Blue Gate Farm News 6/19/12

In this week’s box:

Basil: asst varieties

Scallions (green onions): "Evergreen"

Head Lettuce: asst.

Pac Choi: “Win-Win”

"Wild Things" Greens Mix: Amaranth, Lambsquarter, Sorrel, Purslane

            and ONE of the following:

Squash Blossoms, Eggplant: Orient Express (long, thin, purple), Summer Squash : Patty Pan (fluted), 8-Ball (round), or Sebring (long, yellow) or Baby Kale: small bundle of purple/green ruffled leaves

           

For those with the Cheese option: Chive Chevre & Classic Feta

For those with the Egg option [full or half]: one dozen free-range eggs (assorted colors)

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

Featured Recipe(s) (see below): Baked Squash Blossoms

Asian Amaranth Greens

Cold Sesame Noodles with Greens

Precipitation in the past week:  1.9”

What’s up on the farm?

Around here, when rain is desperately needed, and it finally comes in adequate quantities, farmers call it a "million-dollar rain." The rain last Saturday and Sunday were definitely million dollar rains. While we do irrigate, there is nothing like natural, unadulterated rain from the sky. I swear the pole beans grew 8-10" overnight!  Otherwise things are just moving forward at a steady, not quite frantic, pace. Second and third sowings of most crops are in and weeding continues ad infinitum. Its hard to believe, but this past week we also sowed the first of the fall transplants in the sunroom, mostly cool-weather crops like Brussels sprouts and storage cabbages, although we also threw in some cucumbers to make up for those that are struggling. So now we have reached that time in the season where the early crops have finished (2-3 weeks ahead of schedule, thank you very much) and the mid-season crops aren't on yet. So begins the challenge of what to put into the boxes until crops like beans, tomatoes and peppers are ready? The summer squashes, kale and high tunnel eggplant have just started to produce, but not enough for everyone so here we are back at a stagger schedule. Barring some catastrophe, we do anticipate everyone will get eggplant, kale and squash, but just not all at once, at least in the beginning. The squash blossoms are a special treat that we try to get into everyone's box once, so that may stretch out for a few weeks, depending on the bloom production in the gardens.  However the "produce adventure" that everyone will get to experience this week is the Wild Things mix. We like to do this once a season as well, and with the recent rains, the wilds are at their peak. There are real nutrient powerhouses that are revered in many cultures as basic food sources, while here in the US, we tend to consider them weeds and they are featured mostly on the labels for herbicide sprays. Since we are "smarter than the average food consumer", we know enough to enjoy them, at least once during the season. Several years ago, one of our CSA members referred to them as a "Euell Gibbons Forage Retrospective" which we think is just perfect!

Just a gentle reminder to be sure to bring your empty box along with you to the weekly delivery. We were missing nearly 1/4 of the boxes last week and it does make our jobs more challenging to pack into boxes that we have to find replacements for. If you DO get to the delivery without your box, you are welcome to unpack your box into a bag (if you happen to have one with you) and leave the box with us, a number of members do this as a matter of course and it works quite nicely for them.

A little detail on your produce this week:

Basil: Basil is a special case, and should not be stored in the refrigerator, as it will turn black.  We like to keep ours in a vase of fresh water on the kitchen counter.  For some, a loose plastic bag on the counter works well for a couple of days; otherwise, put basil in a plastic bag inside a paper bag for insulation, and store in the warmest part of the refrigerator (usually the door).

Scallions (green onions): Remove ties and store scallions unwashed, wrapped in a paper towel and then in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week or upright in a glass or jar in about 1" of water in the fridge with a plastic bag over the whole thing.

Eggplant: Eggplant prefers to be kept at about 50° F, which is warmer than most refrigerators and cooler than most kitchen counters.  Wrap unwashed eggplant in a towel (not in plastic) to absorb any moisture and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator.  Used within a week, it should still be fresh and mild.

