In
this week’s box:
Chard: Bright Lights mix (large green leaves with bright colored stems)
Garlic Scapes: asst varieties (the green curly things)
Oregano: Greek
Purslane (small,
succulent green leaves on short pink stems)
Senposai (large
green leaves with green stems, a cabbage/mustard cross)
Spinruts: Hakurei (white) & Scarlet Queen (red) (small, round, roots with green leaves)
Tapestry Salad Mix
Snow Peas or Sugar Snap Peas (remaining group)
For
those with the Egg option [full]: one dozen free-range eggs (assorted colors)
For
those with the Herb option: Herb share will begin in week or so
For
those with the Honey option: Deliveries will start in July
Featured Recipe(s) (see below): BGF Easy Black
Beans and Rice
Great Chard E'scape
Precipitation this week: .3”
What’s up on the farm?
This week we
finally got a bit of much needed rain, but much of the past week's focus was
again on irrigation installation. Weeding also topped the list as it will for
much of the season. We also got in
second sowings of beans, lettuce, edamame, beets and broom corn before the
rain. Most of the crops are looking
really good, despite our lack of rain. There
are a few exceptions, mostly due to the early, extra warm temps. Vegetables that we normally get into the first
few deliveries that we will not have this year include asparagus (which
finished three weeks ago) and spinach which crashed and burned two weeks ago). The salad mix is struggling with the early
onset of summer-like weather as well. We
cut it back hard for today's delivery and are hoping it will rally, but
depending on the weather, this may be the last of it until early fall. Never fear, we do have head lettuce coming on,
so you won't be without summer salad options. Not to leave on a down note, the tomatoes,
potatoes, onions, garlic and basil look fabulous and we have high hopes for
their upcoming productivity.
We have been
seeing quite a number of Cedar Waxwings (Jill's favorite bird) on the farm in
the past several weeks and just this week we spotted one pair's nest in one of
our peach trees. We look forward to
seeing the fledglings make their way out into the farm and hope they will
continue to return year after year.
A little detail on your produce this week:
Spinruts:
keep best if separated from their greens.
Greens are stored in a plastic bag and can be cooked like mustard or
collard greens. Trimmed roots can go
into a lidded container or zip-close bag You are probably also wondering what
the story is with the Spinruts? Well,
“spinrut” is just the word turnip spelled backwards and we borrowed this from a
larger CSA in northern Iowa. They decided that people have some
pre-conceived notions about turnips and many of them are not very nice. But most people have also only experienced
the old stand-by “purple-top turnip” and these glowing white orbs that we are
growing are a totally different eating experience. This is a Japanese spring (or salad)
turnip. It is sweet, crisp and juicy and
our favorite way to eat them is straight out of hand, or maybe chilled with a
quick sprinkle of sea salt. It is tasty
sliced or grated into salads and even thin-sliced on sandwiches. Of course you can also use them in any turnip
recipe, but fresh is when they really shine.
Purslane: Considered an invasive weed in many gardens, purslane is a valued
green in many parts of the world.
The plant is rich in vitamin
E, vitamin C and beta carotene, and quite high in protein. Most noteworthy of all, it is considered a
better source of essential omega-3 fatty acids than any other leafy plant. Enjoy raw or cooked in any recipe calling for
greens. Store in a paper towel-lined
plastic bag in your crisper drawer and use within a week.
Greens: As
last week, all of your greens will keep best if stored in a plastic bag, with
the top folded over and placed in the produce drawer of your refrigerator. The insects have been really hard on the
greens during the dry spell, we hope you can overlook their cosmetic shortcomings.
Oregano:
wrap in a damp paper towel and then in a plastic bag in your refrigerator for
10-14 days.
Is a weekly
newsletter not enough for you and you want to read more about our daily
adventures? Follow us at our blog
at http://beyondthebluegate.blogspot.com/
and on Facebook (just search Blue Gate Farm) and “Like” us.
That’s about it
this week, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know.
Best from the farm,
Jill & Sean (and Blue & Luci)
BGF Easy Black Beans and Rice
Serves 6.
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, thinly
sliced
3 cloves minced garlic
2 16-ounce cans of black
beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
A few dashes of Sriracha
sauce or Tabasco or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1
heaping Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 handful of purslane, in
bite size pieces (or other hearty greens like mustard, senposai and turnip
greens)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional
Lime wedges for garnish
Cook rice according to
package instructions. White rice usually takes 15 minutes to cook once the
water is simmering, and 10 minutes to sit.
Heat oil in a large skillet
on medium high. Sauté onions and bell peppers for 3-4 minutes, until just
beginning to soften, then add garlic and sauté a minute more. Add the black
beans, vinegar and Tabasco or cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and
simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in rice and oregano. Add
salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, place purslane on
plate and top with beans & rice mixture
Recipe Source: adapted
from a recipe at simplyrecipes.com/recipes/easy_black_beans_and_rice/
The Great Chard E’Scape
½ lb Swiss chard
1 tbs olive oil
5-6 fresh garlic scapes (or
more to taste) or 1-3 cloves minced garlic
Sea salt
Cut garlic scapes into 1”
chunks. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic scapes.
Trim large stems from chard leaves. Cut stems into 1” pieces. Add stems to skillet.
Stack chard leaves and roll into a tube. Cut into ½” strips. As scapes and
stems just begin to soften, add leaves to skillet. Cook until leaves wilt.
Sprinkle with salt to taste.
Great served over pasta with
a red sauce or as a side dish. Leftovers area tasty in eggs the next day.
Recipe Source: Blue
Gate Farm
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