Shout out to our soil

By AJ

While we undoubtedly work hard to fill the CSA barn with the bounty of this land, at the root of our bounty is the soil in which said bounty grows. 

Though I could spit out some science facts about the microbiology, the structure, and the chemistry of soils, I know next to nothing. And truly, the more I learn the less I seem to know. 

Luckily, I think the soil speaks for itself. All you have to do is taste what comes out of it. 

It is rare that farmers throw it all out on the table, when it comes to the harvest of the week. Having worked mostly on market farms (selling solely at the farmers’ markets), I know that the “ugly” stuff doesn’t sell. Or (and in my opinion, far more tragically) it is sold at a majorly reduced price to prove it’s value to the “customer”. 

One of the magics of this CSA is that we can put out the bitten kale, the squash with blemishes and the eggplant with holes. They still taste great. More to the point, they are still NUTRITIOUS. 

We’ve all seen the statistics on the shocking amount of nutrients that our foods have lost over the last few decades. You may need to consume seven of what you used to be able to consume one, to get the same amount of iron or magnesium or zinc. And the main culprit is soil degradation. 

However, there are a lot of small, local farms that take soil very seriously. It is absolutely critical to vibrant life. Not to mention it is FULLY alive. Breathing, sensing, protecting, healing. 

The soil here can be really hard to work with. It’s a little on the clay-y side. When i’ve spent the whole day bent over and cursing at a tractor because it isn’t doing what it is SUPPOSED to be doing (because it is designed to work in pristine, even soil conditions) I always try to take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate its unwieldy nature.  All that clay holds a lot of nutrients (gotta get that CEC!) and we try to implement practices that will increase the nutrition and vibrancy of our soil. 

Instead of trying to change its nature and force it into complying with our demands, we try to work WITH this living entity to share its gifts with you. Salud. 

Pick your raspberries have started! Right now, they are limited to 1 pint/family. Our main goal in planting the raspberries was to offer the joy of picking and of eating the raspberry right off the plant, rather than an abundance of fruit. Raspberries just do not last very well once they are picked! We are hopeful that as the plants mature and fill in in the coming years, there will be even more abundance. We are grateful for how good they look so far and for the fruits they are giving after only being planted this spring.

CSA barn hours:

• Summer: 2:30-6:30 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in March)

• Winter: 2:30-6 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in November)

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Elyse Yellow and Red Long Fresh Onions

• Alto Leeks

• Parade Scallions

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya carrots

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Polaris Fennel

• Dark Star, Cocozelle, and Yellowfin Zucchini

• Mideast Peace and Silver Slicer Cucumbers

• Shimoda, Purple Shine, and Diamond Eggplant

• Glow and Cornito Rosso Sweet Peppers

• Caiman and Galahad Tomatoes

• Farao and Caraflex Green Cabbage

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Lettuce

• Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, and Dill

• Albion Strawberries

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

• Pick your own flowers and herbs; padron and shishito peppers; tomatillos (all in the same field-ask us for directions!)

• Pick your own raspberries!

• Revolution Bread (Friday only)

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Beef Ragu

Get yis one of our chuck roasts!

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion finely chopped

• 2 large carrots finely chopped

• 2 medium ribs celery finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• 1 cup dry red wine (I use a blend)

• FRESH TOMATOES from OPEN FIELD FARM (equivalent to a 28oz can)

• 1 cup beef broth (y'all, we have beef bones to make your own broths!)

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• ½ teaspoon dried thyme

• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

• 2 bay leaves

• 16 ounces pappardelle pasta

• chopped fresh basil

Cut your chuck roast in quarters. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot over medium heat. Brown the roast on all sides. Plate the browned meat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in same pan. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until tender. Reduce the heat and add the garlic; cooking for 1 minute. Add the red wine and gently scrap the bottom of the pan to deglaze.

Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, dried thyme, crushed red pepper, black pepper, bay leaves and browned beef back to the pan. Cover and simmer for 2 – 2 1/2 hours or until the chuck roast is tender enough to shred with two forks.

Shred the beef removing any fat, gristle and cartilage and return to the pot to simmer. Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain well and combine with the beef ragu. If desired sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese and top with fresh thyme and basil.

Rain!

By Sarah

What a gift to have real rain yesterday! I could not resist standing out in it and getting soaked.

July and August are two of my favorite months on the farm. The winds have mellowed, most mornings we are blessed with a thick fog blanket that gives way to sunshine, and there tend to be less heat waves. While we are often swimming in weeds and worried about languishing crops, there is a bit of a pause between the large spring plantings and the fall harvests..

CSA barn hours:

• Summer: 2:30-6:30 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in March)

• Winter: 2:30-6 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in November)

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Elyse Yellow and Red Long Fresh Onions

• Alto Leeks

• Parade Scallions

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya carrots

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Polaris Fennel

• Dark Star, Cocozelle, and Yellowfin Zucchini

• Mideast Peace and Silver Slicer Cucumbers

• Shimoda, Purple Shine, and Diamond Eggplant

• Glow and Cornito Rosso Sweet Peppers

• Caiman and Galahad Tomatoes

• Farao and Caraflex Green Cabbage

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Lettuce

• Parsley, Cilantro, and Dill

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

• Pick your own flowers and herbs; padron and shishito peppers; tomatillos (all in the same field-ask us for directions!)

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Grilled Eggplant with Beet Relish and Tahini Sauce, from dishingupthedirt.com

Beet Relish

• 2 medium sized beets, quartered

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 clove of garlic, minced

• 3 scallions, finely chopped, white and pale green parts only

• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley

• 1/4 cup finely chopped dill

• salt and pepper

Tahini Sauce

• 1 clove of garlic, minced

• 3 1/2 Tablespoons tahini

• 3 1/2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 2 Tablespoons water + additional to thin if necessary

• 2 teaspoons honey

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

• pinch of salt and pepper

Eggplant

• 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds (about 2 medium sized eggplants)

• 3 tablespoons high heat cooking oil or melted ghee

• salt

• 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Prepare the beet relish by covering the quartered beets in a saucepan with enough water to cover them by 3 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until tender. About 20 minutes. Drain the beets and when cool enough to handle roughly chop them into small pieces. Add the beets to a bowl and toss with the vinegar, oil, garlic, scallions, parsley, dill, salt and pepper.

Prepare the dressing by combining all the ingredients and whisking until smooth. This works best with an immersion blender or small food processor for the creamiest consistency. Taste test and adjust as needed.

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high. Toss the eggplant slices with the oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill until lightly charred and tender. About 5-6 minutes per side. Remove from the heat.

Add the eggplant slices to a platter or bowl and top with the beet relish, drizzle with tahini sauce and sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Tulsi

By Kelsey

As I was walking through the flower field this weekend, the tulsi caught my eye and I was elated to see how lush it has become. I felt inspired to write a materia medica on this sweet powerhouse of a plant in the hopes that some of you may be inspired to get to know it better!

Tulsi, or Holy Basil, is native to warm regions of India, Africa and Asia. The species that grows here is Ocimum africanum, which is a more temperate tulsi. It is pungent and warming. Traditional uses of tulsi are rich and varied, from being kept inside the home for purification to remedying fevers, asthma, colds, and flus.

