Week Ten 

 

Members.  We have reached the halfway point in our 2012 seasonal eating journey; we have arrived at week ten of twenty.  The half way point in the season is always kind of surprising to me - sometimes it feels like waking up from a nap in the middle of a weekend afternoon when you've been sleeping very deeply.  For a brief moment, just upon waking, you don't know where you are, or how you got there, but you know you feel pretty darn good.  Like you've accomplished something that your body needed.  Your all, "Week ten? Halfway over? Was I just drooling on my pillow? I have eaten so much yummy food!" 

 

Or perhaps this is not really analogous to your CSA experience at all, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that the whole season can sometimes be a blur, and things in the past can seem very far away, and week 20, the future, also seems very far away.  I have spoken of Farm Time in newsletters before and I think the halfway point is a good time to revisit this concept.  For me the days and weeks are short and go by quickly, but when I look back on the season April feels like last year.  Time on the farm flies by, and yet it is endless.

 

It hasn't been easy for any of us working the land this year, so I think these time-honored words are particularly apt in 2012. As a wise man once said, " Whooah, we're half way there Whooah, Livin on a prayer Take my hand and we'll make it - I swear Whooah Livin on a prayer." 

 

Farm News 

 

I had originally written in this space that we didn't get any precipitation at all in the last week, however right now as I type it is raining and raining and raining!  It won't stop! It's going to rain all day! (I think.) I am overjoyed.  This is the day I wanted two months ago, of course. But I will take it today.  I included a "before and after" photo set for you this week also.  The top photo was taken almost exactly two weeks ago, just before we got that 3 inches of rain all at once.  The bottom one was taken this morning - check out the grass!!  Crazy.  Also, we didn't have a 100 degree day in the forecast either.  In fact, working in the fields the last couple of days has been downright pleasant - breezy and almost cool!  

 

We are wrapping up our transplanting for the year, but are still direct seeding a lot of greens, radishes, turnips and herbs for fall.  We have been working in our hoop houses as well, prepping them for a round of late fall and hopefully winter production.  Growing year round is a goal of ours at Wellspring, and I have been learning techniques from other growers who are doing this (mainly growing cold hearty greens) with a lot of success. Partly the idea is to get things in the ground in time for them to mature before the temps get to be freezing and the daylight is dramatically reduced.  Then during the winter months they almost go into a dormant state. They don't do much growing but with the right systems in place they will stay alive and be ready for harvest.  

 

On Monday I took the crew to a CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) workshop put on by Angelic Organics at the Fondy Farm .  The workshop was focused on the idea of incubator farms, or cooperative farming.  Incubator type farms are gaining in popularity and can take on many forms, but the general idea is that several farmers all have a piece of one larger piece of land which has some type of overarching organizational structure.  Through the organizational structure they also have access to infrastructure such as a greenhouse or hoop house(s), irrigation equipment, cultivation equipment, and tractors and packing shed (produce cleaning and packing) space.  A similar model is one whereby an established farmer might let a beginning farmer rent some land on their property, and give them access to similar pieces of infrastructure and equipment.  These scenarios allow for farmers who may not otherwise be able to start their own farming operations due to rising land prices and the initial cost of starting a farming business, the opportunity to do so by giving them affordable access to land and shared use of equipment and infrastructure.  

 

I think that folks who are not farmers are not always aware of the difficulties faced by beginning farmers, or even experienced farmers who are land insecure, when it comes to issues of access to land and access to capital.  Folks may not be aware that farming is a very capital intensive business, and yet the profit margin is pretty low.  As in, we are spending a lot of money to grow really good food, but because of the mentality in this country that we shouldn't be paying a lot for food, it can be difficult as farmers to get a fair price for what we grow.  Therefore, the idea of incubator/cooperative farms in all of their many forms, (in which some of the access issues are removed) can be an awesome way for farmers to save some money and get a jump start on their own farming enterprise.  

 

I bring this to the newsletter today because it occurred to me during the discussion we were having at the workshop that this is something more people, not just farmers, should be hearing about.  I come across people all the time who have land and know that they want it to be stewarded, or farmed sustainably, but they are not sure how to make that happen.  If any of you have that situation, or have family or friends in that situation, and are interested in learning more or having a dialogue about the possibilities of cooperative farming, please get in touch with me and I can tell you what I know as well as putting you in touch with other folks who are involved in this movement. 

 


What's In The Box and Where Does It Go? 

 

CROP                       Fridge?             Notes/Variety


Rainbow Chard          yes  

Golden Beets              yes

Carrots                       yes 

Tomatoes                   no

Scallions                    yes

Melon                         yes      sweet granite or sun jewel 

Basil tops                    no

Green Beans              yes   

Green Pepper             yes 

Hot Pepper             yes    jalepeno plus cherry bomb or serrano 

Eggplant                yes            Asian and Globe 

Zucchini                yes      it's a big one!! 

