Each morning at dusk I take a walk down to open the coops for the hens and the roosters. I enjoy the cool, fresh air and to see the different fog formations. You can hear the roosters crowing from our house and the noise increases as I approach. The roosters fly out of the door, squawking and flapping their wings. The hens are much quieter and more cautious. I like to watch them after they are all out of the coop, spread out in the paddock, scratching and pecking. In the middle of the day, all the birds are usually huddled under the coop for shade and protection.
There is a lull in planting now between the spring and fall, leaving us time to weed and get the garden in order. The tomatoes are finally staked and the rows are finally getting cleaned. The slow pace of weeding also gives us time to reflect on our systems and make improvements. I adjust the crop plan throughout the seasons, eliminating crops and planting more or less of others. We are still searching for the perfect lettuce varieties to grow on this farm, at all the different times of year.
The layers on the farm: flowers, dry corn, cows, and grass
This week's pick list:
- Snap peas
- Potatoes
- Summer squash and zucchini
- Kale
- Chard
- Lettuce
- Lettuce mix
- Kohlrabi
- Carrots
- Beets
- Fennel
- Turnips
- Leeks
- Green onions
- Garlic scapes
- Dill, cilantro, basil, and parsley
- Strawberries
The mammoth sunflowers are truly growing before your eyes.
New Potato and Pea Salad with Mustard and Mint, from food52.com
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
4 cups sugar snap peas cut into several pieces each
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seed
2 tablespoons malt vinegar
2 tablespoons pecan oil (or other nut oil)
10-12 fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup chopped green onion
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash the potatoes and then boil them in salted water until they are tender (test them by poking with a slim knife). Drain and cool them. When they are cool, cut them into 4 to 8 pieces each (depending on the size of your potatoes -- they should be bite-sized)
Wash and cut the peas --I cut them on the bias, 3 to 4 pieces per pea.
Chop the mint. Toss all of the ingredients together and add salt and pepper to taste. Allow the salad to chill and the flavors to meld for an hour or so before serving. Serve!
The new tractor: 1977 John Deere 4230