Tulsi is adaptogenic, meaning that when used regularly, it can help support the body to move through the stress response more efficiently. In ayurvedic tradition, Tulsi promotes clarity of the mind and opens the heart, among many other uses.

My favorite thing about tulsi is the mouth-watering aroma it gives off during harvest, which can be smelled practically from half a mile away. Its flavor is almost cinnamon-like. One of my preferred ways to use this herb is as a fresh tea! Simply cut the tulsi about an inch from the ground and fill a quart-sized mason jar half way with the herb. Add a bit of fresh rose petals for more heart-opening goodness. Pour near-boiling water over the herbs, cover, and steep for at least 15 minutes. I rarely strain out my fresh teas, I just strain through my teeth. Let cool to a comfortable temperature for drinking, add honey if desired, and enjoy!

CSA barn hours:

• Summer: 2:30-6:30 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in March)

• Winter: 2:30-6 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in November)

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Elyse Yellow and Red Long Fresh Onions

• Alto Leeks

• Parade Scallions

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya carrots

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Polaris Fennel

• Dark Star, Cocozelle, and Yellowfin Zucchini

• Mideast Peace and Silver Slicer Cucumbers

• Shimoda, Purple Shine, and Diamond Eggplant

• Farao and Caraflex Green Cabbage

• Dazzling Blue and Rainbow Lacinato Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Lettuce

• Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, and Dill

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Shaved Radish Salad with Sunflower Seeds and Ricotta Salata, from saveur.com

• ¼ cups plus 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

• 3 tbsp. olive oil

• 2 tbsp. honey

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3 tbsp. toasted sunflower seeds, toasted

• 2 scallions, dark green tops removed, sliced thinly on the bias

• 2 lb. radishes, cut into ½-in. pieces

• ¼ cups coarsely chopped mint leaves

• 2 oz. ricotta salata, thinly shaved

In a serving bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, and honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add the sunflower seeds, scallions, and radishes and toss to coat. Sprinkle over the mint and ricotta salata and serve.

Tangerine Gem Marigolds

By Sarah

We interplanted our tomato beds with tangerine marigolds this year and they are bringing us all such joy. They smell sweet and earthy, there are butterflies and pollinators all over them, and the bright color lifts your spirit. In addition, we are excited because the tomato plants also look good!

We also interplanted the broccoli and kale with both alyssum and cilantro this year, versus just alyssum as last year. The cilantro grows quite tall and provides shade for the brassicas, which they like. However, it does make the field look a little wild and is harder to harvest through the jungle of plants.

The deer have been devouring the strawberries so we are working on putting up a fence this week. We hope to have them again soon!

CSA barn hours:

• Summer: 2:30-6:30 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in March)

• Winter: 2:30-6 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in November)

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Elyse Yellow Onions

• Alto Leeks

• Parade Scallions

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya carrots

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Polaris Fennel

• Dark Star, Cocozelle, and Yellowfin Zucchini

• Mideast Peace and Silver Slicer Cucumbers

• Farao and Caraflex Green Cabbage

• Jade Green Beans

• Old Growth Palm and Rainbow Lacinato Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Lettuce

• Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, and Dill

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Green Bean and Tofu Salad With Peanut Dressing, from nytimes.com

• ¼ cup crunchy peanut butter

• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

• 1 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup

• ¼ teaspoon ground chile, plus more for sprinkling

• 12 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths

• 1 (14-ounce) box extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, stir the peanut butter, hoisin, lime juice, sugar or maple syrup, and chiles in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons boiling water from the saucepan to the peanut dressing and stir well. The dressing should be runny but still thick. If needed, stir in another tablespoon boiling water.

Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until brighter in color and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain well, rinse under cold water until cool, then drain again. Transfer the green beans and tofu to the peanut dressing and stir gently until evenly coated. Season to taste with salt, then sprinkle with more chile. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Geena

By Geena

Hello all! My name is Geena and my first blog post is an introduction to myself :) I grew up in Forest Knolls Ca and spent a lot of my childhood on/around ranches in San Geronimo valley where my mother also grew up.

I went to college at Oberlin in Ohio and returned to california during the first summer during covid. I studied Archaeology and Geology in school, and hadn’t intended to become a farmer, however when my summer field school plans fell through I got my first job at Star Route Farms, and then a year later at Little Wing Farm in Point Reyes. I have found that while I am no longer in the world of archaeology, all land here has a history that is easy to observe if you know what to look for. In addition, much of the knowledge and practices in farming have been passed down for 10,000 years.

When i’m not farming, I spend a good chunk of my time knitting while I rest, or working on a sewing/painting project. I love hiking in West Marin and visiting friends who live along the coast and in the greater bay area. I also love to poke around at garage sales and thrift stores which is something my dad and I often did together when I was younger.

CSA barn hours:

• Summer: 2:30-6:30 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in March)

• Winter: 2:30-6 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in November)

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Alto Leeks

• Parade Scallions

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya carrots

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Polaris Fennel

• Dark Star, Cocozelle, and Yellowfin Zucchini

• Mideast Peace and Silver Slicer Cucumbers

• Farao Green and Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Gypsy Broccoli

• Old Growth Palm and Rainbow Lacinato Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Lettuce

• Regiment spinach

• Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, and Dill

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Ultimate Zuchinni Bread, from smittenkitchen.com

• 2 cups (13 ounces or 370 grams) grated, packed zucchini, not wrung out, grated on the large holes of a box grater

• 2 large eggs

• 2/3 cup (160 ml) of a neutral oil (I use safflower), olive oil, or melted unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup (95 grams) packed dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon fine sea or table salt

• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 2 cups (260 grams) flour

• 2 tablespoons (25 grams) raw or turbinado sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 6-cup or 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Place grated zucchini in a large bowl and add oil, eggs, sugars, vanilla, and salt. Use a fork to mix until combined. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and baking powder over surface of batter and mix until combined — and then, for extra security that the ingredients are well-dispersed, give it 10 extra stirs. Add flour and mix until just combined. Pour into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the raw or turbinado sugar — don’t skimp. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick or tester inserted into the middle cake but also into the top of the cake, closer to the dome, comes out batter-free.

Let cool completely in the pan. Leave in pan, unwrapped, overnight or 24 hours, until removing (carefully, so not to ruin flaky lid) and serving in slices. Zucchini bread keeps for 4 to 5 days at room temperature. I wrap only the cut end of the cake in foil, and return it to the baking pan, leaving the top exposed so that it stays crunchy.

Cutting Flowers

By Celeste

As you can see the flower field slowly starts to bloom week by week . There’s few different type of flowers to harvest now like shizaunthus , orlaya , snapdragons , larkspur, dianthus , etc.

I want to list down below how to maintain this beautiful pick your flower garden at its best . 

1. Bring clippers / scissors / pruning shears to cut the flowers. Please do not snap them out. It can damage the whole plant and some plants are very fragile and just by snapping you can even pull the whole plant out .

2. Make sure your cutting tools are cleaned and sharp.

3. When cutting the flower always pay attention where are you cutting the stem , is best if you leave a bud / new growing in the plant that way we can keep having more flowers .