Many people like to peel, salt, and drain their eggplant to draw out any bitter flavor; however, bitterness develops only in eggplant that has been stored for a while, so with farm-fresh specimens this is generally not necessary.  Many recipes call for salting in order to make the vegetable less watery and more absorbent—much like draining tofu.  Salting is not an essential step, but it can greatly enhance the taste and texture of your dish and is well worth the extra effort.  The shape of an eggplant determines how it is best prepared.  Slice a straight, narrow eggplant into rounds for grilling or broiling, and cut a rounded, bulbous eggplant into cubes for stews and stir-fries.

Squash Blossoms: Squash blossoms are very perishable.  Arrange them on paper towel lined tray, refrigerate and use within one day.  Blossoms will keep for 1 week at 50ºF (10°C) and 2 to 4 days at 40ºF (4°C).  Chilling injury will occur if held for several days at temperatures below 50ºF (10°C). You can also freeze, can, pickle, or dry squash blossoms.  If cooked, blossoms will store in the freezer for 6 to 8 months.  Open and inspect squash blossoms for insects before using them.  Pull off and discard the green calyxes surrounding the bottom of the blossom.  Clean blossoms by gently swishing them in a bowl of cold water.  Shake them dry.  Trim or snip out the anthers or style.  A few suggested uses for the squash blossoms:  as a garnish raw on crêpes, green salads, fruit salads, soups, and quesadillas; stuff blossoms with rice or minced meat and fry in batter; stuff blossoms with soft cheese, cooked and crumbled sausage, then bread and fry or bake; dip blossoms in a flour and cornstarch batter and fry until brown and crunchy; chop them up and add to quiche.

Wild Things Greens Mix: Keep these like other greens stored in a plastic bag, with the top folded over and placed in the produce drawer of your refrigerator and use within a week. They can replace any hearty greens in a recipe and are wonderful juiced, if you are into that sort of thing. We especially like them in egg dishes. Amaranth (smooth green leaf in Wild Things Mix) is loaded with vitamin K. Amaranth greens are also a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, calcium, potassium, and iron. Lambsquarters are very high in Vitamin A, high in Vitamin C, moderate in calcium and low in iron. They're also high in fiber but low in calories and fats. Lambsquarters contain known anti-inflammatory nutrients, including Beta Carotene and Vitamin K. Common lambsquarters also contain carbohydrates, which may increase blood sugar levels. Common lambsquarters are low in protein percentages but high in many amino acids. Just a heads up, if a person is on blood thinners, they need to consult their health care provider concerning foods high in vitamin K. Vitamin K is a blood coagulator.

Summer Squash: Refrigerate unwashed summer squash for up to a week and a half in a perforated plastic bag or in a sealed plastic container lined with a kitchen towel.

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 at Blue Gate Farm.

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)

Baked Squash Blossoms

Squash blossoms, stamens removed from inside

Fresh Chevre (goat cheese) plain or flavored

Olive Oil

Salt

Carefully open each blossom and place 1 – 2 teaspoons of chevre into the blossom. Fold or twist blossom closed. Place on a jelly roll pan, not touching one another. Drizzle in olive oil sprinkle with a smidgen of salt.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes until they were slightly brown and crispy. 

Serve warm and savor the crispy, yet soft sensation in your mouth.

Recipe Source: http://thetomatoknife.com

Asian Amaranth Greens

serves 2

4 cups amaranth leaves (or Wild Things Mix), chopped into bite-sized pieces, tough stems removed.

2 teaspoon white rice vinegar

2 teaspoon soy sauce

2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Put the leaves, white rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a large sauté pan.

Cook on high heat for just a few minutes, turning frequently with tongs.

Top with sesame seeds.

Recipe Source: http://blog.kitchentherapy.us/2009/07/asian-amaranth-greens/

Cold Sesame Noodles with Greens
2 lbs Chinese noodles, such as chow mein, usually found in the produce section (you can use vermicelli if you don’t have a resource for Chinese noodles)
1 bunch mustard (or other hearty greens,) trimmed and sliced into ribbons
3 carrots, sliced thinly on the bias
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
6 green onions, sliced thinly on the bias
1 cooked chicken breast, sliced into small pieces (about 1-1/2 cups)
5 Tbsp grapeseed or vegetable oil
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Sambal Olek
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
………………………………………………..
Mix together the dressing ingredients (grapeseed oil through peanut butter) and set aside.
Put on a large pot of water to boil.
In the meantime, heat a skillet over high heat. Saute the yellow onion and carrot together just until it begins to soften. Add the mustard greens and season with salt. Cook until the greens are wilted and cooked through. Add most of the green onions, reserving a few for garnish. Turn off the heat and let cool.
When the water boils, add the noodles and cook for just a few minutes until the noodles are done. Remove, drain and rinse with cold water. Toss noodles with vegetables, sliced chicken, sesame seeds and sauce. Top with the remaining green onions.

