Tunnel Update

By Cecilia

I am sure you all have been seeing the veggies growing out in the field when you drive by on CSA day, but I wanted to give you an update on what is going on inside the tunnels! At our all member meeting I spoke a little about how we tried to rearrange our crop plan in a way that allows us to grow less while still feeling as abundant as past years. A big part of that plan is our management of the three tunnels. We originally invested in a third tunnel to be able to grow more during our slimmer winter months. In a non-drought year having that much indoor growing space feels excessive for the summer months. Last year we used the extra space to experiment with growing sweet potatoes. Because of our drought plan this year, we had no extra water to spare for testing out new crops. We decided to convert the third tunnel into an extra shade house in order to have more fresh greens through the summer. With the controlled indoor environment we are able to grow much more with a lot less water. So I hope you are all looking forward to more consistent spinach, kale, arugula, etc. through our hot months.

As for the hot tunnel we have peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplant on their way. There are plenty of little green tomatoes waiting to turn red. I am sure they will be worth the wait. I know you can't see them from the driveway, but they are growing fast!

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions (We recommend storing the red onions in the fridge even though they are cured. They are starting to fade.)

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Balena Celeriac (last week!)

• Solaris Fennel

• Hakurei Turnips

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Regiment Spinach

• Head Lettuce

• Red mustard

• Albion Strawberries

• Single Herb Tea (We are offering our remaining dried herbs in bulk now!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread (Only on Tuesday this week)

Kale Chips

from Smitten Kitchen

1 bunch (about 6 ounces) kale (I used Lacinato or “Dinosaur” Kale but I understand that the curlier stuff works, too, possibly even better)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 300°F. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle with salt. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet (I needed two because mine are tiny; I also lined mine with parchment for easy clean-up but there’s no reason that you must). Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Place baking sheet on a rack to cool.

Kale-Dusted Popcorn!:

 If you’re making the chips with the intention to grind them up for popcorn, I’d use less oil — perhaps half — so they grind without the “powder” clumping. I ground a handful of my chips (about half) in a mortar and pestle (well, actually the “pestle” was MIA so I used the handle of an OXO reamer, not that anyone asked) and sprinkled it over popcorn (1/4 cup popcorn kernels I’d cooked in a covered pot with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium heat, shaking it about with potholders frequently). I seasoned the popcorn with salt.

AJ

My name is AJ, I am the newest crew member at Open Field Farm. I come as a part of a package deal, with a canine companion named Dolly. She is 12 years old and loves to sunbathe. She's a somewhat ambivalent creature but is very kind and gentle. I/We got to meet a few of you at the all-member meeting, but for those of you I haven't had the opportunity to meet, a brief introduction:

I have been farming in California for the past 12 years, predominantly in vegetable production, followed closely by goats and sheep. I accidentally fell into farming in Mendocino County by volunteering on a family farm, where I fell in love with the family and the soil and the goats. I ended up staying for 5 years.

After that, I picked up a lease agreement with the school district in Willits and ran a 1-acre vegetable plot that provided produce to the community through the farmers market and the school cafeterias.

After 4 years, I burnt out on that project, for various reasons, so I took a 6-month hiatus from farming and worked at a wolf sanctuary in Colorado for 6 months. It was magical to be in the middle of nowhere, with dark skies and waking up to howling hills.

Upon my return to Mendocino County, I joined my best friend and her husband at Tequio Community Farm. I love working with them and it was my longer-term plan to continue that partnership, but farming can be really tough on people and after 8 months of working together, they decided to call it quits for their mental health, which steered my in the direction of Sonoma/Marin County.

For the year and a half before I joined the Open Field crew, I was working at a goat and sheep dairy in Tomales. We had almost 300 animals in total, until the mayhem of lambing and kidding season began, when numbers start to double.

During my time there, I definitely missed soil and other elements of vegetable farming, which is why I was very excited to have the opportunity to work at Open Field.

I'm enjoying participating in a true CSA model here (something that has always intimidated me) and look forward to building community with y'all. I'm hopeful for abundant harvest, and hopefully soon, abundant (visible) smiles.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions (We recommend storing the red onions in the fridge even though they are cured. They are starting to fade.)

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Balena Celeriac (last week!)

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Solaris Fennel

• Hakurei Turnips

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Regiment Spinach

• Head Lettuce (limited amounts this week but there is more coming!)

• Albion Strawberries

• Single Herb Tea (We are offering our remaining dried herbs in bulk now!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

ALso, I LOVE parsley. Here is a recipe for a parsley salad that I could eat like bowls of spaghetti:

4 oz italian parsley

2 Tbs Fresh lemon Juice (or I use ACV)

7 Tbs Toasted Seame Oil

2 tsp Honey

3 Tbs toasted sesame seeds

In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, sesame oil, honey, and salt and pepper, to taste. Add the parsley and sesame seeds and toss to combine. Allow the salad to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving so that flavors meld.

Taking it in

I love to walk by the sheep and see them basking in the sunlight. They tilt their noses upward and close their heads. It relaxes me and reminds me to do the same!

Last week we had a late frost which damaged the new potatoes and did kill a few young flowers and herbs. However, we were lucky in that we had not planted most of our more susceptible crops and were able to wait for the cold to pass. We covered the cucumbers and summer squash with floating row covered which protected them. However they still look very yellow and sad. We are looking forward to warmer nights that will help them bounce back.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets (Last week!)

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions (We recommend storing the red onions in the fridge even though they are cured. They are starting to fade.)

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Solaris Fennel

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Green Garlic (Last week!)

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Albion Strawberries

• Single Herb Tea (We are offering our remaining dried herbs in bulk now!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Roberta's Parsley Cake, from food52.com

• 4 cups tightly packed parsley leaves

• 1 cup tightly packed mint leaves

• 3/4 cup good olive oil, plus more for the pan

• 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

• 1 2/3 cups sugar

To make the herb-oil mixture, put a fourth of the parsley and mint in a strong blender or food processor, and blend it on low speed. Use a blender stick to help crush the herbs while the blade is spinning (or stop the machine from time to time to push the herbs back down toward the blade). Slowly increase the speed to medium (or a steady puree, in a food processor) and continue adding the rest of the herbs until you have added all of them.