4. Keep your dogs on a leash so when you are in the field with them , you can guide them through the pathways ( Clover beds ) and they are not stepping the flowers or laying down on top of them

5. Make sure your children can differentiate the pathways and the flower beds , same as above we want to prevent children stepping on the flowers , jumping in the flower beds , walking through the flowers to get to the other side .

6. When cutting the flowers make sure you are going to cut the twine , these T-post with the twine is to prevent the planta to fall down and break from the wind .

7. Make sure your children don’t go through the twine.

8. If you have a family picnic around the flower field , make sure all the trash is picked up.

All listed above can apply for the perennial garden and the herb garden as well 

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Alto Leeks

• Parade Scallions

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya carrots

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Polaris Fennel

• Dark Star, Cocozelle, and Yellowfin Zucchini

• Farao Green and Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Gypsy Broccoli

• Song Cauliflower

• Green Arrow Shelling Peas

• Old Growth Palm and Rainbow Lacinato Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Lettuce

• Regiment spinach

• Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, and Dill

• Albion Strawberries

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Broccoli Panzanella, from food52.com

• 1 small head broccoli, florets cut off, stems saved for another use

• 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 pinch salt and black pepper

• 1/2 lemon, juice and zest

• 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste

• 1 small clove garlic, pasted

• 1 pinch red pepper flakes or ground chile

• 3 large leaves basil

• 2 tablespoons diced red onion

• 1 1/2 cups loose cubed stale French bread

• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Mix broccoli with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and put in the oven.In small bowl, mix the lemon juice and anchovy paste with the garlic, onions, and chile. Let set for about 10 minutes.
Bake for about 12 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove the broccoli and set aside on a warm plate. The broccoli should be browned in places. Cut into bite-size pieces.
Whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil into the lemon, anchovy, garlic, and onion mixture. In a large bow, add the basil, bread cubes, and broccoli, and toss with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with grated Parmesan over the top.

Welcome to Summer!

By Cecilia

Welcome to summer!  Our harvests are turning into all day affairs, and hopefully you're starting to see that in the CSA barn.  While we don't have any tomatoes, peppers or corn yet, they are ripening fast.  I check the Jimmy Nardello peppers almost everyday for hints of red.  One of the veggies that I am most excited about is our yellow squash.  We have trialed a few different varieties over the years, and not all were very successful.  The current one we grow is called yellowfin and I love its small size and slightly sweeter flavor.  

I'm sure everyone is excited to hear that the wait for carrots is over!  They came out of the field this morning looking perfect and tasting delicious.  One of my favorite ways to eat carrots (other than in cake) is as a quick pickle.  The recipe below calls for Chile de Arbol peppers, but I think any of our dried peppers would be a fantastic addition.  

PS.  I have an insider's secret that new potatoes MIGHT be ready for 4th of July, but you didn't hear it from me.

CSA barn hours:

• Summer: 2:30-6:30 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in March)

• Winter: 2:30-6 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in November)

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Cortland Yellow Onions

• Alto Leeks

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya carrots

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Polaris Fennel

• Dark Star, Cocozelle, and Yellowfin Zucchini

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Gypsy Broccoli

• Green Arrow Shelling Peas

• Old Growth Palm and Rainbow Lacinato Kale

• Champion Collards

• Lettuce

• Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, and Dill

• Albion Strawberries

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Quick Pickled carrots with Chile and Cumin, from Marthastewart.com

• 12 ounces peeled carrots

• 1 shallot, sliced

• 3 dried chiles de arból

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)

Cook carrots in a pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes; drain and place in a heatproof shallow container.

In a small saucepan, combine shallot, chiles, apple-cider vinegar, 1/4 cup water, sugar, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar and salt have dissolved.

Pour brine over carrots to cover. Let cool completely, then cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 5 days. Remove from brine to serve.

Blogithan: Sensual World

By Ashley

I think it will come as no surprise to those who know me to hear that I have been thinking about the body. More specifically; I've been thinking about the body and how our relationship to it matches our relationship to the Earth. Average humans in the western world are hard, fast, and unyielding in their grind to get what they need and go. There doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to care for yourself except maybe a skincare regime that you've paid (over) $100 for. After a long day of work, taking kids to school, picking them up, going to the store, making or ordering dinner, having a tall beverage and finally being able to rest in front of the television, I wonder if you feel a whisper in your mind asking you for something? And a something so indiscernable to a busy life that you find you're filling your time with so much activity in hopes you will finally find what you have been asking yourself for. 

The whisper comes from within. So far within yourself that it is connected to the piece of the Earth you are standing on. She too feels the tremors of the busy world, unable to slow down in time to address plastic waste thrown on her hills, oil washing away her sea life, and the fumes of the corporate castles creating more than anyone will ever have use for. But the difference between Us humans and the Earth is that the Earth still indulges in the delicious sensuality of her natural cycles. She turns and creates and destroys. Often in the same breath. She stretches her plates and reaches her heart to the sky with the tides. She hasn't forgotten what Sacred work it is to be alive doing what must be done. 

The world we live in today has every intention of smothering the Sacred actions of the human, taking them away from you so you may forget what it means to feel good, actually, deliciously good. So I'm going to ask you to do a favor for yourself... before turning on your device to unwind this week, stop for 5 whole minutes and try to listen to that feeling/ voice inside of you and find what is asking to move through you.

Also listen to Kate Bush's Sensual World and thank me later. 

CSA barn hours:

• Summer: 2:30-6:30 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in March)

• Winter: 2:30-6 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in November)

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Cortland Yellow Onions

• Alto Leeks

• Parade Scallions

• Rhonda Beets

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Polaris Fennel

• Dark Star, Cocozelle, and Yellowfin Zucchini

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Old Growth Palm and Rainbow Lacinato Kale

• Champion Collards

• Lettuce

• Regiment Spinach

• Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, and Dill

• Albion Strawberries

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Scallion Rice, from woksoflife.com

• 5 cups cooked jasmine rice(from 1⅔ cups/300g uncooked)

• 12 large scallions (rinsed clean and wiped dry)

• 3 tablespoons neutral oil (ideally, Chinese cai zi you)

• 1 slice ginger (1/8-inch thick, 1-2 inches/3-5 cm long)

• 3 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)

• 1-3 teaspoons green Sichuan peppercorn infused oil (to taste)

• 1 teaspoon sea salt (to taste, be conservative at first if you'd also like to add MSG, below)

• 1/4 teaspoon MSG (optional)

Leftover rice is ideal for this recipe, but if you need to cook the rice, do that first. Let it cool on the counter until it’s warm, not hot. If using cold leftover rice, break it up with a wooden spoon or chopsticks. You want the rice to be easy to stir-fry.

Cut the green parts of the scallions into 2-inch lengths, leaving behind the light green and white parts (i.e., the bottom 3-4 inches of the scallion). In a food processor, puree the green parts of the scallions until you have a chunky paste.

Add the scallion paste to the cooked rice, and stir with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed. Then, in the food processor, process the white parts of the scallions until finely chopped.

Set your wok over medium-high heat, and add the oil along with the ginger. Cook for 30 seconds. Add the white parts of the scallions and fry for about 1-2 minutes, just until the raw edge is gone. You don’t want any browning. Add the rice, and stir-fry, spreading the rice out in a single layer so that it’s evenly fried.

