Hey everyone! My name is Monique and I am part of the 2020 veggie crew. While I may be new to Open Field Farm, I am not new to farming. I was born and raised in Petaluma and grew up surrounded by agriculture – my great grandparents had a productive backyard garden, my grandma had two goats in her suburban backyard on the eastside of town, and my neighbors all had some combination of livestock and crops growing on their property.
After my first year away at college, I came home to spend the summer interning at Petaluma Bounty. This was my first exposure to farming, not just gardening. It’s where I gained new respect for farmers and farm workers and began to understand everything that is required for me to enjoy the food that I eat. While I earned my degree in environmental engineering, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career that would more closely tie me to the land and to food.
After college, I participated in the internship program at Green String Farm. A few months after that, I began my service as a Sustainable Agriculture Volunteer with the Peace Corps in Panama. I spent two years in Panama working with coffee producers in the indigenous lands of the Ngäbe-Buglé tribe. I often think about the community, about my Panamanian friends and family, when I’m working in the fields here at the farm. While I miss them, I am grateful to have found a new community to be a part of here at Open Field Farm. I have learned a lot not only from Sarah and Seth, but also from all of the other crew members.
P.S. If anyone is looking for good resources on learning about anti-racism in food and agriculture, Food+Tech Connect has put together a list of resources including articles and books to read, videos to watch, media to follow, podcasts to listen to, and more! Here’s the link: https://foodtechconnect.com/2020/06/29/food-ag-anti-racism-resources-black-food-farm-businesses-to-support/
This week’s pick list:
Eggs
Albion Strawberries
Rhonda Beets
Yaya Carrots
Kolibri Kohlrabi
Summer Squash: Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle
Cucumber: Mideast Peace, Summer Dance, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle
Solaris Fennel
Pink Beauty Radishes
Everygreen Hardy Scallions
Alto Leeks (We plant these spring leeks in clumps and harvest them young and tender.)
Garlic: Metechi Hard Neck and Inchelium Red Soft Neck
Lettuce
Kale: Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm
Champion Collards
Ruby Red Chard
Cabbage: Farao and Emiko
Basil, Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley
Olive Oil
Great Grandma’s Zucchini Patties
This isn’t the healthiest recipe, but it’s one that fondly remember eating growing up. Especially during the summers when there was always an abundance of zucchinis!
2 cups shredded zucchini
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/3-1/2 cup of flour
1/3 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Pepper to taste
Stir all ingredients together. Add more flour if the mixture seems too watery – it should have the consistency of a thick batter. In a frying pan, heat about ½” of oil for frying (I like to use sunflower oil). Drop the batter in the heated oil by the spoonful. Let the bottom get a light sear on it, then flip it and press it down with a spatula. Let the patty cook on one side, then slip and finish cooking on the other side. Repeat the process until the last of the batter is used up. Let cooked patties drain on paper towels.