A foggy eclipse

We have been wondering how to mark the eclipse on the farm but the fog seemed to answer the question for us as there was little to see. Still it did seem as the sky darkened and it became colder.

We weeded the storage carrots and beets today, as well as began prepping the winter field to plant this week. We have a break in greenhouse sowings but we will seed the overwintered carrots and beets directly into the field on Wednesday.

This week's pick list:

• Carrots
• Turnips
• Potatoes
• Corn
• Summer squash
• Cucumbers
• Fennel
• Lettuce
• Kale
• Scallions
• Chard
• Collards
• Spinach
• Eggplant
• Hot pepper
• Spring onions
• Kohlrabi
• Melon
• Garlic
• Parsley, basil, cilantro, and dill
• Strawberries
• Pick your own crops! New this week: pole beans!
• Revolution Bread is available

SWEET CORN & ZUCCHINI SALAD, from dishingupthedirt.com

Dressing

• 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and diced
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt + pepper to taste

Salad

• 4 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 4 ears of corn)
• 2 medium sized zucchini, julienned with a vegetable peeler
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, minced
• feta cheese, crumbled for serving (optional)
• salt + pepper to taste

Prepare the dressing by blending all the ingredients together with an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl toss the corn with the julienned zucchini, red onion and cilantro. Drizzle with the dressing and toss until well combined. Sprinkle the salad with feta cheese and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Pick your own

The pick your own field is bursting with flowers, food, and life right now. Please feel free to pick as many flowers as you can; the more you pick the more the plants will produce. The flowers will last the best if you pick them directly into water. We do suggest bringing a small bucket or container. Many of the flowers are also good to dry. We will be slowly drying them for wreath making at the fall festival as well. 

There are also many shishito and patron peppers, tomatillos, ground cherries, and cherry tomatoes. We have 4 varieties of cherry tomatoes: red, orange, white, and striped pink. As well, there is chamomile and tulsi (holy basil) that you can harvest for tea. Please ask us if you need any help finding any of the crops or knowing how to pick them. 

This week's pick list:

• Carrots
• Turnips
• Potatoes
• Corn
• Summer squash
• Cucumbers
• Fennel
• Leeks
• Lettuce
• Beets
• Kale
• Scallions
• Chard
• Collards
• Eggplant
• Hot pepper
• Spring onions
• Kohlrabi
• Parsley, basil, cilantro, and dill
• Strawberries
• Pick your own crops!
• Revolution Bread is available

Pasta and Zuchinni Salad, from nytimes.com

• Salt
•  black pepper
• ⅔ cup sunflower oil
• 3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 cups basil leaves, shredded coarsely
• ¼ cup parsley leaves
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 9 ounces strozzapreti or penne pasta
•  Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 ½ tablespoons capers
• 7 ounces buffalo mozzarella, torn into chunks

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a medium saucepan, heat sunflower oil over medium-high heat. Fry zucchini slices in batches (do not crowd them) for 3 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a colander to drain. Tip zucchini slices into a bowl, pour vinegar on top and stir, then set aside.

In a food processor, combine half the basil, all of the parsley and the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and process until smooth.

In boiling water, cook pasta until al dente; drain and rinse under cold water. Return pasta to pot. Pour zucchini slices and their juices over pasta. Add edamame, basil sauce, lemon zest, capers and mozzarella. Stir together gently, then taste and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Before serving, stir in remaining basil.

Cooler days

The heavy fog and drizzle of late has refreshed the fields and ourselves. While it does feel a little cool for summer, the added moisture is lovely. The summer crops are slowly ripening; there are a few red tomatoes in the field and we are picking corn this week. The cool weather might not quicken the process but we know they will come soon. 

This week's pick list:

• Carrots
• Turnips
• Green beans
• Corn
• Summer squash
• Cucumbers
• Fennel
• Leeks
• Lettuce
• Beets
• Kale
• Scallions
• Chard
• Hot pepper
• Spring onions
• Kohlrabi
• Parsley, basil, and dill
• Strawberries
• Pick your own shishito and padron peppers, cherry tomatoes, and tomatillos

Beet Yogurt With Herbs, from bonapetit.com

Scoop up this vibrant condiment with wedges of warm pita.