In a steady stream, add half of the olive oil. Mix on medium-low speed (or pulsing, if using a food processor) until all is combined. Add the remaining olive oil and blend for no longer than 10 seconds. The mixture will look loose and stringy. Scrape out the blender to get all of the parsley mixture, transfer it to a bowl, and refrigerate until ready to use.

In a bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the eggs for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar and mix on high speed until the mixture is very thick and turns a pale yellow color, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer speed down to low and add the herb-oil mixture.

With the machine still running, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into a container and refrigerate it for at least 6 and up to 24 hours (the cake will turn out much greener than it would if you baked it right away).

When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 340°F and lightly oil a sheet pan -- ideally a 13- x 18-inch for a thin cake but 11 3/4- x 16 1/2-inch will work with a slightly longer baking time (at Food52, we used a 10- x 15-inch jelly roll pan). Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and lightly oil the paper. Pour the batter into the sheet pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.

Bake for 12 to 18 minutes, rotating the cake halfway through. If the top begins to brown before the inside of the cake is done, turn the heat down to 330° and let it cook a couple of minutes longer. When a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, it's done. Let it cool in the pan.

To serve, tear serving-size squares of cake into a few larger pieces and divide them among individual plates. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream and lemon zest. Alternately, eat warm with butter for breakfast.

Okra and Hibiscus

By Sarah Beth

This year Sarah James has graciously agreed to grow two of my favorite plants: okra and hibiscus. Being from the Southeast, okra is a large part of my culture. I grew up always having okra in the summer. My family would make fried okra and pickled okra. I also love stewing okra with tomatoes and seasoning and serving it over rice. I know the sliminess of okra deters some from it but we’re growing a variety called Jade that is a beautiful vibrant green color and is less slimy than others. The okra will be planted in the “pick your own” field. Hibiscus (or Roselle, Hibiscus sabdariffa) is a plant I discovered when farming in Southwest Florida. This hibiscus is similar but different from the flowering shrub we all know. With this type of hibiscus you wait until the flower has bloomed and closed up and then you harvest the calyxes. You can use calyxes in teas, beverages, or jams and it has many excellent health benefits. These two plants share the same botanical family (Malvaceae- also the same family as marshmallow!) and are both native to Africa but are grown across the world. I hope you are all able to experiment and enjoy these two plants as they start producing in the coming months!

Broccoli and alyssum

This Week’s Pick List:

The pick list is shrinking as we eat through the last of the storage crops. The fall planted chard and celery have gone to seed with the lengthening and warming days. Soon though the list will start to grow!

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions (We recommend storing the red onions in the fridge even though they are cured. They are starting to fade.)

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Green Garlic

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Salanova Lettuce Mix

• Albion Strawberries

• Single Herb Tea (We are offering our remaining dried herbs in bulk now!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Chloe, one of the two bottle fed lambs this year

Spinach-and-Cilantro Soup With Tahini and Lemon, from nytimes.com

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 1/4 cup well-stirred tahini

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 large clove garlic, finely grated or pounded to a smooth paste

• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes or ground

FOR THE SOUP:

• 7 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

• 12 ounces spinach (about 12 packed cups)

• 2 cups roughly chopped parsley, stems and leaves

• 1/4 cup well-stirred tahini

• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed

First, make the sauce: Combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin and red-pepper flakes with 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding more water as needed to achieve a drizzle-able consistency, and set aside.

Next, make the soup: Add stock to a Dutch oven or heavy pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in spinach, parsley, tahini and salt, and return to a boil. Turn off heat, and stir in lemon juice.

Use an immersion blender to purée soup. Taste, and adjust seasoning with more salt and lemon, if desired.

Serve soup immediately, and drizzle with tahini sauce. Cover and refrigerate remaining soup and sauce for up to 1 week, or freeze soup for up to 1 month.

New beginnings

Welcome to the first week of the new season! We are excited to meet new members and to begin the cycle of the new year. We are busy planting, plus getting ready for baby chicks arriving this Thursday.

Leftover vegetable and flower starts available all year!

This Week’s Pick List:

The pick list is shrinking as we eat through the last of the storage crops. The fall planted chard and celery have gone to seed with the lengthening and warming days. Soon though the list will start to grow!

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots (We recommend storing the red onions in the fridge even though they are cured. They are starting to fade.)

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Solaris Fennel

• Green Garlic

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Salanova Lettuce Mix

• Tea Blends (We will offer a bag of tea each week!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Margrethe, Oliver, Teddy on Mother’s Day (Thank you to Carrie Caudle and MCCV for my 3 heart necklaces!)

The kids and Seth made me a delicious dinner for mother’s day: pan roasted steak with shallot and herb butter, plus a salad of purple daikon, fennel, and mint. YUM!

Phacelia

This is the year of the phacelia in the fields! It has thrived in every field and even started popping up in other places around the farm. We chose to add it to our cover crop to add diversity to the mix. As well, the description of its qualities were a perfect compliment to what our soil needs: it provides calcium to build organic matter and has great root structure that helps break up the clay. It is also a very attractive plant for pollinators.

Kelsey added beautiful signs to the herb garden this week. Check them out and find all the new herbs we have planted! Many of them are not yet ready to be picked but you can explore what is there. Please be sure that the signs are kept in their places!

We are finishing the onion planting today and then moving on to planting the first brassicas and summer squash. As well, we are seeding the winter leeks today which always seem wild, to be thinking of winter when summer has not even started!

This Week’s Pick List:

We hoped to have lettuce mix again this week but it has not grown enough to harvest. Next week!

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots (We recommend storing the red onions in the fridge even though they are cured. They are starting to fade.)

