After the intense but glorious rain, all the drainages were running. A few are still trickling even today. It is a treat to hear the sound of running water. Teddy and I hiked around the farm on Saturday, basking in the wet fields and full ponds, feeling grateful for the nourishing water that was everywhere.
We are battling a bug invasion in one of the tunnels. We have been researching what they are, who eats them, and what caused them to appear. They were probably in the soil and the wet, humid environment caused them all to hatch. We are clearing our old beds, opening the doors and hoping to entice them out into the pasture, and planning to release some beneficials to hopefully help reduce them.
We have many events this week and beyond! We hope you can join us:
- This Wednesday April 11th All Member Meeting 6-8 pm in the hay barn
- This Friday April 13th Walk to the cows at 4:30, stay for a potluck around 5:30
- Saturday May 5th May Day
This week's pick list:
- Carrots
- Winter squash
- Pea shoots
- Pac choy
- Potatoes
- Chard
- Beets
- Cabbage
- Spinach
- Turnip
- Lettuce
- Spigarello
- Green Garlic
- Ground Basque and Cayenne pepper
- Revolution Bread is available
Melting Potatoes, from smittenkitchen.com
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch slices
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock or low-sodium broth
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
Heat oven to 500 degrees F.
[This is really, crazy hot. If you’re really nervous, I suppose that 450 degrees or 475 will also work, but I made it both times at 500 without problems.]
Place melted butter in the bottom of a large bowl. Stir in herbs, if using, salt, and pepper. Add potato slices and mix to evenly coat them. Spread potato slices and all of the good stuff at the bottom of the bowl in a 9×13 (quarter-sheet) metal (a glass baking dish shouldn’t be used at this high of a temperature) baking pan.
Roast potatoes for 15 minutes. Use a thin spatula to loosen potatoes and turn them over. Roast for a second 15 minutes, then carefully pour stock or broth into pan and add the garlic cloves. Roast for 15 minutes more, until potatoes are fully tender.