Vegetable List Brazing Greens Broccoli Cucumbers Parsley Baby Lettuce Pint 'o' Peas Zucchini Notes from the Farm After we have planted out everything from our green house in the spring, we collect our left over seeds and do some creative farming. My favorite creative farming moment this spring was when we took the remaining kale, collard and tatsoi seeds, mixed them together and seeded them directly in our lettuce field. What we ended up with was a really surprising, tender mix of versatile greens. We've tried them a number of ways so far. The way we like them best is fresh on hamburgers. I included a great mashed potato recipe that we tried, modified and (hopefully) improved. These greens are a great classic brazing mix... cook them in a little flavorful liquid... whammo, brazed. I think I was drawn to farming because its intrinsically surprising. Whether we're trying a new variety of cauliflower or watching potatoes grow on different parts of our field, its not hard to be surprised by the unpredictability of nature... and our job is to anticipate nature. We're supposed to know what, when, where and how, and I think we often do a serviceable job, but sometimes its downright baffling and amusing. Farming is not unlike trying to hit a knuckle ball... it seems easy enough to do, but mostly it makes people look foolish... and thats really the fun of it. Vegetable of the Week Broccoli: Broccoli is Italy's contribution to the Kale family. Largely the Kale family (cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli) was developed in northern Europe, more specifically England. But some time ago in Italy, a lovely farming village started selecting variations that came from their cabbage plants, and broccoli was born. When it was brought to England, it was called Italian Asparagus... and my sister-in-law's family (English) still calls it Italian Broccoli. High in both iron and vitamin A, broccoli is both flavorful and good for you. Recipes Parsley & Baby Greens Mashed Potatoes
For mashed potatoes
Lightly saute' brazing greens in 3 tablespoons of oil until wilted. Purée the greens and parsley with oil and salt in a blender until smooth. Pour herb oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass measure, pressing on and discarding solids. Prepare potatoes: Peel and quarter potatoes. Cover potatoes with salted cold water by 1 inch in a 5-quart heavy pot, then simmer, uncovered, until very tender, about 25 minutes. While potatoes are simmering, bring milk, butter, salt, and pepper just to a simmer, stirring until butter is melted. Drain potatoes in a colander and return to pot. Add hot milk mixture and mash with a potato masher until almost smooth, then stir in 4 tablespoons herb oil. If desired, serve potatoes drizzled with some of remaining oil. Add Comment Vegetable List Cucumbers Bouquet Dill White Russian Kale Mixed Lettuce Gold Frill Mustard Greens French Breakfast Radishes Zucchini Notes from the Farm What a summer. We've been busy weeding and chasing bugs off the fields... When its a good growing season it is consequently a good (or bad I suppose) weed and bug season. And we don't mind. Its not such a bad deal chasing down lambs quarter or potato beetle larve when you look over and see award winning eggplants growing... or zucchini. We have a number of zucchini varieties this year. Soliel: bright yellow zucchini; Costata Romenesco: stripped light and dark green zucchini; Zepher: yellow summer squash with a green tip; Dundoo: classic green zucchini; Sunburst: yellow and green flying saucer shaped zucchini; Lebanese White; a grayish eggplant looking zucchini; and Eight Ball: yellow and green round zucchini. Every variety has its own subtle variations on flavor and texture, and over the course of the season we'll make sure that everyone gets a taste of all of them. One of the great things about being a CSA farmer is great diversity of food that we get to grow. We do grow row cropped vegetables like pumpkins and corn, but if that was all we did, I think I'd need to get a hobby... as it stands now, there is no shortage of interesting things going on at the farm. Vegetable of the Week Gold Frill Mustard Greens: This is the first year we've grown this mustard green and we love it above all other mustard greens. We got the seed from our friend Susan of Old Stage Farm in Lovell. She has been growing it and saving seed on it for a couple of years and convinced us that once we went Gold Frill, we'd never go back... and she was right. Mustard greens are spicy for sure, but not inedibly so. We like this variety because it has a subtle sweetness. It is great cut up and added to salads for a kick, and is often cooked down and served as a side dish. I like to eat it on its own, a mustard green salad with a lime vinaigrette... spicy, tangy and sweet. Recipes Mustard Greens with Chipotle and Bacon 1 bunch gold frill mustard greens roughly chopped 1/2 bunch white russian kale roughly chopped, stems chopped fine 4 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo 1/2 teaspoon salt Chop greens, then cook in a half cup of water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Drain greens in a colander, pressing gently to release excess moisture. Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, reserving fat in skillet. Add oil, chipotle, greens, and salt to fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with bacon. This is not a bad deal... trust me. Vegetable List Chioggia Beets Head Lettuce Pac Choi French Breakfast Radishes Scallions Strawberries Tatsoi Notes from the Farm Oh boy, Beets! A dear old friend of mine has a hand made shirt with “oh boy, beets!” written on it. Its simple and perfect. I've always loved that shirt, and frankly, I've always loved beets. I love them roasted, pickled, shredded, turned into chips... I love them. And we're pleased to have early beets with good tops for beet greens. As the summer goes along, the greens pay the price... we have chard, which admirably performs all summer at the farm, and is genetically is the same... and I couldn't tell the difference in a blind taste test, but there is something special about beet greens fresh off the beet. We also have a short run of Asian greens this week and probably next. We whoa'd way back on Asian greens this year due to overwhelming feedback from the CSA from last year. But there is a time and place for them, so we didn't get rid of them completely. This week you'll get two heads of Tatsoi (dark green spoon shaped leaves) and one head of Pac Choi. Both vegetables are great fresh or cooked. We make a simple egg drop soup with both of these Asian greens. Just put three cups of water in a pot, throw in the roughly cut greens, a little soy sauce and once at a boil, get the soup stirring in a circle and drop in a couple of eggs. Flavorful and fun. Enjoy the share this week, and eat up those strawberries, they're the last of the season. Vegetable of the Week Chioggia Beet: The Chioggia (Key-Ho-Gee-Ah) beet is a great Italian heirloom beet that originated just outside of Venice. This beet has quite a lot of the alkaloid that causes beets to taste “earthy”... or beety. Some modern hybrid beets have been bred to be sweeter and less flavorful... flavor, as it turns out, is not a desirable characteristic in food. This beet is our favorite for roasting, or even shredding raw and adding to lettuce for an exceptionally flavorful salad. We also like the Chioggia beet because of its interior striping... very beautiful. Recipes This one is one of my favorites, a really unique and fresh entree salad. Farm Fresh Green Salad with Dried Cranberries and Hazelnuts 3 tablespoons olive oil, or to taste 1 bunch Scallions, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup) 1/2 cup dried cranberries (about 2 ounces) 4 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar, or to taste 3 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon noney 1/2 cup hazelnuts, or any nut really... 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 chopped heads 'o' lettuce 2 cups chopped Pac Choi(about 2 ounces) 2 cups chopped tatsoi In a small saucepan heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook scallions. Stir in cranberries, 3 tablespoons vinegar, water, and honey and simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until syrupy, about 4 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool to room temperature. In a small skillet heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook hazelnuts with salt and pepper to taste, stirring, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer nuts to a plate and cool. In a small bowl whisk together mustard and remaining tablespoon vinegar with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil until emulsified. In a large bowl toss greens with just enough dressing to coat. Sprinkle salads with cranberry mixture and hazelnuts. Serve salad with soup as a main course or align as a first course. Vegetable List Baby Chard Mixed Young Kale Mixed Lettuce Scallions Strawberries Notes from the Farm Its been 9 months to the day that I last wrote about the CSA... 9 months! Winter is long, undoubtedly, but it seems to make summer all the sweeter. I always look forward to these 14 or 15 weeks of the year, and while it doesn't always come with a bang or leave with a curtsy, it some how creeps in and takes hold like a good hug. The farm has been great so far this year. It was a little rainy at first, but this has been an absolutely perfect season... some rain, some sun. We've been very productive, building infrastructure, cleaning up trash... its been all around a great year. But no matter the year, no matter the planting dates, the first week CSA share is consistent. Looking back over our records, we have the same food available every year for the first week... its uncanny. Some variations here and there... Peas some years, Broccoli others... but for the most part its a share you can hang your hat on. And a share that is a great way to start off the summer. Vegetable of the Week SWISS CHARD: The Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris, [the