• Tomatoes!!
• Sweet Peppers
• Hot Peppers
• Cherry tomatoes
• Thyme
• Basil
• Cucumbers
• Summer Squash
• Green Beans
• Potatoes
• Onions
• Garlic
• Eggplant

 Well members, this is the last harvest before we take off for a one week vacation. We are excited to be getting out of Oregon just as it’s starting to heat up again. We have been busy this week turning over any garden bed that we can from summer or spring crops to fall. We are taking this opportunity before the heat wave to get lettuce, radicchio, and Napa cabbage in the ground. I’m trying to seed fall arugula, cilantro and dill and more beets. Those crops have two weeks to get their heads above ground because when we come back if they are not germinated they will be re-planted. This is the week to order flowers. I am taking August off from the farmers market and have tons of beautiful flowers. Please consider buying flowers for yourself, Your mother, your friend, your neighbor. Miraculously the crops that we planted just after the last heat waves are going strong. We have brussels sprouts, cabbages and radicchio taking hold. The fall broccoli is looking pretty good despite our soil being pretty low in nitrogen. We will have to address that when we get back from our trip. 

The cucumber bed that I added around the Fourth of July is going crazy if you thought we had a lot of cucumbers before, hold onto your hats. We are going to have a ton of cucumbers. We have been giving about seven cucumbers per share that’s one a day folks make sure to eat your cucumber a day. I am highlighting Becca‘s delicious Thai cucumber salad. Sue Kass has done an amazing job this week at surfing the net for recipes. I have attached a huge document she created to the weekly email.

 This is the first Saturday in four months that I’m not dictating this note as I drive to the farmers market. Instead I’m dictating while I plant your green onions. I managed to get lettuce in the ground this morning, I hope to get more beans in later.I harvested flowers because I just couldn’t leave them in the field and I will be working on wreaths and more later on today.

Kody will be in charge of the harvest while we are gone. My sister Diane and her family have offered to help lead the charge on Sunday. If you have time to lend a hand to help us harvest green beans and cherry tomatoes please show up at 7 AM on Sunday and on Wednesday as we need pickers. Next week the harvest will be smaller due to our absence. We do have a great crew for Sunday. We will be back to a regular harvest on 22 August. We can always use extra hands especially with all these small crops that are labor-intensive to harvest. We appreciate all those that have signed up on the google doc.

We still have a few spots available for the winter share. If you are curious about what this is like I suggest you reach out in an email to me. Many subscribers prefer winter over summer as vegetables are scarce and it is so nice to get those really delicious greens and have a salad every  week of harvest.

With the exponential increase in coronavirus cases due to the Delta variant, we continue the mask recommendation at our farm. If you come to help harvest and you are vaccinated you may remove your mask to harvest but once we are back in the barn distributing the produce we expect that a mask will be worn. Thank you so much for caring for our community, for taking care of one another and working to keep everyone safe. If you know someone who is not yet vaccinated they can call 211 and get more information about a vaccination site near them. I heard the most astonishing number yesterday, that there are 9 million unvaccinated eligible Americans. Do your part to spread the word and get anybody who is not yet vaccinated to the nearest vaccination site. There is no way out of this pandemic without increased vaccination.

Be well and we will see you this week or on our return August 22.

If you just can’t bear to cook that zucchini,  you can carve a zucchini peacock—there’s even a YouTube video

Alternately,  if you like making zucchini bread/muffins/fritters but its just too hot to cook,   you can grate it and save in measured amounts in ziplock bags in the freezer and make them in October!

Sue’s  loose gazpacho recipe

1-2 cucumbers (depending on size)

1 green pepper

1 jalapeño, coarsely chopped (optional)

3-4 tomatoes 

1 small onion

1 slice day-old bread,  torn into small pieces

2-3 cloves garlic

1 tsp or so of oregano or basil or both

A few tablespoons EVOO

3-4 Tbs tomato paste 

Blend the garlic, bread, herbs of choice,  olive oil and salt and pepper and jalapeño until everything is pretty small.  Then roughly chop the rest of your veggies,  toss in and pulse until everything is well chopped and mixed.  Add the tomato paste (you could just do more tomatoes too) and then add a few cups of water until it’s a consistency you like.  Chill prior to serving.

Green Bean Salad with Farro and walnuts

FOR THE FARRO:

· 1 cup farro

· Kosher salt

FOR THE GREMOLATA:

· ½ cup finely chopped walnuts

· 1 cup roughly chopped fresh dill

· 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)

· 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot (from about 1 shallot)

FOR THE GREEN BEANS:

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 1 pound green beans, trimmed

· Black pepper

· Lemon juice or white wine vinegar

· Flaky sea salt, for serving (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Add farro, 3 cups water and a pinch of kosher salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the farro is tender and toothsome, about 30 minutes.

2. While the farro cooks, make the gremolata: Toast the walnuts in a large (preferably 12-inch) skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to ensure that they don’t burn, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer toasted walnuts to a medium bowl. Add the dill, lemon zest and shallots and toss to coat. Season with salt and set aside.

https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2F_39fpfJIMXE&data=04%7C01%7C%7C6ae09b3c39234c8917d908d959fbe0e3%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637639760606763510%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=CAwHIAXi4X5x9lvVqe%2FinC7%2BCcSgcecDTdq%2FzkkZHBU%3D&reserved=0

https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fifteenspatulas.com%2Fwprm_print%2F30958&data=04%7C01%7C%7C1f4f1924361d4e907f4108d959fb3c70%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637639757849193248%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=UBGmjDcmAbWS8Er9zfYGeHielDIe4cshn0fV%2BHKIl5k%3D&reserved=0

Becca’s favorite Thai Cumber salad with Roasted Peanuts

¼ cup fresh limejuice
1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
1 ½ tablespoons minced seeded jalapeno chili (about 1 large)
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ English hothouse cucumbers, halved, seeded, thinly sliced
¾ cups sliced red onion
2 tablespoons fresh mint
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped lightly salted roasted peanuts

Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl.  Place cucumbers, onion, and mint in large bowl.  Add dressing and toss to coat.  Season salad to taste with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle on peanuts and serve.

