-sauce

https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yummly.com%2Frecipes%2Fchinese-broccoli-gai-lan&data=05%7C01%7C%7Ce16f6ff4bc674eafae6708da3fde0762%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637892520077776029%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=odAXujkY%2BtT7G9Wtaa%2FaDhGd%2Bhw02iKZkKwYFRJ2Jv4%3D&reserved=0

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023044-pad-kee-mao-drunken-noodles?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share

•  Lettuce
• Chinese broccoli or bok Choi
• Kohlrabi
• Fenugreek 
• Kale or chard
• Spinach
• Herb
• Turnips or radishes
• Beets? Or garlic scapes

This week at the farm we managed to get all of the leeks planted, the celery and the celeriac as well as some of the sweet red peppers. In a short break from the rain,Juvencio was able to till the entire field and it’s ready to go now it’s my turn to get out there and plant it all. We have cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, eggplants, beans, and more flowers to get in the ground this weekend and next week. It seems really late to be getting these things finally into the ground but it has been so wet and cold.The night before last we still had frost. Our first planting of beans looks like a complete loss due to frost. Many of the summer squash that were left uncovered have also been taken out. On the other hand tomatoes inside the greenhouses are starting to bloom and are needing their trellising. Some of the sugar snap peas are well over 6 feet tall and in full bloom.  

We used agricultural fabric (reemay) in the field to protect early crops like lettuce and spinach and broccoli. Juvencio pulled back the fabric and found that the lettuce and spinach had already gone to seed and the broccoli was making heads the size of a lemon. Very disappointing to have worked so hard to get things in the ground early and to protect them from cold and find that they are ruined. There seems to be no way to get ahead of this weather you’re kind of damned if you do and damned if you don’t.

I hope you’re getting the message that it’s not too late to plant your garden. We had the biggest day of the season at the Beaverton Farmers Market  yesterday. I will be at the Beaverton farmers market every Saturday through the end of July with lots of vegetable starts and cut flowers. The flowers are just starting to take off and the upcoming warm weather should be welcome. You can order veggie, flower and herb starts from our website: https://pumpkinridgegardens.square.site/. Or come and see me at the Beaverton Farmers Market.

In the middle of last week I sent out a sign-up sheet for people to start thinking about when they want to volunteer their time to come and help us harvest vegetables. Harvest at this point are still quite manageable until we have the peas and beans and cherry tomatoes the three of us can handle just fine. The sugar snap peas look like they are still two weeks away and then the real work begins. 

We do have lots of new vegetables for you this week we have fenugreek. Fenugreek makes us see that many of you may be familiar with  it in Indian cooking. The greens are a special once a season treat that can be cooked down in dal. They are slightly bitter so please follow the recipe that is included that will help you make this delicious. We also have kohlrabi. Many of you wait for the springtime old world treat. Somehow this year I did not plant an over abundance of kohlrabi so you’ll get a taste. My recommendation is to peel it and slice it nice and thin and eat it on a raw vegetable platter. Sue Kass has looked up some recipes for you to try if you get motivated to cook. And we have our first batch of beets that we seeded all the way back in February. They are not maturing evenly so there’s probably not enough for everybody to get some this week. We are hopeful that everybody will get an opportunity to eat some beets this season. Direct seeded crops like carrots and beets are very difficult on a large scale. But we will keep trying. 

Recipes for this week:

Kohlrabi home fries

1-2 lbs kohlrabi

1 Tbs rice flour

2-4 Tbs neutral oil (canola/grapeseed/sunflower)

chili powder, ground cumin, curry powder or paprika to taste

Peel the kohlrabi and cut into thick slices about 1/2” wide and 2” long.  Heat the oil over med high heat in a heavy skillet.  Meanwhile,  place the flour on a large bowl with salt if desired  and quickly toss the kohlrabi sticks in the flour so they are lightly coated.  When the oil is shimmering, carefully add he kohlrabi to the pan in batches so it isn’t crowded.  Cook one one side until browned, about 2- 3 minutes,  then use tongs to turn and brown the other side.  Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with seasoning of your choice. Serve hot

Buttery Roasted Kohlrabi

3 Tbs EVOO

60 g unsalted butter,  cut into 2cm cubes

2 red chiles, roughly chopped

6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2-3 kohlrabi,  peeled and cut into 2cm cubes

5g each basil,  oregano

400g cherry tomatoes

salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400. add all the ingredients to a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet and season with salt and pepper and toss to mix well.  Roast for 25 minutes,  stir  and roast again for 30 minutes,  stirring halfway through.  Drizzle with lime juice, parsley a more EVOO to serve.

kohlrabi noodle salad

2-3 medium kohlrabi, trimmed and peeled

for the nut-seaweed-chileseed sprinkle:

2 tsp white sesame seeds toasted

1 tsp black sesame seeds, toasted

1 tsp poppy seeds,  toasted 

(can also use Trader Joe’s “everything but the bagel” seed mix)

! tsp seaweed powder—blitz a sheet of nori or toasted seaweed in a spicer grinder or food processor

3/4 tsp chili flakes

1/2 tsp finely crushed peppercorns

1Tbs roasted and salted peanuts, roughly chopped.

Flaked sea salt

Ginger-lime dressing:

3Tbs lime juice

2 cm piece fresh ginger,  peeled and roughly chopped

1 Tbs rice vinegar

6 scallions,  finely chopped

4 Tbs sunflower oil

Slice the kohlrabi as thinly as possible—use a mandoline if you have one.  Stack the slices and cut into 2cm wide strips to resemble ver short tagliatelle.  Transfer to a bowl with the lime juice and a teaspoon of flaked sea salt and leave to marinate for 10 minutes.