same species as beets!]), with its multi colored stems, is a favorite for Mediterranean cooks who use it in soups and rice dishes. Swiss chard is a popular vegetable in the south of France, in fact the queen of vegetables in Nice, and is grown in and around the Rhône valley because it can hold up to cold weather, and is harvested up until the frost. In Italian Swiss chard and beet greens are interchangeable. Italians also use the thick central stem ribs of Swiss chard in its own right, usually used to make soups. Recipes This frittata is great as a lunch or dinner dish. We often make this one as a white frittata by excluding the yolks. You'll want to up the egg count to 10 or 12 if you make the white frittata version. The Week One Frittata 6 large eggs 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 oz prosciutto, (Bacon also works really well) finely chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil 5 medium Swiss chard leaves AND stems, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups) 5 medium Kale leaves, de-stemmed and finely chopped (1 1/2 cups) 12 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped 2 oz parmesan or asiago cheese Preheat broiler. Whisk together eggs, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Cook prosciutto (or bacon) in oil in a 12-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until edges begin to crisp, about 2 minutes. Add kale and chard and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, about 8 minutes. Add scallions and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour egg mixture into skillet and cook, lifting up cooked egg around edge using a spatula to let as much raw egg as possible flow underneath, until edge is set, about 2 minutes (top and center will still be very loose). Sprinkle cheese evenly over top. Broil frittata about 6 inches from heat until set, slightly puffed, and golden, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Cool frittata 5 minutes, then loosen edge with a clean spatula and slide onto a large plate. Cut into wedges. Thank you all so much for such a great year. We've had a really good time farming this season... we had great weather, a great staff and great CSA members. We also had to relearn how to farm this year... how to farm with kids. Gina and I have 8 years combined experience (two years overlapping) running CSAs specifically... we still have a lot to learn about farming, but we're very comfortable and relaxed with the process. Having Adeline and Emilia changed the game. The girls made it simultaneously harder and easier to get the farm work done... and they definitely made it the most fun Gina and I have ever had during a growing season. And now its come to a close... Gina's mom is coming to stay with us while we put the gardens to bed... its just about time to get the wood in... and we're finally going to get to that fencing project we've been putting off all year. This time of year is always a little bittersweet... We're ready for a rest, but its hard to put another season behind us. So thank you all for everything this year... you folks really make our jobs easy. Its so easy to get up every day and slog through the fields knowing that there are members waiting for this weeks harvest. Cheers to you, and never underestimate the power of combining sage and butternut squash. This weeks veggies Brussels Sprouts Carrots Herbs, Baby Fennel Herbs, Parsley Herbs, Sage Kale Leeks Onions Pumpkins, Carving Squash, Butternut Link of the Week http://www.mofga.net/ I'm not sure if I've given you this link before, but its a good one. This is the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association's interactive food search site. It'll help keep you in good local food all year long. Recipe of the Week First off, baby fennel is great when cut up fine with parsley and added to potato salad... it has a great licorice flavor fresh and a mellow celery like flavor when its cooked. Use the whole thing, baby bulb through the stalks. I'll attach the link to the page below the recipe... its a good link. Butternut Squash and Sage Pasta
Heat the oven to 375F. Peel and cut the squashI usually cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the innards, and then peel each half before cutting the squash into about 1-inch pieces. I sometimes contemplate peeling the squash first, but I suspect that would make it more slippery and harder to cut in half. But that’s just me talking. You can come at that squash anyway that makes you happy. Once you’ve cut it up in to bits, toss it with the onion, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper, and spread out in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Mince half the sage leaves, and sprinkle them across the squash mixture, and roast the whole shebang for about 45 to 50 minutes. When the squash is done to your desired softness (meaning, would you prefer the squash to remain relatively solid, or for it to squashy puree sauce with the pasta?), heat a bit pot of salted water to cook the pasta. While the