CSA News for the Week of May 14th

This Week's Vegetable Harvest:

• Red-Stemmed Spinach
• Traditional Spinach
• Asparagus
• Cilantro
• Red and/or Green Head Lettuce
• Fresh Dill
• Green Garlic
• Rainbow Swiss Chard

Farm Photo Journal

Tuesday afternoon
As Matt makes his way toward me down the row, he stops every few feet and gently pulls aside the lightweight fabric that covers his second planting of radishes. The fabric, called row cover, is meant to be a barrier between the radishes and their archenemy, the flea beetle. Satisfied with what he sees, he attempts to pull the fabric back and to replace the sandbags that are keeping the fabric from flying away in the hot wind.

Facing him and carefully walking backwards down the row, I am a few feet away, giving him direction as he works. "OK, stop right there. Hold that pose. Great. Now look at me and smile." Matt straightens up, hands at his sides, and gives me a forced smile. "No, no," I say, "pretend you're working." In a voice that fails to conceal his rising irritation, he says through his teeth, "I am working. At least I'm trying to!"

Ok, Ok, I can take a hint, so I sling the camera over my shoulder head over to the hoophouse, determined to get a few more shots for the newsletter. There's more activity happening on the farm today than I've seen in a long time--tilling, planting, cultivating, harvesting and much more. I can barely contain my excitement, and I am determined to capture it so I can share it with all of you.

In the hoophouse, I find a more willing subject for the camera. Donna is planting tomato plants into black plastic mulch. These are the plants that will give us the first tomatoes of the season, hopefully sometime in mid-July. I snap a few shots and move to the field just south of the hoophouse where I find Jeff M, Phil, and Jeff C planting cucumbers and zucchini.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Tyler is busy hooking up the drip irrigation that will keep these hungry little cucurbits happy and hydrated throughout June and July.

 

Feeling like I've managed to capture at least a bit of what's happening on the farm today, I return to my work in the greenhouse where I'm potting up the last of the eggplant.

Things are going well and growing well here on the farm. It's such a good feeling when that's the case. Enjoy your produce and have a good week!  -Peg

Notes from the Farm Kitchen

Green garlic stalks are the immature stalks of the garlic plant. We plant our garlic in October and harvest the bulbs in July. We allow most of our plants to develop bulbs, but a small portion are harvested in the spring when they look like very large green onions. Use everything but the fibrous dark green tops. I substitute garlic stalks for garlic cloves in many different recipes since the flavor and pungency are very similar.

Although Swiss chard it is native to the Mediterranean, this leafy relative of the beet got its name because it was first described in the scientific literature by a Swiss botanist in the 16th century. Chard is flavorful yet mild, and can be substituted for spinach in many dishes including quiches, omelets, lasagna, pasta sauce, etc. Chard is high in vitamins A, E and C and the minerals calcium and iron. You can use the entire leaf as well as the tender stem. Here are some simple ways that we've been enjoying it lately at our house:

• In cold pasta salads, combined with green peas, baby shrimp and dill
• As an omelet filling, combined with chopped chives, the last of our frozen sweet corn, and some wedges of low-fat Laughing Cow cheese (may sound strange but it's delicious!)
• As a pizza topping, combined with asparagus, chopped green garlic, a bit of feta and mozzarella. 

Relatively mild springtime temperatures favor the growth of all kinds of leafy greens, including two of my favorite herbs, dill and cilantro. Both of these greens will store best in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.


Recipe of the Week: Asparagus and Chicken Enchiladas
from www.recipegirl.com

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
8 ounces sour cream
1/2 cup green taco sauce
12 (8-inch) flour tortillas
3 cups chicken, cooked & shredded
1/2 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed & blanched
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray two (9x9) glass dishes (or one large 9x13 glass dish) with nonstick spray.
2.  In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring 1 minute. Gradually add broth and cook, whisking, until thick (5 minutes). Remove from heat. Whisk in sour cream and taco sauce and set aside.
3.  Lay out tortilla onto working surface. Place 2 Tablespoons of Jack cheese, 1/4 cup chicken, onions and asparagus down the center of the tortilla. Spoon 3 Tablespoons of sauce on top of the mixture. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Roll and place seam down. Place 6 enchiladas in each dish. Sprinkle with Jack cheese, sauce and Parmesan.
4. Bake 25 minutes, or until light golden color and bubbly. Garnish with more cilantro.

 Fun Photo of the Week: Baby Goat on a Balance Beam

Lucy, along with her sisters, Cinnamon and Nutmeg, was born in March. My kids (the human kind) spend hours each day with this trio of baby goats. They help Gretta, our neighbor and the proud owner of these miniature dairy goats, with daily chores. The milk that Gretta's goats provide is used to make wonderful all-natural soaps. To learn more about Gretta's goats, check out http://www.grettasgoats.com/.

Upcoming Events

Organic Plant Sale on Saturday, May 19th
The Prairie Crossing Learning Farm and Prairie Crossing Charter School invite the public to their 7th Annual Organic Plant Sale. Vegetable plants, herbs and flower plants grown by students and parent volunteers will be available for sale. The plant sale will be held right down the road from our farm at the Prairie Crossing Charter School, 1531 Jones Point Road in Grayslake, on Saturday, May 19th from 9:00 am-1:00 pm. 

The County Green Conference at College of Lake County, May 17th
County Green 2012 will bring together local business owners and educators, as well as non-profit, municipal and county leaders for a one-day event sponsored by the College of Lake County on May 17th to promote a sustainable future in Lake County. The third annual County Green will focus on the environmental, social and economic impacts of water and food on our region.
http://www.clcillinois.edu/aboutclc/news.asp?nid=2086

Next Week's Harvest (our best guess)... bok choy, radishes, spinach, cilantro, arugula, head lettuce, rhubarb, asparagus, fennel, green onions and more!