Make the seed sprinkle.

Meanwhile,  put the ginger and 3/4 tsp salt into a mortar and pound into a paste.  Tansfer to a small bowl with the vinegar and 2/3 of the scallions.Heat the oil in a small pan until warm, then pour over the ginger and leave to steep 20 minutes.  Drain the kohlrabi to ge trid of the liquid,  then toss with the ginger oil and transfer to a platter.  Sprinkle with the seeds and scatter the remaining scallions over to serve. 

Fenugreek leaves recipes:

Methi Dal | Lentils with Fresh Fenugreek Leaves

https://www.yummly.com/recipes/fresh-fenugreek-leaves

https://frombowltosoul.com/wprm_print/2405

Some great recipes from last year around this time:

Kale Salad (from Kris Schamp)

Flax oil (1/8 C)

Lemon juice (1/8 C)

Soy sauce* (less than 1/8 C)

1 bunch kale

Red onion

Shredded or shaved (with peeler) carrots

¼ C pumpkin seeds

1/8 C sunflower seeds

Sesame seeds

Sprouts (any kind)

Mushrooms (optional)

* can use Bragg’s – a low sodium substitute for soy sauce

1) Make the dressing:  equal parts flax oil, lemon juice & soy sauce (or Bragg’s – a low sodium substitute for soy sauce.  Use less soy sauce if sensitive.)

Marinate very thinly sliced / shaved red onion in the dressing while you prepare the kale.

2) De-stem the kale – try to get the young, tender smaller leaves.

Cut it into ribbons.  Place in very large bowl to allow for easy mixing.

Add rest of “dry” ingredients.

3) Add the dressing and marinated onions to the kale mixture.  Using hands, gently massage the dressing into the kale; softening down the structure of the kale and aiding the absorption of the dressing by the kale.

Let sit for a while (20-30 mins) before serving.  Can be made well beforehand and refrigerated. Can add chopped avocado when serving.  Goes well with marinated tofu-you can use the same dressing. 

Lyn’s Salad Dressing

1 cup olive oil

1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic pressed

Add all ingredients to a Mason jar and cover with lid.  Shake until creamy and well blended.

Chinese Broccoli

(Lyn’s Quick Stir Fry)

1 bunch Chinese Broccoli (flower, stem and leaves) – remove any hard end of the stem

2-4 cloves of garlic minced

1 – 2 tablespoon soy sauce

¼ cup water

Olive oil

Heat a wok or frying pan and add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Add minced garlic until aromatic (about 1 minute) then add the broccoli and toss to coat with oil and garlic for about 1 minute. Add soy sauce and coat then add the water and cover for 3-5 minutes until tender and still bright green. Serve by itself or over rice. . . YUM!

Spinach, Radish Slaw with Crispy Chiles and Pepitas

2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 dried Anaheim or dried New Mexico chiles,* stemmed

Canola oil

2/3 cup shelled raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

4 9-ounce bags spinach leaves (not baby spinach)

2 10-ounce bunches large red radishes, trimmed

4 ounces Cotija cheese or feta cheese, crumbled

Whisk both vinegars and mustard in small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD:Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.

Cut chiles in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Using scissors, cut chiles crosswise into 1/4-inch strips. Pour enough canola oil into large skillet to reach depth of about 1/8 inch; heat over medium-high heat. Add chiles and fry until beginning to crisp, about 45 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Add pepitas to same skillet and fry until golden brown and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to another set of paper towels to drain. Sprinkle chiles and pepitas with salt. Cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Line 1 large bowl and 1 small bowl with paper towels. Working in batches, stack spinach leaves into piles and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Transfer to prepared large bowl.

Using grating disk on processor, grate radishes. Place in strainer set over another bowl; drain 15 minutes. Transfer to small bowl lined with paper towels. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.

Place spinach, radishes, chiles, pepitas, and cheese in very large bowl. Toss with dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

* Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.

Bon Appétit

December 2008

by Tori Ritchie

• Radishes or turnips
• Lettuce
• Kale
• Spinach
• Chard
• Bok Choi
• Chinese broccoli
• Herb

This week has been another wet one. Friday night we got over ½ and inch in just a few hours. Fortunately the basement did not flood again. It cleared up in time for us to have a fairly good day at the Beaverton Farmers Market. If you have not put in your home garden yet, you are not alone. Please consider ordering from our website, we have all the goodies seeded and ready to go: https://pumpkinridgegardens.square.site/.

Juvencio managed to do the first of four weeding sessions on our spring planted onions. We have so many varieties including blush, rossa lunga, cipollini, patterson storage onion, Ailson Craig, Walla Walla and three different shallot varieties. I planted over 10 beds of onions and hope to move on to leeks today. We still have celery, parsley, celeriac and all the tomatoes and peppers to get in the ground. Juve and I worked most of Friday on getting the winter squash in the ground. Juve went ahead of me, shoveling fresh compost onto the beds and I came behind transplanting each squash plant. Juvencio laid remay over the squash but was too exhausted to put out the weights on the fabric. The rain held it down overnight but by the morning it had all blown off. After the farmers market and the Bans off our bodies march I relaid the fabric and put out weights. It has been a few exhausting days.

We have a lot to get done in the next two to three weeks. We will need your help with harvesting all the peas and veggies to come. A sign-up sheet will be sent out soon so you can get scheduled to help on the farm. You can also just show up! Sundays and Wednesdays 7:30 am!