Add the garlic, and stir-fry the rice again, spreading it out into another layer. Add the green Sichuan peppercorn oil, salt, and MSG (if using).

Stir to combine, cooking for a total of about 5 minutes. Once again, you don’t want the rice or scallions to caramelize or brown. The final dish should be a lovely bright green color.

TIPS & NOTES:

Note: cooking time does not include time to cook rice!

Roasted Radishes

Summer and winter harvest days are completely different beasts. In the winter, our harvest in the tunnels and fields lasts only a couple hours or so; most of our time is spent in the wash station processing storage crops, or completing other projects on the farm. But as the days heat and lengthen, crops in the fields grow so rapidly! Once the strawberries came on, our harvests began to stretch until eleven or noon, with one person staying back to wash and process the harvest as quickly as possible. It is still early in the season – harvests will continue to extend in the coming months.

 I hope you see the swelling bounty in the barn, in the variety and quantity of crops we are offering. The diversity of what we offer was part of what drew me to Open Field; it is rare to see a CSA program that provides food year-round, let alone with as many varieties as we provide. Farms I’ve worked at in the past have grown just three or four varieties of winter squash: we grow over a dozen! The names of each variety themselves are practically poetry -- Devotion basil, Pink Beauty radishes, Painted Mountain dry corn, Jade green beans... contrasted with a few extremely utilitarian names like Storage #5 Green Cabbage and XR-F1 Sweet Corn. Our focus on open pollinated seeds and biodiversity in the field is new to me, and one of the many parts of Open Field that I am learning to love.

 Stay cool out there!

Alyssa

CSA barn hours:

• Summer: 2:30-6:30 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in March)

• Winter: 2:30-6 pm (starts the week after daylight savings in November)
  

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Cortland Yellow Onions

• Parade Scallions

• Rhonda Beets

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Polaris Fennel

• Mideast Peace Cucumbers

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Old Growth Palm and Rainbow Lacinato Kale

• Champion Collards

• Magenta, Freckles, and Alkindus Lettuce

• Regiment Spinach

• Parsley, Cilantro, and Dill

• Albion Strawberries

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

• Pick your own flowers and herbs

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Roasted Radishes

I really like to eat these with a soft-boiled egg, greens, and toast.

• Pink Beauty radishes (about 2 big radishes per serving)

• 1 lemon, zested and halved

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh herbs to garnish

Preheat oven to 400. Dice the radishes and place on an oven safe pan or dish with a drizzle of olive oil and salt/pepper to taste. Roast for 20-45 minutes, until done to your liking (the shorter time is more crisp-tender, the longer time is softer and more caramelized). Toss with lemon zest and lemon juice, and garnish with fresh herbs of your choosing.

Calcium Experiment

By AJ

I am really hopeful for our tomato crop this year. I'm obsessed with growing them, working with them and, of course, eating them.

They are coming on in the high tunnels very quickly!

We are trying a couple new things with them this year, from trellising to a calcium experiment.

Calcium experiment, you say?

One thing we struggle with is our soils ability to hold calcium and once plants start their reproductive phase, they want calcium.

Eggshells are a popular calcium people use at home, but the calcium in the eggshells isn't bio-available for the plants.

So, we found a recipe for extracting the calcium from the abundance of eggshells we have. And all you need is eggshells and vinegar!

We toast and clean the eggshells and add them to vinegar and they immediately start bubbling and brewing. you leave them to mingle in a jar (or whatever) with a cheesecloth over the top to let it breathe. Leave it for a week or so, until it has stopped bubbling. At that point the calcium is extracted from the eggshells and you can strain out the vinegar and be diluted into your production-stage plants.

We've used it on our tomatoes and strawberries and i'm looking forward to seeing the results.

Ask me for the recipe if you want to try it at home!

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Fresh garlic

• Cortland Yellow Onions

• Rhonda Beets

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Old Growth Palm and Rainbow Lacinato Kale

• Champion Collards

• Parade Scallions

• Magenta and Buttercrunch Lettuce

• Regiment Spinach

• Esmee arugula

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Albion Strawberries

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (mostly in the herb garden and perennial field right now)

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Strawberry Sumac Cake, from nytimes.com

FOR THE STRAWBERRIES:

• 1 cup chopped hulled strawberries (1-inch pieces), plus 1 cup strawberries, halved

• 1 teaspoon ground sumac

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

• ½ teaspoon almond extract

FOR THE CAKE:

• 1 cup/240 milliliters plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 cups/256 grams flour

• 1 cup/152 grams stone-ground yellow cornmeal

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• 3 large eggs

• 1 cup/200 grams plus 2 tablespoons/25 grams granulated sugar

• ½ cup/120 milliliters half-and-half

• ¼ teaspoon ground sumac

Prepare the strawberries: Combine the chopped strawberries, sumac, sugar and almond extract in a small bowl and set aside to macerate, a process of letting the berries soften and release their juices.

Meanwhile, prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda and baking powder to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a medium bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the eggs and 1 cup/200 grams sugar on medium-high speed until very pale and light yellow in color, about 3 minutes. The mixture should thicken and make ribbons that slowly lose their shape when they fall off the whisk attachment. With the mixer on high speed, slowly add the remaining 1 cup/240 milliliters olive oil and beat until everything is combined.

Reduce the speed to medium-low and slowly begin adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions, adding the half-and-half in between additions. Mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the diced strawberries and their liquid. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Arrange the halved strawberries on the top.

Bake for 50 to 65 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the cake is becoming too brown before the center has set, cover loosely with foil.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons/25 grams sugar with the sumac. Sprinkle the cake with the sumac sugar while still slightly warm.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Turn the cake out of the pan onto the rack or release the springform ring and remove it. (If using a standard cake pan, some sugar may fall off of the cake. Use parchment or wax paper to catch any stray sugar and sprinkle back over the cake.) Let cool completely before serving. Store leftover cake in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 1 day (or refrigerate up to 4 days).

Day care

By Sarah

One of the traits of the Corriente cows that we greatly appreciate is that they are good mothers. They often work together to care for the calves. You can usually spot a collection of calves grouped together, surrounded by a few moms. The other mothers are free to graze, knowing their calves are safe.

One of the hardest aspects of raising chicks is that they do not have their mothers to teach them how to eat, drink, stay warm, and be safe. We do our best to create a space for them where they can learn on their own and have their needs met but it is not the same. The chicks are already a week old and they are no longer little fluff balls. They are started to feather out, to fly up on everything, and are anxious to explore.

We are so grateful that the everyone is feeling better! Thank you for all the well wishes.

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Fresh garlic

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions

• Rhonda Beets

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Parade Scallions

• Magenta and Cantarix Lettuce

• Regiment Spinach

• Esmee arugula

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Albion Strawberries

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

• Pick your own flowers and herbs (mostly in the herb garden and perennial field right now)

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Herbal Rice Salad with Peanuts, from 101cookbooks.com

When they're in season, roast halved cherry tomatoes, and add them to the salad just before serving. *You can use whatever rice you have on hand, but I like to use the wonderfully fragrant brown jasmine rice for this salad.