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Calypso Celery

• Solaris Fennel

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Green Garlic

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Tea Blends (We will offer a bag of tea each week!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

One-Pot Braised Chard With Gnocchi, Peas and Green Garlic, from nytimes.com

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3 green garlic, white and light green parts, sliced thinly into half-moons

• 1 pound chard, preferably rainbow or red (about 2 bunches), stems thinly sliced and leaves coarsely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated

• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• ¾ cup dry white wine

• 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

• 1 pound potato gnocchi (fresh, frozen or shelf-stable all work)

• 2 cups peas, fresh or frozen

• 1 cup torn parsley leaves and tender stems, for serving

• Grated Parmesan, for serving

• Lemon wedges, for serving

• Fresh ricotta, for serving (optional)

• Red-pepper flakes, for serving (optional)

In a 5- or 6-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add leeks and chard stems, and cook until tender and lightly brown, 7 to 10 minutes.

Stir in garlic, thyme and a large pinch of salt and black pepper, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Add wine, scraping up the brown bits at bottom of pot, and let the wine reduce by half, 2 to 4 minutes. Pour in stock and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and bring to a simmer.

Stir in gnocchi and chard leaves. Cook, partly covered, for 15 minutes, until the chard is soft. Add peas and tarragon, and continue to cook, partly covered, until gnocchi are cooked through, another 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed.

To serve, top with parsley, a generous shower of Parmesan and a big squeeze of lemon. If you like, you can also add a dollop of ricotta and some red-pepper flakes.

All Member

We are looking forward to seeing those who can attend at the All Member Meeting this Wednesday from 6 to 7 pm!

We are slowly planting out the fields, at a pace which feels oddly slow for the frenzy we associate with spring. In most other years, we are just barely tilling the fields so we do not plan to have starts ready this early. As well, we were waiting to figure out the water so we did not adapt our plans. The greenhouse is very full and in a few weeks time the fields will be as well.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots (We recommend storing the red onions in the fridge even though they are cured. They are starting to fade.)

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Calypso Celery

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Green Garlic

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Ruby Red Chard

• Joi Choi

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Tea Blends (We will offer a bag of tea each week!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Fried Egg Salad From Ideas in Food, from food52.com

• Butter or olive oil

• Sliced onions, chopped ham, or other tasty mix-ins (optional)

• Eggs

• Mayonnaise

• Finely chopped onions and celery, or other cold, crunchy vegetables (optional)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, plus any other spices, herbs, or seasonings

• Toast

Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat (a 10-inch pan is perfect for 6 eggs, aka 2 servings). Have a lid or sheet pan nearby to cover the pan. Add a knob of butter or a glug of oil to the pan, then add your onions, ham, or other ingredients you’ll be cooking along with the eggs. I like to make sure the onions get soft and translucent and the ham a little crispy.

Meanwhile, crack your eggs into a bowl so you can pour them into the pan all at once. Turn down the heat to medium-low, gently pour your eggs in (aiming them evenly around the pan), and cover the pan to let them gently steam and fry. Peek occasionally so you can take the eggs off the stove when they’re done to your liking. I like to jiggle the pan to make sure the yolks are a little runny and poke the whites with a spatula to make sure they’re set.

Slide the eggs (and any bonuses like onions and ham) into a mixing bowl and chop them up with scissors. Add your mayo, other seasonings, and any cold, crunchy vegetables if using. Gently mix it all together.

Serve it warm on toast for a treat, but any leftovers are delicious cold the next day, too.

Babes in the field

The lambs have started arriving, twins and singles and a triplet. Most are still so young that they are sleeping all the time but they older ones are starting to be lively and run around more. Most ewes are recovering quickly from birth and are very attentive to their babes.

We tilled more beds in the herb garden and we are excited to fill them with more plants! Kelsey and Celeste already planted red clover and chives, and will add marjoram, oregano and more this week.

Seth and Jesse led us all in a tractor safety and maintenance review last week as we prepare to plant this week. The new potatoes and peas were planted last week; carrots, and more are going in the ground this week.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots (We recommend storing the red onions in the fridge even though they are cured. They are starting to fade.)

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Calypso Celery

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Green Garlic

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Ruby Red Chard

• Joi Choi

• Parsley and Cilantro

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Tea Blends (We will offer a bag of tea each week!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

KID FRIENDLY BEET & HERB PANCAKES, from dishingupthedirt.com

• 2 medium size beets, cut into 1/4 inch chunks (no need to peel)

• 1 tablespoon minced herbs

• 2 eggs

• pinch of good quality fine sea salt (optional)

• butter or ghee for frying

• plain whole milk yogurt for serving

• squeeze of lemon juice for serving (optional)

Place the beets in a saucepan filled with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot and lightly boil/simmer until the beets are tender. About 15 minutes. Drain.

Place the beets in a deep bowl and puree them with an immersion blender or use your food processor to puree them. Measure out 1 cup (if there's more keep the rest for another batch or to add to morning porridge or another baked good) Add the herbs, eggs and a pinch of salt and puree the mixture together.

Heat the butter or ghee in a medium size skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup scoops of the batter and lightly fry for about 2-3 minutes per side.

Serve with yogurt, extra herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice if you desire.

Filling

The irrigation pond is filling with water and we are feeling immensely grateful for the this resource! All the fields have been tilled and Cecilia is now marking all the beds. We hope to plant new potatoes and peas this week. The blessing of an early start to the season is that we can plant out the fields at a reasonable pace, rather than in a frenzy!

In the past week, eight calves have been born. The first to Lark. We have not had any lambs yet but we are looking forward to their arrival soon.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots (We recommend storing the red onions in the fridge even though they are cured. They are starting to fade.)