pasta is cooking, heat about half a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. When it’s hot, add the remaining whole sage leaves, and cook them for about a minute or two, until they’re nice and crispy. Remove them from the oil, let them cool a bit, and then smash them into an oily pulp with a spoon. Now, add the cooked pasta and the squash to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is heated through and well mixed. Add the pine nuts, the crushed sage, and the parmesan cheese, stir well, and cook for another few minutes http://kitchenilliterate.wordpress.com/2008/10/26/butternut-squash-and-sage-pasta/ The best part about collard greens is that you get to be a little rough with them. We've had collard greens a number of ways, with butter, with bacon, steamed with red beans and rice, sauteed with onion and brussels sprouts... and they all are great! The key, don't be afraid to cook the living hell out of them. Collard greens, like turnip greens, get tastier the longer you cook them. We don't mean burn them, make sure you have enough liquid in the pot, we mean cook them to all get out. Dixie be damned if they're really not my favorite cooking green... This weeks vegetables. Brussels Sprouts Carrots Collards Onions Parsley Potatoes Sun Tan Peppers Squash, Acorn Link of the week http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2010/03/collard_greens.html Recipe of the week Bread Stuffing With Crawfish (Shrimp works well as a sub), Bacon and Collard Greens
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add next 3 ingredients. sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add crawfish; sauté 2 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl. sauté bacon in same skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to bowl with vegetables. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat from skillet. Add greens and 1 cup broth. Cover and simmer until greens are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add greens and broth in skillet to vegetable mixture. Add parsley. DO AHEAD Bread cubes and vegetable mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately. Store bread at room temperature. Chill vegetable mixture. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Stir vegetable mixture into bread. Add remaining 3/4 cup broth; toss. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake until heated through, 25 minutes. Uncover; bake until top starts to brown, 25 minutes longer. The squash is in... and this week we're sending you delicata. Delicata is a great squash... its very versatile. First of, and most importantly, you can eat the skin, its actually very tasty. Secondly, it is sweet, not stringy, tender and quick to cook. We often cut it the long way, scoop out the seeds, place it upside down in a baking sheet with a little water and whammo, baked until tender. We put a variety of things on it... maple and salt, butter and salt, braggs (or soy sauce) and nutritional yeast. We also use the cooked squash as boats... filling them with ground beef, seasoned tofu or a finely chopped flavorful vegetable medley. Alternatively, you can cut the delicata in thin rounds and cook them on the stove top with your favorite root vegetables or whatever. They also blend well in roasted vegetable dishes... if you've never had a delicata, you're in for a treat. Its a bit different than the rest of the squash family... and you can eat the skin... I love easy food. This weeks vegetables Brussels Sprouts Carrots Delicata Squash Husk Cherries Leeks Lettuce Mix Red Bell Peppers Tomatillo Tomatoes Link of the week http://www.localharvest.org/ This directory has most anything you're looking for in the world of local food... recipes, farms and articals... and very nice people to boot! Recipes There are so many good brussels sprouts recipes out there that I'm going to just post some different sites that we think you might like. Happy Cooking!Braised Brussels Sprouts http://www.cookography.com/2007/braised-brussels-sprouts Brussels Sprouts and Cream! http://orangette.blogspot.com/2006/12/best-thing-since-brussels-sprouts.html The Best Brussels Sprouts Ever... http://blogs.chron.com/cookstour/archives/2007/11/best_brussels_s.html Now we're down to the family... our apprentices are done for the year and we're adjusting to life as the four of us again. We love our apprentices, they are fun, hard working, interesting and always full of life. We love the community they bring to our home, our farm, by simply showing up. And with this early fall (sort of, the pumpkins and squash are already cut, and the onions and storage potatoes are curing in the greenhouse), we got a jump on hunkering down by having an apprentice group that finished early. And there are up sides, and down sides to this earlier parting... we can take more leisurely mornings with the girls now, enjoy our babies on our own schedule and not have to worry what we'll be making for dinner... then we have to farm our brains out. As it turns out, children don't help with productivity on