• Zucchini and Summer squash
• Onions
• Green peppers
• Eggplant
• Tomatoes
• Cherry tomatoes (hoping we have enough for everyone)
• Basil or other herb
• Cabbage (the last until fall)
• Green beans (hopefully they have gone into high production and we have enough)
• Cucumbers
• Hot peppers
• Potatoes
• You pick black berries and gravenstein apples

Another hot week. We managed to take advantage of Tuesday being slightly cooler and we transplanted and watered in many fall crops. We examined the beets that we had seeded earlier in an effort to return to the days of the king and queen of beets and unfortunately the birds have eaten most of the beet sprouts. The pressure from pests is enormous. We have several colonies of ground squirrels who are devils, we have white crowned sparrows, starlings, goldfinches (who mainly eat my sunflower seeds) and gophers and we even have a rabbit. At this point it is impossible to juggle everything from weeding, seeding, transplanting and trapping vermin. At times I feel lucky that we get anything out of the ground. My thoughts in general have been to plant past the pests, keep planting until the crop gets established, that way the pest has some and we have some that plan does not always work.

We have started signing up people for the winter share. The winter runs from the end of October through the end of March for a total of 12 harvests. It ends up being vegetables every other week except for the month of November which tends to have vegetables every week as I cannot bear to let the end of the summer season go. We have a Thanksgiving share which is not included in the winter and is open to everyone. Hopefully it is an abundance of vegetables that allows you to cook for family for the Thanksgiving meal. With the current state of affairs in this country it remains unclear if that will be possible.

Here is my take on the Delta variant. It is clear that the Delta variant is quite a different coronavirus. It is much more communicable than the previous variants. In the past a person infected with the coronavirus would spread it to 1-3 other people. People infected with delta are likely to spread it to 6-8 others. Time needed to infect is short. Essentially it is as contagious as the chicken pox. The mRNA vaccines are excellent at protecting those immunized against serious illness or death but it seems that Delta can infect those who are  vaccinated. Infected vaccinated people can transmit the virus to others. The take home message: 1) Get everyone that can get vaccinated to take the jab. 2) Wear a mask whether you are vaccinated or not. CDC says indoors in communities of high incidence, I say mask up pretty much all the time in order to limit spread. You should gather once again outside and avoid large venues which are crowded with other people. Those with children too young to vaccinate should mask up and all children should be masked (above age 2).

Farm rules remain the same. Please wash your hands before entering the barn. Please wear masks when at the farm. I have let people who are here to harvest and are vaccinated (anyone who has come to help has had to be vaccinated) do so without masking. NOW, when we are arranging vegetables after the harvest we will all mask. One at a time in the cooler please.

On a happy note, as we all need one: Our goats have kidded! We have 7 new baby goats that are getting cuter by the day. They are frisky and playful. We had a rough start to the season with some loss but we are happy to report the last Doe delivered a beautiful buck yesterday. You can watch them play when you come to gather your vegetables. This may mean goat cheese later in August after the farmers take a week long much needed vacation.

Summer crops like beans and cherry tomatoes are ramping up and that means we need your help more than ever. Sign up or just show up to help out with the harvest. We start early to finish before noon. Please wear closed toe shoes and  long pants. There are lots of prickly weeds that can scratch those exposed parts of the body.

Sue worked hard this week to offer many recipes to eat those veggies:

Monsieur Henny’s Eggplant

This is very flexible in terms of amounts—basically,  you just want enough eggplants to form a single layer in your baking dish once they are halved—so I adjust the baking dish size and number of tomatoes to how many eggplant I get.

Preheat oven to 425

2 Tbs EVOO

3 small eggplants (or more,  see note above) trimmed at stem end and halved lengthwise

3-4 Tbs finely fresh chopped herbs—basil, rosemary, sage, thyme, marjoram

1/2 c. Freshly grated parmesan.

3-5 fresh tomatoes, depending on size—you want enough so that when they are halved they loosely cover the eggplant layer.

Salt, pepper to taste

Lightly drizzle the bottom of a baking dish with EVOO,  then lightly score the eggplant halves and place them skin-side up on the bottom of the pan.  Cover with the herbs and then sprinkle with half the parmesan.  Put the tomato halves over skin-side up.  Lightly brush tomatoes with EVOO,  then scatter the rest of the cheese over.

Bake until the tomatoes are completely collapsed and skin almost blackened—about 1 hour.  Serve warm or room temp—I like the leftovers the next day with a slice or two of good bread as a sandwich.

Indian Eggplant stuffed with ground peanuts and sesame seeds.

this is good if you have a bunch of the little ones hanging around.

6-7 small eggplants.  

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

2 Tbs brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp waynee

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 c finely chopped cilantro

2 tsp water

3-4 Tbs canola or other neutral oil for frying

1/4 c water

For the filling use a food processor or blender to grind the nuts,  seeds and dry spices,  then blend in the cilantro,  garlic, and 2 tsp water.  It should create a compact thick paste.

Trim the eggplant stems so they are 1/2 inch long.  Use your fingers to loosen or remove the green point caps.  Slice each eggplant in quarters stopping 1/2 “ of the stem—you want to cut lengthwise once,  then turn and cut lengthwise again perpendicular to the first cut.  Divide the filling evenly by the number of eggplants you have,  and gently pry the eggplant open leaving the stem end intact and cram the filling in—you want to make sure there is filling in between all 4 cuts.  Gently squeeze the eggplant when done to make sure the filling sticks and fills all the crevices.

Pour the oil over the bottom of a large non-stick skillet (I used cast iron actually) When hot (but not smoking!) Gently place the eggplants down in a single layer.  Fry the eggplants for 4-5 minutes,  turning them gently to brown on two sides.  It’s ok if some of the filling falls out into the pan.  Add the remaining 1/4 cup water, cover with lid or foil and turn heat to low.  Cook 15-20 minutes more,  turning half way, until they are tender and easily pierced with a knife.  Remove to a plate and then turn the heat up to medium high and fry up the bits of filling which fell out and then serve w/eggplant

Grilled Vegetable Galette

galette dough:

3 Tbs sour cream or plain yogurt

1/4 c water

2 ice cubes

1 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

7 Tbs cold butter,  cut into very small pieces.

grilled veggies (amount and type could be varied depending on what you have and your taste!)