• 3 medium red or golden beets (about 1 pound), trimmed
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups yogurt
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint plus torn leaves for serving
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 teaspoons (or more) red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 450°. Place beets in a small baking dish and add hot water to come 1/2-inch up sides of dish; season with salt. Cover beets with a piece of parchment paper, then cover dish tightly with foil.

Cook beets until tender, about 1 hour. Remove beets from baking dish, let cool slightly, then rub off skins with a paper towel. Coarsely grate beets.

Mix beets, yogurt, chopped mint, tarragon, oil, and 2 teaspoons vinegar in a medium bowl; season with salt and more vinegar, if desired. Cover and chill at least 3 hours to let flavors meld.

Top beet yogurt with mint leaves.

DO AHEAD: Beet yogurt can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Little big helper

Teddy is still home for summer break while Margrethe and Oliver have started school again. He is not quite happy with the situation but he is making the best of it: joining us in the fields and participating in Green Heron Summer Camp when it is at the farm. Most of the time he is entertaining and brings much laughter to the fields. Sometimes he is a great help and then there are the times when he is climbing all over you as you try and weed.

This week's pick list:

• Carrots
• Turnips
• Radish
• Shelling peas
• Summer squash
• Cucumbers
• Fennel
• Leeks
• Lettuce
• Beets
• Kale
• Collards
• Chard
• Cabbage
• Spinach
• Spring onions
• Kohlrabi
• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill
• Strawberries

Zucchini Butter, from food52.com

• 2 pounds zucchini or assorted summer squash (feel free to use less or add extra -- cooking times will vary)
• 1/4 cup olive oil or butter
• 2 minced onions, garlic, or combination of both
• Salt and pepper

Coarsely grate the zucchini. Let it drain in a colander for 3 to 4 minutes or until you are ready to begin cooking. To hasten cooking time, squeeze the water out of the zucchini by wringing it in a clean cloth towel.

In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil/butter. Sauté the onions or garlic briefly. Add the zucchini and toss. Cook and stir over medium to medium-high heat until the zucchini reaches a spreadable consistency, about 15 minutes. If you scorch the bottom, turn the flame down! (And scrape those delicious bits into the butter for added flavor -- you can splash in a little water to help deglaze the pan.) The zucchini will hold its bright green color and slowly caramelize into a nice vegetable jam.

Enjoy on toast, or as a side dish all summer long! Feel free to add herbs and spices you enjoy!

Harvesting herbs

The herb dryer that Seth and Jose have been slowly building is complete, just in time to harvest the bounty of herbs in the fields right now. We raked the half of the chamomile bed and put some in the dryer today. Now when you enter the room you can smell the delicious scent of chamomile wafting out. 

We weeded the onions as well; it is nice to be able to see them as you drive by. The storage carrots and beets are being planted this week. The winter field is being watered and tilled. The young chicks are going out into the big coop.

This week's pick list:

• Carrots
• Turnips
• Snap peas
• Shelling peas
• Summer squash
• Cucumbers
• Fennel
• Leeks
• Lettuce
• Beets
• Kale
• Collards
• Kohlrabi
• Basil, Cilantro, and Dill
• Strawberries

KOHLRABI TAHINI SALAD, from dishingupthedirt.com

Tahini Dressing

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons white miso
• 2 teaspoons honey
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup water + additional to thin if necessary

Salad

• 1 large or 2 small kohlrabi
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup dill, minced

Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing until smooth and creamy. This works best with an immersion blender or small food processor. Taste test and adjust seasonings as needed.

Trim and discard the leaves and stems from your kohlrabi (reserve the leaves for another use). Peel the kohlrabi, then thinly slice the bulb into thin rounds. Stack the rounds and slice into thin matchsticks. Set aside.