It is election week! Do not forget to turn in your ballots. It is best to drop them at the drop box but it is now OK to have them post marked by 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday 5/17/22. We have two CSA members on the ballot for state representatives in two different districts. Check out Representative Lisa Reynolds https://www.lisafororegon.com/ and Representative Nathan Sosa https://www.nathansosa.com/. We appreciate you stepping up to elevate our voices.

Our overwintered onions are starting to size up. Our scallions are growing nicely but this week there will be no alliums (onion family). We have tons of greens that cook down to half their size so take advantage of soups and salads and use some of these recipes.

Recipes for Bok Choi:

https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.williams-sonoma.com%2F5-ways-with-bok-choy%2F&data=05%7C01%7C%7Cc8e0355dc4bf429afe7d08da309dae81%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637875751048100342%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=pJRmGHRmZHsVP0Oet%2BNJYiMtoaE7KS5%2FpF8C8KwGKSk%3D&reserved=0

Soup for a chilly night:

Well received at dinner tonight “perfect for a chilly spring evening”

Spring Minestrone 4 serving; 30” to prepare

1/4 c EVOO

Small onion or 2 shallots,  thinly sliced

2Tbs grated fresh ginger

2Tbs minced garlic

2 Quarts stock

1 c. Garbanzos or canelli beans

1 c farfelle (or other small pasta)

1 bunch asparagus,  trimmed and sliced into 1/2” pieces (could use Chinese broccoli, sugar snaps)

1/2 c frozen peas Or edamame

4 c spinach or kale leaves,  torn into bite-sized pieces

For serving: pesto, grated Parmesan, fresh lemon juice

Sauté onions in EVOO until soft,  then add garlic and ginger, salt and pepper and sauté until fragrant.  Add stock,  bring to a boil and simmer 5-10 minutes.  Add beans, pasta and asparagus and cook until pasta is almost done,  then stir in peas and greens; cook until greens are tender (about 5 minutes) (I had to add about another cup of water as pasta soaked up a lot of moisture) Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice,  a dollop of pesto,  and top with some fresh Parmesan.

• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Mustard greens or endive
• Green garlic
• Cilantro or dill or parsley
• Radishes or turnips
• Chinese broccoli (just a taste, not quite enough for everyone yet)

 Can we just start over? This week has been so incredibly wet and frustrating. We’ve attempted to get crops in the ground in the field during rain breaks but honestly it is a mud bath. We have more onions and celery and celeriac to get in the ground as well as the tomatoes but with the weather they will have to wait. Friday night it rained over an inch. Our basement flooded, I awoke to gale force winds and both of us had to head to the farmers market. I am hopeful that the wind will die down, the rain will hold off and we will sell big on this Mother’s Day weekend. My mother‘s words echo in my ears “farming is one of the toughest jobs out there“ this has not been an easy season. With record rainfall in the month of April and May shaping up to be one of the wettest on record it is hard to know how to keep moving forward.

It feels like we have most every inch inside of the greenhouses planted up and yet we will struggle for the next few weeks to have enough variety of vegetables. The leaf miner, a pest that burrows between the lush leaves of spinach and chard is appearing on our beautiful plump spinach leaves. The snails and slugs are happily munching their way through outside crops. It feels like a no-win situation. On a happy note, the peas are green and seem to be finally getting ahead of the sparrows who are eating their leaves. The greenhouse tomatoes are also starting to grow and will need trellising soon. 

We peeled back the Remay, a fabric carpet placed on top of seeded carrots to find a bed baron except for weeds. So much for the year of the carrot. We will keep trying but trust me it’s getting very irritating. The sprouting broccoli is finished and the Chinese broccoli is just coming on. The slow start and lack of overlap means that some people get Chinese broccoli and some people get none until next week or the week after when it should be in its glory. We will finish up the last of the salad turnips and move onto radishes. I hope you enjoy the Dill and  cilantro. This will likely be the last week for a little while until the next batch is ready. At this time of year crops that we plant in the hoop houses last us about two weeks and then they go to seed and we have to rely on the subsequent seeding. We have some similar crops outside but with this rain and lack of heat they are stunted. 

If you are considering starting your own garden at home we have beautiful vegetables starts everything from amazing tomatoes, peppers,  lettuce and the kale, please visit the website for Pumpkin Ridge Gardens to place your order https://pumpkinridgegardens.square.site/.

 The advantage of buying from us is that you will know that all of the varieties are hand curated and farmer tested. We grow varieties that are good for our climate. My friend Sue asked me earlier this week if I was growing watercress and rice given the amount of rain and I was happy to report that I have both. I am trying Rice for its bloom for dried bouquets but we’ll see we may end up as rice farmers. 

Happy Mother’s Day to all. A special thank you to all those mothers out there, it is the hardest job with the greatest reward. This mother is off to harvest.

 Enjoy these recipes and remember that the greens of the turnips and radishes make delicious soup as we take advantage of every plant we are able to produce at this time of year.

Recipes for Spinach:

We have been simply sauteing garlic and tossing in the spinach briefly with a cap full of soy sauce. And then eating it with those delicious mushrooms.

spinach and chickpeas

Here is the master class on Shakshuka by Yotam Ottolenghi:

 thought you’d like this article from MasterClass Yotam Ottolenghi’s Green Herb Shakshuka Recipe Shakshuka pairs well with warm flatbread and labneh as the centerpiece of a brunch spread. Learn how to make Chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s green herb shakshuka, a variation on the traditional, tomato-based dish.

