By Kelsey
This early summer season is always an exciting time for me on the farm. While the business of farm life can feel constant, the nature of the work right now, at least for me, highlights the generosity and abundance of what we tend. This is a time when the fields are becoming so full, the barn displays more variety and the majority of the tea herbs are ready for harvest. The herb dryer is filled to the brim and constantly humming, and only ever empty for a brief moment before a new round of freshly harvested aromatics are put in. Keeping up with cleaning and maintaining spaces is admittedly never my strong-suit, but at this time of year I just accept that and let it fall to the wayside while trying to keep up with the flowering chamomile, tulsi, calendula and rose. As the herb room starts to fill up with jars of beautiful bright colors, it feels so rewarding and encouraging that despite all the stress that we experienced in the last year and the lack of water, the plants and animals continue to give so much.
This Week’s Pick List:
Eggs
Alto Leeks (Young and tender!)
Evergreen Hardy Scallions
Yaya Carrots
Hakurei Turnips
Pink Beauty Radish
Solaris Fennel
Solstice Broccoli and/or Song Cauliflower (amounts depending on the harvest!)
Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash
Mideast Peace, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers
Emiko Napa Cabbage
Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale
Champion Collards
Ruby Red Chard
Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill
Regiment Spinach
Head Lettuce
Albion Strawberries
Single Herb Tea (We are offering our remaining dried herbs in bulk now!)
Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)
Revolution Bread
Mineral-rich Pesto, adapted from https://www.farmacopia.net/blogs/recipes/mineral-rich-pesto
2 cups mixed herbs, packed: cilantro, parsley, basil, tulsi, lemon balm, mint….Be creative! There are tons of suitable pesto herbs ready to harvest.
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ lemon or lime
Optional:
1-2 peeled garlic cloves, chopped
Freshly ground pepper
Place herbs, pumpkin seeds, garlic, and a few squeezes of lemon juice into a food processor or blender and chop/blend for a minute or two.
While food processor or blender is running, drizzled in olive oil until you reach the desired consistency. Some prefer runny pestos, others thicker spread. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon over julienned zucchini "noodles" or spaghetti squash. Mix into quinoa, or serve as a dip with crudité.
Freeze extra pesto in ice cube trays, and store cubes in a tightly sealed container. Add to soups, stir fries, etc.