• Kale
• Lettuce
• Herb, parsley, or thyme, or sage
• Broccoli or Chinese broccoli
• Swiss, chard, or collards
• Zucchini
• Sugar snap peas
• Kohlrabi or fennel
• Onions
• Scallions

We appreciated the tiny bit of rain we got yesterday. All of the plants in the field perked up and the weeds were able to germinate. Good thing Juvencii and Cesar spent the better part of the week weeding the onions and the leeks. The cucumbers are in bloom, the zucchini are about ready to take off, the tomatoes are setting fruit and the peppers are bulking up. As we start to think of salsa and Caprese salad, we also seed for fall and winter. I have fall cabbage and broccoli and cauliflower, freshly seeded and will start on the overwintering varieties in the next few weeks. The beds that we thought had radishes and beets germinating turned out to be a bust. They were turned over and they will now have the dry crop experimental tomatoes, and okra. I may try one more time to get some beets germinated but the weed pressure and the time constraints of keeping the bed clear have seemed insurmountable this year. 

We still have lots of vegetable starts available on our website and at the Beaverton farmers market. It is much easier for me to gather the vegetables that you may want if you pre-order them rather than showing up at the farm and asking for them as I don’t always have every variety. Polly and I do this business together and starts maybe at either one of our farms. If you want things that read out of stock do text me and I can tell you if we have them and have them for you by the following week pick up. Here is the link again: https://pumpkinridgegardens.square.site/

The flowers are going crazy. I took 15 buckets of them to market yesterday after preparing a very large wedding with over 30 table bouquets, eight bridesmaids and 13 corsages. I made a few bouquets for today and I will do special orders. Today I am heading into Portland to celebrate my Mom’s birthday so I will not be around. If you want a special bouquet, text me before 11:00 or I will be gone. I always leave a few bouquets to choose from in the barn, but when they don’t sell, I focus my energy in other areas.

Off to harvest.

Recipes for the week:

Auditioned by Sue Kass:

GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

1 c parsley leaves

1 c packed spinach leaves,  stemmed

2 Tbs tarragon leaves—I used 1/2 bunch of chervil and a bit less parsley

3 Tbs minced chives

1 garlic clove

2 anchovy fillets—or 2 Tbs chopped Kalamata olives

3 Tbs lemon juice

4 tsp champagne or sherry vinegar

1/2 c canola or grapeseed oil

1/2 c mayonnaise—I used Greek yogurt instead

Salt/ pepper to taste

In a blender or food processor,  blend everything but the mayo/yogurt until smooth,  then  mayo/yogurt in.

THE SALAD

2 c snap peas, trimmed

2 hearts of romaine lettuce,  torn into bite sized pieces (I used butter lettuce)

2 small thin skinned cucumbers, diced (I used celery instead, could also use a young zucchini’

2 green onions,  thinly sliced

1 ripe avocado,  cubed

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil,  then drop sugar snaps in for one minute—then rinse well in cold water to stop cooking and then drain and dry well.

Combine all ingredients except avocados and toss well,  then gently mix the avocados in.  Pour in about 1/2 c green goddess dressing, mix gently and taste—add more dressing, salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.  Extra dressing will be kept in the fridge x 1 week.

Italian Potato Pasta Soup with Greens

3 Tbs EVOO

2 c diced onion

1 c diced carrot

1 c diced celery or fennel

Salt, pepper

1 bay leaf

1 large sprig thyme

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp paprika

2 Tbs tomato paste

3 quarts chicken or veggie broth,  or water

2 lbs potatoes,  peeled and cut in 1” chunks

8 oz kale or chard, stems removed and cut into 1/2 inch ribbons, about 4 c

1/2 lb pennette,  or hitters or other small pasta

1 Tb finely chopped fresh rosemary or oregano

Freshly grated Parmesan

In large soup pot heat EVOO and add onions, carrots and fennel,  sprinkle in salt and pepper and cook until softened and starting to golden.   Stir in bay, thyme, garlic and paprika and tomato paste and cook,  stirring,  x 1 minute. Add broth,  potatoes and large pinch of salt.  Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer.  Cook 10-15 minutes until potatoes are cooked through but firm. Stir in kale and pasta and simmer another 10 minutes or until pasta is Al dente.  )If making in advance,  omit pasta and cook just before serving)

Garnish w/fresh herb and Parmesan before serving.

Kale-Romaine Cesar Salad

12-16 oz been kale and romaine lettuce hearts,  in roughly equal amounts

1-2 large garlic cloves

4-6 anchovies

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Salt, pepper

1/2 c EVOO

2 Tbs lemon juice

1 egg

4 oz freshly grated Parmesan

Croutons for serving

Remove stems from kale and cut into bite sized pieces.  Cut romaine into bite sized pieces.

In a blender or food processor,  combine the garlic, anchovies, mustard,  salt and pepper and lemon juice—blend until smooth.  Poach egg in simmering water until yolk is thickened but still runny.  Put the egg in the dressing and blend. Taste and adjust seasonings.

To serve, toss the greens with half the dressing,  the croutons and Parmesan cheese.  Taste and mix in remaining dressing as needed.

New Potatoes Baked in Parchment

2 lbs small new potatoes

1/4 c olive oil

Salt,  pepper

1 rosemary sprig

A few thyme springs

1 head garlic,  cloves separated but not peeled

3 Tbs chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 400.  Place potatoes in a bowl with all other ingredients except the parsley.   Toss to coat.

Arrange potatoes on an 18” round of parchment paper.  Fold paper over to make 1/2 mom, then fold and crop the rounded edges to make a package.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.  Open package and sprinkle with parsley before serving

Onion and zucchini frittata

2 Tbs EVOO

3/4 c finely chopped onion

Salt, pepper to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small zucchini,  grated

4 eggs

1 Tb milk

Heat 1 Tb EVOO over medium heat in a heavy 8” omelet pan.,  then add the onion and generous pinch of salt. Cook until onion is very soft and sweet.  And garlic and zucchini and cook,  stirring,  about 3 more minutes.  Beat the eggs in a bowl and add milk,  salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in the onion and zucchini and mix well.  Clean and dry the pan.  Heat the remaining oil over medium high heat in the pan.  Pour in the egg mixture and shake gently,  lifting up the edges of the frittata to let the eggs run underneath.   After a few minutes turn heat down to low and cover and cook 7-10 minutes more or until golden and set. Slice into 4 wedges to serve.

