Fair Share Farm CSA---Week 2

RADISHES AND TURNIPS  The first tender roots from the high tunnel.  Sweet and juicy salad turnips are best eaten raw like the red radishes.  Salt them both to keep them tasty.

BUTTERHEAD LETTUCE  A farm favorite, especially in Spring. 

RED LEAF LETTUCE  This week we clear the high tunnel of these.  Next week we should have lettuce from out of the field as long as they don’t float away!

ASPARAGUS  Enough for a nice frittata or an addition to pasta, rice or a salad.

GREENS:  We have several options from sprouting broccoli, swiss chard, tat soi and kale.  Wednesday folks get sprouting broccoli.  Later in the week we will have a choice of greens.

GREEN GARLIC  Used like green onions, but with a buttery bite.

HERBS  Arugula for the Wednesday shares only.  Saturday and Monday shares get a bunch of cilantro, dill and chives.

RECIPE:

Fresh and green describes this week’s CSA share. This time of year our cooking habits revolve around this spring growth, as well as the hens’ burst of egg laying. One of the best ways to get the most out of both is to cook them together in a dish.

Tonight we cooked a frittata---a deep dish omelet full of vegetables and cheese. You can use whatever ingredients you have on hand for this versatile recipe. We used Skyview Cheeses’ gouda and garnished with some Jalapeno en Escabeche. A hearty, healthy and delicious meal.

Vegetable Frittata

Ingredients:

·         8 to 10 stalks asparagus, chopped

·         1 cup chopped gai lan or other green

·         2 tbsp olive oil

·         8 eggs

·         1 cup grated cheese

·         Salt to taste

Method:

1.       Chop the vegetables and saute in olive oil for 3 minutes

2.       Blend the eggs and half the cheese, add to the vegetables and stir

3.       Turn heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes

4.       Add remaining cheese to the top of the frittata and place the dish in a broiler to brown for 7 to 10 minutes

5.       Let cool, cut into wedges and serve. Good lukewarm or cold

FARM REPORT:

Today was our first rainy work day in almost a month.  Three inches so far and the forecast calls for much more.  The dry weather up until now did allow us to get many plants and seeds in the ground and off to a good start. 

 The potatoes are popping their first sprouts. 

Yesterday we put in the squash, cucumbers and eggplant.  These are our most pest-intense crops, so they were immediately row-covered for protection.  

We also planted insectaries to attract beneficial insects to thwart the pests.  Some of the plants in our insectary are buckwheat, phacelia, alyssum, sunflowers, cilantro, and dill among others. 

Last week, Tom took the tractor and our old manure spreader and spread a good amount of compost on the beds slated for summer crops.

And then, on Friday the farm crew joined in a controlled burn of the farm.  There are 150 acres of native grasses on the Graff family farm that benefit greatly from burning.  Fire removes the thatch of decomposing material, allowing wildflowers and native grasses to spread.  The roots of the native grasses act as a carbon sink, capturing and sequestering carbon in the soil.  Wildflowers bloom providing nectar and pollen to insects, birds and butterflies. The burn went well with no problems, which is always a relief!  It will be exciting to see the prairie turn green with the help from the rain.