Recipe Source: http://www.undercovercaterer.com

Blue Gate Farm News 6/12/12

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

Blue Gate Farm News 6/5/12

In this week’s box:

Baby Beets: Chioggia (red/white striped) & Golden (yellow)

Garlic Scapes: asst varieties (the green curly things)

Pac Choi: “Win-Win”

Radishes: Easter Egg & Cherryette (pink, red, purple and white, round roots)

Tapestry Salad Mix

Snow Peas or Sugar Snap Peas (1st group in alphabetical order)

            or

Basil trimmings: asst. varieties

           

For those with the Cheese option: Classic Feta & Roasted Red Pepper Chevre

For those with the Egg option [full or half]: 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):   
Luna Circle Farm Garlic Scape Pesto 
Choi with Garlic and Ginger 
Roasted Baby Beets

Precipitation in the past month:  1.3”

What’s up on the farm?

Welcome to the first delivery of the 2012 season and the start of weekly newsletters!  The CSA boxes are a little light at this time of the season and you will notice the abundance of greens.  This is part of the joy of eating fresh, seasonal foods.  As the season continues the weight and variety of the contents will increase with the arrival of heavier crops including beans, tomatoes, potatoes and squash.  One thing that does remain somewhat consistent is the presence of some cosmetic damage caused by our local insects.  This is another of the indications that we are truly a chemical-free farm.  We try to keep the insect population under control, but they are simply a fact of life in a naturally grown system.  We hope you can overlook some minor leaf damage and we will do our best to keep it to a minimum.  Also we do our best to provide you with clean produce, but you may find a little dirt here and there or, yikes, possibly an insect.  We do wash the produce and sort it to the best of our ability, but we are processing a significant volume and it is possible that at some point you will find a little “nature” in your box.  If and when it happens to you, we apologize ahead of time and hope you will forgive the oversight.  Remember, while we do clean the produce, it is always good practice to wash your vegetables before using.

A big thank you to our pick-up site hosts: Ritual Café in Des Moines and The Next Chapter in Knoxville.  Over the course of the season please consider supporting these independent, local businesses.

The seasonal chores around the farm continue.  We finally got some much needed rain, but the irrigation work continues as our long-term forecast continues on the dry side.  Weeding chores have begun in earnest and the crew just finished the last of the five onion/allium beds yesterday.  They are the best looking onion/leek/shallot crops we've ever had, which is very exciting.  About half of the potato beds are hilled and a number of these are looking really wonderful as well.  The tomatoes are growing nicely, as are most of the other crops.  We are seeing a significant number of garden pests already, particularly obnoxious are the cucumber beetles and the flea beetles. The cuke bugs are eliminated by hand which is tedious and a bit gross, but as we are chemical free, it is our only defense against them.

Health-wise, things are improving.  Sean's surgery went exactly as planned and his progress was so impressive that he was discharged home a full week early.  He is now back to his duties as the farm business manager and concentrating on therapies and healing.

A little detail on your produce this week:

There might be a few unfamiliar items in your box this week, especially if you are new to the CSA.  Most people know what peas are, but maybe not the types that we are growing.  We have snow peas (flat pod with little bumps showing immature peas inside) and sugar snap peas (rounded pods with mature peas inside).  Both have edible pods and can be used interchangeably in recipes.  They are particularly good in stir-fries and salads, though we tend to eat them fresh as a snack.  Peas keep best in their plastic bag in the produce drawer of your refrigerator.