• Lettuce
• Sugar snap peas
• Zucchini!!
• Chinese broccoli
• Onions
• Chervil or cilantro
• Kale
• Cabbage? Or collards
• Radishes

Where did May go? We blazed through May and made up for a dreary April. Our onions are growing, the tomatoes are in bloom and the weeds are growing like wildfire. I continue to seed and transplant. Juvencio is weeding as fast as he can. The cucumbers and tomatoes need almost constant tending as they grow each day and don’t follow the rules. The cucumbers have beautiful tendrils that beg to climb and they tangle among themselves instead of reach out to the trellis.

We have been hosting party after party this weekend. We held our first farm to table dinner as a benefit  to help fund Kitchen Table magazine. Brett Warnock https://kitchentablemagazine.com/  left us a few copies in the barn to share with those interested. It is a great zine that highlights farmers, local food culture, artists and the like. We partnered with Comida Kin’s Rodrigo and Mary  who prepared the food and Kipperlin Sinclaire from Eat Drink Washington County who served up smiles and helped coordinate the efforts.  We look forward to other opportunities to host and be part of the Washington County agriculture and food scene. We are percolating on how to put on a similar event for interested members.

There is so much going on here that I have to remember to lift my head from the weeds and look at Pride Month. Mijente is a non-profit “political home for Latinx and Chicanx people who seek racial, economic, gender and climate justice”. They are working to change the dialog and protect hard won rights from the political backlash taking place in the republican party. Consider making a donation today: https://mijente.net/donate/. Join  us at the Beaverton Pride Parade on Sunday June 25th: https://www.pridebeaverton.org/

There is also the legislature making decisions about land use and funding for programs such as double up food bucks. I encourage you to reach out to your legislators and let them know that funding this program is essential to getting families in need more access to fresh produce. We use double up food bucks at the farmers market. This allows people to buy double the number of vegetable plants for their families. As farmers we too accept SNAP and double up food bucks getting families more produce for less out of their pockets. As a clinician I see the benefit to my patients who access SNAP and get double when they shop at local farmers markets for produce.  Here is the link to reach out to your rep: 

Calling all Oregonians! NOW is the time to contact your representatives and tell them how important DUFB is for our community to help secure funding for 2024-2025. In 2021, the State of Oregon invested $4 Million in the Double Up Food Bucks program, which is available through CSA, farmers markets, and some grocery stores. Since then demand for the Double Up program has skyrocketed. Our coalition is seeking $8 million from the State of Oregon, for the 2024-2025 seasons in order to ensure that DUFB Oregon gets the support that it needs! In 2022 alone, PNWCSA helped over 1,000 people purchase CSA shares with SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks. HOW TO HELP1. Send a short email to your Senator and Representative asking for their support on HB 2728. This is the most important (and easiest) action you can take! Click here to find out who your elected officials are.Feel free to use this template for your email and consider including this factsheet with your message. Make sure to include HB 2728 in the title of your email. Some legislators are also very active on social media. You can reach out to them with a short message of support via Twitter or Facebook if that’s your thing!2. Help us spread the word via social mediaShare what DUFB means to you or your farm, and why continued funding through HB 2728 would benefit you. Use the hashtag #supportDUFB and tag in PNWCSA & your legislators. You can repurpose any of the talking points, sample posts, or videos in our Advocacy Toolkit or create your own.

Now I must head out to harvest, but first, Sue Kass is back at it with recipes:

 Kale & Sugar Snap Pea Salad

Dressing: 

3/4 c canola oil

1/2 c peeled chopped ginger

1/4 c miso paste

1/2 c rice vinegar

2 lemons or 2 limes,  zest finely grated and juiced

1/4 c sugar

Salt, pepper

Salad:

2 Tbs sugar

6-8 dried apricots

1 medium bunch kale, roughly chopped

2 c sugar snap peas

4 oz crumbled feta

1/4 c almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

2 Tbs fresh mint

Combine all ingredients for dressing in a blender or food processor.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine sugar w 1/4 c water.  Add the dried apricots

and poach just until rehydrated,  then remove from heat.

In a serving bowl,  combine the kale,  snap peas and feta.  Add salad dressing to taste,  sprinkle with almonds and mint

Smitten Kitchen’s Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Miso Dressing

Serves 4

Salad

• Table salt for the pot
• ½ pound sugar snap peas, untrimmed
• ½ pound Napa cabbage, cut into thin ribbons (about 3 cups) – optional
• 4 ounces radishes (4 medium-large), julienned, or quartered and thinly sliced
• 3 large scallions (about ½ bundle), white and green parts, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Sesame Miso Dressing

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons mild yellow or white miso
• 2 tablespoons tahini or sesame paste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
• Instructions

1. Blanch sugar snaps. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and prepare a small ice-water bath. Boil the sugar snaps for about 2 minutes, or until just barely cooked but still crisp. Scoop them out with a large slotted spoon, and drop them in the ice-water bath. Once cool, drain and pat dry. Trim ends and cut sugar snaps into thin slices. Toss in large bowl with cabbage, radishes, scallions, and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds.
2. Make the dressing. Whirl all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
3. Assemble the salad. Toss salad with half of dressing, and taste. Use more if you desire. Sprinkle with remaining sesame seeds.
4. Store any leftover dressing in an airtight jar in the refrigerator and use on your next salad.

Bowties with Sugar Snaps, Ricotta and Lemon

As sugar snap season comes and goes all to quickly for my addicted tastes, consider this a template for any green vegetable — segments of asparagus, green beans, snow pea pods, or whole sweet peas — that you think might enjoy some lemon/ricotta/parmesan/salt/pepper treatment. Most of these other vegetables will benefit from 2 to 3 minutes boiling time, so add them earlier in the pasta cooking process.

Serves 4 to 6 (main course-style), up to 8 as a first course

Salt for pasta water
1 pound sugar snaps
1 pound dried pasta bowties
1/2 cup (about 1 ounce) finely grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
Glug, then drizzle, of olive oil
Coarse or fine sea salt for sprinkling
Ground black pepper or red pepper flakes
Juice of 1 lemon, plus more to taste
Few leaves of mint, slivered
1 cup ricotta; use fresh if you can find or have motivation to make it

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil. While waiting, string sugar snaps and cut into 1/2-inch segments. Cook bowties for two minutes less than the suggested cooking time on the package, then add sugar snaps to pasta. Cook for one minute more. Reserve one cup pasta cooking water, then drain sugar snaps and bowties. Add them back to the empty pot with 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, grated cheese, a glug of olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook on high for one minute, tossing constantly. Add a splash more cooking water if pasta looks too dry. Turn heat off, dollop ricotta all over in large spoonfuls and, without stirring, tip pasta mixture into a wide serving bowl. (I do this because I love the idea of finding slightly unmixed pockets of ricotta.) Drizzle pasta with a small amount of olive oil, then squeeze lemon juice over the whole dish, sprinkle with mint, and finish with an extra sprinkling of parmesan. Serve quickly; eat happily.