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the sunflower seeds and salt and toast, shaking the pan often, until golden brown and fragrant. About 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large bowl toss the kohlrabi with half of the dressing. If it seems like it needs more, add a little at a time until evenly coated. Divide between plates and top with sunflower seeds and minced dill.

Summer pause

We have time this week to step back and assess the fields, to dive into longer projects, and to plan for the fall. There is a break in plantings. While the harvests are growing, they have not reached their peak. Most of the crops are well established; we are tending them and waiting for them to ripen. We are prepping the beds for fall crops and beginning to work the winter field. 

This week's pick list:

• Carrots
• Radish
• Turnips
• Spinach
• Snap peas
• Shelling peas
• Summer squash
• Cucumbers
• Fennel
• Scallions
• Lettuce
• Chard
• Kale
• Collards
• Kohlrabi
• Cilantro and Dill
• Strawberries

Herb and Radish Salad with Feta and Walnuts, from nytimes.com

• 1 cup walnuts
• 2 bunches small radishes, trimmed (about 15 radishes)
• 3 Persian cucumbers, ends trimmed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
•  Salt and ground black pepper
• 3 ounces sheep’s milk feta cheese, crumbled (preferably French feta)
• ½ cup scallions, sliced thin
• 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems (about 1 bunch)
• 1 cup loosely packed dill fronds, stems removed (about 1 large bunch)
• ½ cup loosely packed mint leaves (about 1 small bunch)
• 2 sprigs tarragon, leaves stripped

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool, then chop roughly. Place in a sieve and shake away loose skin and crumbs. Set chopped nuts aside.

Use a sharp knife or mandoline to slice the radishes and cucumbers into thin coins roughly 1/8-inch thick. Place in a medium bowl. Add walnuts.

In a small glass or jar, whisk together lemon juice and olive oil to make the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Just before serving, season radishes, cucumbers and walnuts with a pinch of salt and dress lightly with 3 to 4 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Toss well to combine. Add crumbled cheese and toss gently to combine without breaking the cheese down too much. Arrange in a loose mound in a shallow serving bowl (or on a platter).

Place herbs in the mixing bowl, season with a pinch of salt, and dress very lightly with about 1 tablespoon vinaigrette. Toss to combine, then pile the herb salad atop the radishes and cucumbers. Serve immediately.

Cleaning up

The fields are almost all planted. We are starting to replant many of them in preparation for fall. The plants are filling in, covering the soil, and turning the fields into a solid sea of green, dotted with yellow from the mustard weeds.

We are focused on weeding this week, trying to get a jump on the young weeds and to rescue overgrown beds. 

This week's pick list:

• Carrots
• Radish
• Snap peas
• Shelling peas
• Summer squash
• Cucumbers
• Fennel
• Scallions
• Lettuce
• Chard
• Kale
• Collards
• Garlic Scapes
• Kohlrabi
• Cilantro and Dill
• Strawberries

Chard Stem Hummus, from food52.com

Makes 1 cup 

• Chard stalks from 1 pound whole chard, trimmed and chopped
• 1 whole clove garlic or scape
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the stalks until very tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain.

Place the garlic in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Add the chard stalks and purée, then add the remaining ingredients and process until very smooth.

Transfer to a shallow bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and serve at room temperature. The hummus also can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Return to room temperature before serving.

Many t posts

We finished trellising all the tomatoes which is satisfying. We used many more t posts between the plants this year so that the plants will be more upright and it will be easier to harvest the tomatoes. All the used t posts from old cow fence around the property came in handy; we actually had the perfect amount!

We sowed our first big fall planting in the greenhouse: cabbages, broccoli, and cauliflower for cooler days.