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/green-shakshuka-recipe-by-yotam-ottolenghi

Recipes for those mustard greens or Endive:

ChickPea Stew with Orzo and Mustard Greens

4- 6 servings, 25 minutes

2Tbs EVOO

2 medium carrots peeled and chopped

1 small fennel bulb or 2 celery stalks, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch red pepper flakes

2 tsp minced fresh rosemary (optional)

2 cups stock or water

1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained

¾ c roughly chopped tomatoes

½ c orzo

1 quart loosely packed mustard greens and/or spinach—about 5 oz

Salt and pepper

¼ c finely grated parmesan

In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add carrots, fennel or celery, and onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes until tender. Add garlic, red pepper and rosemary and cook for 2 minutes more. Pour in stock, if using, or water, and 2 cups more of water and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add chickpeas, tomatoes and orzo. Reduce to a simmer and cover, simmering until orzo is tender (about 10 minutes) Uncover and stir in greens; let them simmer until soft.

Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with grated parmesan.

Umami Garlic Noodles with Mustard Greens

4-6 servings, 45 minutes

4 large garlic cloves, grated or minced

Kosher salt as needed

10 oz dried Chinese wheat noodles, Japanese ramen, or soba

1Tb oyster sauce

2 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp cornstarch

2Tbs brewer’s yeast or ½ tsp chicken buillion base

½ tsp sugar

5 Tbs salted butter

10 oz shiitake or cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 large bunch mustard greens, stems and leaves, cut into 1 ½ “ pieces

Salt & pepper

1 Tbs minced shallot

In a small bowl, cover garlic with 1 Tb water and set aside

Bring large pot of heavily salted water to boil and cook noodle until just very al dente—reserve ¾ c noodle water and then drain noodles, rinse with cool water and set aside

In a small bowl, whisk together oyster and fish sauce, cornstarch, sugar a reserved cooking water. Set aside.

In a 12” skillet, melt 3 Tbs butter over medium high heat. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until well browned. Stir in mustard greens and continue to cook, stirring frequently until bright green and tender, another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, transfer to a bowl, season w/salt and pepper.

Return skillet to stove and add remaining 2 Tbs butter, shallot and garlic-water mixture. As butter melts and sizzles, turn heat back on, to medium low. Cook, stirring frequently until garlic is fragrant and some pieces are golden, 3-5 minutes.

Stir in cooking liquid mixture and raise heat to medium, bring sauce to a bubble. Using tongs,

Toss in noodles just until coated with the sauce, then turn off heat. Stir in mushrooms and cilantro, let it sit for a minute and then serve.

Wilted Mustard Greens and Prosciutto

Serves 4-6 from Chez Panisse Vegetables

2 bunches mustard greens (or chard/kale/escarole)

¼ c EVOO

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Red pepper flakes

1-2 Tbs red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

12 thin slices of prosciutto

Remove stems from the greens, wash and drain them. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan and add the garlic. Let it sizzle for an instant, then add greens. Cook, covered, for about 5 minutes until the greens are tender. Let them cool, season with red pepper, S&P, red wine vinegar and add more olive oil if necessary Cool and then chop the mixture coarsely. Lay the prosciutto slices out on a flat surface and cut them in half vertically. Place a small ball of greens on each strip and roll them up in the prosciutto to serve.

• Cilantro or dill 
• Lettuce (two heads this week – the tight heads with small leaves are “Salanova” a delicious lettuce bred for all small leave production)
• Kale 
• Spinach 
• Turnips (make sure to use their tender greens as well)
• Green garlic (this is the only garlic this year, we had such a failure last year we did not grow seed for this year – use as you would regular garlic and see recipes below)
• Bok Choi (quick growing Asian veggie great in stir fry or soup)

     We were lucky this week with the weather. (until yesterday we got around an inch of extra rain)  Juvencio took the opportunity just before the rain restarted to till several beds in the lower half of the field. The soil was perfectly dry enough to make nice clean beds with little dirt clumping. We haven’t used the specific tractor in a long time and forgot how beautifully it prepares the soil. I was able to plant all four beds of zucchini and seed some more radishes as well as planting the last broccoli and the only cauliflower. All of the greenhouse tomatoes are planted with three beds of regular tomatoes and one bed of those delicious cherry tomatoes.

     At this time we have all the greenhouse beds full of crops that will come over the next 2 to 3 months. Within the next two weeks we anticipate turning over greenhouse number two,which supplied our early spinach, lettuce, and arugula. I will plant cucumbers and basil. The extra long high tunnel which currently is filled with spring delicacies will be turned over into peppers both sweet and hot sometime in the next couple of weeks. It is crunch time at the farm as days lengthen and we have about six weeks before the summer equinox. We have a lot of crops to get in the ground.

     The cover crop got measured and cut and turned over. That means the entire field is mostly prepped and ready to go. The small area where we did a Cover crop project to increase organic matter is still shoulder high in spelt.Juvencio let our only steer and the sheep get inside and start munching. The root system of this crop should be about as big as the above ground foliage. We are hopeful that this will be a productive area for radicchio and fall broccoli.

 Despite 20 years of farming we still have a hard time anticipating exactly where each crop will go. It is always hard to leave space for those fall crops as we feel so limited in space to farm. That is why we don’t grow crops like corn which require a ton of space and lots of water. The water that we use out in the field comes from our own well and that piece of land does not have a working well. The fantasy of dryland farming always seems good in the winter but by the time spring comes and there are dry days we end up irrigating as best we can.