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Calypso Celery

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Green Garlic

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Ruby Red Chard

• Joi Choi

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Tea Blends (We will offer a bag of tea each week!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Soft Eggs with Buttery Herb-Gruyere Toast Soldiers, from smittenkitchen.com

• 16 toast fingers (mine were from 1/2-inch thick slices, cut into 1/2-inch batons)

• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard

• Salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1/3 cup finely grated gruyère cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)

• 2 tablespoons finely grated Romano cheese

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

• 4 large eggs

Make croutons: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place bread cubes in shallow, wide bowl. Whisk together butter and Dijon, then pour over bread fingers. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, both types of cheese, parsley and thyme, if using. Toss to coat. Scatter bread on sheet. Bake croutons until crisp and golden, turning, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook eggs: Bring a medium pot of water to a steady boil. Add eggs and cook them for exactly six minutes, maintaining the heat at a simmer, then drain and rinse them briefly in cold water.

Holding the egg vertically, pointier side down, with a towel or paper towel to protect you from its heat, tap a knife around the “neck,” about half an inch below the top so that you can remove a little “lid” area. Place the egg in a small dish, opened side up, and serve with a small spoon and toast soldiers.

Don’t have adorable chicken or other tiny egg cups and spoons? With a little patience, you can peel the soft-boiled eggs as you would a hard-boiled one. It’s tricky, because they are liquid in the center, but doable. For this method, arrange four of your croutons on a small plate. Place the peeled egg over the croutons and smash it lightly, delightfully (if you don’t find this to be really fun, I am not sure we can be friends) with a fork. Season with salt and pepper and eat with a fork and knife.

Community

By Cecilia

It was wonderful to be able to see so many members at our town hall last week. It felt therapeutic in a lot of ways to speak with a larger audience about what we have been going through this winter. The last 5 months have been quite a roller coaster for all of us here. The anxiety of waiting for rain, the fear that it won’t come, the shock of spring approaching, and the acceptance of our drought all took their own tolls. Now that we have a water source all the excitement of a new season is creeping back in, but in a lot of ways I still feel like I’m recovering. Feeling the support of our Open Field community was a big step in that recovery process.

Last week we welcomed our newest crew member, AJ. Her enthusiasm is helping me get ready for the summer hustle. She and Sarah Beth planted all of our hoop house tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers yesterday. The greenhouse is so full of starts that we are constantly playing an elaborate game of Tetris to fit everything in. I know they are tiny now but eating the first tomatoes feels so close I can almost taste it!

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots (We recommend storing the red onions in the fridge even though they are cured. They are starting to fade.)

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Joan Rutabaga

• Finale Fennel

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Green Garlic

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Ruby Red Chard

• Joi Choi

• Rosalba Radicchio

• Parsley and cilantro

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Tea Blends (We will offer a bag of tea each week!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Alice Waters’ Spaghetti with Green Garlic Recipe

• Salt

• 1 pound spaghetti

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 3 heads green garlic (or 4 cloves regular garlic), thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

• small pinch of red pepper flakes

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the spaghetti. Cook until al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large (3-quart) saucepan over medium heat until shimming. Add the garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of water. Cover and sweat, stirring occasionally, until soft, adding more water if necessary to keep the garlic from caramelizing too much.

Add the cooked pasta to the garlic mixture and toss well to combine. Add some pasta cooking water if necessary to bring the dish to a creamy consistency. Serve with more olive oil and the minced tops of the green garlic, if desired.

Field Adventures

When you look across the farm at the pastures, they can look like a monolith of grass. The few rocks and trees that dot the landscape become landmarks to which we venture, observing the pasture and more along the way. Teddy and I stopped at the rocks and stumps for a few rounds of “butter beer” while running through the fields. The pasture is definitely growing more slowly and differently this year due to the lack of rain.

We are wrapping up a lot of our winter projects this week: finishing the plastic on the tunnels, cleaning the squash bins, and more. With the unfortunate heat wave that is coming, we are covering two of the tunnels with shade to keep the temperatures inside much cooler so that the crops do not bolt!

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Joan Rutabaga

• Finale Fennel

• Green Garlic

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Mei Qing Choi

• Treviso, Castelfranco, and Rosalba Radicchio

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Esmee Arugula

• Mustard Greens

• Lettuce Mix

• Tea Blends (We will offer a bag of tea each week!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread (Eli is away this week but we will have his frozen bread for sale.)

Roasted Onion Salad with Arugula and Walnut Salsa, from food52.com

For the salad:

• 4 medium red onions

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup arugula

• 1/2 cup parsley leaves

• 2 ounces soft goat cheese, broken into 1/2- to 1-inch chunks

• Flaky salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For the walnut salsa:

• 2/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

• 1 pinch red chile

• 1 clove garlic, minced (you could substitute chopped green garlic as well)

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• salt

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Peel the onions and remove their tops and tails. Slice each one crosswise into 3 slices, about 3/4 inch thick, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (You can skip the parchment, but you'll spend more time cleaning.) Drizzle the slices with olive oil and smoosh the oil around with your (clean) hands to coat evenly. (You can also use a pastry brush; I don't own one.) Sprinkle with a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, until the onions begin to brown and caramelize, and are soft but not totally slouchy. (If you want more color out of them, stick them under the broiler for a minute or two.) Set them aside to cool just a bit.

While the onions cook, combine all of the salsa ingredients in a small bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon salt, stir, and set aside.

To serve, put the arugula and parsley in a large bowl. Toss with about half the salsa, then nestle in the onion slices, dollop on the cheese, and top with the rest of the salsa. Serve.

Limbo

We are waiting in limbo for the ewes to start lambing, for the calves to come, and for more rain to fall. We know that the lambs and calves will arrive any day but the rain is less certain. We are practicing our patience but it is not easy. We will let you know when they come!