•  Lettuce
• Chinese broccoli 
• spinach
• Peas
• Carrots or beets
• Green onions
• Cilantro
• Onions
• Kale

It was a Busy week here at la finquita del Buho.  Weeding, transplanting and stringing up tomatoes. The main crop tomatoes had their first pruning and are already waist high. The first potatoes are starting to flower, which means in the next few weeks we should have new potatoes in the share. The cucumbers are starting to climb and the zucchini is in flower. It feels like summer is almost here.

The flowers inside the greenhouse are producing nicely. The flowers in the field are growing well. I have a Milpa planted. I have 9 different varieties of ornamental corn in production. I will use some for my wreaths and others for popcorn for the winter share. Currently, it is not looking very happy, but I am hopeful with the new water system and a little bit more time it will green up.

We managed to get five beds of winter squash, planted and an additional bit of summer squash just for good measure. Juvencio continues to work to try and get the new field ready for the experimental, dry farming, tomatoes, and Oaxacan green corn, squash, and bean project. We are inspired to try the three sisters again with more space between each patch and less irrigation. We hope to be able to produce something edible.

The dry farm tomatoes are three varieties that Italians use as sauce tomatoes in the winter. They harvest the whole bunch of tomatoes from each plant and hang them to ripen and slow dry. When they are ready to use them, they make a fresh sauce around Christmas time. I hope they are as good as they sound. They will have slightly tougher skins and will remind of us summer when we hit the solstice.

This week marks the first week we will harvest from spring planted outdoor crops. The cilantro and spinach was planted as soon as we could work the ground in April. Some of the sugar snap peas from outside the hoop houses has caught up with the inside peas. We will give a combo.As we start with peas this marks the time for subscribers to sign up to help harvest. The list will go out in the next couple of days. We hope you will come out to help harvest twice over the next 21 weeks. We harvest Sundays and Wednesdays. We start at 7:30 (at 7:00 if it will be hot that day) and we finish around 11:00. The more help the faster the harvest gets done. We understand not everyone can or will want to help harvest the vegetables. We expect you will decide what is right for you. On Wednesdays Juvencio is alone harvesting.

Families are welcome to bring their children just be sure there is a dedicated adult to keep track of the children as they will “help” for a short while and then be off to explore. If you can come for only a short while that can be accommodated for. You can just show up and help if it turns out there is a day that it just fits in. It is helpful to us to know you are coming when you sign up so we can plan (a bit)

Jo and I (a long time member and friend) sat down and penciled out a plan for farm events this season. We are toying with the idea of the canning party in early September, a farm to table type fundraiser later that month and the harvest festival in mid October. Juvencio and I hope to make pizza some time in July and invite you all to come by, but the date is not firmed up yet. If you are interested in helping make any of this happen do reach out and we can put you on the planning committee!

Here are some recipes to enjoy this week:

1. We made a dinner of Asian inspired ground beef with scallions and cilantro over rice. I quick sauteed the kale with garlic and a splash of soy sauce. A delicious dinner in about 30 minutes.
2. Delicious way to use that Chines broccoli: https://www.recipetineats.com/wprm_print/53487
3. A complete meal with beef and greens: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023044-pad-kee-mao-drunken-noodles?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share
4. How to use those scallions: https://www.thekitchn.com/5-ways-to-use-up-a-bunch-of-scallions-199374
5. This kale salad looked great: https://thekitchengirl.com/lemony-kale-chickpea-avocado-salad/

• Lettuce
• Kale
• Herb
• Carrots or beets
• Onions (use them fresh as they have decided to bolt – make seed heads so they will not last)
• Chinese broccoli or bok choi
• Sugar snap peas?? Just a few at first but they will be here for everyone in the next 1-3 weeks.

Many of the spring crops have not liked this heat wave. The heat has made them think it is time to make flowers. This includes our precious crop of overwintered onions. 100 feet of onions setting flowers is not what we had planned. We will harvest them and you can use them as fresh onions. It turns out ground squirrels love lettuce and have come through the beds and munched the center out of every head. This will affect the future lettuce, as there is still quite a bit in areas they do not venture. This is a reminder to us all to carpe diem as you never know what next week will bring. Please do take your lettuce – we had 50 extra heads last week as it was left behind.

We will be working hard this next week to plant more tomatoes, peppers,  eggplant, winter squash, summer squash, cucumbers and beans. It makes me dizzy just writing all I have to get done. Juvencio is doing an amazing job prepping beds and attacking weeds. He has trellises up for the first cucumbers and is moving on to the tomatoes. The early tomatoes planted with Jacob and Diego on the wedding day are tripled in size and flowering. That means it is time for me to get in there and prune the branches. No rest for the weary, no time to gab, no time like the present to get that harvest in and move on to planting.

We have also been busy with the vegetable start business. Most of you know that I sell veggie, flower and herb starts as well as fresh cut flowers at the Beaverton Farmers Market every Saturday with my friend and business partner Polly. Luna is a key player as well. The last two weekends have been incredible, making up for a horrible April. You can pre-order veggie starts for pick up at the farm by visiting our joint website at: Home | Pumpkin Ridge Gardens (square.site) . Polly updates the inventory every week. So check back frequently. Our plants are spread across both our farms so it is easier for me if you can pre-order and I can have it ready for you on pick up day or for pick up at the market.

Here are some recipes to enjoy this week:

Green Goddess Salad Recipe (allrecipes.com)

Best Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe (allrecipes.com)

Amazing round lettuce salad | Jamie Oliver recipes

Crispy polenta chicken Caesar salad | Jamie Oliver recipes

• Lettuce (2 heads)
• Spinach (cute new variety with red stems)
• Kale
• Shallots
• Turnips or Chinese broccoli or elephant garlic scapes
• Bok Choi or mizuna
• Carrots or beets (what?? Finally the best looking carrot bed we have had in years)

This week we got all of the onions and all of the leeks planted. It feels like a great move forward on the farm. We have many beds turned over from early spring or late winter crops and planted with some of the summer favorites. The zucchini is growing, many tomatoes are in the ground and we are waiting for peppers to size up. The white crown sparrows have finally found other leaves to eat and have left our lettuce alone. Juvencio is busy trying to get water on all of the plants as we look towards a very warm week. We use almost exclusively, drip irrigation, but have to water in by hand every transplant. Each zone Has to go on at a different timer, so that our well can support the watering of the entire farm. It feels like irrigation is a whole separate job. Weeding is the next challenge and is starting in earnest.