• 4 cups cooked rice, room-temperature*

• 1 cup toasted coconut

• 1 cup chopped, toasted peanuts

• 3/4 loosely packed cup of EACH of the following: mint, basil, & cilantro leaves

• 3 scallions, sliced thin

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or more to taste

• fine grain sea salt, to taste

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 cup plain yogurt

Ideally, you're going to want to toss this salad, just before serving. It keeps the herbs bright, and green. In a large bowl, combine the rice, coconut, peanuts, mint, basil, cilantro, and scallions. Season with the lime juice, and salt. Toss again.

Mash the garlic clove into a paste with a generous pinch of salt. Whisk the salted garlic into the yogurt, and drizzle generously over the salad, serving the rest on the side.

Serves 6.

Milky Oat Tops Monograph

Since I was not able to make the Spring workshop happen this past weekend for various reasons (not the least of which being that most of the crew came down with covid over the last few days-- don’t worry, we’re all well on our way to recovery!), I wanted to share the monograph on milky oats that I wrote here.

Avena Sativa

Oats (milky oat tops, oatstraw)

Family: Poaceae

Parts Used & Collection: Milky seed, whole plant. For milky seed, strip seed heads when green and when pinched, milky sap comes out.

Habitat & Cultivation: Native to Europe, and some species native to North America. Naturalized worldwide in sunny fields and meadows. Prefers full sun and can tolerate a range of soil conditions.

Taste: Sweet, moist

Energy: Cooling

Actions: Nervine tonic, antidepressant, nutritive, demulcent, vulnerary

Body System Affinity: Nervous

Indications: Nervous system depletion, especially when exhaustion is present (burnout!); nervous system exhaustion associated with depression; lack of focus; insomnia associated with exhaustion; occipital headache; nervous palpitations; nervous headache at menstruation or pre-menstruation; weak or broken hair, skin, nails

Dosage & Preparation: Tincture dosage is 1-3mL, 3x per day. Fresh tincture is best prepared at a ratio of 1g herb to 1.75 or 2mL menstruum (1:1.75 or 1:2), using an alcohol percentage of 50-70% ETOH.

Combines Well With: other nervines such as skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), catnip (Nepeta cataria), tulsi (Ocimum africanum), rose (Rosa spp.)

Safety & Contraindications: Generally safe for most, but may be too damp for some constitutions. May cause diarrhea if very large quantities are consumed.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding: Safe

Personal Reflections: Simply harvesting the milky oat tops is amazing medicine for the nervous system. It is a soothing and meditative act to strip the seeds, and there’s nothing better than pinching them and tasting the sweet milkiness right there in the field. Taking the tincture regularly has clearly had a fortifying, soothing effect on my nervous system

Pick List: Since we are working with a smaller crew, we picked the most essential items!

• Eggs

• Fresh garlic

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions

• Rhonda Beets

• Primo Cabbage on Tuesday and Pink Beauty Radishes on Friday

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Preludio Fennel

• Parade Scallions

• Black Seeded Simpson, Buttercrunch, and Cantarix Lettuce

• Regiment Spinach

• Parsley

• Albion Strawberries

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Spaghetti with Garlic and Parsley, from seriouseats.com

• Salt

• 1 pound spaghetti

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 stalks 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.

Be aware , but don’t be alarmed.

By Celeste

First of all , thank you to every single one of you who attended the All member meeting.  I hope all the information that we gave you was clear, and not overwhelming. Remember you are always welcome to ask questions about how we run the farm. ( or you can re-read all the emails that sarah sends ) 

Someone from that same meeting asked if there were certain plants that were toxic if they got eaten. So today i want to talk about the flowers that are in the flower field that are slightly toxic to humans and your pets , and also cattle ( never feed the animals of the farm , unless you have been granted permission and you are 100% that what you are feeding them is not harmful ). 

*Please wash your hands after harvesting these flowers or use gardening gloves when cutting the flowers*
Larkspur : All parts of all larkspur species are poisonous, but new growth and the seeds contain the highest concentrations of toxic substances. ( Please wash your hands after harvesting or use gardening gloves when cutting the flowers.) 
https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/logan-ut/poisonous-plant-research/docs/larkspur-delphinium-spp/
Feverfew:  Side effects can include nausea, digestive problems, and bloating; if the fresh leaves are chewed, sores and irritation of the mouth may occur. People who are sensitive to ragweed and related plants may experience allergic reactions to feverfew. 
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/feverfew
Milkweed : All parts of the plant contain toxic cardiac glycosides, which can cause nausea, diarrhea, weakness, and confusion in small amounts, and seizures, heart rhythm changes, respiratory paralysis, and even death in large amounts. Milkweed can also irritate the skin and eyes if touched.
https://www.poison.org/articles/milkweed-can-cause-serious-poisoning-204

Pick List: The pick list is still small but the plants are growing. We have been snacking on a few strawberries and we hope to offer them next week, along with lettuce mix and fennel.

• Eggs

• Fresh garlic

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions

• Rhonda Beets

• Primo Cabbage

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Preludio Fennel

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Parade Scallions

• Regiment Spinach

• Salanova Lettuce Mix

• Albion Strawberries (It will most likely be just a taste this week.)

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Milkweed (The variety in the picture grows in the perennial garden. In the annual flower field, there is also a milkweed with yellow, orange, and red flowers.)

White Beans With Radishes, Miso and Greens, from nytimes.com

• 2 tablespoons miso

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, like cannellini or butter beans, rinsed and drained

• 3 cups greens, such as radish tops and/or spinach, thinly sliced

• 3 to 4 small radishes, thinly sliced

• Fresh lemon wedges, for squeezing

• Black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk the miso with 1/4 cup water until dissolved. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat until it foams. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the beans and toss to coat with the garlic butter. Add the miso mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded and the beans are warmed through, about 2 minutes. The beans should be a bit saucy, so thin it out with a tablespoon or so of water if needed.

Remove from the heat and stir in the greens and radishes. Gently toss until the greens are just wilted. Squeeze with lemon juice, season with pepper and gently toss again.

Full Steam Ahead

By Cecilia

Yesterday I was thinking about the first year that I started working at Open Field. It rained heavily through all of April and into May. I don't think the fields dried out enough for tillage until the first week of June. It's amazing to think about how much water we had that year, but it also stresses me out to think of how long we waited before having fresh spring crops. And we didn't even have any tunnels to harvest out of! Somehow we made it work.

Even though we got enough water this winter to fill our pond, this is the earliest season we've ever had. We began tilling in early April and were planting not too long after. While we are still in a drought, it is completely different from the predicament we were in last season. Every year on this land feels so different. It is amazing to be able to observe the way the crops react, our animals react, and even the way the weeds and wild critters react with each year's circumstances.

While we would have loved to get more water, it is so exciting to see how much is already growing in the fields. Our new potatoes have sprouted, our first planting of field lettuce will be ready next week, and the tunnel cucumbers are setting fruit. Both crops and crew have been full steam ahead for weeks now, and soon we'll be able to see the benefit of this early season in the CSA barn. In the meantime we will be eating lots of beets and kale!

Pick List: The pick list is still small but the plants are growing. We have been snacking on a few strawberries and we hope to offer them next week, along with lettuce mix and fennel.