1 portobello mushroom

2 zucchini cut in 1/2” slice

1 red pepper cut into 6ths. seeds and veins removed

1 yellow pepper cut into 6ths

1/2 lb fontina cheese or smoked fontina,  thinly sliced

1 egg 

2Tbs water

To make the dough:  Stir the sour cream water and ice cubes together and set aside.  Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and process until the butter is pea-sized or small—you can also do this with a pastry cutter,  two knives,  etc.  Remove the ice cubes from the yogurt mix and then sprinkle the liquid over the flour and butter mixture tossing with a fork to mix,  then gather the dough with your hands and press it into a disc.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours or longer.

Toss the veggies lightly with olive oil and grill,  flipping to make sure each side cooked through and tender (pepper skin should be starting to blister a bit.

To assemble:  unwrap dough and roll on lightly floured board until a 12-14 “ circle—does not have to be perfect!  Line a baking sheet with parchment and transfer the dough to the parchment,  Layer 1/2 the cheese slices in the dough center,  leaving about a border of about 3” uncovered.  Layer 1/2 the veggies on top,  then cover with the rest of the cheese and then the last of the veggies.  Bring the edges of the dough up and over the veggies cheese pile,  leaving the center 5” or so uncovered,  and gently pinching/creasing the folded parts of the dough.  Whisk the egg and 2 Tbs of water together and brush over the dough.  Bake at 374 until golden brown,  about 40 minutes or so.  Let cool for 10 minutes to set before serving in wedges warm or room temp.

Bulgogi eggplant

INGREDIENTS

1 pound Asian eggplant, especially Korean (2 to 3 large), cut in half crosswise, then lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
•  Neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola, for grilling
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
•  Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced on the bias, for garnish

PREPARATION

1. Place the eggplant in a colander set inside the sink. Sprinkle with the salt, toss to combine and let sit for 30 minutes to drain its excess moisture. 
2. While the eggplant drains, prepare a charcoal grill for direct high-heat cooking, or heat a gas grill to high. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, maple syrup, sugar and garlic powder until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Carefully grease the grill grate: Use tongs to grip a wadded paper towel dipped in oil and then rub the grates with the oiled towel. In the colander, toss the drained eggplant with 1 tablespoon oil. Place the eggplant on the hot, greased grate. Grill until charred at the edges, 1 to 2 minutes per side. If using a gas grill, close the lid between flips. (See Tip for stovetop method.)
4. Add the grilled eggplant to the bowl with the sauce and gently toss, making sure each slice is thinly coated. Arrange the slices with the sauce on a large platter. Crack over some black pepper and garnish with the scallion.

GREEN SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 packed cup basil leaves
• ½ packed cup parsley leaves and tender stems
• ½ packed cup chopped chives
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
•  Pinch of black pepper
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste

PREPARATION

1. Place herbs, garlic and pepper in a food processor or blender, and pulse to combine, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container if necessary.
2. Add yogurt and purée until smooth. (This may take a minute or so; scrape down the sides of the container as needed.) With the motor running, gradually drizzle in the olive oil. Pulse in lemon zest and salt. Taste and add more salt if needed.
3. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Spoon over grilled or roasted chicken, seafood (especially shrimp and salmon), sausages, steaks, lamb chops and vegetables. Use as a marinade for chicken, lamb or pork; as a dressing for starchy salads with beans, potatoes or grains, or for hearty vegetable salads, like those with cucumbers or blanched and sliced sugar snap peas or green beans. Serve as a dip for crudité or chips. Spread in roast beef, lamb or pork sandwiches.

• Cabbage
• Zucchini and summer squash
• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes
• Eggplant or green peppers
• Hot peppers
• Potatoes
• Basil
• Herb (thyme or parsley)
• garlic

 This week Juvencio worked very hard to clear out all of the spring broccoli and most of the spring cabbage and potatoes. That left me with about 20 beds to put in fall crops. I managed to get in Napa cabbage, several flats of radicchio, lettuce and fall broccoli. I am facing more hot weather this week and wondering what is best, likely I will plant during the  cooler Parts of the day and try and get those plants in the ground rather than watering them in the flats. I will try once again to seed beets and carrots, crops that we all love but that are very hard to grow with the weed pressure. We did some soil sampling through our project with OSU and we’re pretty stunned with the results. We are adding more compost as well as feather meal and gypsum in an effort to revive our surprisingly nutrient poor and extremely dry soil. I continue to seed every week thinking about fall and winter. As we pull crops out of the hoop houses I think about what we will plant there for winter. We are hoping to have a good winter season this year as last year honestly was the worst we’ve ever experienced having lost plastic on three greenhouses. We are hopeful with new plastic and soil that received some rain that the production will be markedly improved.

Speaking of winter we are taking sign-ups for the winter season. We will max out at 50 shares and it will be first come first Serve. Winter season works slightly differently. We set a schedule of harvests (12 over the course of the season from November to March). Once in a while weather interferes but we try to stick to the schedule as our Mushroom collaborators are very tied to a schedule. We will start October 31. I will place a sign up sheet in the barn. If you want want to email me as well that is great. Here is a sample of the winter share last year:

Week #1 Winter 2020-21

• Sage or time 
• Parsley 
• Rutabaga 
• Celery or celeriac
• Green peppers 
• Onions
• Winter squash 
• Escarole and radicchio salad mix
• Potatoes
• Cauliflower or broccoli
• Garlic

Week #6 Winter 2020-21

• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Radicchio
• Shallots
• Green onions
• Kale or chard or sprouting broccoli
• Parsley or cilantro

The high tunnel which had our peppers last year and had our Chinese broccoli earlier this spring is in full production with cucurbits. I planted them during the hottest temperatures Oregon has ever experienced and I have a few melons the size of softballs. I planted a safety bed of cucumbers and they’re already starting to produce and likely next week will have at least one cucumber to harvest per plant. Every week after the farmers market when the melons did not sell I took those seedlings and put them into that greenhouse. Hopefully I will have enough to share with our subscribers but surprisingly melons are quite difficult to figure out.

