- Yellow and Orange Carrots
- Mixed Lettuces
- Arugula
- Tri-Color Beets (red, gold, pink)
- Tomatoes (last of the season)
- Broccoli
- Purple and Green Kale
- Chinese Cabbage (Tokyo Bekana)
- Kohlrabi
Now what small child wouldn't be facinated?!
Matt's also been busy building another hoophouse so that we can grow an even greater assortment of produce for our members next spring. This job involved dismantling the structure in Barrington (where is was purchased from a going-out-of-business landscaper) cutting the pieces down to a manageable size, and transporting them back to the farm to be reassembled and covered with plastic. Avery watched for an hour or two but didn't think it was anywhere near as cool as the mini-excavator project!
In addition to these projects there's been lots of work to do out in the fields. Irrigation has been a top priority this week as it's gotten really dry out there. We have a number of crops that really need as much water as we can give them--spinach, lettuce heads, broccoli and cauliflower to name a few. Rutabaga and celeriac also needed a little extra water this week to help get them up to harvestable size. Things really look good out there! We hope you enjoy cooking with your veggies over the remaining 6 weeks. As always, if you have any favorite recipes, I invite you to send them my way! Have a good week. -Peg
Notes from the Farm Kitchen
Tokyo Bekana is a type of chinese cabbage that we started growing last year. We have since grown to love it for its crunchy stems and mild flavor. It's one of the rare greens that is equally good used raw in a salad or cooked in dishes such as stir-frys.
This week's tricolor beet bunches are composed of three varieties--traditional red beets, gold beets, and pink candy-striped beets (also known as Chioggia). These three types of beets give you a beautiful palatte to work with when creating a dish. Try roasting them together with some olive oil and salt or grating raw beets and using them in a salad with some goat cheese and walnuts.
Kohlrabi, a member of the cabbage family, is delicious peeled and eaten raw. Just peel the bulb, slice into match sticks and serve with or without dip. Kohlrabi is also an ideal vegetable for making coleslaw. When making slaw I like to combine equal parts grated carrot and matchstick kohlrabi. The dressing I use depends on the mood I'm in. Oftentimes it's mayo and apple cider, but when I feel like going for something different it's spicy Asian peanut dressing. The possibilities are endless.
One of the simplest ways to enjoy kale is to start by sauteeing onion and garlic in a pan (a little bacon or salt pork would be the perfect addition) and then adding the chopped kale (stems and ribs removed) to the pan along with some type of liquid-- vegetable broth, chicken stock, white wine etc. Try not to rush them. Kale will taste best when it's nice and tender.
This Week's Recipes
Carrot, Apple, and Bok Choy Salad
Persian Rice Pilaf with Carrots and Cumin
Kohlrabi Slaw with Paprika Dressing
Moroccan Chicken and Vegetable Stew
Next Week's Harvest (our best guess)... pie pumpkins, spinach, lettuce, red onions, green tomatoes, dill, celeriac, yellow potatoes, and broccoli.
