Harvest #18

Things are getting autumnal!

In the box this week:
kale
beets (with greens)
mizuna
sweet n hot peppers
tomato
basil
delicata squash

Harvest #17

SUCH a beautiful day today.  Harvest time of year is almost always the best weather to work in.  Crisp, refreshing mornings and evenings, but nice and sunny during the day.  It feels good to be outside.  Just watch out for spider web when you're harvesting  tomatoes.

In the box:
cherry and heirloom tomatoes
sweet n spicy peppers
greens
onions
potatoes (german butterball and fingerlings– these are best boiled or roasted, super delicious on their own)

Harvest #16

Headlines:  Summer is Still Here!  F you, Autumn Equinox!  This time of year never ceases to amaze me.  Everything happens faster and in more abundance: friends frantically hitting the river one last time and spending every minute possible outside, the dusk rapidly getting earlier and earlier, and plants going into overdrive churning out their leaves and fruit in order to ensure their progeny a good start in the next season.

Box this week:
sweet and hot peppers
basil
cherry and heirloom tomatoes
delicata squash
some last giant zucchini
beets

Harvest #15

I have the wonderful help of my mother for harvest this week!  It is especially appreciated as I sprained my ankle last Friday.  It has made me reflect upon how detrimental an injury like this (and as debilitating as it is, let's be real...it could be a whole lot worse) is in the farm world.  I'm so lucky to have site hosts who will water for me!  (And the rain has been lending a helping hand as well.)

In your boxes this week:
tomatoes
peppers
kale
onions
basil

Harvest #14

I'm calling this week "Roots and Fruits" (though there are some leaves in there too).  I'm very much enjoying the collision of earthy and sweet.  Roasted beets with mustard seeds, hot peppers, and some lemon or lime juice is an awesome veg dish.

In the box:
peppers (hot+sweet)
beets
greens
carrots
tomatoes
basil
squash

Harvest #13

In yo' box:

sweet peppers
hot peppers
tomatoes
basil
greens
onions
squash

A note on tomatoes:  The pearly-salmon tear drop shaped tomatoes are called Blush and they are my favorite cherry tomatoes!  (I didn't think anything would beat out Sungold but it's happened.)  Eat 'em straight!  The others are a paste tomato.  I had a couple raw and they're kind of dry– in that paste tomato kind of way.  So I recommend cooking with them... making sauces, salsas, or purees.  Or simply throwing them in a stir fry.  Have fun!

Harvest #12

In your box:

Cabbage
Squash
Basil
Hot peppers
Beets
Tomatoes
Fresh Coriander

Sick of summer squash yet? Yeah, me too.  There's always the classic zucchini bread to use 'em up.  But try this recipe for squash fritters if you're more in a savory mood:

Grate the squash and squeeze out the water.  Add salt, pepper, the hot peppers (leave in the seeds...they're not too spicy), and the fresh coriander.  Throw in some egg and flour to thicken.  Form little patties and fry them in whatever you want.  I think butter is the most delicious, but high heat oil would be fine too (canola, safflower, or sunflower.  Or if you're feeling crazy, try sesame oil, make a peanut dipping sauce and have yourself an Indian-ish Thai-ish feast.)

Harvest #11

Awesome colors! 

squash
garlic
basil
peppers
chard

Harvest #10

A rainy harvest this morning.  Happy August!  I'm not complaining though because the plants really like it!  In the midst of all the summer harvest, I am gearing up for fall crops: starting lettuce, fennel bulb, and mizuna, and wrangling up my carrot, parsnip, and radish seed to direct sow.  It's bittersweet because while it's always great to put future-food in the ground, I sometimes want to revel unabashedly in the summery excitement of finding a red gem of a tomato, or breathing in the intoxicating smell of basil.  It's a bit easier to get in the fall mindset today in the drizzle though!

In your box this week (sorry no photo!):
squash
kale
lettuce
onions
peppers OR basil

Harvest #9

It's hard to keep track of everything that's bursting out of the ground right now!  Hope y'all are enjoying summer as much as I am!

In the box this week:
carrots
beets
chard
summer squash
plums (they are falling into the yard at the Appendix Space from a tree next door.  I didn't grow them, but I sure as hell am gonna harvest some for you!)
tomato + basil OR peppers (it'll swap next week and eventually they'll all be coming out your ears)

A note on chard: chard can be a complicated green; it's too heavy and earthy for salad, but too light to really hold its own in a stir fry.  But chard is my favorite green for braising.  Cut up the whole bunch and throw it in a skillet with some water and balsamic vinegar for as long as it takes to get nice and soft to your preference.  Salt to taste with regs salt of tamari!

Harvest #8

Happy two month birthday!

In the box this week:
squash
kale
garlic
lettuce mix

Harvest #7

The weather has been so incredible!  It's so good for the veggies. 'Tis the season for pretty much every vegetable.  I noticed an awesome cluster of cherry tomatoes ripening on one of the plants this morning, and the pepper plants have tons of blossoms as well as some baby peppers already!

In the box this week:
summer squash
chard
onions
cilantro
broccoli!

Harvest #6

Hope everyone had an awesome 4th.  Thanks for waiting an extra day for the goods.

This week in the box:
beets
carrots
lettuce*
radish
summer squash

The eternal question:  Can I use my carrots tops?  The answer is: totally!  They have a wonderful herbaceous flavor.  The greens are tough and fibrous so I recommend making a sauce out of them.  I've heard of people making carrot top "pesto," but I would adjust the language slightly and suggest a simple puree.  Throw the tops in a blender with some lemon juice, macerated shallots, and salt, and puree it all up.  You can use the puree to bulk up salad dressing, dress meats or fish, or the give flavor to sauteed vegetables.   Or make yourself a little appetizer and spread it on some baguette with goat cheese!

