Yesterday we finished planting out the last of the crops in the greenhouse that were desperate to get in the ground. Today we will put in the watermelons and then have a break until next week. Next we will focus on managing the weeds, hoping to hoe most of the planted beds if we can. The tomatoes and cucumbers in the tunnels also need clipping to keep them growing upright and on their trellis.
There are green centers in many of the transplants we put in last week, showing that they have taken to the soil. The soil is warming and we are starting to see the rapid growth one would expect for being so close to the solstice!
We hope to finish cutting hay today and to start to pick it up at the end of this week. There are also small bean and corn sprouts appearing in the dry farmed fields! It is exciting to see the line of green in the light brown of soil.
Potluck coming up next Friday June 14th! We hope to have a game of baseball in the newly mown field!
This Week’s Pick List:
Beets
Carrots
Potatoes
Spinach
Arugula
Parsley
Scallions
Fennel
Kale
Greens
Strawberries
Tea Blends - bring containers!
Dried Peppers - bring containers!
Revolution Bread available for purchase
Herby Polenta with Eggs and Feta, from nytimes.com
7 ounces/200 grams spinach (about 10 lightly packed cups), roughly torn or sliced
1 cup/150 grams coarse cornmeal
1 packed cup/50 grams finely grated Parmesan
5 scallions (spring onions), thinly sliced, 2 tablespoons reserved for garnish
3 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
2 ¼ cups/530 milliliters whole milk
2 cups/475 milliliters chicken stock
3 tablespoons/40 grams unsalted butter, cut into cubes
5 ounces/140 grams Greek feta, roughly crumbled (about 1 cup)
8 medium eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius.
In a large bowl mix spinach, cornmeal, Parmesan, scallions, parsley, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a good grind of pepper; stir to combine. Transfer this mixture to a large, deep, oven-proof skillet, then add the milk, stock and butter, stirring gently to mix through. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and give everything a good whisk.
Return to the oven and bake until the cornmeal is cooked through and the mixture has thickened, about 20 minutes. Give the polenta another good whisk — it should be quite smooth and not completely set — then stir in half the feta. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degrees Celsius.
Use a dinner spoon to make 8 shallow wells in the polenta. Crack an egg into each well and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the remaining feta all over, and bake until the egg whites are cooked and the yolks are still runny, 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the reserved scallions in a bowl with the oil. Spoon this mixture all over the polenta and eggs and sprinkle with the red-pepper flakes. Serve directly from the pan.