It is almost time to make ratatouille if you have not already tried the zucchini rich version that Luna invented last year. It is worth doing now. I just kept on planting zucchini and this week is no different. We will have a lot of that to enjoy. Another family favorite dish is Shakshuka. Here is a link to that favorite recipe:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014721-shakshuka-with-feta

Here is a link to amazing zucchini recipes:

https://themodernproper.com/roasted-zucchini-with-parmesan

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/photos/our-best-zucchini-recipes

• Lettuce
• Cabbage
• Zucchini and other summer squash
• Cucumbers
• Hot peppers
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Basil
• Eggplant or green pepper
• garlic

 Here we are mid season and  facing the transition between spring and summer. Many crops that we would expect to be flourishing at this point are still suffering the ravages of extreme heat last month. The onions are looking sad as the greens were destroyed by the heatwave, the beans continue to struggle after facing frost in May and 116° in June. Other crops like tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini have held their own and are producing enough to make your summer salads delicious.

 We have pulled out many of the potatoes and have seen the end of the summer broccoli. Their expected season was shortened by the blast of heat.  Juvencio harvested the remainder of the spring planted potatoes and will turn those beds into fertile space for fall broccoli. I am hopeful that with the addition of compost and adequate water those beds will produce beautiful fall crops. We are battling a family of ground squirrels and a new pesty family of rabbits. I am loath to plant my precious radicchio in an area where the rabbit may enjoy it’s tender leaves. We lost several beds of spring lettuce for unclear reasons but now on reflection recognize the nibbling of the rabbit family. 

It is hard to imagine that we need to turn over several of our greenhouses to fall planting already but that is the life of a  year-round farm. Some subscribers came out for the first time and asked what was going on in an area that had been cleared and prepped for brussels sprout planting and I informed them that farming is very different from having a home garden. We are not only seeding every week but also planting every week, harvesting every week but every space on our farm goes through at least two and often three different crops in a calendar year. It is hard to stay ahead of all that needs to be done and at this Point in the season we are definitely not ahead. We have broccoli to get in the ground. Prior to that planting we have to prep the soil and clear old bulking plants. Many of my spring planted flowers have finished their most beautiful show and now I am left to weed and hope for second blooms. I plant sunflowers every week and yet the earliest blooms seem to be the most beautiful. I am hopeful for a third, fourth or fifth blooming of some of the nicest varieties.

I had a frustrating week at work in the clinic where over half of the people that I talk to are yet to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Rising cases of the Delta variant among the unvaccinated have me concerned for the future of the reopening of our state and more broadly of the state of this world. There are glimmers of hope that I try to hold onto. We had over 100 people show up to a vaccine clinic that we held last night, many people getting their second doses but also quite a few who showed up for their first shot.  One man that I spoke to had just recovered from COVID-19 and said that he would not wish that on anyone and therefore he was getting vaccinated. He was accompanied by his son who had been vaccinated and his wife had narrowly escaped getting infected by him. I saw many parents bringing in their teenage children and asking when the vaccine will be available for their younger siblings. We also heard of the death of one of Juvencio‘s high school classmates. Honestly at times it is hard to feel empathy for people who have all the opportunity in the world to get the shot and still resist while others in the world are dying because they have no access. The inequities seem insurmountable, world wide and within this country. It continues to amaze me that many people do not see this systemic situation created by the rich, usually white people to limit, control other less wealthy, typically not white people. Last night I argued with a seemingly intelligent man who stated that racism was exaggerated and that if everyone had just worked as hard as he had then they would have the wealth he had and the ability to retire comfortably. Needless to say I almost lost it! He had a very narrow, but likely common view of poverty falling on lazy people. I had to call him out and take him down a notch. He obviously has not worked alongside the people I see on a daily basis who work from sunup to sun down in all sorts of weather 6-7 days a week to put food on the table for their families.

Off to work hard and appreciate the privilege I have. It was given to me in part because of the color of my skin.

Recipes to enjoy this week:

Zucchini and Corn Lasagna

 3 1/2 pounds green or yellow zucchini (10 medium), ends trimmed, thinly sliced lengthwise

 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

 1/2 cup chopped shallot

 2 garlic cloves, chopped

 2 cups raw corn kernels (from 2 or 3 ears corn)

 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

 15 ounces ricotta cheese

 1 1/4 cups shredded parmesan cheese, divided

 1 large egg, beaten to blend

 1/4 cup chopped basil leaves

 2 tablespoons chopped chives

 1/4 teaspoon pepper

 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided

Step 1

1

Line 3 rimmed baking sheets with paper towels and arrange zucchini in a single layer on top. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp. salt and set aside for 30 minutes.

Step 2

2

Meanwhile, heat a grill to medium (350° to 450°). Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add corn and thyme and cook until corn is just hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in ricotta, half of parmesan, the egg, basil, chives, pepper, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt.

Step 3

3

Preheat the oven to 375°. Press water out of zucchini with more paper towels and remove all paper towels from baking sheets. Brush zucchini all over with remaining 2 tbsp. oil. Grill half of zucchini, turning once, until grill marks appear, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to rimmed baking sheets as cooked. Repeat with remaining zucchini.

Step 4

4

Butter bottom of a 9- by 13-in. baking dish with 1/2 tbsp. butter. Arrange a quarter of zucchini ribbons crosswise in the bottom of the dish, overlapping slightly. Evenly spread a third of corn-ricotta mixture over zucchini. Repeat the process 2 more times, ending with zucchini. Sprinkle remaining parmesan on top and dot with remaining 1 tbsp. butter.

Step 5

5

Bake until lasagna turns golden brown, about 45 minutes, rotating dish halfway through for even browning. Let rest 20 minutes before serving.

https://www.acouplecooks.com/easy-cabbage-salad/

Becca’s favorite Thai Cumber salad with Roasted Peanuts

¼ cup fresh limejuice
1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
1 ½ tablespoons minced seeded jalapeno chili (about 1 large)
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ English hothouse cucumbers, halved, seeded, thinly sliced
¾ cups sliced red onion
2 tablespoons fresh mint
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped lightly salted roasted peanuts

Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl.  Place cucumbers, onion, and mint in large bowl.  Add dressing and toss to coat.  Season salad to taste with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle on peanuts and serve.

