Stella had her calf, Tumble, a week and a half ago. She calved right outside our gate in the middle of the morning. I came home from school to a pleasant surprise! Tumble needed a little help with his first nursing but since then he has been fine. Stella is an excellent mother and a somewhat reluctant milker but we are finding our rhythm together. The low noises she makes as she talks to her calf calm me and make me feel comforted as well.
We harvested the oats last Wednesday. Considering that we were using a 1979 combine, it went shockingly well. We had serviced the combine in advance but we were still unsure of how it would run and how efficiently it would do the job. There was little grain left in the field and not too much debris in with the crop. It is still hard to believe. This week we will harvest the wheat. We are actually grateful for this heat wave that will help to ripen the wheat, as well as the peppers, melons, and more. We will everything and everyone additional water and keep a watchful eye so that plants, animals, and humans do not get too stressed.
This week's pick list:
- Zucchini and summer squash
- Cucumbers
- Celery
- Scallions
- Potatoes
- Spring onions
- Kohlrabi
- Fennel
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Beets
- Lettuce
- Greens
- Dill, cilantro, basil, and parsley
- Strawberries
French Onion Dip, adapted from saver.com
2 medium sweet onions, quartered lengthwise
4 sprigs of thyme
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup mayonnaise
1⁄2 cup cream cheese, softened
1⁄2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
4 scallions, minced
Fresh chopped herbs, such as tarragon or parsley (optional)
Heat oven to 425°. Toss quartered onions and thyme with olive oil on a foil-lined baking sheet, and season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning occasionally, until soft and slightly caramelized, about 45 minutes; set roasted onions aside to cool.
Place roasted onions in a food processor and puree until smooth; add mayonnaise, cream cheese, sour cream, juice, and salt and pepper, and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Optional Fried Onions: Heat 1 cup of oil in a 10″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 medium onions that have been finely chopped Cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, about 16 minutes more. Transfer onions to a strainer set over a bowl to drain; discard oil or reserve for another use. Transfer fried onions to paper towels to drain; set aside.
To serve, stir the scallions into dip, and transfer to a serving bowl. If desired, stir in 2/3 of the fried onions and/ or the herbs into the dipas well. Top with remaining fried onions and serve.