     We are feeling the pinch on farm help. Jacob and Courtney took off last week to spend the summer months in Homer Alaska. We miss them so much already. Luna and Kody take off for London tomorrow and will be gone through mid next week. It is hard to have to split my time between clinic work and farm work especially right now with more work at both places than 1 person can accomplish. The pandemic continues to take its toll on personnel as we struggle to meet the unattended needs of so many vulnerable people. Our staff are leaving for higher pay. All of us who work at Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Care came because of a commitment to the mission of providing high quality health care to the most vulnerable people in our community. Employees are being siphoned off by other healthcare organizations with deeper pockets. Who will help us care for the most needy? I face these questions every day at work as we have clinicians, nurses, medical assistants leaving for higher pay and easier work with those who have access to healthcare in the private sector. If you have any answers send them my way – for now I am unable to give up or give in.

Enjoy some recipes this week. Make sure to use those Turnip greens.

Ottolenghi Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce Garlic and Peanuts

3 Tbs peanut oil

3 garlic cloves peeled and finely sliced

3 cm piece of ginger,  peeled and cut into this julienne strips

3 thin strips orange skin

20g  salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

550g bok choy,  stalks and leaves separated,  stalks cut into 5 cm pieces

1 1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce

2 tsp light soy

Heat the oil in a small sauce pan on medium high heat,  fry the garlic, ginger, orange peel and peanuts for 2-3 minutes.  Tip into a small bowl and set aside,  put the pan aside for later.

Steam all the bok choy for about 90 seconds in a steamer.,  then transfer to a plate.

Return the peanut pan to high heat and warm through the oyster sauce,  then pour it over the bok choy and sprinkle with the nut/aromatics mix and serve at once

Rainbow Chard with Orange, garlic and caraway

2 Tbs olive oil

4 thin strips of orange peel

2 garlic cloves,  peeled and sliced thin

1/2 tsp caraway seeds

400g rainbow chard,  washed and stalks and leaves separated,  stalks cut into 2 cm pieces and leaves left whole

S& P,  1/2 tsp lemon juice

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat.  Add the orange peel, garlic and caraway and fry for a minute or two.  Add the chard stalks and leaves,  stirring so that the leaves start to wilt and you can fit it all in.  Sauté, stirring frequently,  for 8-9 minutes or until stalks are soft.  Season w/ salt and pepper, and serve as a side dish hot or at room temp,  drizzling lemon juice on just prior to serving

Green Garlic Tabbouleh

3/4 tsp salt

1 c bulgur

2 Tbs lemon juice,  more to taste

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp black pepper

Pinch allspice

1/2 c EVOO

2 1/2 c coarsely chopped parsley leaves

1 1/4 c finely chopped green garlic, tender stems and tops only—save bulbs for another use

1/2 c chopped fresh mint

1 c diced tomato

1 c diced cucumber

1/2 c thinly sliced scallions

In a small pot bring 2 c well salted water to boil,  add bulgur,  cover and simmer for 8-12 minutes or until tender.  Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl,  whisk together lemon juice and spices, then whisk in oil.  Pour dressing over bulgur and toss well to coat.  Toss in remaining ingredients and mix well—taste to adjust seasoning if needed.

Green Garlic Toast

Slices of crusty bread

1/2 c unsalted butter,  softened

1/2 c grated parmesan

2 1/2 tablespoons chopped young green garlic stalks,  white and green parts

1 Tb minced chives

1 regular garlic clove,  halved

1/4 tsp each salt,  pepper;  large pinch of red chile flakes

Heat the broiler.  Broil the bread slices on a baking sheet, flipping over halfway until golden on both sides.  Keep warm

In bowl,  stir together the butter, cheese,  green garlic, chives and spices.

Rub the toasts with the cut side of the regular garlic,  then spread with the green garlic butter.  Broil again for 30 seconds to 2 minutes,  until lightly browned.  Serve hot or warm.

Spicy Green Garlic Chicken Soup

FOr the soup:

4 large chicken legs—about 3 lbs

kosher salt and black pepper

2 Tbs EVOO

1 large onion diced,  about 3 cups

4 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 2” chunks

1 celery stalk,  diced

1 bay leaf

1 cove

2 bunches of green garlic shoots—about 12 shoots

For the salsa:

1 small white onion,  finely diced (about 1/2 c)

3-4 large tomatillos,  husked and finely diced (about 1/2 c)

1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeds removed, finely chopped

3 Tbs lime juice

lime wedges for serving

Season chicken generously with salt and pepper.  Pour olive oil into a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add chicken legs and brown well,  about 3 minutes per side.  Remove and set aside.  Add diced onion and cook,  stirring frequently until browned and softened.  Add carrots, celery, bay, clove and return chicken to the pot.

Add 10 c water and 1 Tbs Kosher salt and bring to a boil; then simmer until chicken is tender,  about 1 hour.  Turn off heat and skim fat from surface of the broth.

While chicken is cooking,  prepare the green garlic.  Peel aware tough outer layers and roots , then rinse well.  Split lengthwise and chop both white and tender green parts.  Set aside

Combine the salsa ingredients in a small bowl.

Just before serving,  reheat soup,  add the chopped green garlic to the pot and simmer 5 minutes. To serve, place one chicken leg in a bowl and ladle soup over it,  then serve with the tomatillo salsa and lime wedges.