• Zucchini
• Cucumbers
• Kale or chard or collards
• Hot peppers 
• Basil
• Cabbage
• Thyme or parsley
• Broccoli
• Tomatoes – cherry or New girl (still a trickle, but just you wait!)
• Garlic

This was a productive week. We managed to get a lot of the fall crops planted. The Brussels that languished in flats during the heatwave got planted and deep watered. The first radicchio and some lettuce made it into the ground. Beets have yet to be seeded as I contemplate battling the birds and bugs to keep the seedlings going. Juvencio, Kody and I attacked the perennial flower garden and freed it from the grips of weed inondation. That will be a perpetual battle that will have to be waged often over the coming months/years.

Juvencio got the garlic out of the ground, a sad lot for sure. We will have some elephant garlic and that is about it, it feels like the end of an era – not sure garlic is worth the struggle. We have rust in the air and soil which attacks the garlic leaves. Even in this very dry spring it affected production incredibly. Other issues in germination and fertility plagued the garlic as well. Not sure where to go as we will be unable to save our own seed and last year the purchased seed just sat in the ground and never grew.

The beans are starting to climb and it looks like we will be able to harvest them in the next few weeks. They will come into high production just as the cherry tomatoes take off, aren’t we lucky? These are two crops that require a lot of time to harvest and we are counting on our members to help out with harvest. We harvest twice a week, Sunday mornings and Wednesday mornings. We ask that each member help with two harvests over the course of the season. This is not a requirement and we realize that everyone is busy and some have other limitations. But please if you are able do sign up and come out and help harvest. We start early, usually 7:00 am, and finish when the work is done, usually by 12:00. If you are not able to sign up, then just show up on harvest days and we will show you how you can help. We have 32 more harvests for you to help with!

This week will be full of potato harvest and making space for fall broccoli, cauliflower and more radicchio. Weeding the onions is on the list of items to attack this week as well. So, if you love to get your hands dirty, come on by the farm and we can show you the work that needs a helping hand.

If you are worried about how to use all that zucchini read on as Sue provides her approach to dealing with the piles of summer squash:

How I used 10+lbs of zucchini in 1 week:

Greek Zucchini Pie (like spanakopita but w/zukes)

2 1/2 lb zucchini, trimmed and shredded

Salt to taste

2Tbs olive oil for frying,  plus additional for brushing phyllo

1 large onion,  chopped

2 cloves garlic,  minced

1 c finely chopped dill

1/2 c chopped fresh mint or combo mint and parsley

1 c crumbled feta

3 eggs

Pepper to taste

12 sheets phyllo

Place shredded Zune’s in a colander,  salt well and let drain for and 1 hour.  After an hour squeeze out as much moisture as possible (wring out in a towel works well)

Heat 1Tb oil in frying pan,  sauté onion until soft then add garlic and cook a few minutes more.  Combine the mix with the wrung out zukes,  cheese,  herbs,  egg and season w/ salt and pepper.

Oil a 10” pie pan and layer on 7 layers of phyllo,  brushing with oil between layers.  Fill with zucchini mix and then fold over draped edges,  brush with oil and layer a few pieces of filo on top,  stuffing the edges into the side of the pan.  Brush top with oil and slash some vents in the top crust.Bake at 350 50-60 minutes until golden brown;  allow to cool before serving.

Zuni cafe zucchini pickles

1 lb zucchini,  sliced thinly (1/16”)

1 small onion,  peeled and thinly sliced

2 Tbs kosher salt

Ice water/ice cubes

2 c Apple cider vinegar

1/2 c sugar

1  1/2 tsp dry mustard

1  1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp tumeric

Place zukes and onion slices in a low wide bowl,  toss w/salt and cover w/ice water and a few ice cubes.  Leave for 1 hour,  then drain well and dry thoroughly on kitchen towels.

Rinse and dry bowl.

Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer for about 3 minutes,  then cool until just warm to the touch.

Return zucchini to bowl and pour brine over,  let sit a bit and transfer into 2 pint jars—refrigerate a day before serving.  Keeps for weeks in fridge.

Spicy Zucchini soup

2 lbs chopped zucchini

4 Tbs oil

1 onion,  finely chopped

1 jalapeño,  finely chopped (maybe more,  or Serrano)

3 cloves chopped garlic

4 c vegetable broth

1-2 slices day old bread,  cut into small cubes (1 1/2 c)

1/2 c each chopped mint,  chopped cilantro

2 tsp lemon or lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot sauté the onions and peppers until soft,  then add the zucchini and garlic and continue sauté for another 5 minutes. Add bread and broth and bring to a boil and then simmer 20 minutes.  Remove from heat,  add herbs and then purée with blender or immersion blender.  Mix in lemon,  salt and pepper to taste—can serve hot or cold.

I think this would taste even better with addition of some fresh corn kernels and a sprinkle of tajin or Chile pepper.

Sue’s famous paleo chocolate  zucchini muffins

1 c almond butter (I use TJs raw/smooth)

3 Tb maple syrup

2 Tb cocoa powder

1 c shredded zucchini,  excess moisture saueeed out a bit

2 eggs

1 Tb vanilla extract

1 tsp Apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp baking soda

Pinch salt

1/4 c choc chips

Heat over to 400.  Combine nut butter w/ cocoa and maple syrup,  then beat in eggs and vanilla.   add baking soda and pour vinegar over it—it will fizz.  Mix in zucchini and chocolate chips,  combine well and spoon into 12 paper lined muffin cups.  Bake about 15 minutes—just until firm to light pressure.

(Can also make as a loaf cake—line w/parchment and bake longer)

Here is a great kale salad we made last night:

https://edibleaspen.ediblecommunities.com/recipes/kale-salad-started-it-all

Here is a tasty cucumber and tomato salad

Cucumber Tomato Salad

Here is a cabbage salad you may want to try:

https://www.recipetineats.com/everyday-cabbage-salad/

Enjoy your veggies!