This week's pick list:

• Snap peas
• Summer squash
• Fennel
• Scallions
• Lettuce
• Chard
• Kale
• Collards
• Garlic Scapes
• Spinach
• Frisee
• Turnips
• Cilantro and Dill
• Strawberries

Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake, from 101cookbooks.com

• 2 cups zucchini, unpeeled & grated
• 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 2 garlic scapes, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
• zest of one lemon
• 2 large eggs, well beaten
• 1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
• drizzle of olive oil

Preheat oven to 325F degrees, racks the middle. Butter/oil a 7-inch springform pan. 

In a strainer, toss the shredded zucchini with the salt and let sit for ten minutes. Now aggressively squeeze and press out as much moisture as you can. Then squeeze some more. Set aside.

In the meantime, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, scallions, garlic scapes, dill, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Stir in the eggs and continue mixing until well combined. Now stir in the shredded zucchini. Fill the springform pan with the ricotta mixture and place on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for sixty minutes. If there is any moisture left on top of the cake at this point, carefully use a bit of paper towel to dab it off. Now sprinkle with the goat cheese and return to the oven for another 20 -30 minutes or until the goat cheese is melted and the cake barely jiggles in the center (it will set up more as it cools). 

At this point, if the cake is baked and set, but the top isn't quite golden, I'll zap it with the broiler (just about a minute) to get a bit more color on top. Remove from the oven and let cool five minutes, then release the cake from its pan. Cool completely, serve at room temperature drizzled with a bit of olive oil and a few sprigs of dill.

Warm soil

The heat wave combined with the long days of the solstice produced a massive growth spurt in the fields. The soil is warm to the touch and the plants are clearly relishing it. We harvested the garlic last week and it is curing in the newly shaded hoop house. It is hard to believe how cool it was in there even on the hottest days; the shade cloth is amazing. 

We cut hay last week that cured nicely in the heat. Now we are fortunate to be bringing it in during these cooler days. After the mad dash that haying is back east, it feels rather luxurious to not have to worry about rain.

This week's pick list:

• Snap peas
• Fennel
• Scallions
• Lettuce
• Chard
• Kale
• Collards
• Garlic Scapes
• Tokyo Bekana
• Turnips
• Strawberries

Grilled Vegetable Vinaigrette, from food52.com

Author Notes: Feel free to use any combination of grilled vegetables and herbs you've got, but this one is especially good. As Bloomfield writes, "This is a chunky dressing that makes each bite of a salad taste different. The dressing is also good spooned over a steak and sprinkled with crumbled blue cheese, or dolloped onto a lamb chop with some feta." We also loved it spooned onto toast, stirred into pasta or potatoes or tuna salad. Makes 2 cups

• 1 medium fennel bulb, outer layer, stalks and fronds removed, root end trimmed of brown bits
• 6 scallions
• 1 frisee (outermost leaves removed, bottom trimmed of brown bits, cut in half)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Maldon or another flaky sea salt
• 1 garlic scape, very finely chopped
• A five-finger pinch of fresh mint leaves
• A five-finger pinch of fresh marjoram leaves

Halve the fennel bulb lengthwise and cut each halfway through the root nub (so the wedges stay intact) into about 1-inch-thick wedges.

Heat a grill or heavy grill pan over high heat until it’s good and hot, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add fennel, scallions, and frisee. Cook, turning vegetables over occasionally, until fennel and scallions are lightly charred in spots and cooked through, but still have a little bite.

As they finish, pop the grilled vegetables into a bowl and cover until they’ve cooled fully. They’ll steam a bit and cook some more as they cool. Once they’ve all cooled, chop the vegetables into a mix of about 1/2-inch pieces, some smaller and some larger.

Pop the vegetables back into the bowl, add the oil, vinegar, salt and garlic, and stir really well. Toss the mint and marjoram together on a cutting board, give them a rough chop and stir them into the dressing. 

Melting

The first big heat wave of the summer always reminds me how grateful I am for the wind that runs through our valley. We can usually count on it to start mid afternoon, just as the heat is peaking. I was away this weekend, watching the temperatures climb on my phone, worrying about the crew, plants, and animals at the farm. While the heat was intense, I need not to have worried as everyone and everything was doing well. 