Stir Fried baby turnips with spring onions, green garlic and tofu

7 oz firm tofu, drained and cut into dominos (1/4” x 1”) 

1 bunch baby turnips, with greens

1-2 Tbs soy sauce,  to taste

1Tbs Chinese rice wine,  or dry sherry

1/4 c chicken stock, veg stock, or water

1 tsp honey

2 Tbs neutral oil (sunflower, canola, grape-seed)

salt and pepper

1 bulb green garlic,  papery shells removed and mined

1 Tb minced ginger

1 bunch spring onions or 2-3 bunches of scallions, sliced (about 1 1/4 c) 

1/2 c coarsely chopped cilantro

Drain and dry tofu slices on paper towels.  In small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, stock or water and honey.

Cut away greens from the baby turnips.  Scrub the turnips and if small,  cut in half—if larger than a ping pong ball, quarter.Stem greens,  wash well and chop coarsely

Heat a large wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates when added to the pan.  Swirl in 1 TB of the oil,  then add tofu and stir fry until lightly colored, 1-2 minutes. Remove to a plate

Swirl in remaining oil,  add garlic and ginger and stir fry for no more than 10 seconds.  Add onions and stir fry for 1 minute.  Add turnips and stir fry for another minute of two,  then add soy sauce mixture. Add greens and stir fry until crisp tender.  Return the tofu to the wok and toss all with the cilantro.  Stir fry for 1 minuet and remove from heat.  Serve with hot rice or noodles.

Don’t forget a spring favorite of mine introduced to me by Diego’s best friend Mohsen’s mom – a Persian delight – Kuku: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018062-fresh-herb-kuku

• Lettuce
• Greens braising mix
• Chard or kale
• Spinach
• Walnuts
• Radishes
• Bok Choi

Farming has been challenging this week due to weather and visitors. Juvencio made up for the short break he took showing his sister and nieces around the pacific northwest by getting several of the hoop houses into amazing order. He cleared winter crops (bye-bye purple sprouting broccoli, escarole, calcots and parsley) and prepped the beds for spring and early summer. Once the harvest is done today I will endeavor to get all four beds of tomatoes (1 cherry and 3 early season) transplanted. I will get a couple of beds of summer squash in the ground as well.

Before the downpours last week Juve, Luna and I moved the huge black plastic tarp we invested in last fall to a new area that Juvencio had prepped. This keeps those beds dry from rain and will mean we can get them transplanted with the last of the spring broccoli and more onions later this week. Our cover crop will also be cut later this week and allowed to die back, making soil rich in nitrogen for summer crops like tomatoes, squash and beans.

Our seeding greenhouse is brimming with vegetables that need to be transplanted and so the delicate balance continues. Mother nature and farmers working together to produce food. We are constantly reminded that we are not in charge but rather stewards that take their lead from nature. Sometimes we try to push our luck, sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Cucumbers have not been happy with me pushing them, they continue to drop dead in the hoop house even before they are transplanted. I am stubborn and keep on seeding more.

If you are interested in vegetable starts please visit our square site. I run this part of the  business with my friend Polly from Pumpkin Ridge Gardens. We sell vegetable,herb and flower starts at the Beaverton Farmers Market every Saturday thru July. You can order from the square site and have them for pick up at our farm or the market. The list of available items is updated weekly so check often and reach out to me directly if there is something you want that you do not see. https://pumpkinridgegardens.square.site/

Enjoy the greens this week – We are trying to provide variety and bounty remember to cook with what you have!

My favorite salad dressing recipe:

Lyn’s Salad Dressing

1 cup olive oil

1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic pressed

Add all ingredients to a Mason jar and cover with lid.  Shake until creamy and well blended.

Green Tacos

https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bonappetit.com%2Frecipe%2Fgreen-tacos&data=05%7C01%7C%7C6283798e419e497ca10708da235f4205%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637861189274987917%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=pHl05H%2FZm2sCF4MOcx9zAphwNWm%2Bln4lK0S0eyCmFNQ%3D&reserved=0

More Greens recipes:

https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nativesonfarm.com%2Fnews%2F2015%2F11%2F12%2Fwhat-do-i-make-with-braising-mix&data=05%7C01%7C%7Cd52acafe47964c4fe54d08da235da90f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637861182416190624%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=I67P6olvnDOmVLJrEbajKJotSY3%2FsQrlxBlLDg6tdHA%3D&reserved=0

BROCCOLINI (SPROUTING PURPLE BROCCOLI) & MUSHROOM PASTA STIR FRY

FOR THE PASTA:

•  Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti or other long pasta
• 4 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed
• 1 pound mushrooms (any small variety), trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 ¼ teaspoons five-spice blend
• ¾ pound broccolini, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces, thick stems halved lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce (or vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon chile oil or chile crisp

PREPARATION

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large (12-inch), deep skillet over medium-high. When hot, add 2 tablespoons oil and the mushrooms. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, giving it a stir every 2 minutes or so. The mushrooms will release lots of liquid, but it will evaporate as it cooks. When the mushrooms start to turn golden, add the garlic, five spice and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper, then cook for 1 minute. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside.
3. While the mushrooms are cooking, make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the oyster sauce, maple syrup, soy sauce, sesame oil and chile oil with 1/4 cup water until combined. Set aside.
4. Heat the same skillet back over medium-high. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the broccolini. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the broccolini is tender but still quite crisp.
5. Add the pasta to the pan, along with the sauce and the butter. Using tongs, toss to combine, then add the reserved pasta cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time, just to loosen the sauce. When the butter has melted, add the mushrooms and toss again. Remove from the heat. Serve topped with scallions.

