Volume XXI, Number 2 – June 11, 2013
In
this week’s box:
Braising Greens (Osaka
Purple Mustard, Amaranth & Chenopodium)
Chard
Green Garlic
Spinruts (small round white & pink/red roots
with green tops) aka: turnips
Tapestry Salad Mix
and possibly one of the following:
Snow Peas
Spinach
Asparagus
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 a couple of weeks
For
those with the Honey option: Deliveries will start in July
Featured Recipe(s) (see below): Drop Biscuits with Cheddar and Mustard Greens
Spring
Turnips with Greens and Raisins
Green
Garlic Salt
Precipitation in the past week:
0.71”
What’s up on the farm?
It has been a
productive week here on the farm. With a little break in the daily rainfall the
soil dried out a bit and we were finally able to get the majority of the
transplants into the ground. Over a couple of days, hundreds of tomato, pepper,
sweet potato, melon, winter squash and green onions plants all went into the
fields. We aren't finished yet, Plot VI was still too wet to plant, so we are
hoping to get the last of those beds planted later this week. If we dry out
enough to till, then we can get the rest of the seed sowing done as well, but
that requires even drier soil, so we'll just think positive thoughts for that
to happen. Then there is the weeding…we have a lovely crop of
"natives" growing in profusion with all this lovely spring rain, so
we are going to go after them today with a dual purpose in mind. Amaranth and
Chenopodium are two of the healthiest and most important food crops in the
world, only in the US do people dowse them with herbicide in an
effort to get rid of them. While we agree that a weed is any plant growing
where it isn't wanted, we hate to waste a tasty and vitamin-filled resource. So
we are pairing them with the beautiful Osaka Purple Mustard that seems
determined to bolt before it is big enough to be useful on its own. This combo
will make an amazing blend of cooking greens. They can all be eaten fresh, but
we prefer them sautéed with garlic and olive oil (any tough stems removed) and
then served as a side dish or added to eggs, soups or pastas. If you leave out
the garlic, they would be perfect with the biscuit recipe below.
We do have an
unfortunate bit of news to share this week. Despite our best efforts, the
weather has been really hard on our spinach crop. One variety has completely
bolted and the others are showing significant stress. We will continue to
harvest it as long as it is usable, but it will likely fail sooner than we
would like. So we may not be able to get it into everyone's boxes. Sadly, the
same is true for the asparagus. However, the peas are going strong. The high
tunnel peas continue to plug along and those in the field (snow & sugar
snap) are blooming and setting peas now. This is the best looking crop of peas
we've ever had, and we hope to continue to send those out in boxes for many
weeks.
Some more
light-hearted news…Spring bird report, we have nesting pairs of bluebirds, tree
swallows, cedar waxwings and bob o links around the gardens. Fairly certain
that most of them have young at this point as we see the adults in a mad
scramble for worms to take back to the nests every morning. It’s a pretty good
show and we expect to start seeing fledglings out in the gardens any day now,
which is always good entertainment.
A little detail on your produce this week:
Braising Greens: A combination of greens that are used mostly in cooked dishes. Store
like other greens, in a plastic bag, with the top folded over and placed in the
produce drawer of your refrigerator.
Chard: A mild-flavored,
leafy member of the beet family that can be used raw or cooked. Chard will keep
best if stored in a plastic bag, with the top folded over and placed in the
produce drawer of your refrigerator. When
cooking chard with large stems, separate stems from leaves and start cooking
the stems first, as they will take a bit more cooking time.
Green garlic:
Store loosely wrapped in plastic in your produce drawer and use like you would
garlic scapes or bulb garlic. The flavor
is so fresh and green that we like to use them in recipes that really highlight
the flavor, like pesto or garlic butter, though it is also darn tasty on
homemade pizza!
Spinruts/turnips: 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.
Is a weekly
newsletter not enough for you and you want to read more about our daily
adventures or see pictures of the farm? 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)
Drop Biscuits with Cheddar
and Mustard Greens
Yield: Makes 18-20 biscuits
3 cups whole grain flour (I
used a combination of white whole wheat and whole wheat pastry)
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups grated sharp cheddar
cheese (about 6 ounces)
2 cups cooked leafy greens,
well-chopped (chard, mustard or turnip greens, kale, ect)
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups milk or
buttermilk
In a large bowl, whisk
together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add the grated cheese and
combine with a fork.
Stir in the cooked greens.
Add 1 cup of milk and stir.
Continue adding milk and mixing (switching to a hand at this juncture is good)
until the dough just comes together and all the flour is incorporated.
Using a large spoon, cookie
scoop or a 1/2 cup measuring cup, portion the dough into a parchment or
Silpat-lined baking sheet.
Bake drop biscuits at 400
degrees F for 18-20 minutes, until they are golden brown on top and the visible
cheese bubbles slightly.
Remove pans from the oven.
Serve hot.
These biscuits freeze well,
either prior to baking or after.
Recipe Source: http://www.foodinjars.com
Spring
Turnips with Greens and Raisins
2 T butter, divided
2 t olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 bunch spring turnips and
greens (about 10 small or 5 large turnips
about ½ cup raisins (we
especially like this with dried cranberries)
salt
12 ounces orzo or bowtie
pasta, cooked and cooled (optional)
Heat 1 T of the butter and all of the olive oil in a
large skillet over medium flame. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until
they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, wash turnips and trim the
leaves from the root. Chop the roots into 1-inch dice. Discard any yellowed
turnip leaves and roughly chop the nice ones. Once the onions are softened, add
the turnip roots. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, stir and cover. Cook until the
turnips can be easily pierced with a knife, about 8 minutes. Uncover, turn the
heat up to medium high, and cook, stirring now and then, until turnips turn
light brown at the edges. Add the chopped greens and raisins and cook until the
greens are wilted and tender, another 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining 1 T butter
and salt to taste. Eat this as a side dish or toss it with cooked pasta for a
main dish. Makes 3-4 servings.
Green Garlic Salt
This recipe makes a
coarse garlic salt. If you prefer a finer salt, process the salt a second time
once you’ve dried it.
1 head of green garlic and
its tender greens, coarsely chopped
½ cup coarse sea salt
With the food processor
running, add the chopped garlic and greens. Process until finely minced, 15 to
30 seconds.
Scrape down the sides of the
bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add salt to garlic in
processor; process until thoroughly combined, 10 to 15 seconds.
Pour garlic salt over a
rimmed baking sheet and spread into a thin, even layer.
Allow garlic salt to dry
overnight.
Once dry, use a stainless
steel or plastic spatula to loosen salt from baking sheet. Press the salt with
the back of the spatula to break any large chunks of salt apart.
If you prefer a finer salt,
process garlic salt again to your desired consistency.
Store in an airtight
container in a cool dry place.
Recipe Source: http://pinchandswirl.com
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