"If people are to prosper within the natural world, all the products and materials manufactured by industry must after each useful life provide nourishment for something new." ~William McDonough
FULL SHARE DELIVERY TO ALL LOCATIONS
HALF SHARE DELIVERY FOR FARM PICK UP AND NUR CENTER
Pouring down rain
 As Jesse and Andy began to descend from the garden after a long days' work today, the clouds began to roll back in over the ridge with the promise of more rain. They had decided earlier in the day to hold off digging more sweet potatoes until the ground dried up a little from the previous night's saturating rain. Andy, bless his hard working heart, turned around and went back into the garden to get them out of the ground before it was drenched again and Jesse went along. This evening as I type, I can hear the rain coming down in abundance, so thankfully your sweet potatoes already made it out of the ground. Now we can relax for the evening, break up garlic bulbs indoors, and be grateful the lettuce is getting a nice long drink of fresh rain.
On Wednesday, Jesse began to dig sweet potatoes for this weeks' share with the children from the September School at the Farm of Peace. Six children and their teacher, Eddy, visited the garden for an hour to help in the dig. Jesse said they were remarkable treasure hunters and had a wonderful time. If you happen to get a potato or two with a nice spade mark through the center, please know it's just from a happy child, digging a little recklessly! Might make it more enjoyable to consume, rather than whatever else your imagination might conjure up, as why some have an interesting split down the center.
Garlic Planting
Outside of preparing the harvest, preparing the ga
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Layering beds with fresh compost
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rden for the coming years' garlic crop has been the priority this week. All of the summer tomato vines are now resting on the compost pile. Where the tomatoes once stood over the summer, the garlic will take root until next summer, when we pull the whole bulbs and circle through the seasons again. We set aside the plumpest of the bulbs from the harvest this year, to plant in the coming weeks. We save the largest bulbs to encourage a higher yield of larger bulbs next year and hopefully have more of the really large ones to share. The bulbs will be broken into their individual cloves, planted over the next few weeks and each clove, ideally, will yield a full bulb next summer, God willing. We can cut and enjoy the scapes (the flower bud) of the plant in the spring too, before the bulbs are ready for harvest. Garlic is a crop I truly enjoy. Breaking up the bulbs and watching the crop multiply, each year we  as we expand the garlic beds, always leaves me in awe. How generous our Lord is! Take one bulb, break it up into cloves, plant it, wait 3 seasons, and pull up 8-10 bulbs. Repeat that and harvest maybe 80-100 the next year. The process attunes me to the flow of our Creators innate generosity.
Garlic offers the benefits of its healing properties as well. My son was suffering from an earache a few weeks ago. I put a clove of garlic in a few spoons of olive oil in a sauce pan on very low heat until it was warm to the touch. After placing a couple drops in his ear, it stopped immediatley. I knew this remedy was helpful, and yet was still completely floored at how quickly he went from the constriction of intense pain into a calm relaxed grateful state as the pain vanished. Chopped up garlic, taken with a spoon of honey, is a common remedy we use when the air chills and we feel a cold coming on. It is great chopped up raw on warm soup too, when you need the healing benefit with something more to buffer the flavor.
Here are some health benefits I borrowed from the web~
Garlic is one of the most valuable and versatile foods on the planet. Garlic belongs to the Allium fami ly of vegetables which also includes onions, chives, shallots and leeks. (Also included in this weeks' share!)
Today garlic is a widely recognized health enhancing supplement. Garlic promotes the well-being of the heart and immune systems with antioxidant properties and helps maintain healthy blood circulation. One of garlic's most potent health benefits includes the ability to enhance the body's immune cell activity.
The active component in garlic is the sulfur compound called allicin. Allicin is the chemical produced when garlic is chopped, chewed, or bruised. Allicin is quite powerful as an antibiotic and a potent agent that helps the body to inhibit the ability of germs to grow and reproduce. In fact, it's said that 1 milligram of allicin has a potency of 15 standard units of penicillin.
There are now over 12 studies published around the world that confirm that garlic can reduce cholesterol.
Recently researchers in Oxford and America have published some summaries of all the good data on garlic. Garlic is known to stimulate T-lymphocyte and macrophage action, promote interleukin-1 levels, and support natural killer cells. Strong activity of these key cells promotes healthy immune system function, and strengthens the body's defenses.
We pray you enjoy your share, and it brings your healing and deep nourishment, as well as fresh and yummy meals!
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Thank you for joining us this season to share in the harvest and all of it's beauty, nourishment, and healing.
Please contact us any time with questions. You are always welcome to come visit!
Peace and Blessings~
Halima Willett
halima.willett@gmail.com
717-573-2956
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This Weeks Harvest
Delicata Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Leeks
Swiss Chard or Collard Greens
Bell Peppers
Hot Peppers
Napa Cabbage
Basil
2 bulbs of Garlic
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Sweet Squash Corn Muffins
" ...rich in taste and nutrition. The cooked winter squash imparts vitamin-rich sweetness, and the dulse flakes add iron. Dulse is a dark red sea vegetable that has unusually high iron contact." Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair *** 1 1/2 cups cornmeal 1 1/2 cups wheat or barley flour 1 Tablespoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoon dulse flakes 2 cups winter squash or sweet potato puree 1/3 cup cold pressed vegetable oil 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup water topping~ 1/4 c pumpkin seeds Preheat oven to 375. Mix cornmeal, flour, b. powder, salt and dulse flakes together in a bowl; set aside. In a seperate bowl (or I suggest a blender), whisk together squash, oil, syrup, and water. Combine it all together gently. Spoon into greased muffin tins and top with pumpkin seeds if you like. Bake 20-25 minutes. *Note~ squash or sweet potato needs to be steamed or baked first to soften. It won't work raw! |
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Quick Boiled Greens
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Vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, calcium, iron and even protein are a part of most dark leafy greens. These powerful vegetables should be a daily part of the diet especially for nursing mothers. Cooked greens can be used in a variety of interesting dishes ~ soups, salads, casseroles, and more.
Feeding the Whole Family
by Cynthia Lair
For any type of green such as~
Collards
Swiss Chard
Chinese Cabbage
Boy Choy
Kale
Mustard Greens
Beet Greens
Turnip Greens
For greens with tough stem, such as collards, kale or chard, cut the leaves away from the stem before washing. Wash greens carefully. An easy way to do this is to fill your sink with cold water and submerge the greens.
Bring 2 quarts of water to boil. Submerge greens. Boil tender young leaves (such as watercress or escarole) for about 30 seconds. Tougher leaves (such as mature collards) need to be cooked for 5-10 minutes. Timing is everything. If you remove the greens too soon they will be bitter. If you let them cook too long they will lose nutrients and have a flat taste. Remove a piece and test every minute or so. You are looking for a slightly wilted leaf that still has a bright green color and (most important) a succulent, sweet flavor. Pour cooked greens into a colander in the sink. Let cool. Squeeze out excess water with your hands. Hope into bite sized pieces . Serve with a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar.
(Feeding the Whole Family)
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