This week's pick list:

• Kale
• Lettuce
• Scallions
• Garlic Scapes
• Tokyo bekana
• Radishes
• Carrots
• Strawberries

SHORTCAKES, from smittenkitchen.com

• 2 1/4 cups (295 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons (40 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
• 6 tablespoons (85 grams or 3 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, cut into chunks
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (205 ml) heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons (35 grams) raw or turbinado sugar

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, and salt until thoroughly combined. Add butter and using your fingertips or a pastry blender, break it into small bits, the largest should be no bigger than a small pea. In a small bowl, whisk yolks with a splash of cream, then pour rest of cream in and whisk to combine. Pour into butter-flour mixture and use a rubber spatula to mix and mash it together into one cohesive dough. 

Divide dough into 6 (for large, 3 1/2 to 3 3/4-inch wide and up to 2-inch tall) shortcakes or 8 smaller ones. I do this by pressing the dough somewhat flat into the bottom of the bowl (to form a circle) and using a knife to divide it into pie-like wedges. Place raw or turbinado sugar in a small bowl. Roll each wedge of shortcake into a ball in your hands and roll it through the raw/turbinado sugar, coating it in all but a small area that you should leave bare. (I found that the sugar underneath the shortcakes would burn, so better to leave it off.)

Place it, bare spot down, on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wedges of dough. Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden all over. Let cool completely on tray or on a cooling rack.

Bright nights

We are enjoying the abundance of light and long days, basking in the extended day length before and after the work day. The ground seems to have finally awoken from the saturated rains and the plants are beginning to thrive. The growth this spring in the planted feels slow, possibly in contrast to the grass explosion that surrounded us.

The rain last week was a pleasant surprise: a lovely cleaning shower. The pause gave us a moment to tackle needed tasks: building compost piles and tending to the greenhouse. Now we are back to weeding.

This week's pick list:

• Radish
• Carrots
• Spinach
• Lettuce Mix
• Arugula
• Scallions
• Garlic Scapes
• Pac Choy
• Strawberries

Homemade Tarragon Soda, from 101cookbooks.com

1 cup natural cane sugar
1 cup water
3 sprigs of fresh tarragon

sparkling water, seltzer water, or a non-sweetened carbonated drink like grapefruit or meyer lemon Spindrift

for serving: ice, and some fresh tarragon leaves

Taking root

Many of the plants in the field have taken root and are slowing starting to grow. It is hard to believe that soon enough the fields will be full of green. The first little flowers are blooming in the annual flower garden, as well as many in the perennial field. 

This week's pick list:

• Bread
• Basil
• Pac Choy
• Tatsoi
• Tokyo Bekana
• Chard
• Carrots
• Garlic Scapes
• Onions

GRILLED BOK CHOY WITH BREADCRUMBS, PARMESAN & LEMON, from dishingupthedirt.com

• 1 loaf of good quality bread 
• 2 heads of bok choy
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil + additional for serving if desired
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1-2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
• flakey sea salt for serving

Preheat the oven to 300F. Cut the bread into small cubes. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and dry out slightly in the oven for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and pulse the bread in a food processor until they're small crumbs. Set aside.

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium. Slice the heads of bok choy in half lengthwise. Drizzle with the olive oil and rub it in until evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place the bok choy cut side down on the grill. Cover and cook until tender and lightly charred, about 8-10 minutes.

In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, the parmesan cheese, parsley, and lemon zest.

Place the bok choy on a platter and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Season with flakey sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil.  Serve warm.

Curious chicks

The chicks are almost 2 weeks old and they are busting out of their pen already. We will open up the dividers and give them the whole barn today. They are vigorous, healthy, and endlessly entertaining to watch.

We planted the potatoes and winter squash last week, two of the largest crops now in the ground. This is the last week of big plantings until the fall. We are now turning our focus to weeding and cultivating, as well as catching up on mowing and other projects.

