Hi everybody,
I’m having a lot of fun growing food for all of you. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing.
The rain and coolness has slowed the growth of the summer veggies (squash, peppers, tomatoes) a bit, but as of now no serious disease problems have shown up. We’ve been very lucky.
Monday folks got lettuce, parsley, potatoes, radishes or sumac berries (for a yummy lemony tea), beets, carrots, squash or tomatillos, haricots vertes, and pick your own herbs. Thursday sharers will probably get roughly the same.
Thanks to all who have come to the farm to help with weeding, tomato caging, planting, trellising, harvesting, digging, prepping, supervising, teaching, painting, mowing, compost turning, bring iced coffee, laughing, etc. etc. Please, if possible, pitch in sometime for a harvest. It’s fun and we really need the help. We start at 830 am. With 3 or 4 people the harvest takes 2+ hours and the prep (bunching, rinsing, and sorting) follows. Remember to let Liz know when you can work and when you did work so she can log it.
I am planning to be away on vacation during the first week of August. Several members have agreed to manage the harvest. It will be important for them to have enough help. Please let me and Liz know if you can help the CSA with the harvest or if you can go over and check on things any other morning that week.
Youth from the Waterbury Police Athletic League Workforce program have been out to the farm to learn and work for several weeks now. It’s a great program and we’ll be happy to be asked to participate again next year. Thanks to those members who have come out (Fellis Jordan and Bob Behrer) to be with the group as they learn to dig in the soil, plant and taste new veggies.
Here are a few more ideas for greens:
Alice’s Tuscan Beans and Greens
From Ox Hollow Farm,
Serves 2-3 as a main dish – 30 min. cooking time – a family favorite!
- 3-4 oz bacon (preferably all-natural),
- Diced 2T extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling
- 8 – 10 garlic cloves, peeled, cut in thirds
- 1-2 shallots, sliced ½ tsp.
- Herbes de Provence
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- About ½ cup canned chicken stock
- Very large bunch of washed greens — enough to fill a large salad spinner (kale, chard, spinach, escarole, mustard greens); big ribs and stems removed, roughly sliced
- Aged balsamic vinegar and salt to taste
Oops they didn’t include any other instructions – check Jeff Rapoport’s printed recipe for appropriate cooking directions.
Kale Soup (a simple favorite in my household)
From Walter Greist at Mill River Valley Gardens
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 lg chopped onion
- 3 T olive oil
- 6 c. veggie stock
- 2 c. pureed tomatoes
- 1 bunch shredded kale
- 1 can cannellini beans (or other large beans)
- Parmesan cheese
- Salt, pepper, herbs to taste (maybe try summer savory, rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano, mint from our herb garden)
Saute garlic and onion until translucent. Add veggie stock, tomatoes and drained beans. Heat to boiling. Add kale and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese on top.
Another great use for kale
Chop it up and add it raw to your favorite potato salad recipe. The mayo or other dressing will wilt and tenderize it. It’s really delicious.
See you at the farm,
Brenda