Basil: The tops of young basil plants are often "pinched" out to help the plants grow better. The little taste of basil that some are receiving today is from this process. Basil is very sensitive to cold, so short bits of basil like this are best stored in a plastic bag, then placed in a small paper bag and stored in the door (or warmest part) of your refrigerator. If the leaves start turning black, they can still be used for some applications, but that is the sign of cold damage.

Baby Beets: These little beauties are one of our favorite early treats.  Sweet and mild they can be used raw in salads or cooked and we like to use the whole plant for a full taste treat.  Store them whole in a loosely wrapped plastic bag in your produce drawer.  If you aren't using them for a few days, remove leaves from bulbs and store in separate bags.

Garlic Scapes: We are accustomed to harvesting them in the first couple weeks of the CSA, but this year they came on a full three weeks early.  So what is this curly green vegetable?  It is actually the edible flowering stalk of hardneck garlic.  It is has a crisp, fresh garlic flavor that is delicious as a replacement for regular garlic in nearly any recipe.  We particularly like them in pesto and on pasta, eggs and pizza.  This is one of our favorite crops of the whole season, but it is a very short season crop, usually about 2 weeks, so be sure to enjoy them while you can.  Store in a plastic bag in the produce drawer.

Pac Choi (a.k.a. - bok choy or pok choy) is the large, structural-looking vegetable.  It is a member of the cabbage family and is a traditional Asian stir-fry vegetable.  Both the stems and leaves of choi can be used and are especially tasty in cooked recipes.  If cooking them, separate the leaves and stems, and begin cooking stems first to avoid overcooking the more tender greens. You can also use the leaves like any green-leafy vegetable and the stems like celery.  We tend to use choi leaves as a sandwich wrap, or just roughly chop the whole thing and sauté with garlic and/or onion.  Cook until stems are tender and dress with a little seasoned rice vinegar. Store choi loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your produce drawer.

Radishes 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. 

A few other details: 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.  For those of you who are new to our salad mix, yes you can eat the flowers. 

You will notice that some of the box contents listed above say something about the first group, second group, ect.  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?  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)

Luna Circle Farm Garlic Scape Pesto
1 cup tender scapes, cut into 1" pieces, then processed in a food processor until finely chopped
Add the following and process until well blended:
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped pine nuts (at BGF, we use sunflower seeds)

This can be served now or frozen for future use. I freeze it in the small, 1/2-cup Gladware containers.

Source: Karen Delahaut, vegetable specialist at the University of Wisconsin.

Choi with Garlic & Ginger

1 large choi, 2 med. or a bunch of baby choi (Trim the root end if needed, and cut the bigger ones in half length-wise.)

3 tablespoons peanut or canola oil

4 cloves garlic (or garlic scapes), minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

pepper

chili flakes, optional

Boil a pot of water and add just a pinch of salt.

Blanch the bok choy for about a minute or two, until it’s a little wilted and turn bright green.

Add about 3 tablespoons oil to a hot wok or large pan.

Add the minced garlic and ginger.

Let the garlic and ginger sizzle in the pan so the flavors infuse the oil, but don't let it brown.

Add the blanched choy.

Add a pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper. Chili flakes are good in here, too, if you like heat.

Toss with two spoons to coat the greens quickly.

You want to do it in a minute or so, so the greens don't cook much further.

Adapted from: www.foodjimoto.com/2011/04/baby-bok-choy.html

Roasted Baby Beets

2 pounds trimmed red and/or yellow baby beets or small beets

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large orange

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallot (or garlic scapes)

2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. If using small beets, cut them into 1- to 1-1/2-inch wedges. Place beets in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil; toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Cover with foil and roast for 25 minutes. Uncover and roast about 15 minutes more or until beets are tender; cool. If using small beets, peel the beets. (Baby beets do not need to be peeled.)

2. Meanwhile, using a small sharp knife or citrus tool, remove long shreds of peel from the orange, taking care not to remove the white pith; measure 2 tablespoons peel. Squeeze juice from orange; measure 1/3 cup juice.

3. In a glass dish, whisk together the 1/3 cup orange juice, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, vinegar, shallot, and Dijon mustard. Add beets and orange peel; toss gently to combine. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours. Makes 8 servings.