• Purple sprouting broccoli 
• Cauliflower or second bunch sprouting broccoli
• Arugula
• Radishes
• Chard or kale
• Spring onions (called Calcots in Catalan- recipe at the very end of this post)
• Parsley or thyme
• Walnuts

With the first harvest almost under our belts we are excited to be back in the regular season. We anticipate that you get your cooking skills sharpened and are ready to enjoy your greens. Spring is full of chard, spinach, kale, arugula and salad. Somehow the combination of hot weather and then very cold temperatures held the purple sprouting broccoli a bit better in the field. We are hoping for a couple of weeks of this spring delicacy. We planted cauliflower back in August inside one of our hoop houses and we are seeing some of the fruits of that labor. Unfortunately it does not appear to be enough for the entire CSA, so some people will get it this week and others will have to wait for subsequent weeks to enjoy this super sweet white vegetable. 

Back in February we seeded an entire hoop house full of crops we hope to share with you this month and next. We have tried again to grow carrots, beets and turnips. We remain hopeful that you will get a chance to enjoy them in the upcoming month. We tried our hand at flaming the emerging weeds five days after we seeded the preferred crop. This does not seem to be quite the right timing in February when germination for even weeds takes longer and longer. We hope to master this technique over the course of the season and  get you all some carrots.

 We’ve been busy battling pests. There’s a colony of ground squirrels, gophers and voles that are attacking from below. Actually the squirrels attack from below and above, eating some of the seedlings we had planned to go into the ground or be sold at the farmers market. This dry spring has allowed us to get into the field earlier than usual. We have crops already under Reemay, (agricultural fabric) and hope to have the entire upper fields planted in the next week. 

I managed to get two beds of onions in the ground. For those members who have had the pleasure of transplanting onions I know you will be impressed. I seed onions at the end of January. They germinate about 2 weeks later and then grow ever so slowly for months until they are slightly bigger than a blade of grass. Then Juve prepares beds in the field and I transplant each individual “blade of grass” into that bed. It takes a lot of time to get all the early onions, storage onions and shallots into the ground. We typically harvest them in August.

Last year’s heat dome drastically curbed our onion and shallot crop. We had weeded them just prior to the blast of heat that killed their greens (the growing part that helps them harness the sun. Thus, no shallots for you folks. We typically can hold them over for the winter and offer them these early weeks of the season. There are so many repercussions from the changing climate. I was listening to an interesting podcast yesterday which I highly recommend called The Real Organic Podcast. There was a discussion with a nutritionist about the nutritional content of crops, the importance of soil health for vegetable health and the human gut biome. It is amazing how all of nature is intertwined,but it should not be surprising. They talked about diversity and how important it was to have a diverse lineup of crops building resiliency into a system of uncontrollable climate challenges. Some crops will do better with the extreme heat than others and we saw this last year. We also learned that the weed cover during that extreme heat helps to retain moisture and protect the plants. Now we will have to pay even closer attention to extreme weather forecasts when weeding our crops. 

As many of you know when you come to the farm you will find tomatoes both inside the hoop house and out in the field. We have done this with most of our crops where earlier varieties are put inside of the hoop house and we plant a succession crop out in the field. And the conversation yesterday also emphasized the importance of small farms and local production. We all saw how important that was in the pandemic and continues to be now with supply chain issues. It is not only important for the environment that you eat and locally grown food, but the nutritional value of that food is higher when you know how the soil is tended to.It is hard to overstate the importance of soil health on human health. The food produced in healthy soil is healthier for you to consume.

Check out the Episode with Melinda Hemmelgarn: Connecting Nutrition to Soil.

Recipes for the week (thanks Sue!) More on the website under the recipe tab

Great Greens recipe:

https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.epicurious.com%2Frecipes-menus%2Frecipe-freestyle-new-ways-to-cook-kale-super-greens-article&data=04%7C01%7C%7C8dfa533979cd4ad71e4d08da16be4e6a%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637847303866937006%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=AnatiJVWmV27HSR4Y02iD3cx60MBF4gTbhfTV9tUdwo%3D&reserved=0

Farro with Greens, Tahini Sauce, and Toasted Pine Nuts Recipe

https://food52.com/recipes/71610-farro-with-greens-tahini-sauce-and-toasted-pine-nuts

Greens Soup

This is the same as the one in the NYTimes app but you can forward it.  I do it with ANY GREENS—beet greens, kale, chard, bok choy,  chicory ,etc.  It calls for leeks but you can use scallions,  onions, etc.  It uses 2 eggs.  We eat this almost every week.

https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbluecayenne.com%2Feat-your-greens-provencal-greens-soup&data=04%7C01%7C%7Cb8968b1475fe4017cd5208da16bd81ce%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637847300422144977%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=npkDGWadiSLDBvKII3HcpX7LU%2Fx4dCmhkR85S55SEUE%3D&reserved=0

How to eat those spring onions called Calcots

https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/calcots-romesco-recipe

• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Chard
• Purple sprouting broccoli
• Parsley
• Braising mix

We made it to the end of season! We have tried to give you a wide selection of veggies available during our winters. The last weeks have been heavy on greens that cook down and can be used in a variety of ways. I made the Persian spring treat known as Kuku. I used all the spinach , parsley and kale. I added a store bought bunch of cilantro and found some dill in one of the greenhouses. Basically it incorporates whatever green you have plus herbs on hand and then many spices. It calls for only 6 eggs, which seems like too few for all those greens, but it works out. I cook it for 40 minutes and not just 20. If you have any greens from last week here is my way for you to use them up.

