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Farm News From Apprentice Gretchen-
Wow! Week 10 already?! And this weekend is the 4th of July?! Where has the time gone?
Well, I sure hope you all are enjoying each week's share and finding new foods to add to your favorites list and new ways to prepare the old standbys. This week's share is loaded with more great stuff and I hope it helps you wow your friends and family as you celebrate the 4th!
Farm Pizza
Apprentice
Ashley and I honed our knife skills chopping tomatoes, onion and green
pepper for homemade pizzas the other night. Ashley made the dough by
hand, I contributed the mozzarella, and we had a delicious feast that
cost way less than the pizza we had contemplated going out for. Justin
and Paige claim to make a pretty mean pizza themselves and we just may
have to have a contest here in the near future....We'll keep you posted.
What To Do With Kohlrabi
This veggie is one of the most talked about and most perplexing. What in the WORLD do you do with it? Well, as many of you have heard, I like it raw. Peel it and chop it up or shred it. It tastes like broccoli stems (which I also like raw). However, if you aren't up for raw kohlrabi, try this recipe that CSA member Jacqueline shared with me this week (I tried it already, and it's amazing! And easy!)
Kohlrabi Surprise
Peel it, shred it, saute it in butter for 8 minutes or so (until desired tenderness), then grate Parmesan on top. Salt and pepper to taste.
It was so easy and so good. The Parmesan complements it nicely. Though delicious as is, you could add your own touch with your favorite herbs or other veggies. Surprise yourself!
And thanks for the great idea, Jacqueline!
The Dirty Dozen
Are
you familiar with The Dirty Dozen? No, not the 60's war film, the list
of the 12 most pesticide ridden conventionally grown fruits and
veggies.
I first read about The Dirty Dozen a few years ago in
a book by Andrew Weil, M.D., and have since seen it referred to in numerous magazine articles. I find this list especially helpful to those who aren't aware of all the other reasons to eat organic. Perhaps this will be an eye opener?
Compiled by the
Environmental Working Group, a non-profit advocating for public health
and the protection of the environment, the list actually ranks the 49
most consumed fruits and vegetables in the U.S. Those with the most
number and/or highest concentration of pesticides found
are coined "The Dirty Dozen" and those with the least fall into "The
Clean 15". Find the full list here
The Dirty Dozen
1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries (domestic)
6. Nectarines
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale/Collard Greens
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (imported)
Last Week On The Farm
Last week on the farm was hot. Capital H-O-T hot! We all dealt with it in stride (albeit a sweaty one) and I actually think it's good for us. Surely all that sweating rid us of any toxins in our bodies!
We've taken a couple of siesta days which has helped us deal with the heat. We'll work a solid morning, take a long lunch to eat, relax and get out of the heat, and then come back late in the afternoon to finish up the day's tasks.
And along with all that sweating, we got a lot done! We planted more tomatoes
(yes, more!), set up some trellising for other tomatoes, got a lot of weeding done, pulled up our green bean plants, got to see you all at CSA,
worked up some beds to plant even more, harvested, of course, gave a tour to twenty 12 year olds, and irrigated the whole farm--some things even twice!
Yep, when we're hot and sweaty our plants are feeling it too. Our winter squash seems to be the most visibly affected and it's nice to see it perk up after a nice drink of water.
I was "on" last week, meaning I am responsible for the daily chores. This includes watering the greenhouse, irrigating the fields (with Justin's help), putting the "baby chicks" to bed at night (which is kind of sweet) and making sure that everything that needs to be on is on and that everything that needs to be off is off.
I must confess, I like being "on". I love being on the farm as night is settling in. I feel like I'm putting all the plants to bed as well. The moon provided a comforting light this week and the farm was cool and quiet and relaxed. A different atmosphere than our hot, busy days.
I realized this week that I'm really feeling settled in here. I feel connected to and responsible for this land and these plants and animals. I am comfortable on the farm and feeling more and more confident in my abilities. Having said this, I must confess something else: I made a big mistake this week. I left irrigation on one night. All night. What was supposed to be off was not off. Instead of getting drip irrigation for 5 hours, the 3 beds in Field #1 got 12 hours.
Uh...oh.
As soon as I realized my mistake I ran over to the farm and turned off the water. I surveyed the beds and sure enough, they were really wet. I called Paige with the news and felt so helpless. I wanted to do something to make it better, but there was nothing to do.
Paige and Justin know we're going to make mistakes. We're human and we're interns. It's inevitable. And they handled my mistake like good parents: they made sure I knew what I did wrong and that it will not happen again but that I am still a capable and valued part of this team. Paige even helped me see the good that may have come out of it. And honestly, I think that mistake helped me feel even more "broken in" in this work and this place. And heck, you may all benefit, too, with some really juicy lettuce this week!
Thanks for your support and Happy 4th of July!!
Apprentice Gretchen
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Find recipes here.
This week's share prediction (shares will contain most of the items below):
(subject to change since we haven't harvested everything yet)
tomatoes!!
carrots
green onions
potatoes (my fave variety: red gold)
onions
kohlrabi (I know...this stuff won't quit!)
Swiss chard
1 bunch herbs (many options this week)
and 2-3 items from this list:
fennel
beans
squash
cucumbers
eggplant
green bell peppers
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