Moisture in the air

We have had a nice lull in planting and seeding to catch up somewhat on the weeds but now we are about to dive back in again in preparation for winter. We had such a late spring that we are just finishing picking the spring peas as we are seeding the fall ones. The heat last week helped to ripen the summer crops and just a few first tomatoes have started to turn. The foggy mornings were delightful; we are grateful to see the moisture on the ground and the crops, and to feel it on our faces.

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce 
• Summer Squash
• Carrots
• Spinach
• Tatsoi
• Fennel
• Kale
• Collard
• Chard
• Kohlrabi
• Scallions
• Turnip
• Radish
• Potatoes
• Cabbage
• Spring onions
• Parsley, Cilantro, Dill, and Basil
• Strawberries
• Pick your own flowers and tomatillos

Mustard-Roasted Potatoes, adapted from smitten kitchen.com

1/2 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick or 1/2 ounce) butter, melted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
3 pounds 1- to 1 1/2-inch-diameter unpeeled red-skinned potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch-wide wedges

Position 1 rack in top third of oven and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Whisk mustard, olive oil, butter, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, lemon peel, and salt in large bowl to blend. Add potatoes; sprinkle generously with freshly ground black pepper and toss to coat. Divide potatoes between prepared baking sheets, leaving any excess mustard mixture behind in bowl. Spread potatoes in single layer. Roast potatoes 20 minutes. Reverse baking sheets and roast until potatoes are crusty outside and tender inside, turning occasionally, about 25 minutes longer. 

Transfer potatoes to serving bowl.

So many flowers

The flowers are in full bloom now; you can't pick enough. With this week's heat wave, even more blossoms will appear. The garden is also full of birds, bees, and other pollinators, enjoying the flowers along with us. To help prolong their life, please pick armloads this week!

The young chicks are moving to the their new movable coop this week. They are ready for more space and fresh pasture each week. As the cows graze through each field, you can clearly see the grid pattern of where they have been compared to where they have not, almost like a checkerboard.

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce 
• Summer Squash
• Kale
• Collard
• Chard
• Kohlrabi
• Scallions
• Turnip
• Radish
• Potatoes
• Peas
• Leeks
• Cabbage
• Spring onions
• Parsley and Basil
• Strawberries
• Pick your own flowers and tomatillos

Couscous with Peas, Leeks, and Herbs, adapted from food52.com

• 1 1/4 cups water
• 3 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 cup couscous
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 cups shelled English peas
• 3/4 cup sliced leeks, washed thoroughly
• 1/2 cup grated Haloumi cheese
• 1/4 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
• Large handful each of chopped parsley, basil, and mint
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

1. Bring the 1 1/4 cups water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. While waiting for water to boil, pour couscous and 1 tablespoon of olive oil into medium sized bowl. With your hands, rub the couscous so the olive oil evenly coats the grains. Once water has come to a boil, pour over the couscous and let stand, covered with plastic wrap for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with water and add 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water to shock peas after cooking. Add peas to boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Remove peas from boiling water and immediately immerse into ice water. Strain. Add to couscous. 
3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until translucent. Add to couscous. 
4. Add the haloumi cheese, pistachios, parsley, dill, basil, mint, lemon zest, and lemon juice to couscous mixture and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss and serve.

Watching

As I walk the fields each week, I marvel at how the plants grow, in fits and spurts, just like my children. Sometimes it feels as if they will never mature and then one day in an instant they are ready to be picked. Each year here the growth patterns have been varied, but there is also a general rhythm that I understand more clearly as time passes. 

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce 
• Summer Squash
• Kale
• Collard
• Chard
• Kohlrabi
• Scallions
• Turnip
• Radish
• Carrots
• Potatoes
• Peas
• Leeks
• Tokyo Bekana
• Spring onions
• Parsley and Basil
• Strawberries
• Pick your own flowers

Zucchini Lasagna, adapted from ohsweetbasil.com

• 6 Zucchini, sliced
• 1 heaping cup of cottage cheese
• 4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 6 teaspoons Parmesan cheese

Sauce

• 1 lb 60% ground chuck mixed with 40% ground brisket** optional
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ cup onion, minced
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• 1 (6 ounce) can of tomato paste
• 3 (15 ounce) can of good quality diced tomatoes
• large handful each of parsley and basil, chopped
• 3 shakes of red pepper flakes
• ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place a sauce pot on a medium high burner and add the meat, with the olive oil and butter. If skipping the meat jump right to the next step. Cook the meat, stirring occasionally until almost brown and add the onion, peppers and garlic. Cook until tender, about 2 minutes and add the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

To assemble:

Place ½ cup of the sauce on the bottom of a 9x13" baking pan and spread it out adding a little more if needed. The pan should not be entirely covered. Line the pan with zucchini and top with a heaping ⅓ cup of cottage cheese, using the back of a spoon to spread it out. Add ¾ cup of the sauce and spread it out carefully. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella and 2 teaspoons of parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers two more times ending with sauce and the two cheeses. Spray a little foil with cooking spray and place over the lasagna. Bake for 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until beginning to turn golden. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes and then serve.