Now that spring is here and we have yet to have a soaking rain, we feel rather disoriented. We are still praying for more rain, (Please join us!) but we are also thinking about the adjustments we need to make.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Joan Rutabaga

• Calypso Celery

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Mei Qing Choi

• Treviso, Castelfranco, and Rosalba Radicchio

• Parsley and Cilantro

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Tea Blends (We will offer a bag of tea each week!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Spring Minestrone With Kale and Pasta, from nytimes.com

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 large shallots or 1 small onion, thinly sliced

• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (optional)

• 2 tablespoons minced garlic

• 2 quarts low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

• 1 cup ditalini or other small shaped pasta (about 5 ounces)

• 8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces (1 1/2 cups), or chopped broccoli

• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas

• 5 ounces sliced kale or torn spinach (about 4 cups)

• Grated Parmesan, for serving

In a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium. Add shallots and celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the ginger, if using, and garlic and stir until very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add stock and bring to a simmer.

Stir in pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Stir in asparagus and peas and cook until vegetables and pasta are tender, about 3 minutes longer. Stir in kale and season with salt and pepper.

Divide soup among bowls. Top with Parmesan.

Open Field Farm’s Newest Addition

Some of you may have already met Maki, but for those who haven’t, allow me to introduce the newest furry friend on the farm!

Maki is an 18 month old shiba inu, which is a Japanese dog breed that dates back to the 3rd century BC. They are one of the most ancient breeds! Originally bred to be hunting dogs, they have become more popular as pets in homes in recent years.

About six weeks ago I came across a post on the internet with a photo of the cutest dog I had ever seen, explaining that her owners were moving out of the state and that she needed to be re-homed. I impulsively responded and a few days later I was driving down to the east bay to “meet” her, though I was pretty sure by then that I was going to bring her home!

The meaning of Maki’s name is layered. We originally chose it based on its meaning in the context of sushi— in Japanese, “maki” means “roll,” e.g. “futomaki” is “hand roll,” “kappa maki” is “cucumber roll,” etc. But since then we have learned that Maki is a common Japanese name with many potential meanings, one of which is “farm”! When we learned that, it felt like a very auspicious choice for a name.

I believe that Maki is adjusting very well to life on the farm! She enjoys running around in the fields and trying to get her pal Rosie to chase her (though Rosie is sometimes just too busy for Maki’s games; she does need to make sure everything is running smoothly on the farm, after all). 

Though Maki can be a bit shy at first, she is a super sweet, friendly dog. She is especially fond of children and would love other dog friends to play with, so please don’t hesitate to say hello if you see us around the CSA barn!

-Kelsey

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Joan Rutabaga

• Takrima Leeks (last week, limited amounts!)

• Cabbage

• Calypso Celery

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Joi Choi

• Treviso, Sugarloaf, Castelfranco, and Rosalba Radicchio

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Tea Blends (We will offer a bag of tea each week!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Kale Chimichurri, from dishingupthedirt.com

• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled

• 1 cup firmly packed kale leaves, tough stems removed and torn into bite-sized pieces

• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 1/2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the chimichurri by combining all the ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to serve (I like leaving this at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving).

Hazel

Jorge and Jesse split the cow herd into two groups last week. Even though the calves are now on average 10 months old, the first day or two can be upsetting for both mother and calf. There is a lot more mooing than normal. Some mothers are more distressed and determined than others. Hazel, who is one of our original cows, is the fiercest mother of all. Every year she jumps the fence and is adamant about reuniting with her calf. Yesterday, Jorge and Jesse herded her back in with the others, but she jumped right back out. Even though it is not helpful that she keeps jumping out, we do admire her mothering skills and instinct. Jesse claims she raises the most gentle calves.

Jesse and Seth are setting up the sheep corral today. We hope to have the sheep in their new abode tomorrow, which is the first possible date we could have a lamb. Sam and Sarah Beth sowed the first round of onions in the greenhouse yesterday.

The weather of late has been too warm and, of course, lacking rain. There are brown spots on the hills already and the soil is quite dry, which is unusual and unnerving. The irony of a dry winter for this particular farm is that we do benefit from the dryness in the moment: the overwintered crops last longer as they do not get flooded and we have a beautiful cover crop. And yet, the ponds have not recharged. We are looking forward to the return of some moisture this weekend to remoisten the soil and hope for a big storm sometime soon.

Celeste in the wash station

This Week’s Pick List:

This week and next week we will offer the last of our ground corn meal. Full members will receive one bag this week with the full amount in the bag. Split shares will each receive a bag this week and next, with half the amount.

The corn this week is a multi colored corn: Mandan Bride (https://www.seedsavers.org/mandan-bride-organic-corn). The last offering was Nothstine Dent: (https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/corn/dry-corn/nothstine-dent-organic-corn-seed-311G.html).

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Dolciva Carrots (last week! amounts will be limited)

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Joan Rutabaga

• Takrima Leeks

• Cabbage

• Calypso Celery

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Joi Choi

• Treviso, Sugarloaf, Castelfranco, and Rosalba Radicchio

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Gil’s Golden Acorn, Sonca Orange Butternut, & Spaghetti Winter Squash (likely the last week)

• Tea Blends (We will offer a bag of tea each week!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Hazel, the fiercest mother cow

Kohlrabi And Apple Slaw With Yogurt And Cumin, from latimes.com

• ½ cup plain yogurt

• ¼ cup minced red onion

• 1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more

• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

• 565 grams/1 ¼ pounds kohlrabi bulbs (about 3 medium), trimmed of their stalks

• 1 large tart green apple

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley

In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, onion, mustard, salt, pepper and cumin. Stir together and let stand while you prep the kohlrabi and apple.

Trim off each “pole” of the kohlrabi so you have two flat ends, similar to removing the pith and peel of an orange. Stand one kohlrabi on a flat end, then use your knife to slice off the thick skin; this skin is bitter and never softens while cooking, nor is it pleasant to eat raw. There is a noticeable line between the light green skin and the pale white flesh, so cut just inside that line until you have a completely white cue ball. Repeat with the remaining two kohlrabi; you should have 255 to 285 grams (9 to 10 ounces) of trimmed kohlrabi.