• Eggs

• Fresh garlic

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions

• Rhonda Beets

• Purple Top Turnips

• Watermelon and Purple Daikon Radish

• Primo Cabbage

• Joi Choi

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Parade Scallions

• Regiment Spinach

• Parsley

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Kale and Roasted Beet Salad

• 2 beets

• kosher salt and fresh pepper

• 6 thick cut bacon slices, diced

• 1 bunch kale

• 1/3 cup chicken or beef stock

• 4 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Wash and trim the beets, removing both ends. Place them on a 12-inch square sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Drizzle with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Seal up the foil packet and roast until the beets are fork-tender, about 1 hour.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until medium-crisp (or however you prefer your bacon). Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Increase the heat to high and add the kale, stirring to coat in the rendered bacon grease. Cover and cook for a few minutes, and then add the chicken stock and 2 tablespoons of the vinegar. Stir to combine, cover and allow to wilt for 6 to 8 minutes.

Peel and cut the beets into chunks and add them to the kale. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar. Add the bacon, stir to combine and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Refresh

The return of the rains last week offered us a moment to pause and catch our breath as this season has started much earlier than usual. We slipped back into our winter pace and were able to catch up on projects and tasks we had thought might have to wait until next winter. We were grateful for moisture and for the needed reset. Now we are excited to get back to planting in the fields this week!

The perennial field is growing fast and soon there will be plenty of flowers there to pick. Even still, take a wander out there and find monarch caterpillars all over the milkweed, a few perennial flax blooming, and more. We are planting even more in both the herb and perennial fields this week.

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Green garlic

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions

• Pie Pita Pumpkins

• Rhonda Beets

• Purple Top Turnips

• Watermelon and Purple Daikon Radish

• Ruby King Red and Primo Cabbage

• Mei Qing Choi (Tuesday) and Joi Choi (Friday)

• Salanova Lettuce Mix

• Parade Scallions

• Preludio Fennel

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

In honor of the rhubarb we are planting in the new perennial field this week!

Rhubarb Buckle with Ginger Crumb, from food52.com

Ginger Crumb Topping

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cake

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon dried ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 eggs

• 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

• 1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and thinly sliced

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch round baking pan that is at least 3 inches tall. (Otherwise, use a larger pan or it may overflow.)

Make ginger crumb topping: Mix sugar, flour, and candied ginger together in a bowl, then stir in melted butter. Put the topping in the freezer while you mix up the cake.

Make the cake: whisk flour, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Using a handheld mixer with beaters, or a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Stir in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Gently fold in rhubarb.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan, then sprinkle the crumb topping over the cake—make sure the crumb is totally frozen, and that you move quickly to sprinkle it over the cake and transfer to the oven. Otherwise it will melt into the cake, which will still taste good but won't look as spectacular. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until lightly golden, and firm on top.

Store wrapped in plastic, at room temperature, for 2 to 3 days.

Paths

By Anna

Last weekend I sat up by the oak tree and looked down at the farm. I saw the houses and the newly spaded fields and the cows grazing. And I saw my path, the disturbed grass I left in my wake walking up the hill I sat on. I then noticed more of them - the path the stream takes rolling down pasture hills, the path we farmers have worn in front of the hoop houses, the path the mower made in one of the fields. It got me thinking about the concept of paths, both in a literal sense, and as a metaphor for how we all move through life. There are many paths I travel every day - the road, the gravel walkway by the barn, the wood floor between my bed and the kitchen for a cup of tea each morning. The moon follows a path across the sky as do the sun and stars. All sorts of birds fly on invisible paths, dips and currents in the air, surfing on the wind. Muddy paw prints mark the roads and deer tracks in the soft soil. We are all moving and wandering and searching and colliding and existing alongside a million traces of a million choices by a million different elements of the universe. I am just one teeny path in this great cobweb. And all I can do is continue to choose the path that whispers in my ear, the one that feels good to my feet and in my chest. I believe that is what we are all tasked to do!

“We are born to wander through a chaos field. And yet we do not become hopelessly lost, because each walker who comes before us leaves behind a trace for us to follow.”
― Robert Moor, from his book On Trails: An Exploration

Pick List: (This return to winter weather is bringing much needed rain and it is slowing the growth of everything! All the plants need more time to grow thus there is a limited harvest this week.)

• Eggs

• Takrima Leeks

• Green garlic

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions

• Pie Pita Pumpkins

• Rhonda Beets

• Hablange Parsnips

• Purple Top Turnips

• Watermelon and Purple Daikon Radish

• Ruby King Red, Primo, and Deadon Cabbage

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Parade Scallions

• Preludio Fennel

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Vegetable Fritters

• ~4 cups grated vegetables (I like potato, parsnip, carrot, cauliflower, sweet potato, squash, cabbage, turnip, beet - almost anything goes!)

• 1/2 cup flour

• 3 eggs, beaten

• salt and pepper to taste, as well as any other spices that speak to you

• oil for frying

• yogurt, sour cream, cheese, scallions, cilantro, parsley, etc. for topping

1. Heat oil in a pan until shimmering, the oil should be at least an inch deep

2. Combine all other ingredients by hand in a large mixing bowl

3. Shape fritter patties and add more flour or vegetables or egg if needed - feel it out! The patties should be thin, around a half inch if possible.

4. Carefully place fritters in the pan and fry, flipping when golden brown

5. Top with yogurt and scallions (or whatever you would like) and enjoy!

Pretty awesome

By AJ
I got to ruminating this week and I thought I'd share my thoughts. But it practically turned into an essay, so ready your scrolling finger if you are just trying to get to that friggin’ pick list.
(The views and opinions expressed herein are those of this farmer and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of this farm.)
Seth took some time this week to take us through the cows– how to move with them, be aware of them, and invite them into our realm of thought as we go about our day. It was nice to be reminded of their grace and knowledge, as well as their role in pasture management.
It got me thinking that, as a farmer, I feel villainized sometimes. And I get defensive when cows and agriculture are villainized, accused of being the downfall of this earth.
True, the history of agriculture and domestication is a sticky one, riddled with misinformation, coercion, violence and colonialism. And I don’t claim to have any answers. But the thing is, that just ain’t all there is to it. There is a long history of peoples cultivating and tending land. And a whole world of agriculture (albeit small) that participates in food production in a very different way. Where, at it’s core, is reverence and humility.
Most people buy (into) industrial meat/food production, though perhaps out of necessity. And those who oppose it often do so by choosing to be vegan or vegetarian. By no right, do I judge that decision. “Don’t want to support industrial meat production? Don’t eat meat!” It’s a reasonable response.
I grew up vegetarian and looked to plants (mostly soy) for my nutritional needs. But when I moved to California and started farming, I began to question the methods of production that I was supporting by buying…. Anything! Sometimes it feels like you just can’t win.
But another thing happened, coupled with my questioning, and that was the first time I harvested an animal. It was a goat. And I was mortified. But through that dread and fear, I also tapped into something I wholly did not expect. And I have no name for it. It was a friggin’ swirling portal into a kind of wisdom, something deep and ancient.
In the US, less than 2% of the population is farmers. The reason I bring that up is because there are so few people who desire to/have the opportunity to experience the BECOMING that is rooted in the places we live, made richer by the relationships we build with all of its inhabitants. It is a special human experience. And when it comes to the relationship between a human and, say, a cow, the conversation is rich with humility. There’s that word again.
Did you know the Latin root for the word “humility” is HUMUS? No, not the delicious garbanzo bean dip. Humus. Literally, soil. How, then, can we not know that there is liberation in humility?
It’s funny how we think we’re in control.
We are not entitled to any of the gifts that this land produces. And I dare say, I sometimes wonder if we are worthy of such gifts.
As folks who work the land–ask of it, try to give back to it, witness the constant life and death–we are crushed by the constant flow of decisions asking to be made as we navigate the compromises we don’t know how to avoid. It hurts the whole of who we are. I’ve seen and experienced the despair that comes with it.
How do we do this well? How do we do right by all the critters and plants and mycelia and pollinators and humans involved? How do we “save the world”? How do we sustain our communities under capitalist rules? How do we find an empowering way forward? How do we keep going? Why should we?
I don’t know. The best we can do is learn to listen and be true enough to experience the mind-blowing amount of connection we have the ability to make with each cycle of life and death. We find ways to tap into a reverence for all of the moving parts of this life. And, as Seth said, as we climbed the hill toward the cows, all near-bursting with new life in their wombs, “Wow, this is pretty awesome”.

