Abundance

By Kelsey

This early summer season is always an exciting time for me on the farm. While the business of farm life can feel constant, the nature of the work right now, at least for me, highlights the generosity and abundance of what we tend. This is a time when the fields are becoming so full, the barn displays more variety and the majority of the tea herbs are ready for harvest. The herb dryer is filled to the brim and constantly humming, and only ever empty for a brief moment before a new round of freshly harvested aromatics are put in. Keeping up with cleaning and maintaining spaces is admittedly never my strong-suit, but at this time of year I just accept that and let it fall to the wayside while trying to keep up with the flowering chamomile, tulsi, calendula and rose. As the herb room starts to fill up with jars of beautiful bright colors, it feels so rewarding and encouraging that despite all the stress that we experienced in the last year and the lack of water, the plants and animals continue to give so much.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Alto Leeks (Young and tender!)

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Hakurei Turnips

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Solaris Fennel

• Solstice Broccoli and/or Song Cauliflower (amounts depending on the harvest!)

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Mideast Peace, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Regiment Spinach

• Head Lettuce

• 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

Mineral-rich Pesto, adapted from https://www.farmacopia.net/blogs/recipes/mineral-rich-pesto

• 2 cups mixed herbs, packed: cilantro, parsley, basil, tulsi, lemon balm, mint….Be creative! There are tons of suitable pesto herbs ready to harvest.

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

• ½ cup pumpkin seeds

• ¼ lemon or lime

Optional:

• 1-2 peeled garlic cloves, chopped

• Pink Himalayan salt

• Freshly ground pepper

Place herbs, pumpkin seeds, garlic, and a few squeezes of lemon juice into a food processor or blender and chop/blend for a minute or two.

While food processor or blender is running, drizzled in olive oil until you reach the desired consistency. Some prefer runny pestos, others thicker spread. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon over julienned zucchini "noodles" or spaghetti squash. Mix into quinoa, or serve as a dip with crudité.

Freeze extra pesto in ice cube trays, and store cubes in a tightly sealed container. Add to soups, stir fries, etc.

Montana

Montana the bull is joining the herd of mother cows this week. He will stay with them for the next 45 days until he returns to his pen by the road with the other bulls and rams. The young chicks are headed outside this week as well.

The harvest list is slowly building as we bring in our first carrots and cabbage. The fields are filling up of growing plants and weeds, which we are doing our best to keep at bay.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions (Last week! We may have spring onions next week.)

• Alto Leeks (Young and tender!)

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Hakurei Turnips

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Regiment Spinach

• Head Lettuce

• 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

Napa Cabbage with Hot Bacon Dressing, from food52.com

• 1 Napa cabbage, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (you’ll need 6 to 8 cups)

• 8 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/ 4-inch lardons

• 1 tablespoon flour

• 2 tablespoons red wine or cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Place the cabbage in a large mixing bowl. Add the bacon to a medium sauté pan and set over medium heat. Render the bacon fat and brown the bacon, adjusting the heat as needed. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towel, then pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat (approximate, don’t measure) from the pan.

Set the pan over medium low heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar and water and bring to a boil. Season with the salt. Gradually – and slowly! – whisk this mixture into the egg.

Sprinkle the bacon on the cabbage, then pour 3/4 of the dressing over the cabbage and toss to mix. Add more dressing as desired.

Return of the fog

While Seth and I are in Tahoe this week, grateful to be enjoying the lake and family time, I can’t help but to read the weather at home and to think of the crew and the farm. I am imagining the return of the fog after the intense heat wave of last week, the cool relief for the plants, animals, and humans. I am hoping that the next heat wave this weekend is more mild.

We took shelter from the heat last week in the shade tunnels, clearing out the beautiful and enormous kale to make space for the next plantings of spinach, basil, and napa cabbage. All the winter squash, melons, and watermelons are in the ground, growing rapidly. We will plant the next round of brassicas and direct seeded crops this week, as well as the last flowers. The weeds are rapidly growing too and we are doing our best to manage them to allow the crops to flourish.

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.)

• Alto Leeks (Young and tender!)

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Hakurei Turnips

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Regiment Spinach

• Head Lettuce

• 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

Herb Fritters, from www.ottolenghi.co.uk

• 40g dill, finely chopped

• 40g basil leaves, finely chopped

• 40g cilantro leaves,

• finely chopped

• 1½ tsp ground cumin

• 50g fresh breadcrumbs (about 2 slices, crusts left on if soft)

• 3 tbsp barberries (or currants)

• 25g walnut halves, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

• 8 large eggs, beaten

• 60ml sunflower oil, for frying

• salt

These can be snacked on as they are, at room temperature, or else served with a green tahini sauce and some extra herbs. These fritters are a bit of a fridge raid, using up whatever herbs you have around. As long as you keep the total net weight the same and use a mixture of herbs, this will still work wonderfully. The batter will keep, uncooked, for 1 day in the fridge. Alternatively, pile the fritters into pitta bread with condiments: a combination of yoghurt, chilli sauce, pickled vegetables and tahini works well. You’d just need one fritter per person, rather than two

Place all the ingredients, apart from the oil, in a large bowl with ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix well to combine and set aside.

Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a large non-stick pan and place on a medium high heat. Once hot, add ladles of batter to the pan.

Do 4 fritters at a time, if you can – you want each of them to be about 12cm wide – otherwise just do 2 or 3 at a time.

Fry for 1–2 minutes on each side, until crisp and golden-brown. Transfer to a kitchen paper-lined plate and set aside while you continue with the remaining batter and oil.

Serve either warm or at room temperature

Rainbows and Flowers

Hey Celeste here again,

Look for an email from me detailing new barn protocols! Please read it!

I’m very happy to announce that baby’s-breath ( Gypsophila ) and Larkspur is ready to be harvest in the Flower Field , and don’t forget that there is a big variety of herbs and flowers in the perennial garden that is ready to be harvested as well. 

From Sarah,

Don’t forget to smell the flowers as well! The milkweed in the perennials is blooming and it has a glorious scent. The other day I was not paying attention enough and almost inhaled a handful of bees that were also relishing the bloom!

We interplanted alyssum in the brassica block to attract beneficial insects and I could not be happier with the results so far! The plants all look healthy and strong. Walking through the field, the sweet smell of the alyssum is uplifting as well.

We are prepping for a heat wave this week and still basking in the glow of the rainbows from Monday morning. We awoke to a good amount of moisture on the ground and were blessed by beautiful rainbows all morning!

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.)

• Alto Leeks (Young and tender!)

• Bora King and Cheong Du Radish

• Solaris Fennel

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Regiment Spinach

• Head Lettuce

• Lettuce Mix

• 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 Friday this week)

Coconut-Braised Collard Greens, from nytimes.com

• 1 large bunch collard greens (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

• 1 bunch (6 to 8) scallions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced

• 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut off and discard any dry or wilted bits from the collard greens and wash the remaining collards in cold water. Transfer to a colander to drain, then coarsely chop the stems and leaves into 2- to 3-inch pieces.

In a large wok or skillet, heat butter and oil over medium-high until rippling. Add scallions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add collards and cook, stirring, just until wilted, about 1 minute.

Add coconut milk and soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until collards are cooked to your taste, about 7 minutes for bright and crisp greens or 10 minutes for darker, softer greens.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

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.