- Asparagus (green and/or purple varieties)
- The First of the Spring-Sown Spinach
- Easter Egg Radishes
- Red and Green Head Lettuce
- Fresh Oregano
- Arugula
- Tomato Puree
Farm Journal
Saturday 5:40 p.m.
I'm upstairs getting ready for a dinner date with my husband when the doorbell rings. It's too early to be the babysitter, and I groan at the prospect of having to answer the door with a towel wrapped around my head. When I open the door I'm greeted by two Grayslake police officers, one of whom is holding a cardboard box. Almost immediately I think of ten possible scenarios that might explain their visit, and none of them are good. "Can I help you?" I ask in what I hope passes for a calm voice. "Ma'am, we have a little situation here, and we need your help." The taller of the two officers, the one clutching the box, thrusts it forward as a grin spreads across his face. He lifts up one of the carboard flaps to reveal 5 tiny mallard ducklings huddled together for warmth in the corner of the box. The officer goes on to explain how he and his partner rescued the hapless ducklings from a storm sewer in town, and how their mama is nowhere to be found. A local wildlife rehabilitation organization has agreed to take them, he tells me, but not until Monday. Knowing that we raise chickens on our farm, the officers figured we might be able to provide a safe home for the weekend. I immediately agree, less out of a sense of pity for the creatures than out of a sense of urgency to finish getting ready before the babysitter arrives. As I turn to take the ducklings inside, the other officer tells me the police department will send a car around on Monday to pick them up. I try unsuccessfully to stifle a giggle as I imagine the little ducks lined up in the back seat of a squad car.
The kids, of course, are thrilled. Avery helps me transfer the ducks to a larger box that will accomodate dishes for water and food and allow them to sleep under a heat lamp. The ducklings, it turns out, are amazingly talented jumpers, and we have trouble keeping them from escaping until we locate a couple of wire bread racks that we secure to the top of the box. For the rest of the weekend the ducklings cause no trouble. They are, in fact, a complete delight. I briefly fantasize about what it would be like to keep them, but I realize there's no sense in adding 5 mallard ducklings to the list of things I'm already caring for this spring--3 kids, half a million plants, 8 employees, 20 laying hens and 1 very patient husband. On Monday morning the ducklings are transferred back into the custody of the police department. I watch as they drive away and then I head back to finish harvesting spinach, chuckling as I wonder what little adventure life on this farm will bring next.
Avery transfers the ducklings to their temperary home under the heat lamp.Notes from the Farm Kitchen
Part of last year's tomato crop was made into tomato puree for us by a small food processing plant in southern Wisconsin. As it says on the bag, the tomato puree makes a great soup by itself or with the addition of a little cream. You can also use it as a base for heartier soups, chili and pasta sauce. I like to use it as a basting liquid when roasting meats, as a replacement for water or broth when I’m making risotto, or in the crockpot when I’m slow-cooking meats or vegetables.
All of our perennial herbs, including the oregano, have grown like crazy during this warm spring. We were afraid if we didn't harvest the oregano this week it might start flowering. Not sure how to use it? Try adding it to a simple spinach-tomato soup, making herbed focaccia, or using it to season grilled chicken. Fresh oregano also features in two of the recipes below--Nicoise Tuna Sandwich and Chicken and Spinach in Herbed Tomato Sauce. You may keep fresh oregano in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week. To dry it, hang the stems in a warm, well-ventilated place. Once the leaves have dried, store it in an airtight container.
Arugula, also known as rocket or roquette, is a peppery salad green that seems to grow particularly well on our farm. Because arugula is closely related to the radish, it has a mild kick but is not bitter. Because of it's tender texture, we prefer to enjoy it in salads rather than to cook it. We also love it on sandwiches in place of lettuce and as a pizza topping. Try strewing a large handful of arugula leaves on top of a pizza as soon as it comes out of the oven. Put it back in the oven for 30 seconds--just long enough to wilt the arugula slightly--and you've got yourself one gourmet pizza!
Easter egg radishes come in shades of violet, pink, purple, white and red. We like these radishes for their beautiful colors and for their tendency to stay crisp even when large. Use them in salads or eat them like the French do--sliced, layered on good-quality, buttered bread and spinkled with sea salt. It's the ultimate spring treat!
This Week's Recipes
Next Week's Vegetable Harvest (our best guess)... Asparagus, baby Japanese turnips, green onions, head lettuce, bok choy, swiss chard, rhubarb and dill.