This week's pick list:

• Bread
• Onions
• Green garlic
• Carrots
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Arugula
• Tatsoi
• Strawberries

Green Garlic Toasts, from nytimes.com

•  Slices of crusty bread
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• 2 ½ tablespoons chopped young green garlic stalks, white and green parts
• 1 tablespoon minced chives
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste
•  Large pinch red chile flakes
• 1 regular (not green) garlic clove, halved

Heat the broiler. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and broil them, flipping them halfway through cooking time, until golden on both sides. Keep warm.

In a bowl, stir together the butter, cheese, green garlic, chives, pepper, salt and chile.

Rub the toast with the cut side of the regular garlic clove, then spread with the green garlic butter. Broil toast again for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, until the tops lightly brown and the butter melts. Serve hot or warm.

Glorious planting

The greenhouse is rapidly emptying as more and more starts are in the ground. It is exciting to see the fields filling and to be growing again. This week we hope to plant the winter squash and potatoes, as well as the dahlias and more. The warm weather accelerated the growth in the greenhouse and fields; all the plants seemed to bask in it. Still we are grateful for the morning fog and a little cool down to let the new plants take root and enjoy some extra moisture.

This week's pick list:

• Bread
• Green garlic
• Onions
• Carrots
• Kale
• Collards
• Lettuce
• Salad Mix

FARM STAND MEATBALLS WITH COLLARD GREENS & APRICOTS, from dishingupthedirt.com

Meatballs 

• 1 pound grass fed ground beef
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, de-stemmed and minced
• 1 green garlic, minced
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Honey-Dijon Collard Greens & Apricots 

• 1 large bunch of collard greens, tough removed and very thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
• 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 6 dried apricots, chopped
• salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large bowl add your ground beef, rosemary, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix well. Once the herbs and spices are evenly distributed form the mixture into small meatballs.

Coat the bottom of a large cast iron skillet with oil. Arrange the meatballs neatly in the pan. Bake in the oven for about 18- 20 minutes or until your meatballs are cooked through.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and place the pan on the stove. Use tongs to remove the meatballs to a large plate (reserving the pan juices) and heat the skillet to medium. Add the mustard and honey and whisk well. Add the collard greens and cook, stirring often, until they are coated in the honey/mustard mixture and are becoming tender, about 3 minutes. Add the chopped apricots, salt and pepper, toss well. Place the meatballs back in the pan to heat though and serve warm.

Spring winds

All the vegetable fields are tilled and the irrigation headers are in so we are ready to plant. Everything is ready and should be in the ground now so we are excited to be able to give all the starts more room. We  will have all the tractors going, using both the single row and double row transplanters. 

Almost all of the dry crops are planted. We are hoping the rain showers expected to day swing our way to give these crops a dose of moisture.

This week's pick list:

• Mustard greens
• Kale
• Onions
• Carrots
• Lettuce
• Popcorn

Roasted Onion Dip with Kale, from food52.com

For the onion dip:

• 2 green garlic sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ounces spring onions sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2/3 cup cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Coarse sea salt and black pepper

Heat the oven to 425°F/220°C (390°F/200°C convection).

Mix 1 tablespoon olive oil with onions and garlic on a sheet tray. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until browned and soft. Set aside to cool, then finely chop. 

Transfer the onions to a bowl and add the cream cheese, sour cream, the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix well and set aside until ready to use.

For the kale:

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• pinch chili flakes
• 1 1/4 pounds curly kale, washed, tough stems removed, cut widthwise into 1 1/2-inch slices (1 pound)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Put the oil for the kale into a large sauté pan and place over medium-high heat. Add the kale, along with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and chili flakes, and cook for 3 minutes—you might need to do this in two or three batches, depending on the size of your pan—stirring often, until the kale is cooked but still retains a bite. Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice, and serve warm on a large platter or individual starter plates, with dollops of the green onion dip spooned on top.

