Volume XIV, JOURNAL 3 &4
Blue Heron Farm Journal
So what’s happening on the farm this week?
(Sorry for no journal last week – computer glitch)
Week 3 and 4: Hi Everyone! Wow! Here it is July! What a distant memory, this cool spring is, The nonstop rain for two months. The endless cloudy days and cold nights of May and June have given us this gorgeous month of July. July hardly ever disappoints. The zucchini and summer squash are blooming and coming in strong. The cucumbers are here. The sugar snap peas have peaked due to the July heat that never fails us and we will hopefully see them again this fall.. We are regularly irrigating and are thankful for town water, that we put in last year.
Adam picked the first early tomatoes on Sunday and enjoyed eating them like apples. Delia picked the first cherry tomatoes on Friday night, very tasty. The basil is getting bigger under the cover of the hoop house and the second batch of basil was planted last week. Soon we will have enough to have everyone be able to make plenty of pesto for their freezers. We planted over 400 plants in our second planting of basil in the cherry tomato hoop house. Needless to say, we will have cherry tomatoes within a week or so and full-size tomatoes within two weeks or less. Thanks to all of this heat. The peppers, Hot and sweet are starting to produce. The first peppers and eggplant, or otherwise called king peppers/eggplants, we strip from the pepper plants so the pepper plants become bigger and bushier and eventually give us a lot more peppers.
Here we are in the middle of July, I think, we think, we are finally caught up and is now starting to plant fall crops. The month of July is full, so full, of planting, harvesting, weeding, and planning. July is one of the hottest months in Vermont and the plants love it for the most part. Spinach and peas do not like this month also arugula and broccoli find it challenging. We will transplant fall brassica crops of broccoli, cabbage, and greens soon.
The month of July is what farmers think about in the cold months of April, May and this year June. July seems to fix everything. The heat, the sun, and the long days are what most of the vegetables love. July is hope that everything Will be OK. That there will be enough food for all. As we scurry from field to field weeding, watering, harvesting, and eating 🙂 This July sun and heat will be banked in the plants roots and cells to keep producing into the fall. We hope you enjoy your share this week.
We are looking for some volunteers to help with transplanting and clipping in the hoophouses. Let us know if you can help out sometime.
Pickups are Monday at the farm this week and THURSDAYS for deliveries:) Thursday deliveries please make sure you grab your bag with your name on it 😉 If you do not pick up your CSA shares on thursays, they will be donated to folks in the st albans area. thanks so much!
Have a great week.
Thanks for being part of our farm. We look forward to farming with you this season.
Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie, Delia and Olya
What’s in the share this week:
This list is what is in a full share this week. Things may change between Monday and Thursday and Individual and Salad share will get differing amounts and may not get everything on the list. Lettuce mix, lettuce head, Chard, Scallions, zucchini, summer squash, hot peppers, crunchy pickling size cucumbers, maybe peppers, tomato, and eggplant!
Recipes:
The following recipes are from Mary Jane’s farm the August September issue 2019:
Note: you can sub summer squash for zucchini and vice versa. You can also grate zuchinni and summer squash and freeze in two cups increments for breads, pancakes, soups, stews, etc for later.
Baked zucchini fries
Two medium zucchini about 1 pound
Quarter cup of flour
Three-quarter cup fine breadcrumbs
Third of a cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon of minced chives or green onions
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper two eggs
preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the zucchini into 3 inch pieces, and then into half inch thick Spears. Place in a plastic container, add flour, attach lid, and shake to coat.
In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, chives, salt, pepper, and onion.
In a small bowl, whisk eggs together.
Dredge each Zucchini spear in egg, then breadcrumb mixture; arrange on prepared baking sheet so sides aren’t touching.
Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until fries begin to turn golden brown. Enjoy.
Baked zucchini chips
One medium zucchini about half a pound cut into 1/16 inch thick slices
1 tablespoon of coconut oil, Melted
2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
1/8 of a teaspoon of curry powder
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon of salt
Preheat oven to 225°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine zucchini and coconut oil.
In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, curry powder, dried mustard, and salt. Add mixture to zucchini and stir to combine.
Arrange zucchini slices on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for one hour and 45 minutes, switching the baking sheets between oven racks about every 30 minutes. Cool for five minutes.
Overnight zucchini pickles
One medium zucchini about half a pound sliced quarter inch thick
Quarter red onion, peeled and thinly slice about a half a cup or you can use your scallions in this
Two sprigs of fresh dill
Four garlic clothes, peeled of coarsley minced about 4 teaspoons
Half a teaspoon of mustard seed
1/8 teaspoon ground Tumeric
1 1/4 cups white distilled vinegar
4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons of honey
Add zucchini and onion to a small bowl, mix together, and set aside. Evenly divide dill, garlic, mustard seed, and Tumeric between 2-1 pint canning jars. Evenly divide zucchini and onion mixture between jars and set aside.
In a small sauce pan, combine vinegar, salt, and honey, whisking frequently, cook over medium heat until salt is dissolved in vinegar is steaming. Remove from heat and pour brine into jars. Screw on jar lids and refrigerate overnight, enjoy!