Summer routine

Even though the summer crops have barely begun to be harvested, we are already sowing some of our winter plantings. Just as in spring it is hard to imagine the tomatoes and peppers that you are sowing in flats as full grown plants, I can't quite believe it is time to plant winter leeks and rutabagas. We hope to hoe and cultivate as much as possible this week and to finish the new chicken coop soon.

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce 
• Summer Squash
• Kale
• Collard
• Chard
• Kohlrabi
• Scallions
• Turnip
• Radish
• Fennel
• Peas
• Tokyo Bekana
• Spring onions
• Parsley, Dill, and Basil
• Strawberries

Lettuce Salad with Dill Vinaigrette, from food52.com

Dill Vinaigrette

• 1 large egg
• 1 cup (25 grams) picked dill fronds 
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (19 grams) Dijon mustard
• 3 1/2 tablespoons (50 grams) Champagne or white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup neutral oil, like grapeseed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Cook the egg in abundant boiling water for 7 minutes and 15 seconds, for barely set yolks and fully set whites. Rinse and peel in cold water to stop it from cooking futher.

Blend egg, dill, Dijon, and Champagne vinegar until smooth. Note: For a lighter-colored dressing with more bits of green in it, you can pulse in the herbs toward the end—this is especially good to do if substituting more strongly flavored herbs like chives for the dill.
Mix grapeseed oil and olive oil and slowly, with the blender running, drizzle oil mixture in until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Any leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, though the color and fresh herb flavor may fade slightly after a day.

 Salad

• Lettuces of your choice (see note below)—enough for about 6 cups torn, washed and spun dry
• 1 cup crumbled fresh sheep's milk feta
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

In choosing the lettuces, the salad should be bright and fresh. The leaves should be light, but stout enough to hold the other ingredients. Use red oak, green oak, and/or butter lettuce. 
Just before serving, toss the lettuce with dressing to taste (it should be just enough to lightly coat the leaves), plus feta and scallions.

4th of July

Seth and I spent the day on the farm together: irrigating, feeding animals, and watering the greenhouse. Instead of splitting in two separate directions, we did everything as a team, taking the time to meet and reflect as we worked.

The flowers in the annual field are starting to bloom! We are hoping to collectively care for the flowers this year and to ask that you deadhead as you pick, if you have the time. To help us achieve this goal and to learn how to better harvest the flowers, Heather Frye of Venn Floral (www.vennfloral.com) has kindly offered her time and immense expertise during pick up this Tuesday from 4 pm on. We hope you can join us!

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce 
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Collard
• Chard
• Kohlrabi
• Scallions
• Turnip
• Radish
• Fennel
• Pac Choy
• Chicories
• Parsley and Basil
• Strawberries

Green Goddess Dip, from nytimes.com

• ½ cup packed fresh dill
• ½ cup packed fresh mint
• ½ cup packed fresh parsley
• ⅓ cup packed fresh basil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced
• 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
•  Pinch kosher salt, more to taste
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup mayonnaise, optional
•  Raw chopped vegetables or pita chips, for serving

Place dill, mint, parsley, basil, garlic, scallions, lemon juice and salt in a food processor and process until finely chopped.

With motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated. Add feta and process until smooth; pulse in yogurt. Taste dip and add more salt, if desired. If you like a creamier, richer dip, add mayonnaise and pulse to combine.

Serve dip immediately with vegetables or pita chips or cover and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Golden fields

The grass is completely golden, just a few weeds are still green. The stark contrast to the planted fields feels extreme at the moment. The second coop is coming along, soon it will ready to add the metal roof and sides. The bulls are in with the cows and the new herds are starting to settle in with each other. We have been able to clean up some of the fields, and are hoping to tackle more weeds this week, before the abundant harvest season begins. 

