Pickings. June 23

When I was a college student, my roommate gave me a copy of Martin Yan's "Yan Can Cook Book" and it was an indispensable aid to a starving bachelor. Here's a spin on one of his basic stir fry recipes using  this week's harvest - you really can use just about anything - but in this case I tossed in carrots, bok choi, beets and beet greens, snow peas, garlic scapes and venison - all harvested within a few feet of the kitchen. Marinate the venison (or beef, lamb or whatever) for an hour or so in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a touch of garlic and cook it over searing heat in olive oil until done (venison really wants to be on the rare side) then set it aside and do the vegetables. Start with the carrots first, gradually adding the others, saving the peas for last -they only need about a minute. A wok is better suited for this, but a cast iron skillet works just fine if that's all you have. This paired well with a cornbread made with locally grown Red Fife flour. Sort of a fusion Asian/cowboy comfort food.

Pickings - Week of June 20th

With cooperative weather this week the farm has burst forth and our crops have finally become established after a sluggish, cold and soggy spring. Second and third sowings of lettuce planted in May have actually outgrown and surpassed the initial early spring plantings we made in March, which now seems so long ago.  Our initial massive planting effort of several thousand seedlings is behind us and we are actually calculating the days to first frost and scrambling to get a handful of  longer season  plants in the ground.

This week's selections will include lots of greens including our two heirloom lettuce mixes, pak choi, and arugula. You may also see a few  radishes, rhubarb or the last of the strawberries and garlic scapes. We are just beginning  to harvest baby carrots , which is perhaps my favorite crop to grow, and the first of our baby beets. By next week we should be able to include these in all baskets. We're also trying to include a  bunch of mixed herbs in each basket every week - generally parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, mint and lemon balm, as well as the slower growing sage and rosemary on occasion.

By early next week we should also see the first of the broccoli rappi - try this with your garlic scapes, sauteed quickly in olive oil. And although our early spinach and swiss chard crops were disappointing, to put it mildly, due to a malfunctioning seed plate in our planter and poor germination, we hand-sowed a hundred feet or so for our next crop and are starting to see plants poking up from the earth, which should make it to your baskets in a few more weeks.

Truly a miracle in the making to watch a seed sprout and grow before your eyes.

Feel free to knock on the door when you pick up your baskets and we'll be glad to give you a tour of the fields.

June 13

June has been a busy month at the farm. In the last two weeks we've planted out several thousand seedlings of tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, winter and summer squash, musk melon and watermelon. We also started distribution of our shares last Thursday and are busy planting second and third plantings of squash, root crops and greens.

This week we're harvesting strawberries, spinach, salad mix, radishes, baby pak choi, and rhubarb. We also have a few garlic scapes which will be added to each basket - try them in a spinach omelet with a few of our free range eggs for a special morning treat. Call in advance, or email, and we can include eggs with your basket. They are $4.00 per dozen.

We are also shearing the alpacas and sheep this week and will be offering yarn once it's spun.