• Cucumbers 
• zucchini 
• broccoli 
• cabbage or kohlrabi
• elephant garlic 
• kale or chard 
• basil 
• Herb
• Tomatoes! Either cherry or regular tomatoes
• Potatoes

We made it through the heat wave basically lucky to be tucked inside our house. Only harvesting late at night or early in the morning.The broccoli fared the worst, sending most of it to flower before it’s time means that our season for broccoli will be shorter than expected. We lost some lettuce and our onions do not look very happy. We will have to see the long lasting effects of 116° weather on vegetables. Future production may be affected for a few weeks.

The flowers mostly went crazy, some of them finishing early, some of them blooming early and seeming like they will persist. It’s time to order your summer bouquets as there are many flowers to be enjoyed. Our animals did well despite the heat but the chickens have slowed down their production. Thankfully our pregnant goats did not deliver during the heat, they are due to deliver sometime later this month. We got back to using the cooler for distributing our vegetables and we think that that method will stick. We got no feedback about it being onerous and therefore we will continue to distribute our vegetables from the cooler. We will likely go back to some of the crops being in the cooler and some of the crops being on tables outside depending on the vegetable or fruit. We will also broaden the window for pick up as the vegetables will be refrigerated. We would prefer that people come between 1 and 6 PM on Sundays and Wednesdays. If you can not make it to your pick-up we prefer you communicate with me via text. If you show up early we will put you to work until the harvest is collected :).

We managed to do some weeding during times of the day that were not sweltering. Juvencio got tomatoes tied up and beans trellised. Last night after the farmers market and dinner, once temps dipped below 80 I transplanted the pumpkins. I know they are late but keep your fingers crossed. We put off a lot of seeding and transplanting during the heat and now we are playing catch up. The Brussels sprouts, winter and fall cabbage and more have to get in the ground today or tomorrow. We have to pull the measly crop of garlic and get those beds ready for over-wintering crops like cauliflower and broccoli and radicchio. I seeded 10 flats of different varieties of radicchio on”Fesom the farm on a Saturday afternoon and headed to the Culinary Breeding Network’s “Festa Italiana”. I could not resist three different types of radicchio and an olive tree.

 It was nice to have people offer to help last Sunday with the harvest. We typically will start harvest at 7 AM and finish by noon if you’re able to lend a hand please do sign up or show up to help. Even though the governor has lifted mask mandates in the state we are still feeling this out and would prefer that you wear masks when you are at the farm picking up your vegetables.

A reminder to stay engaged politically and let your senators know how you feel about the filibuster. The filibuster was created so that southern states would have more of a voice in suppressing the black vote. It is a vestige of white supremacy and gives too much power to the minority in blocking legislation from voting rights to policing to LGBTQ rights. Much of the ambitious agenda proposed by progressives will be blocked if we do not defeat the filibuster. It is more evident that legislation is the only way to move forward as the Supreme Court is now heavily weighted in a very conservative and unjust fashion.

It is time to make your favorite zucchini dish, dust off the zucchini bread recipes and be creative.

Here is a link to last year’s zucchini bread bake off with recipes galore: https://www.finquita.com/wordpress/?p=2981

Zucchini ­Crusted Pizza (“Moosewood Cookbook” Mollie Katzen) 

A normal pizza on top, and a beautiful egg and cheese crust, with flecks of green and a slight crunch. 4-­6 servings

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

The Crust:

 3 1⁄2 cups grated zucchini (grate it coarsely) 

3 eggs, beaten

 1/3 cup flour 

½ cup grated mozzarella 

½ cup grated Parmesan 

1 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, minced (or ½ tsp dried) 

salt and pepper 

Salt the zucchini lightly and let it sit for 15 minutes. Squeeze out all the excess moisture. Combine all crust ingredients, and spread into an oiled 9×13” baking pan. Bake 20-­25 minutes, until the surface is dry and firm. Brush the top with oil and broil it, under moderate heat for 5 minutes. Pile all of your favorite pizza toppings on (tomato sauce, olives, sautéed mushrooms, strips of peppers, lots of cheese, etc.) and heat the whole mess in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Serve hot, cut into squares, with a big tossed salad.

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.

Here is where to go for 33 recipes for broccoli – there must be something here that makes you love broccoli: https://www.delish.com/cooking/nutrition/g241/broccoli-recipes/

• Lettuce
• Kale or chard
• Parsley or basil
• Zucchini
• Green onions
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cucumbers (very few so no promises but we will try)

With record-breaking heat hitting today and going through Monday we are getting your vegetables into the cooler in the wee hours of the morning. We will use the cooler to distribute vegetables. We expect you to continue to wear masks but also expect that a good percentage of you all are vaccinated. You can pick up your vegetables starting at 10:30 on Sunday. For those who are at pick up sites please plan on having your vegetables distributed in the morning before 1 PM. If you let me know who is the designated person to pick up from the farm for the pick up sites I can text them the moment the vegetables are ready. It is our intention to be done by 10 AM with the harvest. We may have a limited number of vegetables this week due to the heat and the need for us to be out of it. We expect that this heat will affect our production over the next several weeks. Nothing can grow in over 100° weather that includes tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and cucumbers that we traditionally think love the heat. Many of them will drop their flowers or even their fruit due to the heat. We will make every effort to bring you vegetables even in these extreme conditions but we expect your understanding that so much of farming is out of our control. Please stay cool and check on your neighbors and elderly friends. None of us are prepared for such dire weather conditions and we hope it cools off soon.

Here are some cabbage recipes:

https://www.allrecipes.com/gallery/best-cabbage-recipes/

• Broccoli
• New potatoes
• Herb (parsley, dill or cilantro)
• Sugar snap peas
• Kale or chard
• Green onions
• Yellow onions
• Kohlrabi
• Zucchini
• Lettuce 

We are preparing for another hot week. We are trying to get to the weeds that were germinated last week with the rain before the heat dries out the soil and turns it once again into a very hard pan. Juvencio made a huge dent in the weeding with a lot of hard work. My flower garden persists in thick weeds that will impede the growth if I don’t get to it today.