Game Day

The fields are drying out rapidly and we are working hard to get them prepped before we lose too much moisture. We direct seeded greens, beets, carrots, and more yesterday, as well as transplanting broccoli and lettuce. Some of the crops will be ready rapidly and some take time. Still we are excited to be growing again and look forward to having more food for us all. We are hoping to get the wheat planted today, as well as fennel, scallions, pac hoy, and chicories.

This week's pick list:

• Kale
• Green garlic
• Onions
• Lettuce

Green Garlic Soup, adapted from David Tanis
 

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 6 stalks green garlic , sliced
• 1 teaspoon thyme, fresh
• 3scups greens, mixed, such as kale, chard, or spinach
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 whole lemon
• 1/8teaspoon sea salt, to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
• In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Add the green garlic shoots, thyme, and onions. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add greens and simmer until tender. Check seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

New lambs, dry fields

The heat and sun are drawing us out of our wet slumber: the grass is heading up, the greenhouse plants are perking up, and the fields are drying out. We put a new header in the perennial field yesterday. It was a slow process which is hard when we are so anxious to get everything done at once. That seems to be how the year starts though: it takes a little bit to return to routines and to find a rhythm.

The cows finished grazing the first field this weekend. It has been mowed and we will finish spading it today. We have disced about half of the grain fields once and hope to finish them today. A new lamb arrived this weekend!

This week's pick list:

• Wheat berries
• Green Garlic
• Turnip
• Radish
• Choice of grass fed beef

How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries, from thekitchn.com

Approximately 3 cups

What You Need

Ingredients
1 cup wheat berries
Salt
Olive oil (optional)

Equipment
Measuring cups
Baking tray (optional)
2-quart sauce pan with lid
Strainer
Bowl for tossing (optional)

Instructions

1. Toast the wheat berries (optional). Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Spread the wheat berries on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until lightly colored and aromatic.
2. Cook on the stovetop.  Transfer the wheat berries into a sauce pan and add 3 cups of water and a big pinch of salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover the pan.
3. Check for doneness.  At about 30 minutes, start checking for doneness by scooping out a few berries and carefully tasting after they've cooled a bit.  They should be chewy but not tough. If not quite done, continue cooking and check the wheat berries every 5 minutes. You may need to cook them up to 25 minutes longer depending on the exact variety of wheat berry you purchased and their age.
4. Drain.  Drain the berries in the strainer and transfer to a bowl.  Toss with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
5. Store in refrigerator.  If not using right away, store the cooked wheat berries in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.  Gently reheat in a frying pan over low heat until hot, or serve at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

• Check the pot on occasion to be sure there is enough water.  Add more hot water as needed.
• Farro is another wheat grain very similar to wheat berries. It is cooks just like wheat berries, but will require a shorter cooking time.  Start checking at 30 minutes.  Farro can be used interchangeably in recipes calling for wheat berries.

for more details: www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-tender-chewy-wheat-berries-and-farro-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-189553

Swimming in grass

While the weather is still gray, we do feel that a change is finally coming. We were able to till the asparagus beds and are planning to plant tomorrow. The cows are grazing through the fields and we hope to begin tilling next week. We are working on additions to the potting shed to make seeding easier and more efficient.

While the vegetable growing has been difficult in this abundance of rain, the grass season has been incredible. The grass is at its peak right now; the cows fill easily and are lying down more. The grass is so tall in many places, even spots we have already grazed twice, it is hard to believe.

Please join us this Friday to walk to the pond and see the wildflowers! We will begin to hike at 4 pm. We will also have a fire going. Bring a picnic dinner if you wish!

This week's pick list:

• Bread
• Lettuce
• Tatsoi
• Chard
• Green Garlic
• Turnip
• Radish

Rosemary Olive Oil Cake, from Good to the Grain

• 2 1/4 cups / 10.5 oz / 290 g flour
• 3/4 cup / 4 oz / 115g sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup / 240 ml olive oil
• 3/4 cup / 180 ml whole milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 5 ounces / 140 g bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons sugar for top crunch

Preheat the oven to 350F / 175C. Rub a 9 1/2-inch (24 cm) fluted tart pan, or equivalent, with olive oil (and/or line with parchment paper).