Using a mandoline, slice the kohlrabi into 1/16-inch slices. Stack 6 or so slices together at a time, and slice into 1/16-inch-thick matchsticks (they will not all be the same length; that’s OK). As you cut, transfer the kohlrabi matchsticks to the bowl with the dressing.

Peel and core the apple, then weigh out (or eyeball) half the weight of the kohlrabi in peeled apple, so 128 to 142 grams (4 1/2 to 5 ounces). Slice the apple on the mandoline in the same manner as the kohlrabi, then cut into matchsticks.

Add the apple matchsticks to the bowl along with the lemon juice and toss all the ingredients to combine. It will seem like there is not enough dressing at first, but by the time each matchstick is coated in yogurt, you’ll see that it is enough. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if you like. Transfer the salad to a serving dish and top with the dill just before serving.

Teddy and I took a walk this Sunday, looking for changes in the land and eating miner’s lettuce. The grass is truly starting to grow and it is gloriously green. It is in stark contrast to the ponds, which have not risen but a few inches. We are still hoping for big storms in March and for the recharge that comes with the flowing water on the land.

Sarah Beth and Sam pulled the cauliflower plants from the tunnel last week. They then seeded a bed of arugula last week and will seed one of mustard greens this week, squeezing in a quick crop before we fill that tunnel with summer crops. The arugula is already up!

The cows are being sorted this week into mothers about to calve and the rest of the herd. This allows the mothers more peace during calving and makes the daily moves easier for all involved.

This Week’s Pick List:

We will offer ground chile peppers again this week.

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Dolciva Carrots

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Takrima Leeks

• Joan Rutabaga

• Cabbage

• Calypso Celery

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Ruby Red Chard

• Joi Choi

• Coral Escarole, Sugarloaf, Chioggia and Rosalba Radicchio

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Tetsukabota Kabocha, Gil’s Golden Acorn, Sonca Orange Butternut, & Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Tea Blends (We will offer a bag of tea each week!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Joshua McFadden's Bitter Greens Salad with Melted Cheese, from food52.com

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 large head radicchio (3/4 pound), cored and coarsely shredded

• 1/4 pound Crucolo, provolone, Taleggio, or Fontina cheese, grated

• 1/2 cup roughly chopped lightly toasted hazelnuts

• Saba or balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Heat the broiler to high.

Whisk the red wine vinegar with 1/4 cup olive oil in a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the radicchio and toss to coat them nicely. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Pile the salad on ovenproof plates or an ovenproof platter and top with the cheese. Broil the salad just until the cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the toasted hazelnuts on top and finish with a drizzle of saba. Serve right away.

Sheared sheep

The sheep were sheared last week, which is earlier than we have sheared them in the past. They are due to lamb in about a month. We are hoping this timing provides them with more comfort and ease during birth, as well as better quality wool.

Jesse and Seth are also working to create a new space for the sheep to lamb. They have installed a gravel pad in the field next to the greenhouses. On Wednesday, a metal building will be installed on it. Inside, they will set up several pens that the new ewe and lamb can spend a day in to bond before rejoining the flock.

Last week, Sarah Beth sowed the first seeds, leeks, that will be planted in the fields, rather than the tunnels. The start of the season still feels far away but it is always exciting to see the first sprouts and imagine the abundance of food again. We are still in desperate need of some large storms and are hoping the March brings a deluge.

This Week’s Pick List:

This week and next week we will offer ground chile peppers

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Dolciva Carrots

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Takrima Leeks

• Cabbage

• Song Cauliflower

• Calypso Celery

• Ruby Red Chard

• Lettuce Mix

• Mei Qing Choi

• Coral Escarole, Sugarloaf, Chioggia and Rosalba Radicchio

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Tetsukabota Kabocha, Gil’s Golden Acorn, Sonca Orange Butternut, & Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Tea Blends (We will offer a bag of tea each week!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Lemony Carrot and Cauliflower Soup, from nytimes.com

• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for serving

• 1 large white onion, peeled and diced (2 cups)

• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 5 medium carrots (1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups)

• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed

• 3 tablespoons white miso

• 1 small (or half of a large) head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets

• ½ teaspoon lemon zest

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, more to taste

• Smoky chile powder, for serving

• Coarse sea salt, for serving

In a large, dry pot over medium heat, toast coriander seeds until fragrant and dark golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and coarsely crush (or use a coffee grinder).

Return the pot to medium heat. Add the oil and heat until warm. Stir in onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly colored, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.

Add carrots, crushed coriander, salt and 6 cups water to the pot. Stir in the miso until it dissolves. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, uncovered, 5 minutes. Stir in cauliflower and cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove the soup from the heat. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth. (Alternatively, you can let soup cool slightly then purée it in batches in a food processor or blender.) If necessary, return the puréed soup to the heat to warm through. Stir in the lemon zest and juice just before serving. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with chile and sea salt.

Chattering Hens

While I was collecting eggs on Sunday, the flat that I was filling was precariously balanced and flipped over, breaking six eggs. I swore and felt remorse. The hens that were in the coop came running over, chattering with concern. (The coop is spilt into two sides by a chicken wire fence: the egg room and the roost bar area, so the hens could not come right next to me.) I felt a kinship with them over the loss of the eggs and gratitude for the nourishment of the eggs that they give us.

I was lucky to have time earlier in the day to immerse myself in reading, a whole bunch of articles across many topics. The main questions they led me to was: am i asking too much? Am I giving enough?

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Rose Finn Fingerling Potatoes

• Rhonda Beets

• Dolciva Carrots

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Takrima Leeks

• Cabbage

• Song Cauliflower

• Calypso Celery

• Ruby Red Chard

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Joi Choi

• Coral Escarole, Sugarloaf, Chioggia and Rosalba Radicchio

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Tetsukabota Kabocha, Gil’s Golden Acorn, Sonca Orange Butternut, & Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

I enjoyed reading this article about Vietnamese Tet and dishes to make to celebrate: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/29/dining/tet-vietnamese-recipes-lunar-new-year.html

Dua Hanh (Pickled Shallots), from nytimes.com

• 10 ounces small shallots (about 2 cups)

• Boiling water

• 2 tablespoons fine sea salt

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup distilled white vinegar

Put the shallots in a small heatproof bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes to loosen the skins. Pour out the hot water, then refill the bowl with cold water to quickly cool the shallots. Drain in a colander.

