Week Eleven
Members. If you ask me, June and Augusta have pulled the old switcheroo on us in 2012. I'm loving it, obviously, this semi-frequent rain and mild temperatures, but it's a little unnerving to look at the forecast and see a weekly average of 75 degrees. Is it not? After all that we have been through? Would anyone like it if I didn't talk about the weather for one newsletter?
Not going to happen folks.
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Farm News
This week on the farm, it feels like we have been operating at a nice pace. It doesn't always feels that way, but one of the best things about August and moving into September (as we are, like it or not) is that the work begins to slow just a tiny bit, and it takes on a rhythm. It feels less crazy and hectic than May going into June.
Monday started the week off nicely with a day of clouds and an evening of lovely soft sunlight. We began the morning by harvesting some shallots, and ended the morning by putting in a couple rows of kohlrabi transplants. The kohlrabi will be tender and sweet by the time it is ready for harvest and we have had a frost or two. The afternoon was spent cleaning garlic and seeding a bit of buckwheat cover crop into a few empty beds. The buckwheat won't get terribly big before we get a frost, but we have almost 100 lbs of seed that have been here for over two years so it's time to use it up. Even if it doesn't mature it will provide a nice cover and some biomass for the soil, which is better than weeds or bare dirt. At any rate, the crew did that while I was indoors doing paperwork. I remember my intern days when I would scowl and wonder at my bosses when they were inside, "doing paperwork." Now I am jealous of the interns, weeding away with nary a care about keeping harvest records or Organic Certification paperwork.
Tuesday brought sunshine and therefor good weed killing weather. We have also reached the point in the season when we have too much to harvest (an especially good and unexpected problem to have in 2012) on Wednesday so we start the harvest on Tuesday afternoon, crawling through the tomato patch and picking those sweet little cherry toms. The tomato harvest did slow down this week with the more mild weather - there is so much green fruit hanging on those vines!
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What's In The Box and Where Does It Go?
This week's list looks almost identical to last week's list - sorry full shares you'll have to repeat most of those tasty crops you ate last week!
Crop Fridge? Notes/Variety
Cantaloupe Melon yes sweet granite, sivian or sun jewel
Rainbow Chard yes
Golden Beets yes
Carrots yes
Zucchini yes
Eggplant yes
Tomatoes nope
Cherry Tomatoes nope sun golds, mostly
Green Pepper yes or green beans
Basil Tops nope
Scallions yes
Thyme no
Green Beans yes or green pepper
Like I said above, the tomatoes actually dropped in production from last week, they just don't ripen at the same rate when it is 75 degrees outside!
This is the last of the scallions for the year - after this week we will move into giving out garlic or onions each week.
That's pretty much all she wrote for cantaloupe as well - I am really loving the melons we have had this season. I am watching the watermelon lying in the field, checking on them every so often. Hopefully they will be ready next week!
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Winter Share
We still have spots remaining for our new Winter Shares! If you have questions please contact me directly, or you can sign up online at our web site. (If the amount isn't accurate note that we will adjust and get back to you - the web site has been temperamental.) Thanks!
For the 2012 Season we have added a three week, every other week Winter Share Option. The Winter Share provides a great way to eat locally and organically even later in the season because it includes crops with long-term storage ability in your fridge or a cool place in your home. It will consist of yummy root crops like carrots, potatoes, beets and garlic, several types of winter squash, cold hearty favorites like broccoli, spinach, herbs and much, much more!
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Taste of Wellspring
The Taste of Wellspring is the 7th annual fundraiser to generate support for educational programs at Wellspring! For the event, chefs from Wellspring's service area get creative and serve up gourmet dishes featuring Wellspring's organic produce - an evening full of local food!
Live music, silent auction and a raffle too!
2012 CHEFS
- Peter Sandroni, La Merenda,Walker's Point
- K.C. Thorson, KC's Kafe', Menomonee Falls
- Nicolas & Citlali Mendieta, Antigua Latin Restaurant, West Allis
- Eric Fix, Out & Out Restaurant & Catering, Cedarburg
- Donna Erickson, From Scratch Catering, Cedarburg
- Jodi Janisse, Caf�' Soeurette, West Bend
- Dave Jurena, The Soup Market, Bay View & the Public Market
- Dave Swanson, Braise Restaurant, Milwaukee
Just a $60 investment per person thru August 30th brings you this wonderful meal, music, games & auction! After August 30th it is $75 per person.
5 - 9:30 p.m.
The Family Farm
328 Port Washington Rd.
Grafton, WI
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Storage Tips
I recommend leaving your tomatoes on the counter instead of in the fridge - tomatoes don't really like to be below 55 degrees or so. Their flavor is much improved by being in the "room temp" of your home.
Also like all the herbs we give out, but especially the more woody ones, the thyme can easily be dried and stored in a glass jar for later use. The easiest way is to hang the bunch upside down in your kitchen for a few weeks. Make sure you thoroughly wash the herbs before drying, however. Otherwise any dirt is pretty much impossible to separate out once it's dry.
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Recipes
Swiss Chard was a featured vegetable in the summer edition of Edible Madison this year, and there are two scrumptious looking recipes I wanted to share with you all.
Wilted Chard with Dried Currants and Nuts Dani Lund
1 large bunch chard, rinsed, stems separated 2 Tbsp butter or oil 1 Tbsp minced garlic, green garlic or garlic scapes 3 Tbsp white wine salt and pepper to taste 3 Tbsp dried currants 2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts
Slice chard stems into 1/4 inch pieces. Coarsely chop wet leaves and set aside. In an 8 inch skillet, heat butter or oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add chard stems and saute for a couple minutes. Add garlic, stir and few times, then add wine, damp chard leaves, salt and pepper. Stir about 2 minutes until all the chard leaves are wilted. Add currants, stir and cook for another couple minutes, until liquid is evaporated. Top with nuts and seve immediately. Makes 3 to 4 servings. Southern-Style Chard and Beans Dani Lund
2 pieces of bacon (or substitute 2 Tbsp oil) 1 bunch chard, stems chopped and leaves separated and coarsely chopped. 1 small onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 red bell pepper, diced 1 cup fresh or frozen corn 1 can (or 1 1/2 cups) navy beans, drained 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 Tbsp molasses or sorghum syrup 1/4 cup salsa salt and pepper to taste In an 8 or 9 inch skillet, fry bacon for a couple minutes on each side until almost crispy. Drain bacon on a paper towel, then crumble when cool. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat. Add chard stems and onions, and saute on medium high heat until they start to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper and corn and saute for a few minutes more. Add beans, vinegar molasses, salsa and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for a few more minutes. Add chopped chard leaves and stir until wilted. Remove from heat, garnish with crumbled bacon and serve. Delicious with cornbread, grilled pork chops or steak. Makes 4 to 5 servings.
I also wanted to find a few ratatouille recipes to help with eggplant/zucchini piling up in the fridge so here we go...
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Food Photos
melon
zucchini
tomatoes
thyme
scall scallions
hot peppers eggplant
carrots golden beets
swiss chard
green beans
green pepper
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