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce Mix
• Kale
• Collards
• Chard
• Kohlrabi
• Turnips
• Fennel
• Pac Choy
• Chicories
• Parsley
• Strawberries

Buckwheat Berry Cake, from nytimes.com

• 1/3 cup/40 grams almond flour
• ⅓ cup/45 grams all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup/45 grams whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup/30 grams buckwheat flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 stick/114 grams butter, softened, more for buttering pan
• ½ cup/100 grams granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup/60 milliliters buttermilk, sour cream or whole milk yogurt
• 1 cup mixed berries, such as strawberries, blueberries or raspberries, more as needed
• 1 tablespoon turbinado (or use granulated sugar)
•  Confectioners’ sugar, for serving
•  Whipped cream or crème fraîche(optional)

Heat oven to 375 degrees and butter a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Line the bottom with a round of parchment, and butter that as well.
In a large bowl, whisk together almond, all-purpose, whole wheat and buckwheat flours, baking powder and salt.
Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in buttermilk. (The mixture will look curdled, and that’s O.K.) Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
Scrape batter into prepared pan, smoothing and leveling the top. Place berries on top of batter and sprinkle with turbinado or granulated sugar.
Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack and unmold. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and serve, with whipped cream if you like.

Long days

The weather this weekend was lovely; warm with a slight breeze. It was a treat to be outside in the evening, enjoying the long days. There has a thin layer of fog in the valley and heavy dew on the plants each morning, a welcome sight. We are taking a break in planting this week to tidy up the fields and hopefully set back some of the weeds. The young chicks in the barn are ready to go out to pasture so we are building a second house for them.

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce
• Kale
• Collards
• Chard
• Kohlrabi
• Turnips
• Fennel
• Pac Choy
• Spinach
• Chicories
• Arugula
• Radish
• Strawberries

Baked Fennel with Parmesan and Thyme, adapted from marthastewart.com

• 3 fennel bulbs
• 1 tablespoon softened butter
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 4 sprigs thyme

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut the fennel crosswise into half-inch-thick slices. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Boil the fennel for 1 minute, then put it in a bowl of cold water, drain and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Butter an oven-proof baking dish. Layer in the fennel to a depth of 1 1/2 inches (pushing down, if necessary). brush with 1 tablespoon softened butter. Top with 1/3 cup grated Parmesan and 4 sprigs thyme. Bake until cheese is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Happy cows

The wind was blowing again today, making it difficult to be focused and to wear a hat. I am ready for the spring winds to calm and for the gentle summer breeze to appear. The cows are slick and healthy, still fat from the lush grass. We are hoping to sort the cows into three herds this week and to put the bulls in. The small amount of hay that we cut this year is in the barn, smelling green and delicious. 

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce
• Kale
• Collards
• Chard
• Kohlrabi
• Turnips
• Radishes
• Pac Choy
• Tatsoi
• Chicories
• Garlic Scapes
• Strawberries

Gingery Creamed Kale, adapted from foodandwine,com

Salt
2 pounds kale, tough stems discarded and thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic scapes, finely chopped
1  tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup buttermilk

In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until softened. Add the ginger and turmeric, season with salt. Cook over moderate heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the kale and cook until wilted. Add cream, cover and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cream has thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the buttermilk. Bring to a simmer and serve. 

Runaway growth

Every year at this time, I am amazed at how quickly the plants grow. Unfortunately, I feel the same way about the weeds. I look at at field and think we need to cultivate it right now, but it has to wait. Then I turn around and it is too late. We are trying to balance the large amount of planting we still have to complete, with the task of weeding all those beds we just planted. As it was a late spring, it feels like all the chores are piling up on top of each other rather than being nicely spaced out. Still, it is a joy to watch the small plants move from the greenhouse to the field, to see the dark green growth that indicates the plant has settled into its new home and start to grow, and to know that soon enough it will be in the barn and ready for all of us to savor.

This week's pick list:

• Turnips
• Radishes
• Spinach
• Tokyo Bekana
• Lettuce Mix
• Tatsoi
• Pac Choy
• Chicories
• Chard
• Collards
• Strawberries

Greens Strata with Goat Cheeseand Herbs, adapted from nytimes.com

• 2 cups whole milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 5 ounces greens (about 5 cups)
• ¾ cup mixed soft herbs, such as tarragon, mint or parsley
• ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
•  Black pepper, as needed
• 12 large eggs
• 1 pound day-old bread, cut into 2-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
• 6 ounces cold goat cheese, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
•  Aleppo or Turkish pepper, for serving (optional)

In a medium pot, bring milk and cream to a simmer.
Meanwhile, place greens, herbs, cheese, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Once the hot milk mixture comes to a simmer, pour over greens and purée until smooth. Pour into a bowl and let cool completely. Once cool, whisk in 6 eggs.
Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Scatter bread cubes over bottom of pan. Pour custard over bread and press down so the bread absorbs the custard. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. If you can, stir bread cubes after an hour or so to encourage an even distribution of custard.
When you are ready to bake the strata, heat oven to 350 degrees. Tuck the goat cheese rounds into and on top of the strata. Transfer pan to oven and bake until top is beginning to firm up but is still slightly wet underneath, about 25 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and use a spoon to make 6 evenly spaced indentations on the surface of the strata. Crack an egg into each hole and season with salt and pepper. Return pan to oven and continue to bake until strata is cooked through and eggs are just set, 20 to 25 minutes more. Sprinkle with Aleppo or Turkish pepper if desired.