Using a paring knife, cut off a bit of the stem end of a shallot. Working from the stem end, peel away the outer skin and dry-looking layers underneath. Separate any twin bulbs to fully remove the skin. Finally, cut away the root end, taking care to leave enough so the shallot won’t fall apart. Repeat with the remaining shallots.

In the bowl that held the shallots, stir the salt into 1 cup warm water until dissolved. Return the peeled shallots to the bowl. Let stand at room temperature, loosely covered, at least overnight or up to 24 hours to remove some of their harshness.

Drain the shallots and rinse well under cold running water. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and vinegar and bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Add the shallots. When the liquid returns to a simmer, immediately remove the pan from the heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shallots to a pint jar. Pour in the hot brine to the rim. Weigh down the shallots with a small dish if they bob up. Let cool completely, uncovered, then cap and refrigerate.

Allow the shallots to mature for 5 days before serving (halve bigger ones, if you like). They will keep refrigerated for several weeks, though they are likely to be long gone by then.

15 facts

Hi It’s me again, Celeste! 

Even though that we have so much time to prepare for the blog ; it is often that I find myself doing it a day before. The main reason that all of crew members started writing the blog post for Tuesday was for you guys to get to know us better, so here you go: 

15 Fun facts about me 

• I have a bad memory for names ( which you all figured it out by now ). I can remember your face but not your name. Who knows why.

• I don’t like mayonnaise or any type of spread on my sandwiches , so yes I eat them dry.

• I have to have a quesadilla for my morning break or else I will be mad all day.

• I don’t like cooking, but god I love eating.

• My favorite numbers are 3 , 5 , 10 and 105.

• I don’t talk a lot. I’m very focused on what I do so if i start having conversation I will forget what my task was. Can anyone relate?

• January of 2021 I celebrated the letting go of a bad/unhealthy habit ( Which I’m very proud of ).

• I learned how to drive when I was 23, 4 months before turning 24, and I’m going to be 25 next month (so embarrassing). I don’t drive on the freeway; too intense.

• My body is trained to wake up by itself at 6:15am ( so annoying , sometimes I don’t like it ) .

• I have two tattoos “forever young“ in the back of my neck, and the Pisces constellation on my right forearm.

• I love collecting shells, rocks, crystals, leaves, stickers, pencil and pens, sticky notes, and keychains.

• It is very rare when I listen to music , and if I do it can’t be over 40min or else I start to be stressed out. I’d rather listen to nature sounds which I do all day working in the farm .

• I used to model when I was 19.

• I don’t know how to ride the bike or roller skate (that’s on my “To-Learn list” for 2021)

• Currently listening to “ Manifestation Babe“ by Kathrin Zenkina and “The 4-phase cycle with zesty ginger “.

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Rose Finn Fingerling and German Butterball Potatoes

• Rhonda Beets

• Dolciva Carrots

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Takrima Leeks

• Cabbage

• Calypso Celery

• Ruby Red Chard

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Joi Choi

• Coral Escarole, Sugarloaf, Chioggia and Rosalba Radicchio

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Solaris Fennel

• Tetsukabota Kabocha, Gil’s Golden Acorn, Sonca Orange Butternut, & Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Pie-Pita Pumpkin (Flesh is sweet for cooking plus the seeds are hulless and delicious!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Also i wanted to share the dinner i made for Sunday , So delicious!!!!!

https://sundaysuppermovement.com/slow-cooker-chuck-roast/?epik=dj0yJnU9Z0dIcmxvZzlGb0l3dC1XT2RTRmhyMjZ5ekxoMlRDQ2smcD0wJm49c09PaXNDUGxJOWIxSVcwaU1XOGVjdyZ0PUFBQUFBR0FXOWVF

Slow Cooker Chuck Roast

Author Tara Margetson

This Slow Cooker Chuck Roast Recipe is the perfect comfort food to feed a crowd! Eight hours in the slow cooker over low heat and you will have a fall-apart roast packed with tender vegetables and plenty of flavorful sauce.

Ingredients

• 3 pound chuck roast

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 large yellow onion diced

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder peeled and smashed

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 cup dry red wine

• 4 carrots peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

• 2 celery stalks sliced into ½ inch pieces

• 1-2 pounds Yukon or red potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces or halved/quartered if small

• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

• ½ tablespoon dried rosemary

• 2 bay leaves

• 3 cups beef broth

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

Season a 3 lb. chuck roast on all sides with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large pan, place 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter and 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, add the seasoned roast and sear until golden brown on all sides. Transfer the roast to a large slow cooker.

Add 1 large diced yellow onion with 1 tablespoon garlic powder to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden.

Stir in 2 Tbsp. tomato paste and cook for another minute. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Add 1 cup dry red wine to the pan. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and stir them in – that’s flavor!

Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce reduces by half. Pour into the slow cooker with the roast and onions.

Add 4 chopped carrots, 2 sliced celery stalks, 1-2 pounds red potatoes, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, ½ tablespoon dried rosemary, and 2 bay leaves to the slow cooker, followed by 3 cups beef stock.

Cover and set the slow cooker over low heat. Cook until the roast and vegetables are tender, 8-10 hours.

Thickening the Sauce, Finishing the Chuck Roast, and Serving

During the last hour of cooking, place 2 Tbsp. cornstarch in a small bowl. Add about ¼ cup of the broth from the slow cooker. Whisk until well-combined and pour back into the slow cooker, stirring gently to mix.

Continue to cook over low heat for 1 hour.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Taste the broth first and use your best judgment on whether you want to add more seasoning.

