A Glimpse Inside the Greenhouse

It has been a very busy, productive week inside the greenhouse this week. We are at full capacity for transplant seedlings! This is the part of the year that the vegetable starts are the most diverse in there... we began our fall brassicas (kale, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, cabbage) right next to our last succession of cucumbers. We also have leeks, scallions, chard and lettuces that have all germinated wonderfully, while the parsley and celery are taking their sweet time coming up. As you all know, we grow lots of wonderful greens and brassicas in the spring and fall. How do we plan for what goes in the ground and what you all get to enjoy each week? It's quite a delicate balance of analyzing previous year plans, farmer to farmer insight, variety changes, input from members, assessing last years harvest lists for each pick up, and much more math then I was anticipating. Here are some of the most interesting production notes, in my opinion: It seems like generally, people really enjoy the lacinato (or dino) kale so we planted more of it. We also started the brussel sprouts 2 weeks earlier because I would love to see big, full stalks ready for Thanksgiving. There are also several new varieties of storage cabbages that were seeded in this first succession, because they take the longest to mature. So there are all of the hopes and dreams of a super productive fall! With good weather, a little luck, and lots of hard work those little plants should produce some pretty good food for us all.

Notes from the Edible Classroom

by Diane Diffenderfer, Education Director

 

Well, we're in full swing at both farms.  The harvests are coming along nicely and I see lots of happy people at Horsham and at The Highlands. Welcome to Summer at the farms!

 

Great news at The Highlands - a few Pickings ago I mentioned we were waiting for a Phase One  Archeological Study for the Edible Classroom and other infrastructure plans.  Last week the archaeologists arrived with their shovels and screens and dug several test holes across the farm.  As it turned out, we had a group of campers visiting one of the days the archaeologists were working, so the kids got an "up close and personal" view of just what an archaeologist does!  Thanks to the guys for showing the kids the tools of the trade and opening a window into another time.  We expect a report in a few weeks and, assuming all's well, plan to move forward with the Edible Classroom.  

 

In anticipation, Margot and I staked out and marked the primary features (perimeter with shed and shade canopy locations) of the EC.  Next time you visit The Highlands, stop by the EC area and look at our straw bale gardens and now, our lasagna beds.  The Highlands EC is starting to take form and look like a destination!

 

 

 Plant of the Week - this week's featured plant lives in the Horsham EC along the back fence, sidled in next to the blackberries.  It has huge, roundish leaves atop rhubarb-like stems.  It's called Fuki, and is also known as bog rhubarb or giant butterbur.  As with rhubarb, the stem can be eaten; however, the preparation is different.  I've never eaten or prepared Fuki, but here's what I've read:  there is "harshness" to the plant which can be removed prior to cooking by soaking the shoots in baking soda.  Once treated, the shoots can be chopped and sauteed, served with rice.  Fuki is a traditional Japanese vegetable and can be found in speciality markets.

 

 

Several sources I read noted the bitterness of raw Fuki and in some cases, consumption of large amounts of raw Fuki has been linked to liver ailments; however, given what I've read about the flavor of raw Fuki, one small taste of the raw stem will have you pre-treating in no time!   So, if you are going to eat Fuki, please make sure you pre-treat to remove the harshness and find a recipe that looks tasty.  Here's a link to a few recipes and some additional information regarding Fuki's medicinal uses.

 

In terms of culture, if you have a consistently damp and shady spot, this may be the plant for you!  It thrives in such situations and appears to be deer resistant.  Several blog entries I read commented on its quick growth and somewhat invasive nature.  If you plan to try it out, make sure you keep tabs on it - you may get more than you bargained for. One blogger suggested growing it in containers for just this reason.  Click here  for additional info on Fuki and next time you're in the Horsham EC, please stop by and check out our Plant of the Week.

 

Have a good week.

 

Kale Chips  

by BA Haggerty, CSA Member & Foodmarriage.com Blogger

I am a first year CSA member and I am excited to share my CSA cooking adventures with you!  This week, I'm sharing how to make kale chips.  Check out the blog for more recipes and the stories behind them!

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of kale
• Olive Oil
• Salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 300°.
• Cut the stems off your kale and cut the pieces of the stems that grow up into the center of the leaves out. You will just want to work with the large leafy portion of the kale.
• Rinse your leaves and spin them in a salad spinner to remove excess water. Even though the spinner will get a lot of the water off the kale, I recommend laying the kale out on paper towels to dry out even more.
• Once the kale is dry, cut it into bite sized pieces.
• Toss the bite sized pieces of kale in a bowl with a bit of olive oil until the leaves are well-coated.
• Line baking sheets with foil. You will probably need 2 or 3 baking sheets for one bunch of kale.
• Lay each piece of kale onto the baking sheet. Do not allow the kale to overlap at all. Each piece should be placed flat on the sheet.
• Sprinkle salt over all of the kale.
• Place baking sheets into 300° oven and bake for about 13 minutes.
• If you want to test the chips as you go, take one out and try it. If it is gummy or chewy in any places, it is not done. When they are done, they will be very crisp and fragile. Be sure to keep a close eye on them as you get close to the 13 minute mark - they will burn very fast if left in a minute too long!
• Remove baking sheets from oven and gently remove kale chips and place into a bowl. Enjoy!

Children's Classes are Back at The Highlands

Tuesday, June 25, $8.00 per child 

9:30-10:30am - Little Seeds - Ages 3 & 4 

11:00am - 12:00pm - Little Sprouts - Ages 5 & 6 

Cooking the CSA Way with Patti Lombardi

Thursday, June 27, 7:00 - 8:30pm

Resurrection Lutheran Church 

Join Patti on Thursday, June 27 for a fun evening of cooking!   She'll take a typical June CSA share, explain what each vegetable is and demonstrate how to use it.  You'll get to taste all the veggies and leave with a handful of terrific recipes. 

"Wildman" Steve - Foraging Walks

August 11 - The Highland Site

October 6 - Pennypack Ecological Trust