the farm... I don't think those ye ole timey farmers were breeding helpers... I think they just had long winters. And so it goes... but we're glad, we love the fall, we love the air, the pace, the cider and pancake mornings... but for a few more weeks its going to be a dead sprint to get the harvest in. This weeks vegetables Cherry Tomatoes Cucumber Dragon Lingerie Beans Husk Cherries Kale Lettuce Mix Red Bell Peppers Tomatoes Watermelon Link of the week http://www.locavoremovie.com/ This is a neat little site full of interesting facts and people... the farm that put this together is in the same little town in Colorado where Gina cut her teeth farming. Recipe Ideas Look back to the first couple of weeks this year for Kale ideas... don't forget about crips or cold marinated kale salad, those two alone are tough to beat! Oven Roasted Green Beans Pre-heat your oven to 450°F 1 pound green beans, stem ends snapped off 1 tablespoon olive oil Table salt and ground black pepper Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread beans on baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and use hands to toss green beans to coat the evenly with the oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss to coat. Distribute in one even layer. Roast 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet and redistributed beans. Put back in oven and continue baking 10-12 minutes until the beans are dark golden brown in spots and have started to shrivel. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Sorry for the delay in this weeks post. Mexican food is my comfort food. When I'm feeling down or tired or nostalgic or happy... or anything. I just love Mexican food... I love tacos, roast corn, paella, ceviche, Mexican barbecue, empanadas. The thing I love about it is that its simultaneously simple and expansive. Most dishes have just a handful of ingredients, but how you cook them can wildly change the flavor and character of the dish. I love Mexican food, and I don't love hot, spicy food... I've found that Mexican food is rarely hot, sometimes it definitely is, but it is just as often sweet, smokey, salty or sour... spicy heat is just one element, and one element that is easy to avoid if it doesn't interest you. Try slow roasting a pork shoulder in a water, salt, lemon juice and crushed pineapple... roast it in a dutch oven until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. Then serve it on hot corn tortillas with some shredded cheese and a little roasted tomatillo salsa, or chipotle hot sauce. Simple and delicious. Or oven roast the tomatillos, husk cherries, sungolds and bunching onions... blend them together in a food processor with some salt and chili powder and use it as a main dressing for a dirty rice and fish dish. There are endless varieties of tacos... vegetable, beef strip, fish, pork, cheese. Quesadillas are a real food item... you don't have to overload the cheese to make it a quesadilla. Roast the peppers, onions and husk cherries, add some jack cheese and bake it until its good and golden. You could make the Mixteca version called a tlayuda (tlie-oo-da) which is an open faced quesadilla... cook the veggies first then put some cheese on a tortilla, add the vegetables and cook them on the stove top until the cheese is melted. Corn soup is an old standby... open a can of corn into a pot, add some water (or veggie/chicken/beef broth), roasted veggies and salt to taste. And most importantly, salsa is food, its not a condiment. Cutting up tomatoes, onions, peppers into a bowl is a quick and easy way to really enjoy the freshness of the summer harvest. We eat this standard American salsa as a cold soup, or with chips, or with tortillas, or with anything. Mexican food is doesn't have to be the greasy, fatty, spicy weirdness of taco bell or whatever... its fun, easy food, its wholesome, its forgiving and its easy to get a hold of. Roasting is key. Slow roast your meat in a dutch oven. Eat corn tortillas, better yet, make corn tortillas! Love lime. Trust us, its worth the effort. This weeks harvest Baby Broccoli Whole Basil Plants Red Bunching Onions Carrots Chard Cherry Tomatoes Dragon Lingerie Beans Husk Cherries Juliet Tomatoes Leeks Red Bell Peppers Tomatillos Tomatoes Link of the week http://www.rickbayless.com/recipes/ This guy is a goofball... but hes also a phenomenal mexican cook Recipe of the week BROCCOLI CREAM SOUP W/ SAUTEED LEEKS 2 cups chopped leeks 1 lb. fresh broccoli florets 1 (14 oz. can) chicken broth 6 tbsp. light cream cheese 1 cup skim milk 1/8 tsp. ground red pepper 3/4 tsp. salt 1/3 cup finely chopped green onions (white and dark green parts) Spray a large dutch oven with cooking spray. Put pan over medium-high heat. Add leeks, spray leeks with cooking spray. Cook 4 minutes. Add broccoli and broth. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce to simmer. Cover, simmer 10 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Puree broccoli mix in blender 1 cup at a time. Return pureed soup to pan over medium heat. Whisk in cream cheese until melted. Stir in milk, red pepper and salt. Cook 2 minutes or until heated through. Top each serving with green onions. I've got a couple of things to talk about this week. 1. I should have mentioned this last week, but as its one of my favorite things to talk about, I'm going share a little about mucilaginous endocarps this week, and hopefully it'll help you at some point going forward. All fruits (with just a couple of very weird exceptions), have three structural levels to them. The exocarp (outside), mesocarp (middle) and endocarp (inside) are those three levels. Its easy to see the levels in a tomato... with the skin (exo), meat (meso) and juice (endo), but all fruits have them. Apples, squash, eggplant, cucumbers all have defined structural levels. One of the most important defining characteristics of the Solanaceae family (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes, husk cherries, tomatillos and so on) is that they all have what is called a mucilaginous endocarp... or juice around the seeds. Its easy to see in tomatoes... but in peppers it takes just a little imagination. In peppers, the mucilaginous endocarp is a slimy coating around the inside of the pepper walls and on the seeds... and in some peppers that slimy coating is very hot. You will hear a number of theories about how to deal with the spice of a hot pepper... take out the seeds, peel the ribs, soak them in water, but the surest way to have a very flavorful spicy pepper without too much heat is to scrape out the seeds and scrape the inside wall of the pepper with a knife... or in short, get rid of the mucilaginous endocarp. This is a very useful trick. I've found that since I've learned this, I've started using many more hot peppers in cooking. Hot peppers can have a wonderful fruity spice, but sometimes (most of the time) the heat is too prohibitive to really think of hot peppers as a main ingredient in life. Roasting hot peppers whole ahead of time makes it much easier to deal with the innards. 2. French onions soup is way better than I remembered... especially if you up the cheese and bread in the recipe. 3. Thank you so much for supporting our farm. It is enormously difficult to make a diversified farm profitable in these ultra-modern times. Value just isn't what it used to be... Most of our farmer friends are commodity farmers... of one sort or another. They grow tomatoes, or corn... they grow quite a lot of the most profitable vegetables with the idea that they will make a reasonable living. They are good farmers, good people and they have figured it out. We might be dumb as rocks. We grow a percentage of cash crops to help with the bottom line, but we're also interested in growing a wide range of vegetables to round out the harvest. But no matter how you run the numbers, green beans and radishes are not nearly as profitable as tomatoes. In the winter, we plan as a whole farm, not by individual crops, and put together formulas that work. If we planned by bottom line per crop alone, there would be no husk cherries, carrots, string beans, potatoes or watermelons... those crops have such a small profit margin that they need massive levels of industrialization to make them profitable. So we have to get creative, and thats where you folks come in. In a lot of ways, we're not unlike very large scale gardeners... and thats how we think of ourselves. We think of ourselves as being private gardeners for 50 families. And by blending everything together, thinking about our scene as a very large home garden and not a commodity farm, we can provide our community with a wonderful array of vegetables. We all sacrifice and benefit together. We don't make the money we would if we stuck to just the high dollar crops, but we get to have the fun of growing a wide variety of vegetables that have very different needs... it helps keep it fresh for us, and helps us keep our grocery bills down. You folks don't get the choice of vegetables and have to endure crop failures (beets, eggplants and lettuce this year) because of climate or farmer error, but you get a wicked bang for your buck on your investment in our farm, your farm. All of this is a very, very long winded way of saying thank you... we love farming, we love growing food for you, and we really couldn't do it without you. This is the best deal going for a farmer... we know who you are and we feel a level of responsibility to treat you well. Thank you, we can't thank you enough. This weeks vegetables Acorn Squash Carrots Cherry Tomatoes Dragon Lingerie Beans Husk Cherries Red Bell Peppers Red Onions Tomatoes Watermelon Quarter White Onions Link of the week http://wrightnewsletter.com/2005/05/19/the-health-benefits-of-eating-onions/ Recipe Ideas The Best French Onion Soup Notes: For the best flavor, make the soup a day or 2 in advance. Alternatively, the onions can be prepared through step 1, cooled in the pot, and refrigerated for up to 3 days before proceeding with the recipe. Ingredients: Soup
For the soup:
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