Full fields

The fields are rapidly filling as we near the end of our planting frenzy. The color patterns on the farm are starting to switch as the pastures lose their green and the fields turn from the brown of open earth to lush green of irrigated vegetables. The pastures have turned more slowly this year it seems. The light brown color crept in around the same time but the green has lasted longer as well, although that may change this week with the warmer temperatures. Those warm temperatures should help the plants to grow rapidly.

This week's pick list:

• Carrots
• Tokyo bekana
• Scallions
• Pac choy
• Kohlrabi
• Chicories
• Kale
• Arugula

A little breeze

The baby chicks are settling into their new home. Teddy is certain that he needs to check them hourly, as well as pet them constantly. They are quite entertaining to watch; just eating, drinking, and resting. They grow so quickly; in one day of being here they changed, their wing feathers already becoming apparent. 

The young plants in the field are growing rapidly, and we are adding more to the fields each day. Last week was a wild ride for all the new plants, hot, windy and cold in a short window. It is painful to look at the tiny plants in the wind, almost laid over by the strength of it. Still they do survive and flourish. 

Pick list:

• Carrots
• Spinach
• Arugula
• Green garlic
• Scallions
• Fennel
• Chicories
• Lettuce

Brown Rice, Sesame, Spinach, and Scallion Pancakes, from nytimes.com

• 1 ½ cups (200 grams) whole-wheat flour or whole-wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) toasted sesame seeds or black sesame seeds
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ cups (300 grams) cooked brown rice
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced
• 6 ounces spinach leaves (baby spinach or stemmed bunch spinach)
• 2 ounces (1/2 cup) crumbled feta
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and turmeric. Stir in the sesame seeds

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and whisk in the buttermilk, milk and olive oil. Quickly whisk in the flour mixture and fold in the brown rice and scallions
Steam the spinach over 1 inch of boiling water for 2 minutes, or just until wilted. Rinse with cold water, squeeze out excess water and chop. Stir into the pancake batter, along with the feta
Heat a griddle or a large skillet, either nonstick or seasoned cast iron, over medium-high heat. Brush with butter or oil. Use a 1/4-cup ladle or cup measure to drop 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter per pancake onto your heated pan or griddle. Cook until they are brown on the edges and bubbles break through, 3 to 4 minutes, then carefully slide a spatula underneath and flip them over. Cook on the other side until pancakes are nicely browned. Serve hot

Open ground

We are working hard to get seeds and plants in the ground; to break new ground for more seeds and plants, and to even start looking ahead towards the winter ground which seems so far away. It is both overwhelming and exciting to look at the plants in the hoop house and to know that everything should be planted right now, plus there are plenty of plants in the greenhouse to follow. The flower garden pathways are seeded with clover and many of the beds are planted. The onions are going in this week, as well as peppers and eggplants. New chicks are arriving to eventually replace the old flock. The cows have eaten their way through all the cover crop and are soon to be back on grass. There is an abundance of activity!

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce
• Greens
• Radish
• Green garlic
• Fennel
• Chicories
• Scallions
• Eggs

Momofuku's Soy Sauce Eggs, from food52.com

• 6 tablespoons warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 3/4 cup soy sauce (we used low-sodium—if yours is regular strength, you might want to err on the side of shorter marination time)
• 6 large eggs
• Maldon or other flaky salt, for serving
• Black pepper, for serving
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the water and sugar to dissolve the sugar, then stir in the sherry vinegar and soy sauce. 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully put the eggs into the boiling water and cook for exactly 6 minutes and 50 seconds, stirring slowly for the first 1 1/2 minutes to distribute the heat evenly. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. When the eggs are done, transfer them to the ice bath.
Once the eggs are cool (and the water isn't uncomfortably icy), peel them (in the water—this will help them keep a perfect exterior). Transfer the eggs to the soy sauce mixture and marinate in the fridge for at least 2, and up to 6, hours, making sure they are completely submerged. If necessary, top the eggs with a small plate to ensure submersion.
Remove the eggs from the sweet and salty solution. You can save the soy sauce mix for another round of eggs, if you wish. The eggs will keep, refrigerated in a tightly sealed container, for up to a month.
To serve, cut the eggs in half lengthwise and season with salt and pepper. 