Recipe Source: www.bhg.com

Just Humming Along

The following is a guest post by Kelsey, one of our farm crew this summer...

While harvesting salad last Friday in the large high tunnel at Blue Gate Farm, the farm crew had a wonderful surprise. Kelsey and Wendy were harvesting from the north salad bed when they heard David (who was in the salad bed closest to the south side wall) say there was a hummingbird drinking nectar out of the clover near the netting covering the south wall opening. As the content little Ruby Throated Hummingbird carried on drinking his nectar he didn't realize that he squeezed his little body through the holes in the netting and was in the high tunnel with the crew. Amazed, we all took time to watch the little bird fly around as we tried to figure out hoe we were going to get him out so he wouldn't hurt himself or even worse, die. As we watched, he landed on the cucumber trellis right behind where Kelsey was sitting, and then flew over to the pea trellis behind Wendy. Pretty soon he took off again and made fast laps around the high tunnel, seeming to realize that he couldn't get out. Then he swooped past Wendy's head and, whether the little hummer was just tired, or was attracted to Kelsey's red pants, he landed on Kelsey's leg. Shocked at what happened, Kelsey jumped and the little bird was up in the air again.

He made another pass around the high tunnel, then flew back and perched on the pea trellis once again. Wendy stood and turned to the pea trellis with her finger outstretched, all in slow motion. The little bird just watched, without even a flinch. as Wendy stretched her finger out to the bird the tiny hummer took a second, looked at the offered perch and then in the blink of an eye he flew and landed on Wendy's finger. She slowly cupped her other hand over the top of her finger, carefully trapping the small bird, and walked to the door, setting him free. We couldn't believe what we had just witnessed and we still have a good chuckle about it but everyone we tell just can't believe what we tell them. But that will be a memory that we will never forget. It is always an exciting time here at Blue Gate Farm!

Who knew...

Who knew that overnight your life could turn upside down. In the past six weeks that has happened several times. And how could we guess that while we are hanging by our toes trying to figure out which way is up that friends, family and community would stand below, holding us up to make sure we don't come crashing to the ground. Since Sean's initial fall we have been overwhelmed by the help and support that we have been surrounded by. Help on the farm, meals dropped by, hospital visits, cards, online messages, phone calls, visits to the market booth, just to check in...the list goes on and on. There are too many people to thank for so many kindnesses, but we did want to mention a small handful for amazing feats of generosity.

Opening farmers market was just 5 days after Sean's 2nd hospital admission with massive chemical imbalances. I didn't think market was as important as being with Sean, but Sean thought differently so we scrambled to get ready. Our biggest advantage was that Jan, Tim and Julia from One Step at a Time Gardens in Kanawa took the day off from their own farm and traveled the 5+ hours round trip to help us harvest, prep eggs AND feed us lunch!

The OST and BGF crews finishing up the salad packaging

 Then the following week we got a message from our friends at Peace Tree Brewing Company saying that there was floor work happening in the brewery on Friday and the brewers couldn't work so they wanted to come out to the farm to help out! So sure enough, Friday morning, Joe, Colby, Shannon and Taylor (the brewery guys) showed up and spent the first half of the day building and cleaning up beehive parts. Then Meagan came out with lunch for everyone and we finished out the day with a massive bed composting project! What an accomplishment!

PTBC building for the bees!

Speaking of bees, Jill's uncle Dean also spent several days on the farm helping out. Not only did he spend days building new beehive parts, but he also got up at 4am and came along to help out with market! Now that is some dedicated help!

The Meat Doctor building for the bees

And this past Sunday, friends from our "Gang of 4" farms (Grinnell Heritage Farm, Genuine Faux Farm, and Scattergood Friends School) all gave up a beautiful work day at their own farms to converge on our farm with family and food in tow to take on The Weeds of BGF!" And weed, they did! Pretty much the whole farm, if it was planted, then it was weeded! And then they made homemade pizza and in a final whirlwind of activity they were gone, back on the road to take care of their own farm chores.

