BGF News - June 25, 2019-Vol. XLII, No.4

BGF News - June 25, 2019-Vol. XLII, No.4

In this week’s box:

Amaranth: bunched greens with bright green leaves, remove stems to use.
Chard: Bright Lights mix
Green Garlic

Kale: asst. varieties

Lettuce: bouquet or assorted heads

Oregano

Spring Turnips: Hakurei

and perhaps one of the following: (please see **NOTE  after "A Little Detail..." below)     

Snow Peas: Oregon Giant

For those with the Egg option [Full shares only]: one dozen free-range eggs (asst. colors)

For those with the Herb option: Herb share will begin next week

Featured Recipes:  ** indicates a BGF favorite 

Braised Turnips and Greens **

Green Garlic Salt **

Beans and Greens **

Garlic Oregano Butter

What’s up on the farm?

Baby spaghetti squash

Precipitation in the past week: 3.05"

We finally got our rain! Rather a lot of rain, but not so much as some other places so we aren't complaining and the crops and farmers are much relieved! All of the crops we listed as newly seeded last week are now germinating including the first few shoots in our "try-it-again" potato bed.

newly germinated pole bean

We also added some new plantings including more tomatoes in the high tunnels and new transplant sowings of New Zealand spinach, head lettuce and fall cabbages and fennel. We aren't dry enough to do any cultivating yet this week, but we did start hand weeding the shallots, leeks and onion crops that were getting buried in lush green grasses.

Hakurei turnips

You will notice a bounty of greens in your boxes this week, along with our favorite spring turnips. If you haven't enjoyed turnips in the past, we hope you will at least give these a try before giving them away to the neighbors. These aren't your grandma's turnips, which tended to be big and strong-flavored. These are Japanese salad turnips, developed to be enjoyed raw, though they work perfectly in cooked dishes as well. We like them straight out of the field, eaten like an apple.

We promise that there are more crops coming besides greens! It looks likely that the very first summer squashes and cucumbers may be ready next week. They will likely start with a trickle, but we hope to be sending out good, heavy boxes soon! 

Just a reminder, you can request a 12pk of  recycled, regular size canning jar lids . They have been washed and are ready for reuse in your fridge, pantry or craft room. 

A little detail on your produce this week:

Green Garlic: This is freshly harvested garlic that hasn't had time to cure yet. You will notice that the wrappers are soft and the garlic itself is very juicy. You can use it in any recipe calling for 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.Store loosely wrapped in the refrigerator for best keeping quality.

Head Lettuce

: We prefer to store heads wrapped in a cotton or linen dish towel, then placed in a plastic bag. This helps maintain a little bit of moisture, while keeping the leaves from touching the plastic to extend their "drawer-life".  Wash lettuce just before using. The inner-most leaves of the head are the sweetest, so save those for salad use and take advantage of the bigger, outside leaves for use on sandwiches or wraps.

Peas are best kept in a plastic bag or glass container in your refrigerator. Use within a week.  They are delicious raw on salads or in stir-fries.

Oregano:

Like most other fresh herbs (except basil), oregano keeps best stored upright in a glass of water (keep leaves out of water), loosely covered with a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Turnips: keep best if separated from their greens.  Greens are stored in a plastic bag and can be cooked like mustard or collard greens (you can add them in with your Braising Greens Mix).  Trimmed roots can go into a lidded container or zip-close bag. These aren't your grandma's turnips. These are a sweet, Japanese salad variety that is particularly tasty for fresh eating. They will still work great in cooked dishes, but we love to eat them raw, often right out of hand, like an apple. One of the farm crew's favorite mid-field snacks.

A few other details: 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.  

** NOTE: You will notice over the course of the season that some box contents listed above say "Perhaps one of the following..."  These are items that we can’t harvest in sufficient quantities for the whole CSA to receive at one time.  We do track who gets what and we will do our best to ensure that everyone eventually receives each item.  On some items this may take several weeks, so please be patient.

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 on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm and/or share your recipes, experiences and questions with other BGF members at Blue Gate Farm Community.

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 Luci, Indigo & Sky)