Marjoram              yes 

Cherry Tomatoes     no               sun gold, mostly 

 

Members! The boxes are once again full, and this farmer is surprised and grateful.  

  

I don't have too many notes to make this week - most of this stuff should be rather familiar to ya'll.  The rainbow chard is back in action because it is still so beautiful and prolific, in addition to being so packed with vitamins. Here are a couple of websites detailing the amazing nutritional benefits of our friend Chard. 

  

http://www.livestrong.com/article/489291-rainbow-chard-nutritional-value/ 

  

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=16

  

The hot peppers are made up of two of three types: the serrano (long, skinny and red), the jalepeno (sort of cone shaped and dark green) or the cherry bomb (rather round and red). Once the hot peppers start they usually come on pretty strong and hopefully this year will be no exception. 

  

The golden beets can be cooked just like regular beets - I absolutely LOVE the look of these babies.  They are so gorgeous and their EDIBLE GREENS are also beautiful. 

 

Storage Tips 

 

There is nothing too out of the ordinary that needs to be stored in a special way this week.  As I have said in the past, if you separate the roots from their greens asap (this week this pertains to the carrots and beets) and store them separately (well I would probably compost or toss the tops of the carrots but KEEP the beet greens for eating) both will last much longer than if you had kept them together. Wrap both in separate plastic or cloth veggie bags. 


Winter Shares Available 

 

We still have spots remaining for our new Winter Shares, and I will be promoting them periodically throughout the season until they are full.  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!

August Cooking Class!! Beets!
TONIGHT!

Thursday, August 9, 6-8 p.m. - Seasonal Produce Cooking Class - Beets - at Wellspring Organic Farm

 

Wellspring offers a series of monthly cooking classes based on veggies ready to be harvested from our garden that you will see in your CSA box! Featured veggies for the month of August are beets. Local chef, KC Thorson, demonstrates four recipes which are sampled by the class. All students also receive wine to drink and recipes to take home.

 Menu for the evening: 

* Beets Appetizer with Blackberry Chevre 
* Easy Pickled Beets 
* Garlic Sauteed Beet Greens 
* Sweet Beet Sorbet

 

Cost: $20 till August 7 - $25 after. www.wellspringinc.org or (847) 946-5565



Recipes 

I would also encourage you to look at last week's newsletter for those eggplant ideas if you are stumped about those purple beauties that keep showing up in the box!

Vinegared Beets Nested in Their Greens from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison 
Serves 4-6

2 lbs beets with their greens
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or olive oil 
salt and freshly milled pepper 
2 teaspoons balsamic or sherry vinegar 

Remove the greens, scrub the beets, and steam them until tender, 15 to 30 minutes. Peel, quarter, and set aside. Discard any greens that don't look up to snuff, along with the stems.  Steam the greens until tender, about 5 minutes, then toss iwth half the buttter and season with salt and pepper. Arrange them in a nest on a plate. In another pan, heat the beets with the remaining butter. Add the vinegar and shake the pan until it evaporates. Spoon the beets into the center of the greens and serve. 

Farmer Note: If I were you, I would pick up some chevre (soft goatie cheese) and slather this dish with it. 

Wilted Chard with Onion from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters 

4 servings 

Wash thoroughly and drain: 
1 large bunch of chard
Pull the leaves from the ribs. Trim the ends from the ribs and then cut them into thin slices. Cut the leaves into wide ribbons. Heat in a heavy pan: 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
Add: 
1 onion, diced
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chard ribs and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Add the chard leaves and: 
Salt 
Cook, stirring now and then, until the leaves are tender. Add a  little bit of water if the pan gets dry and the onions begin to stick and brown. 
Add a pinch of dried chile flakes for a bit of spice. 

Our friend Alice also had this to say about chard and parm: 

"Chard with Parmesan: I was amazed to discover how a little Parmesan and butter transforms plain wilted chard. Try it and see. Pull the leaves from the fibs of one of more bunches of chard. Discard the ribs or save them for another dish, wash the leaves, and cook until tender in abundant salted boiling water, 4 minutes or so.  Drain the leaves, cool, squeeze out most of their excess water, and chop coarse. For every bunch of chard, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the chopped chard and salt to taste. Heat through and for each bunch of chard stir in a generous handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Remove from the heat and serve."
 

Food Photos 

carrots wk 5 
carrots

marjoram wk 5
marjoram 
 
golden beet wk 13 
golden beets 

basil wk 12
basil 

Eggplant wk 8
egplant

Scallions wk 13
scallions 

gr beans 16
green beans

zuke wk 11
zucchini 

Tomatoes wk 11
tomatoes

peppers wk 11
hot peppers: serrano (L), jalepeno (R)

chard wk 13
rainbow chard

green pepper
green pepper

 
In This Issue
Farm News
Box List
Storage Tips
Winter Share
Cooking Class: Beets
Recipes