The Gang of 4 Fairy Weeders

Then there was Aunt Louise and family friend Debbie who came out and rescued the strawberry bed and herb garden from their strangle of weeds (and brought baked goods!) Plus the dear neighbor girls H & D who will come Wednesdays and Fridays to help out with cleaning and packaging eggs.  Family and neighbors helped put up the hay. Several Skeehan siblings have taken days off work to come and spend time with Sean and help out on the farm (bee work, barn work, hand and foot massages for Sean, computer work and general companionship at the hospital. How does one say thank you for all of that.

The biggest thanks though, continue to go to the Beebout parents who have more or less put their own lives on  hold, trying to help keep the farm moving forward. 

What a community/family we have! And how very, very grateful we are for them.

BGF News

Blue Gate Farm News – Volume XVII, Number 4  –  May 2012

Weather notes:

Precipitation to date this month: Rain  1.53”

What’s up on the farm?

What’s up on the farm, indeed! Geez, you might have thought that last month was exciting around the farm, but evidently it was only a training run for May.  As of the April newsletter, Sean had been admitted back into Mercy Hospital in Des Moines with some wacky blood readings. We’d love to say that everything was back to normal but the reality is that while he is feeling much more like himself, he is still in Mercy and has been diagnosed with cancer, specifically, neuroendocrine carcinoma. Surgery is scheduled for this coming Wednesday, with non-chemo treatment and a possible 2^nd surgery to follow later. We have had lots of help and support from friends and family and are still trying to find our balance with all the new developments. Never fear though, the 2012 CSA season is still on track. Our industrious Farm Crew, family members and friends have been working very hard to help us keep the farm chores progressing as needed. Beds have been prepped, planted and weeded, seeds have been sown, eggs collected and hay baled. Thanks to these devoted folks, it’s possible our farm has never looked better!

We anticipate that you won’t notice much different about this CSA season over past years. We will continue to deliver our very best produce to you on a weekly basis. We will continue to email newsletters with each delivery to keep you informed as to the contents of your box, goings on at the farm and recipes using some of the box contents. We will be at the DM Farmers Market on Saturdays if you want to visit us there. The only changes you might notice is to see a new face or two manning the box delivery locations and at the market. We are also holding off on planning the annual CSA on-farm events (Ice Cream Social & Harvest Potluck) as we just need to see how things are progressing before we (and you) commit to a date.

So that’s our month so far, in a nutshell. Well, that and the following:

Planted: beans, edamame, beets, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, salad greens, herbs, fennel, garden berries, edible flowers, zucchini, summer squash, okra, hot peppers.

Composted and tilled: 51 beds

Mulched: Tomatoes (all 700 of them!) and peppers too

Irrigation set up: Plots I, II, III and South

Weeded: The whole farm!!

Spotted around the farm: Ruby-throated hummingbirds, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Cedar Waxwings, Bob-o-links, wild turkeys, Great Blue Herons, and lots of various sparrows and finches.

…and we’re only half-way through the month!

2012 CSA Season

The full balance for all CSA members was due May 1^st unless other arrangements are made with us.  If we have not received your payment, you should have received a reminder email from us earlier today. We anticipate the first delivery of the 2012 season to be the first week of June.  Normally we hold a couple of new-member orientations prior to the first delivery of the season, but due to current circumstances, this year we will forego the live orientation and simply send out a “Welcome and What-to-do” email the week before deliveries start. This will also be the last monthly newsletter for 2012. Weekly newsletters will start up with the first delivery in June.

That’s about it for now, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know.  We may be a little slow in responding these days, but we will get back to you as soon as possible. If you are calling about a time-sensitive matter, please call Jill’s phone 641-203-1709.

Best from the farm,

Jill & Sean (and Blue & Luci)

April BGF News

Its been a crazy month and in addition to a number of other omissions, I forgot to post the April newsletter that went out on April 30. 

Blue Gate Farm News – Volume XVII, Number 3  –  April 2012

Weather notes:

Precipitation to date this month: Rain  3.9”

                                                Hail: golf ball-sized

What’s up on the farm? 

For one of us at least, the theme for the season may be “Tuck in your flappables, Mabel, storms a-commin’!”