Wishing everyone a very happy Mother’s Day. I always look forward to a nic brunch to celebrate the moms in our family. I will be up early getting bouquets ready for subscribers, send me a text if you want one set aside with your name on it! We sold out at the farmers market within the first hour which felt great, we have not had such good sales in quite a long time – probably just the mothers day rush. I do have a lot of lilacs which are short lived but smell amazing. If you want a bouquet, text me and I will make you one.

I hope it cools off enough to transplant the tomatoes and more cucumbers and my popcorn. I am so excited about growing popcorn to share with people who join the winter share. If you have never had fresh popcorn it is the best! I usually use my corn in my wreaths but this year I popped a lot of it. I have decided to grow it as an item to give subscribers in November or December along with some very special dry farmed tomatoes. Fingers crossed that this plan works out. At the very least it will be beautiful. 

The Beaverton Farmers market was hopping today! Veggie starts just flew off the shelves. We have a whole new set for this upcoming week. Visit our website at : https://pumpkinridgegardens.square.site/ it is updated weekly (best to check it out on thursdays) and we will pull together an order for you.

Here are some recipes from Sue:

It’s a good week for salad!  So great to have plenty of fresh lettuce and spinach.  If you MUST cook, see below:

Yogurt or Buttermilk Soup with Spinach and Grains ( a cold soup)

3/4 lb spinach,  stemmed and thoroughly rinsed

1 1/2 c finely diced cucumber

5 c. Buttermilk or plain low fat yogurt or blend of two

1 c finely diced celery

2 cloves garlic,  pureed

2 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 c. cooked barley, farro or brown rice

2/3 c diced radishes

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbs chopped cilantro

Salt the cucumber and place in a strainer to drain for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile,  steam or blanch the spinach until wilted,  rinse with cold water to stop cooking and squeeze out excess moisture.  Chop medium fine

Combine all ingredients in a bowl;  thin out w/ice water if desired.  Chill x 1 hour to allow flavors to blend,  then adjust seasoning to taste.

Chilled Yogurt Soup with Spinach and Chickpeas

1 bunch spinach,  stemmed and well washed

1-2 cloves garlic

3 c plain yogurt

1 c cold water

1 tsp ground cumin

1 c chickpeas,  drained

salt and pepper

Lemon juice if desired

EVOO and freshly chopped parsley or dill for serving

Blanch the spinach until wilted,  rinse with cold water and squeeze out excess moisture.  Chop.

Crush the garlic with a generous pinch of salt, then stir in the yogurt and water and blend Weill.  Combine with remaining ingredients and chill well;  garnish with a drizzle of EVOO and fresh chopped herbs before serving

Spinach Salad with Lemon and Mint

1 lemon

1/3 c fresh mint leaves,  finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

8 oz stemmed cleaned spinach,  torn into bite-sized pieces

3 Tbs EVOO

Cut off the top and bottom of the lemon, and slice off skin and pitch.  Cut flesh into 1/4” thick slices and slice each round into eighths.  Combine with remaining ingredients to serve.

Lettuce and Green Garlic Soup

1 Tb EVOO

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bulb green garlic,  stalks and papery layers removed,  roughly chopped

1/2 c rice

1/2 c parsley leaves

7 c vegetable or chicken stock

8 c lettuce leaves,  washed and coarsely chopped

2 Tbs chopped parsley or chives for garnish, salt and pepper to taste,  grated parmesan for garnish

Heat EVOO in a large soup pot over medium heat and onion; sauté until tender.  Add a large pinch of salt and the green garlic and stir until the garlic is fragrant.  Add rice, stock and parsley leaves and bring to a boil.  Add lettuce and salt to taste and reduce to a simmer,  cover and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.

Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree until smooth,  adjust seasonings and serve,  garnishing each bowl with freshly chopped herbs and parmesan.

• Lettuce !!
• Bok choi
• Kale
• Cauliflower (Only about 30 survived this season between the cold and the goats) or raab or radish
• Chard or spinach
• Shallots
• Green onions (more like spring onions) or Radish
• Herb (parsley or thyme)

We have been busy trying to catch up after all the festivities of the last week. We still have family in town who have been lending a hand. Juve managed to get all the bed prep done and compost spread on much of it. Irrigation lines are getting ready and will be in use soon as next week looks to heat up. I am racing to get the alliums planted. This is the annual ritual of individually planting  over 10 beds of onions, shallots, leeks. This year the seedlings are large and easy to plant but still require the time I can’t seem to pull out of thin air.

The white crowned sparrows finally have something to eat besides our tasty veggies. The sugar snap peas in greenhouse #1 are in bloom but the other beds planted at the same time are stunted and poking along. We will have some peas in the next few weeks and hopefully beans to follow. We were so happy and surprised to find full sized lettuce last Sunday when we pulled back the cover. This week you get two heads, so make salad all week and enjoy the bounty and taste of spring lettuce.

I hope to get the cherry tomatoes and main season tomatoes in the ground today. That is pretty much on time. The peppers and eggplants are a few weeks behind and that is fine by me as I work to get back on schedule. The cucumbers are getting planted as are the potatoes. I still have to seed for a continuous supply of lettuce. Winter squash and pumpkins need to get seeded and some later tomatoes and peppers potted up so there is plenty to keep me busy.

Speaking of seeding we are booming at the farmers market. We have every type of seedling one might want to plant in a home garden. Please come see me at the Beaverton Farmers market on Saturdays from 8:30 – 1:30. Even better order online and pick up your plants here at the farm: https://pumpkinridgegardens.square.site/. I do not have all the available starts at the farm as Polly from Pumpkin Ridge and I share this business and ferry starts back and forth from farm to farm. She is trying to stay up to date on the inventory but usually gets that done on Thursdays.

I also want to put in a plug for the mushroom subscription. We partner with  Cloud Cap mushrooms to bring you fresh mushrooms from their farm in Columbia County. They are just getting back to our schedule so reach out via email and this link and order for the upcoming weeks: https://cloudcapmushrooms.com/la-finquita-del-buho

I am also doing a flower CSA if you want to add on weekly flowers ro your subscription. It helps me know how many bouquets to make and you get a couple of free bouquets. It is $120 for 14 weeks of flowers. Send me an email or text me and I will add you to my very short list. Otherwise please feel free to purchase flowers whenever you are here. We do flowers for special events like parties or baby showers or weddings. Just reach out.

