News from Terra Firma Farm

You might not know it living in a Northern California urban center, but there is a vocal minority of Americans who still don't believe in climate change. Unfortunately, a large number of farmers fall into this group -- which is truly incredible given that the potential impacts on agriculture. Nonetheless, AM talk radio and cable news shows dominate in pickup trucks and farmhouses, and they have clearly succeeded in convincing farmers to ally themselves with the fossil fuel industry.
As a result, agricultural has been a reliable opponent of anti-climate change legislation and policy, and farmers have portrayed themselves primarily as fossil fuel consumers risking higher costs. By boycotting the process of crafting the rules, they lost the opportunity to portray themselves as part of the solution.
Since 1990, farmers across the U.S. have been steadily reducing their fuel consumption in response to increasing prices, and thus shrinking their carbon footprint. But the methods they have adopted to achieve fuel conservation also provide for more carbon sequestration in the soil, especially the practices of conservation and minimum tillage that keep more vegetation in place on the soil surface.
The problem is this: climate change legislation like AB32 set baselines for emissions and then intend to create goals for lowering them over time. They assume that emissions across the board are rising with population growth over time. The problem is that many farmers have already taken huge steps that resulted in lower carbon emissions.
I attended a meeting last week where farmers gathered to discuss the Yolo County Climate Action Plan -- a plan now required of every city and county in the state. Despite the fact that cities in our area produce 87% of the carbon pollution, the county (rural areas only) is expected to come up with a plan to reduce its emissions significantly. Of the 13% of the emissions produced rurally, over half comes from agriculture. But there is no scientific data to prove that farmers have already reduced their CO2 output significantly.
There was plenty of disagreement around that table about global warming, much of it based on ignorance. However, there was one thing we all agreed on: counties like ours, which have preserved agriculture instead of allowing rampant development, should be given some credit for producing far less carbon than counties like Solano or Sacramento. And farmers will have to fight hard now to prove that we have already taken numerous steps to lower our carbon footprint -- in other words, we've been part of the solution all along.

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              Thanks,
                 Pablito

Kitchen Pep Talk: Greens

An article online last week discussing inflation in China showed a picture of a produce market, the tables piled high with leafy green vegetables. The only one that we grow at TFF was Bok Choy; others I have eaten but not grown; still others I couldn't even identify. But my main thought was how large the bunches were -- most the size of my neck.
One thing I hear frequently from subscribers this time of year is how they struggle with the greens in the boxes. The photo of Chinese greens made me chuckle, since the two or three (at most) bunches of leafy greens we put in our boxes would barely equal one of their bunches. Some Asian vegetables, like Napa Cabbage or full-sized Bok Choy, are simply overwhelming to most Americans because a single head produces so much vegetable. We don't even bother growing them for our CSA.
When it comes down to the act of eating, however, greens are absurdly easy to eat in large quantities. They are light, not particularly filling, and loaded with vitamins and minerals. Sure, on their own they are not as tasty as a hamburger or even a tomato. But cooked correctly, with the right seasonings, they can be delicious -- especially alongside other vegetables or meat.
But unlike most other foods, greens are incredibly quick and easy to prepare. 1) Wash, 2) Chop, 3) Saute, 4) Season. This process takes no more than 10 minutes for the toughest, chewiest greens like Kale and as little as 5 minutes with spinach. This makes it very easy to serve them as a last minute side-dish to just about any other meal, including stuff you don't even cook yourself, such as frozen pizza.
Don't be afraid to season your greens as heavily as you like. They don't need to taste like grass to be healthy. I always start with garlic (or leeks or onions) and olive oil. Other interesting flavors? Ginger, olives, hot peppers, vinegar, soy sauce, lemon juice, nuts, anchovies, bacon, ham or anything else that suits you.

Featured Vegetable: Tokyo Turnips

Mild and crunchy with just a hint of peppery flavor and no peel, these are a versatile and easy to prepare winter vegetable.

In their simplest form, they can be eaten raw like radishes on their own or on a crudite plate with a tasty dip.
They are terrific quartered and roasted with a little soy sauce and sesame seeds.
Slice them in thin halve rounds and combine with apples cut the same way, then toss with a balsamic vinagrette, toasted walnuts and goat cheese.
The greens are edible too, although the leaves from one bunch will cook down to just a few spoonfuls. For best results, add them to another batch of greens you're cooking.

Chinese Hot and Sour Soup. A TFF take on the classic favorite, this one is loaded with vegetables. If you like it really spicy, add a drizzle of hot chili oil along with the black pepper.
Soak 8-10 dried Shitake mushrooms in 4 C. boiling water for 1/2 hour. When they are soft, slice them thinly. Reserve the water.
Slice 12 oz. tofu into thin strips. Drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil.
Remove the leaves of 1 leek, then clean it and slice into 1 inch matchsticks. Saute the leeks in 1 T. vegetable oil on low heat. When they begin to brown, add the mushrooms and broth. Add another 2 C. vegetable or chicken broth, 1/2 C. soy sauce, and 2 t. fresh ground black pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1/2 hour.
While the soup simmers, separate 2 heads of bok choy and clean the petioles. Slice the small ones thinly lengthwise; cut the larger ones crosswise.
Clean and thinly slice 4 Tokyo Turnips. Wash the greens and chop.
Mix together 1/3 C. water and 1/3 C. cornstarch. Add to the soup along with the bok choy and turnips.
Crack one egg in a bowl and stir it.
Add 1/3 C. rice vinegar to the soup, then taste it and add salt or more vinegar if necessary. Add the egg to the soup along with the turnip greens, turn off the heat, and stir to combine.