We were lulled into a relative sense of complacency this spring.  The weather was warm and mild.  We were able to get into the gardens earlier than ever to start prepping the beds and sowing early seeds.  The fruit trees bloomed with crazy abandon and even though they were about three weeks early, the weather continued to be so agreeable that we almost thought we were going to escape a freeze.  Almost.  Then the weather returned to a more seasonable normal.  The immature fruit on most of the trees was lost.  No apricots, plums, nectarines, mulberries or pears this year.  The peaches, oddly enough seem to be holding on.  The jury is still out on the apples.  Even the asparagus froze to the ground, although it recovered days later as new spears broke through.

We were making exciting progress on the barn, too.  The new main floor has been poured, complete with drains and plumbing connections and the electrical work was moving out into the lean-to, where the new walk-in cooler is to be built.  Ah, the electrical, which tends to be run high on the wall and require ladders for installation.  Sean was working on the electrical project late on April 11^th when he fell about five feet off a ladder.  He broke his left humorous and fractured the left side of his pelvis in a couple of places.  Jill got him quickly to the Knoxville ER who did x-rays and started IV pain medication (they also had to cut away his Carhartt jacket and heavy hooded sweatshirt – oh well).  Transported by ambulance to DM Mercy Hospital for more intense care and an MRI.  Fortunately no surgery needed, able to travel home Friday afternoon, and expect full mending within eight weeks – then PT.  Sean can slowly move about the house with the aid of a cane.  New routines around the house with Jill as chief nurse and on the farm with Jill and her dad picking up much of the slack. 

On Saturday night, April 14^th, it was windy and raining on and off until shortly after Sean’s brother pulled into BGF from Chicago.  Suddenly the north wind increased, the rain fell harder and golf-ball sized hail pounded the farm.  We thought our northern windows would break given the weight and velocity of the hail but alas no window damage – several friends in the area did suffer multiple broken windows.  Our damage was hail pitting on automobiles and hundreds of punctures on both layers of the two high tunnels roof plastic (thankfully all insured).

So we are now trying to find our new balance.  The regular chores of the farm continue on, as do the escalating duties of spring.  The large high tunnel is in full production, in preparation for farmers market.  The onions, leeks and shallots have all been transplanted into the garden, as have 200 pounds of seed potatoes.  This week we start on the cabbage and broccoli transplants.  The garden peas, head lettuce, radishes, spinach, mustard, beets, turnips, arugula and kale were all seeded in the past weeks and are up and growing nicely.  Nearly every flat surface in the sunroom is filled with tomato, eggplant, okra, peppers, cucumber, squash and herb transplants.  Everything is growing like crazy, including the weeds and the grass!  Jill’s dad and Sean’s brother have tended to all the hives on the farm and most of the colonies are growing big and strong.  Honey supers will go on soon!  Our target is to keep about 28 hives this summer.

The DM Farmers’ Market opens it 26 week season on Saturday, May 5^th.  Hours from 7:00 am to 12 noon.  Look for us at our new location on the NW corner of Court & 2^nd.  Once market opens, weekday egg sales at Ritual Café will cease for the summer.

Last minute update: This newsletter was supposed to go out yesterday, but there were complications with Sean’s recovery and he was shuttled from his doctor’s office to the local ER then via ambulance to a Des Moines hospital. He was in a great deal of pain and they were anxious to deal with some blood imbalances to alleviate the problem. So we’ve had a bit of a hitch, but expect to work through this one as well. Our attendance at the opening market on Saturday is a bit up in the air as of today, we will try to keep folks updated as we are able. Please don’t be dismayed or alarmed if we are a little delayed in responding to any correspondence for a few days.

2012 CSA Season

Statements to all members were e-mailed out over the weekend.  Please let us know if you did not receive a statement.  The full balance for all CSA members is due May 1^st unless other arrangements are made with us.  We anticipate the first delivery of the 2012 season to be the first week of June, weather-depending.  Prior to the first delivery we will hold orientation meetings for our new members – more info later.

That’s about it this month, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know. 

Best from the farm,

Jill & Sean (and Blue & Luci)