I will head out to start the harvest.

Spiced chickpea Salad with Tahini

For chickpeas

4 c cooked and drained chickpeas

3/4 c EVOO

2 cloves garlic,  minced

2 tsp ground cumin or 1 tsp each ground coriander and cumin

1 tsp paprika (I like to use smoked but either is fine)

Salt and pepper

For tahini sauce

1/3 c tahini

2-3 Tbs lemon juice

1 garlic clove minced

Warm water as needed

Greens

1-2 bunches greens—kale,  chard, spinach, collards, arugula or combo of any—stemmed and finely chopped

Handful coarsely chopped parsley

Handful coarsely chopped mint

To make chickpeas:

Heat oven to 425.  Pour chickpeas in a  6×8” baking dish.  Pour in oil until just covered.

Add remaining ingredients and stir gently to combine.  Bake 30-40 minutes.

Meanwhile,  make tahini sauce.  Whisk garlic and lemon juice into tahini,  then slowly whisk in warm water until smooth and the consistency of thick cream.  Taste and season w/salt and more lemon to taste.

Finely chop the greens and herbs and toss with a few Tbs EVOO.

Divide into 4 bowls,  mound chickpeas on top and then drizzle with tahini sauce.

We like to eat this on top of town rice or farro as a full meal.

Kale/Arugula Salad

Chop both greens(tender stems are fine) into fine pieces. Toss with a few Tbs olive oil and “ massage” to soften.  Add finely grated zest of one lemon and then the lemon’s juice.  Add chopped avocado and toasted salted pumpkin seeds/pepitas.  Yum.

These herb and green stuffed lavash are surprisingly easy and fun to make. Plus what a fun name—Jingalov hat!   There’s a very cool video of women making these in an Armenian marketplace—www.lavashthebook.com.

Yield: 8 flatbreads

Time: 1 hour

Dough:

3 c flour,  plus more for dusting

2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/3 c lukewarm water

Filling:

2 lbs chard and or spinach,  thicker stems removed and reserved for another use

4 cups packed herbs: cilantro,dill, mint, chervil and/or parsley

4 cups packed radish greens and sorrel or arugula or mustard

Bunch green onions,  thinly sliced

3 Tbs sunflower or other neutral oil

2 Tbs lemon juice

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp kosher salt

Prepare the dough: combine flour with salt,  then gradually stir in water using your hands to incorporate.  The dough will be sticky.  Turn it out to a floured counter, knead gently adding flour as needed until smooth and elastic.  Form into a ball and place into a greased bowl to restart room temp 30-60 minutes.

Meanwhile wash the greens and herbs and dry thoroughly with salad spinner or towels.  Chop the greens and herbs very finely,  mix in oil, lemon, paprika, scallions. 

Divide dough into 8 balls.  On a lightly floured surface,  roll each ball out into an 8” circle,  flouring surface as necessary to prevent sticking.  Place 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the greens mix in the center and then pat into a round leaving a 1” border of dough all around.  Pick up two opposite edges of the dough and pinch together over the center of the filling so the middle is wide and ends form points,  then pinch seam to seal.  Gently flatten out the loaf so it resembles a deflated football— it should be about 1/4-1/2” thick.  Repeat with remaining balls.

Heat a large cast iron pan or griddle over medium high.  Working with one portion at a time,  place the dough seam side down, lower the heat slightly and cook for about 3 minutes each side or until cooked and lightly browned/ blistered.  Serve warm or at room temp.

• Kale
• Spinach
• Arugula
• Shallots
• Raab
• Chard

We spent the week prepping the farm for the big event. Mother nature cooperated in a way that we had not allowed ourselves to imagine. The weather on Friday was extra hot, but on Saturday it was absolutely perfect. The apple trees burst into bloom and leafed out, making just enough shade  to make the orchard the perfect venue for a Jacob and Courtney’s wedding. The party started at five and went on into the wee hours of the morning.

Our hearts are full, celebrating the beautiful union of this young couple with so many of our family and friends. It was a labor of love with so many hands working to pull off the event. It felt like we used every inch of our property and that we finally got a party vibe back in this post pandemic period.

We will take advantage of the next couple of days and try to whip our farm into shape. The hot weather dried out the soil and off to get it ready to plant and we will do our best to get everything that is backlogged from the soggy spring into the ground. I even managed to get two beds of tomatoes planted with my sons before the wedding celebration started. That was heaven.

My niece kept me company every night for three nights during the last week to glaze my pottery. I have been working to make new pieces. I just couldn’t manage to get them glazed. Fernanda was a great motivator as well as the upcoming wedding.

We have tons of eggs, beef, flowers and new ceramics in the barn!

We are a bit worn out but will get the harvest done and have veggies for your family to enjoy this week. Here are a few recipes:

Pickled Chard Stems

These are quick pickles and not meant to be kept a long time. If you want to can them, check out the USDA complete guide to home canning. I’d say it’s best to eat them within a few months, as they’ll fade the longer they’re kept. You can vary the recipe by using rice vinegar or white wine vinegar, although I wouldn’t use anything too fancy because the spices and other flavors will overpower it. The chile adds a bit of heat but you can skip it if you want to.

Servings 8 servings

• Swiss chard stems from one large bunch, about 12 ounces (340g) stems, washed 
• 1 Thai chile, fresh or dried, split lengthwise (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 2 cups (500ml) white vinegar
• 1 cup (250ml) water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 tablespoons kosher or coarse white sea salt

Trim the chard stems of any bits of leaves and put them in a large jar that has a lid (mine was about 1 quarts/2l) along with the split chile (if using) and sliced garlic.

Toast the seeds in a skillet, stirring them frequently over medium to medium-high heat, until they’re fragrant, which will take just a few minutes. Set aside.

In a small, nonreactive saucepan, heat the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, stirring until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat and let the brine cool 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times as it cools.

Pour the brine into the jar, add the seeds, and cover it. Let it sit at room temperature for about an hour, agitating the jar every so often. If after an hour, if some of the stems aren’t submerged in the brine, open the jar and press them down, so they are. Refrigerate the Swiss chard stems for about one week before e

Swiss Chard Stem “Baba Ganoush”

Reserve greens for another use (think anything you would do with spinach except better!) trim dry ends of the stems,  then cut into 2” pieces.  Boil in water until tender (?about 15 minutes?) then drain well.