I continue to seed and think about fall crops: broccoli, cauliflower, radicchio, overwintering varieties of the above will all be seeded in the next two weeks. As the equinox arrives the signal is sent to our onions to start to form bulbs and many crops start their long journey towards ripening this fall. I hope to get the pumpkins in the ground along with the very end of the winter squash. We are having to keep all winter squash covered to prevent cucumber beetle damage. This extra step is making the planting a little bit more onerous. 

This will be the last week of sugar snap peas. I fear they will  fade with the heat as we wait for the beans to climb their trellises. Possibly a small reprieve for the farmers and harvesting small time consuming items. We are also waiting for those cucumbers, seeded back in March, transplanted at the perfect time in May to produce enough cucumbers. But they sure are slow at ripening fruit, hopefully by next week we will have enough to harvest for the CSA.

I am writing this on Juneteenth, now a federal holiday but only a small step towards true reconciliation of what the end of slavery means. I believe that as a nation we should provide reparations, true voting rights legislation, and a national reckoning that puts equity and environmental justice at the top of the list of priorities. We need to  continue pushing our elected officials to enact legislation that protects everyone’s right to vote, everyone’s voice in our democracy and hold those who are bound and determined to undermine these rights accountable. I encourage you to continue to communicate, to vote, to protest, to speak out about injustices and racism that you witness.

Recipes to enjoy this week:

• Zucchini (4-6) sliced thinly
• 28 ounces canned tomato sauce
• Onion, diced
• Garlic, 3-5 cloves chopped finely
• Carrot, 2 shredded
• Basil, 2-4 tablespoons fresh, chopped
• Cheese ( Manchego, drunken goat, Parmesan or other) grated about ½ cup
• Salt, pepper, olive oil

Sauté garlic and onion in a small amount of olive oil until just golden. Use a pan that can go into the oven. Add the tomato sauce and carrot and cook for another 10-15 minute on the stove. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Arrange the rounds of zucchini in the sauce in a circular pattern overlapping to pack in as much zucchini as possible. Place the whole pan in the oven for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Pull out the pan and add the cheese and basil and cook for another 10 minutes. Ready to serve. You could always have a poached egg on top.

Ottolenghi’s Grilled Broccoli with Chile and Garlic

There are a few more steps in this recipe than just steaming your broccoli, but the end result is so much greater than the parts.

 Course Side Dish

 Cuisine Mediterranean

 Keyword broccoli

 Prep Time 20 minutes

 Cook Time 20 minutes

 Total Time 40 minutes

 Servings 4

 Calories 198kcal

Ingredients

• 1 bunch broccoli
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large cloves garlic very thinly sliced
• 1 mild red chile very thinly sliced
• sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds toasted
• 1/2 lemon sliced very thin

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lay the almonds on a baking sheet and cook for 5-7 minutes until lightly toasted. Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In a large bowl make an ice bath (ice and water) and set aside. Meanwhile, separate the broccoli into florets. When the water boils, add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer the broccoli from the boiling water to the ice bath to shock it. This will stop the broccoli from cooking further — allowing it to retain it’s crispness and vibrant color. When broccoli is completely cool, transfer it to a colander and allow it to dry completely. (I actually stuck mine under a fan for 10 minutes to wick away excess moisture).
3. When broccoli is dry, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat.
4. Place a ridged grill pan on the stove and heat it over medium high heat until very hot. Add the broccoli in two to three different batches so you don’t crowd the pan. Cook in the hot pan until you get the telltale grill marks. Remove the broccoli to a large bowl and continue with the remaining florets. Transfer to the bowl.
5. Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet and add the garlic and red chile. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to brown. Remove from heat and transfer the contents of the pan to the broccoli. Add the toasted almonds and slices of lemon. Toss gently to coat with the garlic pepper oil. Arrange broccoli on a platter and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 855IU | Vitamin C: 55.2mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 0.6mg

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/may/30/broccoli-recipe-four-different-meals-alex-bluett

Broccoli Panzanella with Walnut Sauce and

Basil

Recipe from Anita Lo Adapted by Elaine Louie

YIELD 3 to 4 servings

FOR THE BROCCOLI:

12 ounces broccoli, florets cut into pieces 1 inch in length and stem peeled and cut into pieces 1 inch in length and 1/2 inch thick

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 pinch red pepper flakes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE WALNUT SAUCE:

1⁄2 cup walnut pieces, toasted

1 large clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pinch finely grated lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR ASSEMBLY:

One-day-old baguette, crust discarded and remaining cut into 3/4 inch to 1-inch dice

1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste

TIME INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

Step 1

For the broccoli: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the broccoli, olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread across a baking sheet or shallow roasting pan, and roast until the broccoli is crisp-tender, and is beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare walnut sauce.

Step 2

For the walnut sauce: In a dry skillet or toaster oven, toast the walnut pieces until fragrant and lightly browned. Place in a blender with garlic, olive oil and lemon zest. Blend until smooth, adding just enough water to make a thick yet pourable sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3

For assembly: Spread the diced bread on a baking sheet and bake until crisp and golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Add broccoli (there should be equal parts broccoli to bread), and mix lightly.

Step 4

On a serving platter or in a shallow bowl, spread the walnut sauce and pile the broccoli and panzanella on top. Garnish with julienned basil and, if desired, shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.

PRIVATE NOTES

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

45 minutes

1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1⁄4 cup julienned basil leaves

Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings, optional.

Adapted from Anita Lo, Executive Chef and Owner of Annisa 

Butter-Steamed Broccoli With Peppery Bread Crumbs

By David Tanis

YIELD 4 to 6 servings

30 minutes

Here is an easy, elegant broccoli dish. If you wish, make the crumbs by pulsing cubes of day-old French bread in a food processor, but really any type of bread crumbs will do.

TIME

INGREDIENTS

1 1⁄2 cups coarse bread crumbs

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Salt

1 large head or 2 medium heads broccoli (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, for shaving

PREPARATION

Step 1

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread bread crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes, turning pan and stirring crumbs occasionally to ensure even browning. Remove from oven and transfer crumbs to a bowl. Stir in black pepper and salt to taste. Set aside at room temperature.

