HARVEST #5

Each one gets better and better.  In the box this week:
fennel bulb
peas
beets
green onion
head lettuce
arugula
broccoli
calendula
chard

Here is a beet recipe that I absolutely love!  It was introduced to me by my friend Gentiana- the market manager at the luscious St. John's farmer's market.  She knows her vegetables!


Indian beet recipe from 5 Spices, 50 Dishes
 
2 lbs beets
3 T canola oil
1/2 t mustard seeds
2 small serrano chiles, sliced into 1/4-in rounds
1 t salt
1 T lemon juice
2 T minced cilantro
 
Clean beets. Cover w/water in med. pot and bring to boil. Lower heat and cook until tender, 20-30 mins (use knife to check for doneness). Drain, cool and peel beets, then chop into 1/2 cubes or quarter if beets are small.
 
Make tadka: Heat oil in wok or skillet over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add mustard seeds covering pan with lid or splatter screen. When the seeds are browned, add chiles and stir. Then thrown in beets and salt. Toss, cover and steam over low heat for 6 to 8 min to allow the flavors to blend.
 
Remove to serving dish and toss with lemon and cilantro. Serve warm or cold.
 

HARVEST #4

Things are really happening!  This week you've got:
Fennel Bulb
Peas
Lettuce (it's a cute mini variety named Tom Thumb)
Green Onion
Beets/Beet thinnings
and one lucky soul has broccoli-  I'll giving one person per week broccoli because the plants are putting up heads at varying times, but you'll all get it at least once.

With the beet thinnings, you can sautee the whole thing up, root and all, or you can cut the root off and use the baby greens for a salad (yum!).  For those of you with whole beets, try a quick steam, followed by a light sautee in olive oil, and then throw some goat cheese on there with some coarse sea salt.

The green onions make a fabulous part of a salad or can be used as a garnish.  They're particularly good atop an asian soup or stir-fry (like maybe a stir-fry with some peas.......), or on some nachos.  So good.

HARVEST #3

In the box this week:
Fennel bulb!
Arugula/mizuna salad mix
Butter lettuce
Peas!
Kale/Chard braising mix
Raidsh

So much food!  A lot of salad again, hope you enjoy!
Here's an idea for a lovely salad; the concept comes from a salad we have at my work.  Cut the fennel bulb into thin shavings and toss it in with the arugula.  A nice tangy dressing goes well with with that.

The peas are a mixture of mostly snow peas with a little sugar snap, and both are fabulous sauteed up with olive oil and garlic.  That is good as a little side to a main dish, or could be included in pasta.  Snow peas are also great in Asian style stir fries.

Harvest #2

The second week of harvest is upon us!  And to think I was worried about having enough for boxes!  The lettuce has gone crazy, and I'll need to give you those radishes before they start splitting.  I know choking down a farm fresh salad can be difficult, but maybe you can do it!

In the box this for week 2:
Butterhead Lettuce
Radish
Green Garlic or Scapes
Mint
Mustard Greens

The radishes are super strong, so try this recipe to mellow them out:  Shred the radishes with a cheese grater or food processor, cut up cilantro, and mix all that up with a little toasted sesame oil for a light side salad.

The green garlic or scapes are very versatile!  Chop them up and throw them in scrambled eggs or stir fry.  Sautee them with olive oil and lemon and fold them into some linguini, etc. etc.

The rest is pretty straightforward.  Enjoy!

First Harvest Photos and Recipes!

I really don't think it gets any better than radish, arugula, and kale.  (Unless, of course, you've got some Sun Golds.... but those'll come later.)  I lucked out with the most beautiful day for harvest today, and I think it's a good omen for the rest of the season.  This is going to be fun!

First CSA Box:  Radish, Arugula, Kale

Kale as always is delicious steamed or braised with a little water and tamari.  For a different twist, add a little balsamic instead, or a touch of cream for creamed kale.  Kale salad is also good:  Massage the kale for a while to soften it up, then add some olive oil, agave, and lemon juice.  Cutting the kale with spinach can bulk it up or add some daintiness.

Arugula is good in everything: salads, sandwiches, pizza.  Put it at the bottom of a bowl loaded with rice or pasta and it'll wilt really nicely.  I'm going to include my favorite simple spicy salad recipe:

Arugula
Radish
Pumpkin Seeds
Dressing:  xvoo, rice wine vinegar, dijon mustard, coarse sea salt, and pepper.  Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl, dress your salad, and enjoy!

Getting Ready for the First Harvest

IT'S FINALLY HERE!  The first harvest of the season!  Since this is my first year taking on the responsibility of running my own CSA, I've learned quite a bit about how much to freak out versus how much to let nature take care of her wards.  There really is a fine balance:  yes, I needed to resow beets; no, I shouldn't have worried so much about the peas- they're flowering despite my fears.

In an effort to give credit where credit is due, here are some photos of Niles and Dirk making boxes to load veggies into for weekly shares.  Below there is also a little peak at some of the glory to come later this summer.

Harvest day is Thursday.   I'll certainly post a little reminder that morning of when and where to meet me!

Farm within a farm

Thank you, thank you, one thousand times thank you to Melanie Plies, farmer at Backyard Bounty.  She has generous loaned me 240 square feet to further my farm dreams.   In return I give her my willing labor: a small price to pay to be around her boisterous spirit and eat her delicious farm lunches.

My little row sits just east of a gorgeous wall of flowering brassica.  In front you see bulbing fennel followed by arugula.  The long rows of green in the back are new radishes that I just finished thinning.  (More detailed photos to come!)

Backyard Bounty has been a wonderful inspiration to me and I'm so grateful that I get to work there again this year.  Working out there has taught me the wonderful lesson that we all have the power to manifest our dreams.  You can visit Melanie's website at backyardbountypdx.wordpress.com.