In a food processor or blender,  puree 1-2 cloves garlic,  then add cooked chard stalks, juice of 1 lemon, and 2-3 Tbs tahini.  Buzz until smooth,  then adjust seasonings to taste 

Grilled chard stems

Reserve leaves for another use and trim ends.  Steam until tender but not mushy and pat dry.  Brusl lightly with oil and salt and pepper,  garlic if you’d like,  and grill until starting to blister.

Martha Steward’s Swiss Chard Tzatziki: https://www.marthastewart.com/1134875/swiss-chard-tzatziki

• Spinach
• Chard 
•  Kale
• Raab (kale, cabbage or bok choi raab)
• Green onions or radishes
• Herb (parsley or thyme)
• Arugula
• Shallots
• Celery (best if cooked)

Welcome to the second week of the 2023 season. My son Diego told me to be more positive in my note, so here goes. The weather is turning this week. We are looking forward to drying soils so we can plant onions, broccoli, lettuce, spinach and more outside. Please keep your fingers crossed.

I will not mention the farming challenges of this past week, just know we are trying every day to get ahead of each roadblock and get you  the freshest, tastiest and most nutritious veggies possible. We share in bounty and suffer together when there is less. Enjoy your greens and tons of great recipes this week.

When you are thinking about growing some of your own veggies please consider getting your vegetable, herb and flower starts from us. We grow with organic potting soil in an unheated greenhouse. They are varieties that are selected for flavor and production. Here is the link to our square site, updated weekly with products that are ready to go in your garden: https://pumpkinridgegardens.square.site/ . You can pick it up at the farm the following week or come and get it from our booth at the Beaverton Farmers Market every Saturday from 8:30-1:30.

Broccoli Rabe and Kale with Penne

Author: 

admin

Preparation Time: 

15 minutes

Servings: 

2

Cooking Time: 

Ingredients: 

1 lb of broccoli rab
1/2 lb of kale
1/4 cup diced shallots
1/8 cup of diced garlic
1/8 cup of olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
optional lemon juice or fresh lemon

Directions: 

Chop all vegetables. Lightly saute in olive oil the garlic and shallots for approximately one minute. Add broccolirab and kale. Add salt and pepper and optional lemon juice to taste. Cover and cook to desired tenderness. Pour over cooked penne.

Kale and walnut pasta

4-6 servings; 30 minutes

1 c walnuts, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1/3 c

EVOO

kosher salt

black pepper

Red pepper flakes

6 large garlic cloves,  chopped

2-3 bunches of kale and/or arugula,  thick stems removed and torn into 1 1 /2 “ pieces

1lb spaghetti

1 large lemon,  halved

1 c freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese

In a large (12”) pan w/ lid,  lightly toast walnuts,  stirring frequently,  for about 3 minute.  Add 1 Tb EVOO ,  season with salt and pepper and stir for 1 minute,  then transfer to small bowl and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta.  Add the remaining EVOO to pan and add garlic, and cook over low,  stirring occasionally,  until fragrant. Add red pepper flakes,  stir again,  then gradually add greens and stir to wilt in the garlicky oil.  Reduce heat and cover.  Add pasta to the pot and cook until al dente.  As spaghetti cooks, add a couple ladles of starchy pasta water to greens while they cook.  Squeeze half of lemon over greens and toss.  Once pasta is cooked, DO NOT DRAIN but use tongs to transfer to kale pan.  Ladle in a bit more pasta water if necessary to make greens and pasta saucy.  Add all but a few tablespoons of the nuts and about 3-4 Tbs of cheese.

Toss well,  taste and adjust seasoning.  Remove from heat and top with remaining cheese and nuts prior to serving.

Swiss chard and chickpea minestrone

6-8 servings

2 Tbs EVOO

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 celery stalk,  diced

1 leek, thinly sliced

Salt

4 large cloves garlic,  minced

 7 c water

2 Tbs tomato paste

1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs thyme tied together or in cheesecloth

1 15 oz cab chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 lb swiss chard, stems removed and finely chopped,  leaves cut into thin strips

1/2 c small pasta,  such as elbow macaroni or ditalini

freshly ground pepper

salt to taste

freshly grated parmesan

Heat olive oil in soup pot over medium heat;  add onions, carots and celery;  cook until starting to soften,  then add chard stems and leeks,  pinch of salt and saute until tender.  Add garlic, then stir in water,  tomato paste and herbs.  Allow to simmer for 30 minutes, then stir in chickpeas and remove herb bundle

Add the swiss chard and dry pasta and simmer until pasta is cooked.  Taste and adjsut seasoning as needed.  Serve with grated parmesan

Bruschetta with chard or spinach,  poached egg

1/2 c wilted chard or spinach,  coarsely chopped

2 tsp EVOO

1 small clove garlic,  minced

 1 small clove garlic cut in half

1 thick slice country bread

1 egg

Heat 1 tsp of oil over medium heat.  Add minced garlic and cook stirring until garlic is fragrant.  Stir in greens and stir and saute for a few minutes;  season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Toast the gread and rub with the half clove.  Brush with remaining oil,  top with greens and make a depression in greens with back of a spoon.  

Poach or fry the egg and slide into depression; serve.

Raab recipe: https://www.thelandconnection.org/blog/napini-rapini-and-raab/

• Radishes (getting a bit pithy so pickle them or roast them or eat them raw up to you)
• Green onions
• Spinach or arugula
• Chard
• Kale
• Shallots
• Sprouting broccoli or raab 

We had one of the roughest winters in recent memory, with cold, crop failure, vermin, poor growing conditions, and unfortunately, the spring feels similar. We have had more rain than last year, cooler temperatures making planting nearly impossible. 

A note about this year from a fellow farmer Chris Roehm:

“Our ground is significantly wetter now than it was on this date last year.  (Precip from 3/1 to 4/11: 2022 =4.28″, 2023 = 8.72″) And last year was the latest we turned over ground in 20 years here.  We’re going to need a long stretch of dry, warm, windy weather to be able to work soil by mid-May.  10 day forecast calls for another 1.5″ rain and high temps about 5 – 10 F below average.“

We did a lot of our standard seeding in the hoop houses in early February. We pulled back the covers in March to see how germination was and found it to be dismal. One bed of carrots worked, the next one didn’t, and so on. We continue to have crops ravaged by hungry birds and gophers and ground squirrels from below. The cold snaps in January, February and March took out many of our early tomatoes and we continue to struggle to catch up. On the bright side, lilacs, and cherries will be in bloom at the end of April to celebrate Jacob and Courtney‘s wedding. Our sales at the farm are down by 25% and sales at the farmers market are down by 66%. This year has been a rough one. It feels like the only way to go from here is up.