Remove the chuck roast from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Discard the thyme stems, rosemary stems, and bay leaves.

Sprinkle the roast with fresh parsley and serve warm with the tender vegetables, slightly thickened sauce, and sides.

Notes

Want the potatoes more firm? Add them halfway through cooking. Avoid russet potatoes.

Searing the chuck roast first on all sides, browning the onions and garlic, then deglazing the pan with the wine (or additional broth) adds such a boost of flavor. Don't skip these steps! Scrape up those brown bits and mix them in. That's flavor!

If you like tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef roast, it’s always best to cook pot roast on the low setting. I promise, the beef will come out tender and juicy every single time!

A storm

By Cecilia

So many of us are breathing a sigh of relief as the first true storm of the season makes its way toward us. The gratitude for the rain far outweighs the small regret that some of our field crops may not survive more serious flooding. It seems a small sacrifice. This winter I have been amazed by how bountiful the farm feels. The leeks just keep getting bigger and bigger, the tunnels keep pumping out beautiful greens, and it's hard not to feel giddy while harvesting neon pink chicories.

I know that our slimmest times are approaching, but for now I am enjoying how much food we really have, and appreciating how busy it has kept us. This week in our morning meeting I read from Edna Lewis' The Taste of Country Cooking. She speaks of food as being a central connecting force in the small agricultural community she was raised in.

"Whenever I go back to visit my sisters and brothers, we relive old times, remembering the past. And when we share again in gathering wild strawberries, canning, rendering lard, finding walnuts, picking persimmons, making fruit cake, I realize how much the bond that held us had to do with food".

Here is her recipe for glazed carrots. It is simple and delicious, and comes with a glimpse into Freetown, Virginia where she grew up and learned to cook. Fortunately I think our carrots are pretty sweet!

Glazed Carrots

Carrots were not among the earliest root vegetables planted in Freetown, but Mother was always interested in growing new seed. I remember the neighbors coming to look at the carrots when they were dug. We cooked them and decided they were liked served creamed, as many of the vegetables were then. Today, carrots are not as sweet as they were then and a good way to preserve some of their flavor is to saute them.

• 4 to 5 medium sized carrots

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons cold water

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons sugar

Scrape, wash, and dry the carrots with a clean cloth and slice in thin, round slices about as thick as a nickel. Heat a heavy skillet and add the butter. When it foams and becomes very hot, but not burning, spill in the carrot slices, stirring constantly for a few minutes. Sprinkle the cold water over the carrots and cover tightly. Turn the heat down to keep the contents from burning, yet high enough to continue cooking. After 4 minutes remove the cover, stir the carrots, and test for tenderness. If tender enough, sprinkle over the salt and sugar. Turn up the burner and stir briskly to melt the sugar without browning. Serve hot.

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Rose Finn Fingerling and German Butterball Potatoes

• Rhonda Beets

• Dolciva Carrots

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Takrima Leeks

• Cabbage

• Calypso Celery

• Ruby Red Chard

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Mei Qing Choi

• Coral Escarole, Sugarloaf, Chioggia and Rosalba Radicchio

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Solaris Fennel

• Tetsukabota Kabocha, Gil’s Golden Acorn, Sonca Orange Butternut, & Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Pie-Pita Pumpkin (Flesh is sweet for cooking plus the seeds are hulless and delicious!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Haiku

This week I read Haiku from Richard Wright. I got a book of his called "Haiku The Last Poems of an American Icon" and they are really amazing. I love Haiku because of how they magnify the power of language among many other reasons. I wanted to share my favorite one from last week and then write one of my own for all of you. I think often about this farm community and wonder what this place might think or feel about what we are up to. I hope it is happy and can experience the care and connection we are all hoping to foster. Now onto the poems.

Does that sparrow know

That it is upon my roof

That he is hopping?

Richard Wright

The wind blows heavy

Change it will bring I can't wait

Moist calm air to sooth

Seth

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Rose Finn Fingerling, Dakota Red, and German Butterball Potatoes

• Rhonda Beets

• Dolciva Carrots

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions, Matador Shallots

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Watermelon Radish

• Balena Celeriac

• Hablinge Parsnips

• Takrima Leeks

• Cabbage

• Calypso Celery

• Lettuce mix

• Ruby Red Chard

• Champion Collards

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Mei Qing Choi

• Coral Escarole, Sugarloaf, Chioggia and Rosalba Radicchio

• Parsley

• Regiment Spinach

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Solaris Fennel

• Tetsukabota Kabocha, Gil’s Golden Acorn, Sonca Orange Butternut, & Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Pie-Pita Pumpkin (Flesh is sweet for cooking plus the seeds are hulless and delicious!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Spinach Risotto With Taleggio, from nytimes.com

• 8 ounces cold taleggio

• 10 ounces/8 packed cups spinach, any thick stems removed

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 medium red onion, finely diced

• 3 cups finely diced celery

• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

• 1 ½ cup Arborio rice

• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, more as needed

• ¾ cup dry white wine

• 3 ½ cups good vegetable or chicken stock

Cut the rind off the taleggio and discard. Dice the cheese into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside at room temperature as you prepare the rice.

Line a colander with a clean dish towel and place spinach inside. Heat about 8 cups of water until boiling, then pour over spinach; the spinach will wilt. Let spinach sit until cool enough to handle, then use the dish towel to squeeze out the water. Transfer spinach to a food processor and blend with 1 tablespoon butter until smooth. (You’ll end up with about 1 cup of purée.) Reserve.

Melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery and garlic; cook until translucent, about 7 minutes. Stir in rice and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook until toasted and golden, about 5 minutes.

Stir in wine and cook until it’s absorbed, about 3 minutes. Stir in stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring often but not necessarily continuously, until the stock is finished and the rice is cooked through but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir in spinach purée, then taste and add more salt, if needed. Add taleggio and stir to melt. Serve immediately.