Wellspring CSA Newsletter Week 12

Hello Again Members. It's always hard for me to believe that Share wk 12 another week has come and gone and I am writing another newsletter. We're getting a lovely rain as I type this, and I hope it keeps up because we could use it. Though it does make the harvest a bit complicated. I think I've touched before on the fact that there are some crops, mainly greens that we had so many of early in the season, that should really only be harvested early in the morning when it is still relatively cool. And there are some crops, like tomatoes and green beans, that should only be harvested in the late morning or afternoon when the dew has dried. And generally never in the rain. This is because it's easier for diseases to spread through a crop when it's wet, but also because crops like beans can mold if picked wet and then stored for any length of time. However, crops like beans and tomatoes are time consuming to pick, and with everything else we have to do on a harvest/delivery morning we don't have the hours it can take to pick everything. So we like to pick some things ahead of time, specifically beans and tomatoes on Tuesday afternoon. But if it's raining (or if they are wet from a morning rain) we can't pick them! Now you have a bit more insight into the logistics of managing a farm. Not to worry though, we will simply switch some things around and perhaps pull carrots and scallions this afternoon if the beans and tomatoes are too wet to pick, and count on the warm and dry weather tomorrow to help us get into the other crops earlier than usual. The nice thing about this time of year is that because the tomato crop is established and bearing fruit, we don't have to be totally crazy about not touching it when the plants are wet like we do in May and June and even July. Because the natural course is for them to become diseased eventually, but it's much more likely that a frost will kill them before a blight or something else. In May - July though, I am crazy about making sure we are not creating conditions for tomato diseases - just ask the crew! And speaking of tomatoes, many of you likely saw an heirloom in your box last week and I'm hoping to get one in every box this week. I've included some varietal info below.

In farm news, we harvested the onions last Thursday and much to my delight they are really quite lovely and sized up pretty well, despite being put in about a month later than I would have liked. (I'm just trying not to think about how big they COULD have been!) We are curing them now - the photo on the bottom is of just that. And the top photo is the crew clearing the beds. Yesterday we put in our first big round of cover crops just ahead of this lovely rain. Cover crops are an important part of our crop rotation and fertility program here on the farm. Depending on the crop (generally either a grain like rye, oats or buckwheat or a legume such as peas, vetch or clover) cover crops can help "fix" or establish nitrogen in the soils, they can take up nutrients and "hold" them so that they don't leech away, their root systems can act as erosion control, they can outcompete weeds and they provide organic matter for worms and micro-organisms to consume. I am just beginning to deepen my knowledge of various cover crops so it's fun to experiment because each type of cover crop does something a bit different.

What's in the Box and Where Does It Go?

Crop Fridge? Variety?

Basil No

Marjoram No

arugula Yes Rocket

carrots Yes

scallions Yes

cucumbers Yes

zucchini Yes

eggplant Yes

green peppers Yes

hot peppers Yes Serrano

tomatoes No See notes

green beans Yes Masai

watermelon Yes Sugar Baby

garlic No Chesnock Red

Once again there isn't really anything odd in the box this week, and the carrots are back after a brief hiatus and arugula after a long one. The marjoram is probably a lesser known herb. This was given out before on an "odd" numbered week, so the half shares on the group didn't get a chance to try this before....I've also included some recipes for cukes and zucchini, since some of you might be a bit overwhelmed by having to find something to do with them week in and week out.

marjoram - I found this tidbit while searching for cooking tips, "Marjoram...has a more mild, sweet flavor than oregano with perhaps a hint of balsam. It is said to be "the" meat herb but compliments all foods except sweets. Common to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods, marjoram is grown domestically and imported mostly from Egypt. Egyptians used marjoram, along with other fragrant spices, to appease the gods in the embalming process. Hippocrates included marjoram in the many medical treatises he wrote and it was cultivated in the Roman Empire. Symbolizing happiness, when marjoram is found growing on a grave, it is said that the departed will enjoy a pleasant afterlife...Consider it a natural for meat dishes but don't hesitate to use marjoram to season vegetables served cooked or raw, fish and chicken or dishes with eggs and/or cheese. It is especially good along with other herbs in beef stew." Something I would add also is that drying your herbs is a simple preservation technique. Again, just hang it upside down in your kitchen for a week or so. Some people put a paper bag over the bottom because sometimes as the herb dries it get crumbly and bits of it can fall off and make a mess. Recipe below...