We will have a lot of beautiful greens to start out the season. Hopefully the lettuce that we planted will catch up. So that we Will be able to give you salad mix in the next few weeks, all of the crops that we usually have out in the field are sitting in the greenhouse waiting to get transplanted. We managed to get three beds of cabbage planted  yesterday. The most substantial planting we’ve done in the field as of yet. I’ve seeded beans and cucumbers and summer squash, all crops that remind us that summer will eventually come. It is time to seed the winter squash, but I’m holding off as I can’t imagine getting that in the ground anytime soon.

As the new season begins  we want to honor and acknowledge that we are farming on land of Native Americans.  We  thank the Atfalati, Kalapuya, Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Cayuse, Walla Walla, and Umatilla people. We are growing on their land. We strive to nurture the land and contribute to biodiversity and health of the soil. We know we have given and taken from this land and have grappled with that balance. We are working to use regenerative techniques as much as possible. We are tilling as little as possible, cover cropping, composting, trying our hand at Bokashi fermentation and more. 

We will plant the milpa in the traditional format of the three sisters this year as we try to grow more corn and squash and beans. We are trialing dry farmed tomatoes from seed collected from the dry farm project at OSU. To that end we will bring in another ½ acre into production this spring and summer and not irrigate it. We have lots of plans for the late fall and winter as well but we also feel the sting of the most recent winter. Farming is inherently optimistic as one must plant for the future on a daily basis. We will march on and appreciate you all for joining this experiment.

Here are some recipes gathered from our recipe guru Sue Kass:

Spring Cleaning Ribollita

4 servings/40 minutes

1/4 c olive oil

1 leek, rinsed and thinly sliced OR 1 bunch green onions,  thinly sliced

1 bunch Swiss chard OR other greens (kale, collards, etc),  stems finely chopped and leaves coarsely chopped

14 oz can whole tomatoes

1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 c chopped fresh basil (or parsley/cilantro/dill)

14 oz can butter or cannoli beans, or chickpeas,drained and rinsed

1/2 c frozen peas

2 sprigs of thyme (or 1/2 tsp dry)

Salt, pepper,  red pepper flakes to taste

Several slices crusty bread,  lightly toasted and cut into 1” cubes

Freshly grated Parmesan

In a soup pot, heat 2 Tbs of the oil and sauté leeks/green onions until soft, not brown.  Add remaining oil, carrots,  stems of the greens, and garlic and sauté 5 minutes more.  Crush tomatoes with your hands over the pot,  add their liquid,  salt, black and red pepper flakes to taste and cook until tomato liquid evaporates.  Add remaining greens, herbs, and 8 c water—bring to a boil and then simmer gently for 20 minutes or until veggies are tender. Mix in peas, beans and adjust seasoning to taste,  then mix in bread cubes.

Serve with grated cheese.

Provençal Greens Soup

(We love this,  and have it weekly with whatever greens are in season—plus if you buy eggs from the farm you can use them here!)

2 leeks,  cleaned and thinly sliced (can substitute green onions or shallots or mixture of any)

3 large garlic cloves,  thickly sliced

1 bunch greens—chard with stems finely sliced,  leaves coarsely chopped,  or kale, or spinach,  or radish or beet greens—about 6 cups chopped greens in all

Olive oil

Slices of crusty bread,  toasted

Parmesan cheese

2 eggs,  lightly beaten

Salt,  pepper to taste

In a large soup pot heat 2-3 Tbs olive oil,  then add leeks/green onions/shallots and the garlic.  Cook,  stirring as needed,  until tender and fragrant.  Stir in chopped stems and sauté until soft,  then add greens and cook to soften.  Add 8 c water or stock,  bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the greens are tender and sweet.  Remove from heat.

When ready to serve,  place a slice of toasted bread in each bowl and sprinkle with generous

Amount of fresh grated parm.

In a small bowl,  beat eggs then slowly add a few ladles of hot soup liquid and mix well;  then

add to the main pot,  stirring well. Heating the soup will cook the egg.

Ladle the soup over the bowls of bread and cheese and enjoy!

sue Kass

Swiss chard fritters

14 oz (2 bunches) fresh chard, stems removed and finely chopped (or other greens)

1/2 c each freshly chopped cilantro, parsley and dill

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 eggs

3 Tbs flour

Pinch nutmeg

Salt/pepper to taste

1/2 c crumbled feta.

Blanche greens in boiling water til limo then drain and pat dry with towels

Put everything but feta in the food processor and pulse until well blended;  then fold feta gently.

Heat 2Tbs EVOO over medium high heat; plop fritter batter in by heaping tablespoons,  press down lightly with a spatula and

Cook for about 5 minutes per side, then serve.

Roasted Radishes

Roasted Radishes Recipe: How to Make It

Quick pickled Radishes

https://www.loveandlemons.com/quick-pickled-radishes/

Spicy Quick Pickled Radishes

• Kale
• Chard
• Spinach
• Radishes
• Green onions
• Lettuce or parsley
• Leeks (the last)
• Baby bok choi (Li Ren Choi)
• Onions or shallots

Well, winter veggie lovers, this is it, the last winter harvest of the 2022-2023 season. We are so excited to be able to offer so many greens and crunchy radishes. The few days of sun felt like spring to us and the plants. The next few nights are dipping quite cold but hopefully everything will pull through just fine. 

We had issues with our heat matts for starting our tomatoes, peppers and cukes and those issues seem to have been fixed. I thought I fried them after I froze them but tomatoes are tougher than they look  (as long as it is not 16 degrees). We have most of the hoop houses full of spring veggies and will transition to heat lovers as soon as the regular season begins and our starts are big enough to transplant.

 Polly and I will start back at the Beaverton Farmers Market April 1st. We have veggies on our website already for pick up at the farm or farmers market 4/1. Please do share our website with neighbors and friends. We will have a huge selection of all your favorites as they become ready to transplant. Here is the link:https://pumpkinridgegardens.square.site/uploads/b/0ec0794ba082b050fdab5b617117c50705666729359da9140c1fd7f09b0576ca/IMG_2476_1679420476.jpg?width=1200&height=480&fit=cover&dpr=3  click on the sort by available tab – very user friendly!