I have been pondering why people seem less interested in CSA this year. I am sure some of it has to do with the desire to travel and get out of town this summer after 2 years of pandemic shut in. The problem with this approach to food is that agriculture is an investment. Supporting local organic regenerative agriculture you are enabling farmers to protect and nourish the land and build healthy soil. If you just contribute to this type of agriculture when it works for you then it does not take into consideration the multi year investment the farmer makes. Our type of farming is a commitment to Sheppard the land and raise vegetables that are nutritious and pesticide free. We build the soil, we don’t simply extract from it. Conventional agriculture is extractive and raises food that has 90 % less nutrients than it had 50 years ago ( Paul Hawken – https://regeneration.org/home)

Consider listening to or watching Paul Hawken interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGE_TZfTaH8&ab_channel=RichRoll

I may be telling you all things you already know, yet let us all do our part in trying to save this planet. I have also been listening to the Real Organic Project: https://www.realorganicproject.org/real-organic-podcast/ that is timely, intense and motivational. It keeps me company while I transplant peas, spinach and lettuce weekly.

I am including here some recipes for you to enjoy this week. The purple sprouting broccoli is delicious roasted. I just toss it with olive oil and shred Pecorino Romano cheese on top and put it in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Here are other recipes:

Kuku: Samin’s way: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020203-kuku-sabzi-persian-herb-frittata?ds_c=71700000052595478&gclid=CjwKCAjwloCSBhAeEiwA3hVo_ci4LVroFEKsJZH2Jxs4alFhGIY9v2jzgnj_QVT16DepS_UyZTHTNRoCK44QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Kuku: Melissa’s way:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018062-fresh-herb-kuku

Other spinach recipes: https://gypsyplate.com/the-best-spinach-recipes/

Feel free to share your favorite recipes with me and I will include in the recipes in the future. There is a lot more spinach and chard on the way – good food!

• Sunflower sprouts
• Chard
• Kale 
• Bok Choi
• Spinach
• Parsley
• Sprouting broccoli
• Onions/ shallots

We made it back from our trip to Honduras. Juvencio was able to spend three weeks with his father helping his brother and sister-in-law take care of him at night. During the day his father is very sharp and like himself, but the nights are difficult. We were happy to be able to spend quality time with him and the family and that cannot be replaced. Life at the farm has held steady.  The animals did well, no goats delivered despite that being our biggest worry. The vegetable starts, tomatoes and peppers and everything was kept watered and protected from cold by Kody and Courtney and some of our family members taking turns over the past three weeks. We are back working  to transplant all of the spring crops. The weeds flourished while we were gone and thus we are weeding to get  ready for the regular season.

This is the second to last harvest for the winter season. March 27th will be our last winter pick up. We will then have a two week break before the regular season begins. We have lots of greens for you to enjoy and my second attempt at sunflower sprouts I hope you enjoy them.

Although Covid restrictions have been reduced state wide we at  La Finquita will continue to ask you to wear masks when you come to our farm. Thank you for continuing to care about your fellow subscribers and farmers and for keeping spirits high. 

Here are some recipes to try:

Purple sprouting broccoli with sesame oil:

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/283835/garlic-sesame-purple-sprouting-broccoli/

Bok Choi soup:

https://theforkedspoon.com/ginger-garlic-noodle-soup-with-bok-choy/

Kale and sunflower sprout salad:

https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Kale-and-Brussel-Sprout-Salad-1498319

• Salad mix
• Arugula sprouts
• Leeks
• Spinach
• Kale or chard
• Watercress, parsley or thyme
• Raab (purple sprouting broccoli, flowering kale or collard sprouts) or cabbagelettes (small savoy cabbage)

This week has been rough. Frankly, farming is rough. We had 4.5 inches of rain in three days on the back of temperatures in the teens. We had to cover and then uncover our plants out in the field. I searched for days to figure out why I had no water coming to the greenhouses in the field. I face timed Juve 4 times and walked the perimeter of the farm trying to find the broken pipe that was leading to low pressure. Finally, with the help of James (Polly’s husband and co-owner of Pumpkin Ridge Gardens) we figured out that the filter (that Jacob and I had already “cleaned”) earlier in the week was a problem. Once that filter was replaced water flowed with real force and then the leak showed up. It was a geyser in greenhouse #2. Fortunately Victor was at the farm putting finishing touches on the fence and he helped me fix the pipes.

So instead of harvesting your veggies I was digging out pipes and trying to get the water system up and running. This week we face more devastatingly low temps to the low 20s which will likely freeze the pipes again. I am racing today to get things watered before the freeze tonight and figuring ways to drain those pipes before it freezes. Simply writing this is giving me tachycardia. I need to move on to the work of the farm and leave you to figure out your recipes.

Somehow our little lamb – Representative  Sosa, named for our CSA member who was appointed to finish out the term of the former representative Sollman has survived. He is about 3 weeks old and was in the basement being fed every 4 hours for over 10 days. He moved out to the barn on Friday and got  to mingle with his siblings yesterday. He is waiting for his morning bottle as I write. Too many chores waiting on me, so off I go.

One last plug for getting in your payment for the 2022 season. Subscriptions are down, we are counting on you – please do sign up for 2022 regular season. We are putting in the work, farming is for the long haul. We count on you, even if you will not be here for some weeks during the summer, we keep on farming. Talk to your neighbors and friends and send them our way, share your vacation week’s share with them. Be generous – show your commitment to local food systems.

Recipe for the raab

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/broccoli-rabe-sausage

https://www.finecooking.com/recipe/sauteed-broccoli-raab-with-chile-garlic-lemon

Idea for dinner this week with spinach

https://dinnerthendessert.com/spinach-quiche-quiche-florentine/

Crustless Spinach Quiche

Crustless Spinach Quiche