*I washed a lot of little slugs out of the lettuce this morning!  I definitely recommend giving it another good dousing before eating.

Harvest #5

This week in the box:

kale
radishes
cilantro
lettuce
braising mix (chard, mustard greens, orach– like spinach)
peas OR pasta sauce herb bundles

lettuce.... radishes.... cilantro... all good taco ingredients!

And don't forget, next week pick-up will be on friday the 5th, so I can get outta dodge for doomsday.  I mean independence day.

Harvest #4

Hard to believe it's been a month of CSA already!  Here's to many more!

In the box this week:
mustard greens
salad mix (lettuces and arugula)
peas OR pasta sauce herb bundle (it'll swap next week)
radishes

Harvest #3

It's classic June in Portland today: cold and wet.  The rain soaked me during harvest this morning, but the plants couldn't be happier.  A good boost of sunlight followed by a nice soak works wonders on the crops and things are looking good!

In the box this week:

kale
asian greens
peas OR garlic
beets

I like to use the greens (beet, mustards, kale) as the base for a palak paneer-style  curry dish:

Blanch the greens and set aside.  Sautee onions, garlic, ginger, and serano pepper. Once the onions are translucent, add tumeric, cumin, and garam masala.  (Start with 1/2 tsp increments and add more depending on your preference.)  Add about 3/4 c diced tomatoes.  Stir well!  Puree your blanched and cooled greens and add them.  Lastly add a half cup or so of cream or coconut milk.  Salt to taste! 

Harvest #2

This week in the box:

arugula
kale
peas OR green garlic (half of you got peas and half got garlic– it'll swap next week)
tiny radish bunches

While I was harvesting garlic this morning, I was breathing in their strong smell and I kept thinking about ginger!  A perfect pairing!  I feel like most of you know how to use these veggies, but I'll throw out some suggestions anyway.

Arugula- obvs makes a great spicy salad!  One of my favorite ways to use arugula is to put a small handful on top of a hot pile of risotto or pasta.  Or use it as a bed for a sumptuous piece of fish.  It create a great taste and consistency spectrum the way it half-wilts/half-stays fresh as you're eating.

Kale- stewed or braised is a great way to eat kale.  I like to cook it down with a little bit of tamari.

HARVEST #1 WOO!

The first harvest of the season is exciting and scary!  Farming is fickle and while there is plenty of food in the ground this week, there may not be quite as much in the ground next week.  Maybe there has to be arugula in every box for the first month.  Maybe there will be baby bunches of beets now and monster bunches of beets later.  In many ways, it's not up to me, I'm just the messenger.   Keep your fingers crossed for nice weather and no leaf miners or cabbage moth!

IN THIS BOX:
radish
fresh garlic (or garlic spears)
baby beets

Recipe Suggestions:
Baby Beets:  Wash well and chop.  Heat up some olive oil and garlic in a pan.  Toss the rootier parts of the beet thinnings in the pan and cook for a while until soft.  Add the leafier parts and a bit of water and cover until they're nice and soft!  Salt to taste.

Radishes:  Shave them into thin pieces for a bomb-ass salad ingredient.  Or try this: Serve with fancy butter and fancy salt (or regular butter and regular salt) for an appetizer or rad snack.  The butter helps mellow the piquant nature of the radish.

Fave salad dressing: rice wine vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, pepper. Straight up.

Get It Going

One of the main reasons I like farming for myself and farming in town is because I can do things like drink coffee in the sun before heading to one of my backyards.  Or grab a kombucha from the co-op if I'm thirsty after a couple hours of work in the sun.  I like to roll into the backyard at the Appendix Space and have one of the guys who run the space poke his head out of his bedroom window so we can have a quick chat.... like an after school special.

Obviously the weather in Portland has been beyond dreamy the past few days!  It's go-time in the farm world and I've been working every day!  Kale and arugula starts are in the ground.  Beets, carrots, radishes, and peas that were direct sowed last month are sprouting with their little green arms out-stretched.  I've been clearing out a couple of my spaces in order to till.  Once that's taken care of, all other starts are going to get transplanted: red and yellow onions, pac choi, mustard greens, broccoli, cabbage, fennel bulb, cilantro, chard, lettuce! 

After that, summer crops will get their debut: tomato, pepper, basil, cuke, summer squash, beans!

I'm currently working with Emily Baker at Sword and Fern (8th and E Burnside) and Niles Armstrong at Worn Path (Shaver and Mississippi) to set up the weekly CSA pick-up site/mini produce stand!  I'm planning for Thursdays to be harvest day with S+F pick-up from 3-4pm and Worn Path pick-up from 4.45-6pm.  (Possibly in the beautiful lot right next door to that shop.) Keep your ear to the ground to get updates on what'll be available each week! 

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

Onion seedling

As convinced as I am every year that we'll live in a perpetual winter of dreary rain, dark, and cold, Spring somehow manages to sneak up and just... happen.  Technically we haven't reached the equinox yet, but there's a fragrance in the air and is undeniable: Spring is coming and it can't stop, won't stop!  Of course farming puts one inexorably in tune with the change of the seasons, and my seedlings are grateful for the added heat in their little cloche.  I've got broccoli, cabbage, fennel, kale, mustard greens, onions, lettuce, chard, and pak choi sprouting under thin but protective plastic.

Pretty soon the tasks will come tumbling along: plant peas, pick up a load of horse manure, till, dig a trench for potatoes, weed, weed, weed.... 


Starting in about a month you won't see me without dirt under my fingernails, a crazy grin on my face and possibly a carrot or bunch of kale under my arm.  It's going to be a good season!

Love, Clea