It is updated weekly so check back if you don’t see what you are looking for. We seed weekly so we can take special orders through May.

We have space for the regular season and we would love to continue growing for you. Please send us an email and deposit- the season opens 4/16! Here is a great 3 minute video explaining the true cost of cheap food and what eating sustainably really means: https://www.pbs.org/food/features/lexicon-of-sustainability-true-cost-accounting-the-real-cost-of-cheap-food/?mc_cid=a80b4ba3cd&mc_eid=9a01d9a6da

Quick update on land use issues. SB4A passed out of committee. It is fast tracked and will likely pass. I met with a group of local farmers yesterday and expressed my deep dismay with 1000 friends for going neutral on the bill. I do understand that it was a compromise among bad options. We are now pushing for the bill to have side rails making the governor choose UGB (urban growth boundary) land first. If you have not yet signed the petition put out by farmer friend Aaron Nichols do it now: https://chng.it/WskbZMDGdT

Tile Flat Road extension (Ordinance 882) issue at the Washington County Commissioners meeting last week was also a disappointment. Commissioners who had been against expanding roads on rural lands sided with staffers and have prolonged the decision until October 2023. Metro allowed a land swap that brought the road and surrounding farmland into the UGB. That does not change the value of that land in my mind or in the minds of the farmers in south Hillsboro but it feels like the county will be open to paving over more wetlands and farmlands. We will keep you posted on action items. If you are in district 1 – Nafisa Fai’s district or Pam Treece in district 2 they are the ones who flipped and allowed more study on an unneeded major north south corridor. Chair Harrington held strong and voted against the road expansion and any further study while Willey and Rogers are pro development  and were voting for the ordinance already.

Honestly keeping “track” (barely) of one issue is a full time job and as my attention turns to farming and wedding planning (oh yes! Jacob and Courtney are getting married at the farm at the end of April) something will have to give. I will continue to reach out to you all to make our voices amplify and do what we can.

Thank you for hanging in there with us this season full of challenges. Spring will come and flowers will bloom. Hopefully the birds will lose interest in everything we plant and go and eat worms and other fresh leaves. Off to transplant tomatoes, trim pottery and the like. Please stay in touch.

Recipes and commentary from Sue Kass the recipe guru and one of our founding members:

“No recipes for radishes because I ate them all on the drive home—they don’t need anything!  The leaves were pretty sweet too—I tossed them in with the other greens for greens soup/salads.  My favorite radish top soup, though,  is the one with ginger and garlic which is in your website recipe list https://www.finquita.com/wordpress/?page_id=772 . Plus it uses up those green onions!”

• Fresh greens with farro and tahini sauce
• 1 1/c c farro,  cooked according to package directions
• 3 to 5 ounces greens, such as kale, Swiss chard, arugula
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
• fresh cracked pepper
• 1 lemon, halved, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup well-stirred tahini paste
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 clove garlic, minced, optional, see notes above
• 1/2 cup pine nuts

• Place a large pot of water over high heat. Bring to a boil. Add the farro and a big pinch of salt (I add 1 tablespoon). Cook according to package instruction
• Meanwhile, remove the greens from the stems (if using kale or chard), then slice very finely — you can chiffonade the leaves but want small pieces of greens here. Place the greens in the bowl with the farro, add ¼ cup olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and fresh-cracked pepper to taste. Squeeze half of the lemon into the bowl . Toss, taste, and adjust with more salt or pepper to taste . The farro and greens should taste slightly lemony and nicely seasoned, but nothing spectacular—remember that the magic happens when the grains and greens meet the tahini sauce. At this point, you can chill the farro and greens until you are ready to serve. 
• Make the tahini sauce: Stir together the tahini, remaining ¼ cup olive oil, juice of remaining half lemon, ¼ teaspoon salt, maple syrup, garlic, if using, and 2 tablespoons water. Add more water by the tablespoon. Dressing should be pourable—I typically add another 2 tablespoons water. Taste and adjust with more salt, lemon, or maple syrup to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl or set directly on the table. In a medium skillet over medium (or higher) heat, stir the pine nuts until golden all around.When ready to serve, spoon the greens and grains into bowls, drizzle the tahini sauce over top, and sprinkle pine nuts over top as well. Pass more sauce and pine nuts on the side. 

Spring Greens Soup with Garlic Pesto

2 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp to serve
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
4 strips finely shaved lemon skin (with no bitter white pith), plus 2 tsp juice
100g swiss chard, stalks and leaves separated, both finely sliced
Salt and black pepper
200g cavolo nero, stalks removed and discarded, leaves finely sliced
1 litre vegetable stock
100g frozen peas
15g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

For the pesto

3 tbsp olive oil
20g parsley, roughly chopped
30g wild garlic, roughly chopped (or 1 garlic clove and 10g extra parsley)
50g pine nuts, lightly toasted
30g parmesan, finely grated
10g tarragon

First make the pesto. Put all the ingredients in the small bowl of a food processor with two tablespoons of water and a quarter-teaspoon of salt. Blitz to a rough paste and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan on a medium-high heat, then fry the onion, celery, lemon skin, chard stalks, a teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper for 10 minutes, stirring a few times, until caramelized and soft.

Add the chard and cavolo nero leaves, and fry, stirring, for two minutes longer, until the leaves wilt. Pour in the stock and peas, leave on the heat for two minutes or so, until boiling, then stir in the tarragon and lemon juice, and divide between four bowls.

Drizzle pesto on each bowl.

Sautéed Choy Sum (substitute bok choy or chinese broccoli

3 tbsp groundnut oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
3cm piece ginger, peeled and cut into thin julienne strips
3 thin strips orange skin (with no bitter white pith)
20g salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
550g choy sum, stalks and leaves separated, stalks cut into 5cm pieces, the leaves kept as whole as possible
1½ tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp light soy sauce

Heat the oil in a small saucepan on a medium-high flame, then fry the garlic, ginger, orange skin and peanuts for two to three minutes, stirring, until the garlic and nuts are a light golden-brown. Tip into a small bowl to stop it cooking, and put the pan aside until later.

Half-fill a large saucepan with a steamer attachment with water – just enough so it doesn’t touch the base of the steaming basket. Bring to a boil, steam all the choy sum for 90 seconds, then transfer to a plate.

Return the peanut pan to a high heat – don’t worry about wiping it clean – and warm through the oyster and soy sauces for just 10-15 seconds, then pour over the choy sum. Sprinkle the peanut mix and two tablespoons of the oil on top, and serve at once.