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Takrima Leeks

• Green garlic

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions

• Pie Pita Pumpkins

• Yellow Finn and Harvest Moon Potatoes (Last week)

• Rhonda Beets

• Hablange Parsnips

• Purple Top Turnips

• Watermelon and Purple Daikon Radish

• Ruby King Red, Primo, and Deadon Cabbage

• Joi Choi

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Parade Scallions

• Preludio Fennel

• Esmee Arugula

• Lettuce Mix

• Cilantro and Parsley

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Beetroot Mud Cake, from Wild Sweetness: Recipes Inspired by Nature by Thalia Ho

• ⅔ CUP (1¼ STICKS + 1 TEASPOON; 150 G) UNSALTED BUTTER, PLUS EXTRA FOR GREASING THE PAN

• 1¼ CUPS (215 G) FINELY CHOPPED DARK CHOCOLATE

• 2 TABLESPOONS BRANDY

• ¾ CUP + 2 TABLESPOONS (175 G) GRANULATED SUGAR

• 3 LARGE EGGS, SEPARATED

• 3 CUPS (250 G) FINELY GRATED FRESH BEETROOT

• ¾ CUP + 1 TABLESPOON (100 G) FLOUR

• ¼ CUP (25 G) DUTCH PROCESSED COCOA POWDER, PLUS EXTRA FOR FINISHING

• ¾ TEASPOON BAKING POWDER

• ½ TEASPOON SALT

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line a 9-inch (23-cm) round springform cake pan with parchment paper.
Put the butter and chocolate in a medium-size heatproof bowl set over a saucepan filled with a few inches of barely simmering water. Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water below. Heat, stirring often, until melted, then remove and stir in the brandy. Whisk in ⅔ cup (135 g) of the sugar, then whisk in the yolks, one at a time, until glossy. Mix in the beetroot.
Next, put the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk, on medium-high speed, until foamy, then scatter in the remaining sugar;, whisking to firm peaks. Fold half into the chocolate mixture to loosen, then fold in the remaining half, until just incorporated. A fair few marbled streaks should remain. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, then again fold until a uniform batter has formed. Scrape into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until crackled. A skewer inserted into the middle should come out almost clean, with a few dense crumbs attached to it. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before lifting it out and onto a wire rack to cool completely. Finish with a good dusting of cocoa powder.

Alyssa

Hello!
I am Alyssa, the newest member of the veggie crew. I have been living and working here for nearly two months now, and I am more grateful than I can express for the way the people, plants, and creatures of this farm have welcomed me into their world.

Since I have been here, we have steadily moved from winter's slowness to the energy of the spring. Our to-do list expands every day! It is an exciting time, marked by anticipation and change and so much sunshine. Ladybugs are undergoing their metamorphosis from larva to pupal stage to adult, and the days are lengthening and getting hotter.

I am still hoping for April showers, but we have fully committed to tilling and planting our fields. Last week we planted a field of asparagus, which should begin to produce a harvestable quantity for the CSA three seasons from now. Since I began to farm, I am amazed by the way everything one does on a farm is an investment in the future. In this way, farming is a little like hoping, a little like faith.

A little about me: I grew up just south of here, in Novato where my parents and twin sister still live. In my adult life I have bounced around: to Maine, then to the Mojave in southern California, then back up to the Bay in in June of 2020 when I began to farm. It has been a pleasure to be back in Bay, and especially now the North Bay! I look forward to getting to know you all a little more over the course of the season.

Cheers! Alyssa

Pick List:

• Eggs

• Takrima Leeks

• Green garlic

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions

• Pie Pita Pumpkins

• Yellow Finn and Harvest Moon Potatoes

• Rhonda Beets

• Hablange Parsnips

• Purple Top Turnips

• Watermelon Radish

• Ruby King Red, Primo, and Deadon Cabbage

• Joi Choi

• Dazzling Blue Kale

• Parade Scallions

• Preludio Fennel

• Regiment Spinach

• Esmee Arugula

• Lettuce Mix

• Cilantro

• Radicchio

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

• Sonora wheat flour and wheat berries

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

• Starts available in the shade tunnel (Please only take starts from area in between the two signs!)

Bok Choy Stir Fry

• 2 heads joi choi

• 3 scallions

• 1 green garlic

• Soy sauce, tamari, liquid aminos, or coconut aminos

• Shaoxing wine, dry sherry, or water for deglazing

• Cooking oil

Mise en place:

1. Trim root ends of scallions and slice thinly. Set the green parts of the scallion aside until the end.

2. Finely mince green garlic, and set aside with the white parts of the scallions.

3. Slice the bok choy heads on a diagonal. Separate the white, stemmier pieces from the green, leafier pieces.

Cook:

1. Heat a wok or large cast iron skillet on high until smoking. Add a tablespoon or two of cooking oil - I prefer a neutral oil, but do as you please!

2. Add green garlic and white parts of scallions to the pan, constantly stirring, and cook for thirty seconds or so, until fragrant.

3. Quickly add in the white, stemmier pieces of bok choy, and continue to stir fry until they begin to soften. Add the green, leafier pieces and deglaze.

4. Stir fry until nearly ready; the greens should turn even greener and begin to wilt down a little. Just before you take the pan off the heat, add the green parts of the scallion, a splash or two of soy sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper, especially white pepper if you have it. Enjoy!

Water walk

The rain on Sunday was glorious! The fields that we had tilled the week before were quite dry. The rain help rehydrate them, allowing for a pretty prefect second tillage and hopefully helping to break down more of the grass. Cecilia, Alyssa, and Ashley planted tomatoes and peppers in the tunnel yesterday, alongside the cucumbers that are looking dark green and taking root. We will plant our new field of asparagus this week and we are very hopeful that the new spot is more successful than the last one!

Jesse and Danny are sorting the cows into two herds this week: one with the bred cows and the rest of the herd together. Calving could begin next week! The sheep are all back together in one flock and the lambs with their boundless energy run circles around the rest. Or you find them piled in a heap sleeping.

Anna, Ashley, Alyssa, AJ, and I took a walk around the farm last week, talking about the water sources and giving thanks.

