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Week 4 Share:
(**
see note, below
)
Arugula
Broccoli
Lettuce:
Onions:
Walla Walla
Squash:
Summer
Pac Choi
Parsley
Yakina Savoy
Zucchini
EOW will also receive:
Chard
[Cilantro]
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Dear Members of Turtle Creek Gardens,
The weather is finally heating up, but the effects of the cool, wet spring are still being felt on the farm, as you'll read in Janet's
Farm Update, below.
REMEMBER to pick up your box on
Wednesday, July 3
this week and have a safe and happy Fourth. Thursday deliveries resume for Week 5/A and continue for the remainder of the season.
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** NOTE:
Pack list is subject to change due to weather or harvest conditions
.
[ ] Indicates possible addition
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Rain…rain…rain…and cooler-than-normal temperatures. If you haven’t paid attention to how this may affect the farm, it has caused radical interruptions in our planting schedules; slower development of summer crops such as peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, melons etc.; and a very muddy crew. It’s as if March (what we call “mud” season) has never left.
As I drive down the country roads, I see many fields that lie fallow. Some farmers haven’t made their planting date deadlines for commodity crops such as corn and soybeans, to get their crop insurance. The risk is too high to plant, anyway, with tariff unknowns on top of the unpredictable weather.
We are in a La Niña weather pattern. La Niña is a weather pattern defined by the cooling of the ocean surface along the tropical Pacific coast of South America. (The tropical Pacific refers to the area of the Pacific Ocean in between the Tropic of Cancer to the north and the Tropic of Capricorn to the south.)
La Niña events occur approximately every two to seven years, and the effects can last for as long as two years. This is year two. 2019 is a mirror of our 2018 season: wet, cold, and behind. Wisconsin and other northern states experience wetter and colder temperatures during a La Niña weather pattern while the central southern states are experiencing drier and warmer temperatures.
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We have been working wet soils out of desperate attempts to get our plants and seeds in the ground. This, of course, is not ideal. Working wet soil causes soil clods and compaction which will not correct itself until it undergoes another freezing and thawing cycle. As a result, conditions are less than ideal for the soil/seed contact needed for optimal germination and establishing well-covered root balls. It slows us down while transplanting, since the soil is not soft and lofty but hard and chunky, which makes it difficult to get a good cover over root balls.
Despite the struggles, we are getting crops in and harvesting, so all this may not be apparent. That said, the diversity or the regularity of crops has been interrupted, causing gaps in what would typically go into our CSA boxes. We hope that you don’t become bored with a lack of certain items you are anxiously anticipating but are thankful for what nature is providing currently.
It’s become apparent to us that in order to mitigate our risk with weather, we see the rising need for more greenhouses. We did manage to erect our second high tunnel this season. We have a good crop of tomatoes, which are producing fruit now.
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The silver lining has been the slower emergence of warm season weeds and pests. Like last season, we saw few pests that would typically be out in force by now such as cucumber beetles, potato beetles, root maggots, cabbage loopers, etc.
So we keep these things in mind, shed our layers to meet the warming day, and count our blessings for the bounty we are receiving—because it could be worse. Farming IS hard.
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Farro with Grilled Broccoli & Onions
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Ingredients
2 c. broccoli, chopped into 1" florets
1 sweet Walla Walla onion, thickly sliced
1 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
1 t. minced garlic OR 3 t. minced garlic scape
3 c. chicken or vegetable broth
Coarse or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method:
Preheat grill to medium. In a bowl, toss broccoli and onions with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Place vegetables on oiled vegetable-grilling rack. Grill, turning occasionally, until browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from grill and roughly chop. Set aside.
Heat a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add farro and cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes, until lightly toasted. Add butter and garlic; sauté for two more minutes until fragrant and farro grains are well coated. Add broth, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.
Lower heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until broth has been absorbed and faro is cooked through, but still chewy, about 20-25 minutes.
Stir in grilled vegetables and serve warm.
Yield: 4-6 servings
Recipe adapted from
themom100.com
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Chorizo-Stuffed Summer Squash
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Ingredients:
2 zucchini or summer squash, ends trimmed
3 garlic cloves [or 3 T. minced garlic scape]
1-2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 chorizo sausage (about 4 oz)
2 T. olive oil
½ c. cream cheese
½ c. dry bread crumbs
2-3 T. shredded Parmesan cheese
Method:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Cut zucchini/squash down the middle lengthwise. Remove seeds with a spoon and reserve. Place zucchini/squash shells on a lined baking sheet. Mince garlic cloves. Remove oregano leaves from stems and mince. Set aside.
Cut chorizo sausage down the middle lengthwise. Remove and discard outer skin. Dice chorizo into small pieces.
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add diced chorizo and sauté 5-6 minutes or until slightly crsiped. Add zucchini/squash seeds and stir well to combine. Cook 4-5 minutes or until liquid has mostly evaporated. Turn off heat. Transfer chorizo filling to a bowl and stir in oregano and cream cheese.
Combine bread crumbs and parmesan in a separate bowl.
Spoon chorizo mixture into zucchini/squash shells. Sprinkle with breadcrumb/parmesan mixture.
Bake 15-20 minutes or until top is golden brown and filling has become more firm. Remove from oven and cool 2-3 minutes before serving.
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe adapted from
seedsavers.org
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Sauteed Greens & Mushrooms
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Ingredients:
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
1 LB white button mushrooms, sliced
6 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ t. kosher salt
½ t. ground black pepper
1 LB blend of greens, trimmed and coarsely chopped (chard, arugula, spinach, kale, etc.)
Juice of ½ lemon
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Sea salt, for sprinkling
Method:
Add olive oil to a large pot and warm over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until very well browned. (Don't skimp on this step.) Add garlic, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Reduce heat to medium, and cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
Next, add chopped chard stems, if using. Stir one minute; add several large handfuls of greens. Stir until slightly wilted; repeat until all greens are in the pot.
Continue cooking and stirring until greens are wilted but still bright green. Remove from heat, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, drizzle with a little extra olive oil, and a sprinkle of sea salt. Serve hot.
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe adapted from:
ericajulson.com
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Arugula & White Bean Salad
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Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil
1 t. grated lemon rind plus 2 T. fresh juice (from 1 lemon)
1 t. Dijon mustard
3/8 t. kosher salt
¼ t. black pepper
1 (15-oz.) can unsalted cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
¼ c. thinly sliced onion
3 c. arugula
Method:
Combine oil, lemon rind and juice, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add beans and onion; toss well to coat. Add arugula; toss gently to combine.
Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe adapted from
addapinch.com
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Turtle Creek Gardens, LLC | 262-441-0520 |
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