a word on tomatoes - Next week I'll try to get photos of each type, but for now this description will have to suffice: The little yellow ones are called "taxi", the little brick colored ones are called "black prince", the little yellow and green-striped ones are called "green zebra", the little pink ones are "rose de berne", the gorgeous yet funny shaped pinkish purple ones are called "purple calabash", the large yellow and red ones are called "Striped German" and the large pink ones are "brandywine." We have a few more out there, but I don't think they are ripe yet. And for your info, the red and pink slicers you've been getting for a few weeks now (out of our hoop house) are Big Beef and Pink Beauty respectively, and the smaller red "salad" tomatoes are called Moskovich. It's kind of difficult to tell the difference between the larger "rose de berne" the smaller brandywine and the "pink beauty" because when ripe they are all about the same color pink. The rose de berne is a bit darker, but I still get confused sometimes! Luckily they are all so tasty...I don't know if you've ever looked into tomato varieties, but there are probably thousands in existence. It can be mind boggling to decide on the best ones so if you have opinions on the best (or worst) varieties, let me know! I am always open to member suggestions for a particular favorite variety of something and we can do some research to decide whether it will work for us on the farm.

regarding the serrano hot peppers - they are just so SLOW to turn color! It's driving me crazy. But there's so many out there and they are hot, so rather than wait and give you ten red ones at a time I'm giving out green ones...

and about that eggplant - some of them look a little too ripe (when the skin looses that glossy look and becomes dull) but I cooked a couple of those up for dinner last night as a test for today, and I can say that they were just as yummy as any other eggplant in the field.

Recipes

Cucumbers with Cream and Mint (from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters)

Peel and slice:

2 cucumbers

If the seeds are large and tough, cut the cukes in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon before slicing. Place in a medium-sized bowl and sprinkle with:

Salt

In another bowl combine:

1/4 cup heavy cream

3 TBS olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

fresh-ground black pepper

Stir well. If water has accumulated with the cucumbers, drain it off. Pour the dressing over the sliced cucumbers and combine.

Coarsely chop:

3 mint sprigs, leaves only

and toss w/the cucumbers. Taste and adjust the salt as needed. Serve cool

Variations:

Add pounded garlic to the dressing

Serve alongside sliced beets dressed with oil and vinegar.

Parsley, chervil, basil or cilantro can be substituted for the mint.

Substitue plain yogurt for the cream.

Sauteed Grate Zucchini with Marjoram (from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters)

Rinse, dry and trim the ends of:

1 pound zucchini

Grate them on the large holes of a box grate (or use the julienne blade of a mandoline.) Layer the zucchini into a mixing bowl, salting each layer lightly, and let stand for 20 minutes or so. (Gauge the salt by taste; the zucchini should taste highly seasoned but not salty.) Drain the zucchini in a sieve or colander, squeezing tightly to remove as much liquid as possible. Into a heavy-bottomed saute pan, over medium-high heat, pour:

2 TBS olive oil or butter

Add the drained zucchini and saute, tossing frequently until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Spread it out in the pan with a wooden spoon to help it brown. When the squash is cooked, take the pan off the heat and stir in:

3 TBS coarsely chopped fresh marjoram leaves (or leaves and flowers)

1 garlic clove pounded to a puree

Serve hot or a room temperature.

My Best Beef Jerky (with dried marjoram)

3 pounds round steak or other lean beef

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup tamari (or light soy sauce)

1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram

1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme leaves

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon mustard powder

Cut any visible fat or gristle from the beef. Slice across the grain into 1/2-inch wide strips about 6 inches long. Set aside.

Mix remaining ingredients together in a deep glass bowl or sturdy zip-lock plastic bag. Add meat strips; toss well to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or seal tight and refrigerate 24 hours. Toss the mixture every now and then while marinating.

Using an oven thermometer, heat the oven to 140 degrees (F).

Transfer the meat strips to a rack over a pan that will allow air to circulate but will also catch drips from the marinade. The strips may touch each other but should not overlap.

Place the rack/pan in the center of the 140 degree oven and allow to dry for about 10 hours. Start watching after 8 or 9 hours since drying times will vary. When finished, the strips will be pliable but dry in appearance.

What's What in Pictures

Arugula wk 12