So what’s happening on the farm this week?
Week 3: Hi everyone! Well, the story on the farm this week has been a wet story, as you probably know. Things aren’t as grim as some might imagine! Even though we have not had much of a break from rain (except for now-keeping our fingers crossed), many of our crops are doing quite well. With poorly drained clay soil, we are praising the good fortune of having chosen to use all raised beds on the farm. Even though some of the walking paths between beds have been flooded with 5 inches of water, the crops are still higher up-wet feet but no flooding out of any crop. We have broccoli, cabbage, chard, zucchini, squash, carrots, beets, lettuce, beans, bunching onions, and few other things all doing great. We also have our cherry and heirloom tomatoes all trellised and happy in the hoophouses. The biggest affect the rain has had has been the inability to prep beds for transplants-you just can’t rush clay soil-it will turn to brick if you try to work it when its wet! Our greenhouse is full of plants patiently waiting for their turn in the fields. We expect with this dry weather, we can start getting them all in this week. In the meantime, we have been blessed with lots of yummy greens which don’t mind cool, wet weather at all-and those yummy sugar snap peas!
The wet soil has given us the opportunity to start catching up on a few other farm chores, including getting the hoophouses back into shape after damaging high winds completely ripped the plastic (and the wood that holds it on-bolts and all) off the big hoophouse this past winter. The cherry toms really want a new roof over their heads 🙂 . When the time comes to put on the new plastic- on a calm, still day-we’ll need as many hands around as possible. Its 2 BIG sheets of plastic-72×30. If you want to help out, just get on our “on call” list and we’ll hastily call you when the time is right. It is usually very early in the morning or at twilight..
The girls have been troopers! Sadie and Delia have been helping on the farm more than ever before and enjoying it. They don’t mind the rain I guess. We are sad to have said goodbye to Katie, one of our apprentices. She decided that farming is not her forte, and working in the mental health field is where her heart is, so we thank her for her wonderful spirit, hard work, and great attitude as she moves on to new things. Kristen is still here, going strong, contributing to the farm in numerous ways with a smile. She’s a gem!
Enjoy the sunshine 🙂
We look forward to farming with you this season.
Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie, Delia and Kristen
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 heads, spinach or chard, hakerei turnips, pea tendrils, garlic scapes, Sugar Snap Peas
Eggs for sale We have the pretty girls’ eggs for sale – these are free-range, certified organic chicken eggs that are brown eggs– with the brightest yellow/orange yolks you ever seen. The eggs are $6.00 a dozen. $3.00 half dozen
**CERTIFIED ORGANIC whole CHICKEN AVAILABLE**
Recipes:
Sesame Snap Peas
1/2 pound snap or snow peas, trimmed and strings discarded
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 scallion, sliced thinly on diagonal
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted lightly
Salt as needed/wanted
Slice snap peas into 2 or 3 sections with a sharp knife. Saute in a pan with the oil on med high heat until bright green. (it’s ok if some of the peas come out). When serving, sprinkle with the scallions and sesame seeds. Add Salt if desired.
Roasted Sugar Snap Peas
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
S & P to taste
SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH HAZELNUT BUTTER AND SAGE
2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Blanched Sugar Snap Peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper
2. Heat butter over medium heat in medium sauté pan until it browns to color of brown sugar and smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Take care not to burn. Add peas, sage, and nuts; toss to combine. Cook until just heated through, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve immediately.
Pea Tendril Pesto – Edible Portland
This intensely flavored, neon green pesto recipe is inspired by one that appeared in the New York Times. Add up to a half-cup of additional fresh herbs or alliums, including garlic scapes, chives, mint, arugula and parsley. Like most pestos, all amounts are approximate, so adjust according to your own taste. Try this pesto on a piece of toast with a sliced hardboiled egg; added to boiled potatoes with chopped green onions; or thinned with pasta water and tossed with wide-cut fresh noodles.
3 cups pea shoots, roughly chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Sea salt to taste
1/3 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1. To toast the walnuts, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts on baking sheet and roast until golden, about 10 minutes. Check by letting them cool and then breaking a walnut in half. The inside should be golden all the way through.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine walnuts, pea shoots, Parmesan and garlic. Pulse until roughly chopped. Add salt to taste. With motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Blend until well-combined and you reach your desired thickness. Scrape pesto into a bowl and use immediately, or store in a jar with a thick covering of olive oil and use within three days. You can also freeze in ice cube trays.
Makes 2 to 2 1/2 cups
Like most green leafy vegetables, pea shoots – the young tendrils and leaves of the garden pea plant – are incredibly nutrient-dense. You can start looking for them at farmers markets or Asian markets in the spring and early summer.
Two cups of raw pea shoots have 10 calories, zero fat, 35.5% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C, 15% of vitamin A, 8.75% of vitamin E, 132% of vitamin K, 10.5% of folate, 5.75% of thiamine, 7% of riboflavin, and 4.75% of vitamin B-6. They’re also chock-full of phytonutrients and antioxidants.
Pea Shoot Salad with Soy Vinaigrette
http://eatdrinkbetter.com/
For the soy vinaigrette, blend 1/2 cup of grapeseed oil, 1 teaspoon of dark sesame oil, 3 tablespoons of unseasoned rice wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
Pea Shoot Salad with Coconut Curry Vinaigrette and Toasted Sea Vegetables
For the coconut curry vinaigrette, blend 1/2 cup of coconut milk, 3 tablespoons of rice vinegar, and 2 teaspoons of curry powder. Sprinkle your salad with crumbled, lightly toasted nori, to taste.