Eggs

• Takrima Leeks

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions

• Pie Pita Pumpkins

• Yellow Finn and Harvest Moon Potatoes

• Rhonda Beets

• Hablange Parsnips

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Ruby King Red, Primo, and Deadon Cabbage

• Mei Qing Choi

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parade Scallions

• Preludio Fennel

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Cilantro

• Radicchio

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

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

Cabbage and Glass Noodles, from woksoflife.com

• 1 package mung bean vermicelli (50g/1.75oz)

• 1 pound green cabbage

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine (plus 1 teaspoon)

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 3-5 dried red chilis (break them open if you want more heat)

• 2 cloves garlic (chopped)

• 1 scallion (chopped)

• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

• ½ teaspoon soy sauce

• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Soak the mung bean vermicelli noodles for about 10 minutes until soft. Cut the bundle in half to shorten the noodle lengths, and set them aside (still in the soaking water). Prep the cabbage by slicing it into 1/2-inch thick strips.

Beat the eggs along with the salt, sesame oil and 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine. Heat a wok over high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon oil, and the eggs quickly after. Scramble them for 20-30 seconds, until they’re just almost done (they can still be a bit runny). Take the eggs out of the wok and set aside.

Heat the 2 remaining tablespoons of oil in the wok over medium-high heat. Add the chili, garlic, and scallion. Cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Before the peppers and garlic start to turn brown, add the cabbage, and increase the heat to high. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, until the cabbage is wilted.

Pull the noodles out of the soaking water, and add them to the cabbage. Then add the cooked egg and the 1 remaining tablespoon of shaoxing wine. Stir-fry, then add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and white pepper. Stir everything together and continue to stir-fry for another 2 minutes or so, until the noodles are tender (add a splash of water if the noodles look dry). Plate and serve!

Spring Equinox

By Kelsey

After last week’s time change, Friday’s full moon, and the equinox on Sunday, we have officially shifted gears from our restful winter mode to full steam ahead. We are waking up earlier and working later; the greenhouse is suddenly full of plant babies; and we are already beginning to till the fields. There is a burst of energy, optimism, and a feeling of fullness that comes along with this time of the year and the potential it holds-- an urge to come out of hibernation, be more social, and make moves on our creative projects. And yet if I am being honest, when I am quiet and alone, I also feel some sadness and anxiety around the edges of all this Spring energy. I want to socialize-- but is it safe? I want to put actions in place for my future goals-- but what will the world look like by then? There is so much going on in the collective, how do I make the impact that I want to make in the world?

Of course there are no answers and the future remains uncertain. I thought I would share two poems that I feel convey the juxtaposition that I am leaning into at this time-- the joy, the energy of potential, and the creation of life that the Spring brings exists simultaneously with the wars, the illness, and the death.

Pippa’s Song
by Robert Browning (1812-1889)
The year’s at the spring,
And the day’s at the morn;
Morning’s at seven;
The hill-side’s dew-pearl’d;
The lark’s on the wing;
The snail’s on the thorn;
God’s in His heaven--
All’s right with the world!

Naming of Parts
by Henry Reed

Today we have naming of parts. Yesterday,
We had daily cleaning. And tomorrow morning,
We shall have what to do after firing. But today,
Today we have naming of parts. Japonica
Glistens like coral in all the neighboring gardens,
And today we have naming of parts.

This is the lower sling swivel. And this
Is the upper sling swivel, whose use you will see,
When you are given your slings. And this is the piling swivel,
Which in your case you have not got. The branches
Hold in the gardens their silent, eloquent gestures,
Which in our case we have not got.

This is the safety-catch, which is always released
With an easy flick of the thumb. And please do not let me
See anyone using his finger. You can do it quite easy
If you have any strength in your thumb. The blossoms
Are fragile and motionless, never letting anyone see
Any of them using their finger.

And this you can see is the bolt. The purpose of this
Is to open the breech, as you see. We can slide it
Rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this
Easing the spring. And rapidly backwards and forwards
The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers:
They call it easing the Spring.

They call it easing the Spring: it is perfectly easy
If you have any strength in your thumb: like the bolt,
And the breech, the cocking-piece, and the point of balance,
Which in our case we have not got; and the almond blossom
Silent in all of the gardens and the bees going backwards and forwards,
For today we have the naming of parts.

Eggs

• Takrima Leeks

• Cortland Yellow and Monastrell Red Onions

• Tetsukabota and Gil’s Golden Acorn

• Pie Pita Pumpkins

• Yellow Finn and Harvest Moon Potatoes

• Rhonda Beets

• Hablange Parsnips

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Ruby King Red, Primo, and Deadon Cabbage

• Mei Qing Choi

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parade Scallions

• Preludio Fennel

• Regiment Spinach

• Lettuce Mix

• Cilantro

• Various chicories!

• Tea Blends and Ground and Whole Chiles (Please bring your own containers!)

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

Sabzi Polo (Herbed Rice With Tahdig), from nytimes.com

• 2 cups basmati rice

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 4 cups finely diced leeks, including the dark green parts (2 medium leeks or 1 very large leek)

• Fine sea salt or kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1 cup finely chopped dill leaves and tender stems

• 1 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems

• 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt

• 3 tablespoons oil

Place rice in a bowl and rinse with cold water. Swirl vigorously with your fingers to release the starch, and change the water at least five times, until it runs clear. Once the water runs clear, let rice soak for 30 minutes.

Fill a large stockpot with 4 quarts of water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.

Set a very well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a nonstick frying pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons butter. When butter melts, add leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.

Once water comes to a boil, season it very heavily with either 6 tablespoons fine sea salt or a generous 1/2 cup kosher salt and the ground turmeric. (Don’t worry about oversalting; the rice will spend only a few minutes in this water.) Drain rice, then add it to the pot and stir. Set a fine-mesh sieve or colander in the sink. Cook rice, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain into the sieve, then rinse with cold water to keep rice from cooking further. Drain rice well and place in a large bowl.

Add leeks, dill and cilantro to rice. Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Remove 1 heaping cup of the rice mixture to a small bowl and mix with yogurt.

Rinse and dry the skillet and return it to medium-high heat. Add remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the oil. When butter melts, add rice-yogurt mixture and spread it out into a thin, even layer with a heatproof spatula.

Pile remaining rice into the pan, mounding it gently toward the center. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, gently dig 6 holes into the rice down to the bottom of the pot, which will be barely sizzling. Dig 5 of the holes about 2 inches from the sides of the pan, and put one in the center. (The holes will allow steam to escape from the bottommost layer of rice and allow a crisp crust to form.) There should be enough oil in the pan that you can see it bubbling up the sides; add a little more oil along the edges of the rice if needed to see these bubbles.

Continue cooking rice over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, or until evenly browned along the edges, rotating the pan a half turn after 4 minutes to ensure even browning. Wrap a lid with a kitchen towel and cover pan. Turn the heat as low as it will go and continue cooking another 45 minutes, rotating the pan a quarter turn every 10 to 12 minutes. The rice is done when it’s cooked completely through.

To unmold the rice, carefully run an offset spatula or butter knife along the edges of the pan to ensure that no part of the crust is sticking. Tip out any excess fat at the bottom of the pan into a bowl, gather your courage, and then carefully flip it onto a platter or cutting board. Serve immediately.