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly. Add the olive oil, milk and rosemary and whisk again. Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry, gently mixing just until combined. Stir in 2/3 of the chocolate. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly and smoothing the top. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate and run a fork along the length of the chocolate so that the batter envelops it just a bit. Sprinkle with the second sugar.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is domed, golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. 

The cake can be eaten warm or cool from the pan, or cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic, and kept for 2 days.

Serves 8 -12.

Sun in the forecast

Even though it is drizzly today, we are grateful to look at the weather predictions and see some hope of drying out. We are ready this week to put new plastic on the hoop house, to install new irrigation in the perennial fields, and to begin grazing the wheat field.

We are also looking forward to our All Member Meeting this Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 pm in the CSA Barn!

This week's pick list:

• Sonora wheat flour
• Chard
• Green garlic
• Radish
• Turnip
• Delicata Squash

Swiss Chard Pancakes [Farçous]
Adapted from smittenkitchen.com and Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table

This is very flexible recipe. Once you have the milk, flour and egg base in place, you can add the suggested combination of onions, herbs and greens below or one more suited to your tastes/what you have in the fridge right now. 
 

• 2 cups (475 ml) whole milk
• 2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 spring garlic, coarsely chopped
• Small handful of fresh herbs
• 5 large or 10 small Swiss chard leaves, center ribs removed, roughly chopped
• About 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil

To serve: Plain, thick yogurt mixed with a little lemon zest, lemon juice and salt, to taste

If you’d like to keep your finished pancakes warm while you cook them: Heat oven to 250 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil. 

Make the batter: Put everything except the Swiss chard and oil in a blender or food processor and whirl until the batter is smooth. Scrape down sides. Add chard leaves and pulse machine until they’re chopped to your desired consistency. 

Cook the pancakes: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and pour in a good puddle (1/4-inch deep) of oil. Once oil is hot enough that a droplet of batter hisses and sputters, spoon about 3 tablespoons batter in per pancake. It will spread quickly. Cook until browned underneath and (the edges will scallop, adorably), then flip, cooking on the other side until browned again. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, and then, if you’d like to keep them warm, to the foil-lined tray in the oven. 

Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with lemony yogurt or another sauce of your choice. 

Do ahead: Unused batter keeps in fridge for 3 days. Finished pancakes keep in fridge for a couple days, and will freeze much longer. Separate pancakes with pieces of waxed or parchment paper so they don’t glue together.

Organization

The weather is making us go a little stir crazy as we are anxious to plant and to return to a more predictable rhythm. Still we finishing many projects that have languished on the list as well as getting very organized and prepped for production. 

Four calves have been born since Sunday. The oldest and lead cow Blossom is always one of the first. This year she had a beautiful brown and white spotted calf. 

This week's pick list:

• Chard
• Radish
• Turnip
• Green garlic
• Winter squash
• Wheat berries

Wheat Berries and Chard with Pomegranate Molasses, from Jerusalem by Ottolenghi

• 1 1⁄3lbs swiss chard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 large green garlic, green and pale green parts, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 1 1⁄4 cups wheat berries
• 2 cups chicken stock
• salt & fresh ground pepper
• Greek yogurt, to serve

Separate the chard's white stalk from the leaves, and slice the stalks into 3/8 inch slices.

Heat the oil and butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot. When the butter has melted add the green garlic and cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes. Add the chard stalks and cook for another 3 minutes.

Add the maple syrup, pomegranate molasses and wheat berries, mixing well. Add the stock, 3/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper for taste. Cook on low heat for 60-70 minutes, or until the wheat berries are al dente. Add the sliced chard and cook until chard is tender. Keep cooking until the base of the liquid has evaporated, and there is caramelizing on the pan.

Remove from heat, and do a taste test to check whether more salt, pepper and molasses is neede.