Step 2

Cut off thick stems of broccoli and save for another purpose, such as soup. Cut broccoli tops into 3-inch-long spears of approximately equal size.

Step 3

Put a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt butter, add broccoli spears and season with salt. Add 1 cup water, turn heat to high and cover skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Cook rapidly until firm-tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes. The broccoli should absorb all the butter and water. (If there is any buttery liquid left, spoon over broccoli just before serving.)

Step 4

Transfer broccoli to a serving platter or a large wide shallow bowl. Sprinkle generously with peppery crumbs. Using a vegetable peeler, shave Parmesan into rough shards and scatter over the top.

Zucchini and Corn Lasagna

• Broccoli
• New potatoes
• Herb (parsley, dill or cilantro)
• Sugar snap peas
• Kale or chard
• Green onions
• Yellow onions
• Kohlrabi
• Zucchini

Yesterday Juvencio and I beat back the weeds in most of the greenhouses. We weeded the peppers, sweet and hot, the tomatoes and got rid of theremains of the overwintering onions. Sydney and Tulip (our Catlin Gable senior project students) helped weed the cucumbers which are now starting to climbtheir trelises. We had the help of a friend from Kenya with three of the five onion beds and we feel like we have made a dent in the weeds. With this nice rain that barely wet the surface of the soil the next generation of weeds will be born. Such as life on the farm repetition: seeding, transplanting, weeding and again. 

Last week was the final week of Chinese broccoli, the plants produced for eight straight weeks. One cannot ask more of such an amazing crop. Spring broccoli is starting and we should have enough for everyone to receive one head. It seems particularly lush and green. We hope you enjoy it and we hope that it comes for the next four weeks as planned. Finally we will harvest the new potatoes. We are tired of waiting for them to produce more and are pulling them as small tender potatoes for you to enjoy. The sugar snap peas have about one more week and they will be done as well. We hope to have green beans in short order but the frost in early May has set them back. They are now climbing but likely will not have beans for another month. A slight reprieve for the farmer who will have green beans and cherry tomatoes the same week in early July.

 The tomatoes are setting their first fruit and some are even turning slightly yellow. We are excited to have those first tomatoes and cucumbers ready to share with you. I will try seeding beets again but I am doubtful of the success of this crop that requires so much weeding.  Fortunately we covered the winter squash with Remi (agricultural fabric) as the cucumber beetles are out in full force. There are two varieties; the western spotted beetle and the striped version. The striped beetle tends to descend on a plant and demolish the entire plant, leaves and stems. The fabric cover allows light in and the plant can get a strong hold and is able to grow past the damage. The Beatles affect fruit production and that may be part of the reason we are not winter squash champions.

Last night it poured, the first substantial rain in months which should give us a real boost. We hope to turn over the high tunnel that brought us such good Chinese broccoli and your first new potatoes and plant cucumbers and melons. That is the work for this week, as well as weeding.

Here are some recipes to enjoy (Sue Kass is back at it!)

https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bonappetit.com%2Frecipe%2Fzucchini-lentil-fritters-with-lemony-yogurt&data=04%7C01%7C%7C41e7b2db12b0454506d308d92c92348f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637589828724005010%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=AomuQa2p89t%2FKPVBz9F%2B%2Bgm020EvvKXY3f4odFVzSZY%3D&reserved=0

https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthehappyfoodie.co.uk%2Frecipes%2Ffennel-mint-and-orange-salad&data=04%7C01%7C%7C80e25af9afe94999c53308d92c8f48b9%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637589816167352034%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=N1oA7IW%2FMWo7gFgw29%2Fu%2F7OcErV3BWQ6AF7ahzcZEbw%3D&reserved=0

For those new potatoes:

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/jun/12/meera-sodha-vegan-recipe-south-indian-potato-salad-tamarind-coconut-cashews

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/76954/roasted-new-red-potatoes/

Potato Scallion Curry

1 inch ginger, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion,chopped

1 bunch scallions or spring onions, chopped

4-6 potatoes boiled, chopped (big pieces) optionally remove peel

2 small green chilis

2 tsp curry powder

“Popu”

1 1/2 tbsp oil (olive, sesame, canola, etc.)

1 pinch fenugreek

1/4 tsp mustard seed

1 tsp cumin seed

In a large saucepan, prepare the popu. When the seeds crackle, add garlic and stir until aroma emerges. Add scallions,onion and green chilis. Stir until onions soften and become transulcent. Add potatoes and ginger. Stir for 1-2 minutes. Add curry powder, stir for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Can be served as a filling for dosas, with rice, or chappatis.

New Potatoes with Green Garlic

Amounts are flexible: Steam or boil truly new potatoes until they are barely done, it takes less time than ‘regular’ potatoes because they are so fresh. Heat some oil or butter in a frying pan big enough to easily accomodate the potatoes. Add some (I use quite a bit) chopped green garlic and another herb such as rosemary or thyme if you like. Add potatoes and cook for a little while until the potatoes begin to brown, eat them up when they look like they are ready. You can add salt and pepper if you like.

For that Kohlrabi piling up in your fridge:

Roasted Kohlrabi with Crunchy Seeds

Adapted from Perfect Vegetables by the Cook’s Illustrated Team

3 medium kohlrabi bulbs, peeled and cut into ¾ inch cubes

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

½ teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely chopped

S & P to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss the kohlrabi, oil, seeds, and S & P together in a large bowl until combined. In a single layer spread the mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet. Roast (with rack in middle position), shaking pan occasionally, until the kohlrabi is browned and tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and adjust seasonings to taste, serve immediately.

Kohlrabi Pickle Chips from the Victory Garden Cookbook

1-2 pounds smallish kohlrabi, trimmed

3 small onions

1/4 cup pickling salt

2 cups vinegar

2/3 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1/4 teaspoon tumeric

Peel and thinly slice kohlrabi and onions. Mix salt with 1 quart ice water, pour over the vegetables, and soak for 3 hours. Drain, rinse, and place in a bowl. Bring remaining ingredients to a boil, cook for 3 minutes, and pour over the vegetables. Cool, cover and refrigerate for 3 days.

• 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