Plants in the ground

The transplanter is back in action, as well as the seeder. The days are filled with plants and seeds being put in the soil. The beds that we seeded last week have germinated and we can't wait to be harvesting them soon. 

The rain last week came perfectly during lunch break. The fields were so saturated that we were back to planting by hand. It was amazing to see how quickly the ground became saturated and muddy again, but then also how fast it dried. What a pleasant surprise it was! Luckily for us, the hail did not cause any damage. 

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce
• Chicories
• Greens
• Cilantro
• Fennel
• Green garlic

Herbal Rice Salad with Nuts, adapted from 101cookbooks.com

• 4 cups cooked rice, room-temperature*
• 1 cup toasted coconut
• 1 cup chopped, toasted peanuts or almonds
• 2 large handfuls of coarsely chopped herbs, such as mint, cilantro, and sorrel
• 2 green garlic, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or more to taste
• fine grain sea salt, to taste
• 1 cup plain yogurt

Ideally, you're going to want to toss this salad, just before serving. It keeps the herbs bright, and green. Macerate the green garlic in the lime juice for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the rice, coconut, nuts, and herbs. Pour on the lime juice and garlic, and season with salt. Toss again. Whisk the yogurt, and drizzle generously over the salad.

May Day

We hope you can join us this Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm to celebrate the beginning of May and the start of the growing season!

The list of crops to be planted is long, and overwhelming at times but we are grateful for the spring energy and excitement to keep us going. Every task seems to take longer in the beginning of the year as we remember all the steps and find our groove again. While it feels as if everything needs to happen right now, I try to practice my patience and to remember that soon enough it will all be in the ground. 

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce
• Chicories
• Fennel
• Green garlic
• Chard
• Ciltantro

Creamy Cilantro Dressing, adapted from thekitchn.com

1 cup loosely packed cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
1 green garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
A few grinds of freshly ground black pepper
Water, to thin

Purée all ingredients in a blender or food processor until well-combined and smooth. If the dressing seems thick, drizzle in water a tablespoon or two at a time with the blender running until thinned to the point where you like it. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Sea of green

We are looking forward to putting seeds and plants into the tilled field this week, to start the rhythm of tending plants and growing food again. We are slowly working through the fields, opening new ground daily. The spring winds seem to have arrived; they are wearing on both humans and plants but at least the breeze helps to keep the flies away from the cows. It is difficult to watch the young plants being almost flattened to the ground; the newly planted artichokes were struggling to stay upright. Still we know they will be fine. 

We are swimming in grass at the moment; the cows could almost graze everywhere right now. The recovery time for the grass to regrow is so short. And yet, you also know how short this moment is, too soon the regrowth will drop off, but it is wildly abundant right now.

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce
• Pea shoots
• Chicories
• Fennel
• Green garlic
• Chard
• Strawberries
• Dahlia tubers

Grilled Chicories with Feta and Honey, adapted from food52.com

• 1 head of escarole, castelfranco, or radicchio, cut in half lengthwise with stem intact
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled
• 8 walnut halves, chopped
• Honey to taste
• Wash the chicories thoroughly, making sure to get between the leaves to rid them of any sand. Shake off most of the water, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Add olive oil to a large saute pan over medium high heat. Once hot, place the escarole in the pan and sear for about 30-40 seconds on all sides until all leaves are slightly wilted.
Transfer the escarole to a plate, top with feta cheese, walnuts and drizzle with honey. Serve right away.

Animals in hiding

All the animals are grazing the cover crops, which are so tall you can barely see them. Stella and the sheep have been in the flower field, which we will mow and till tomorrow while the cows are in the soon to be wheat field. We tilled the first two acres this weekend. Now this week we are prepping irrigation and the tractors to be ready to plant soon. 

We are including dahlias in the share this week. They will be large clumps of undivided tubers, basically one plant that we dug up lat fall. The variety is black satin. As they multiply each year, we have too many to plant and manage in the flower field! 

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce
• Chicories
• Mini Fennel
• Green Garlic
• Chard
• Strawberries
• Sonora Wheat
• Dahlias

Lemon Balm Panna Cotta, adapted from nytimes.com

2 cups gently packed lemon balm leaves and small stems
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup sugar
 Pinch of salt
1 ¼ ounce envelope unflavored gelatin
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ cups whole milk

Lightly oil six 8- or 12-ounce ramekins. Place lemon balm in a mixing bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice, sugar and salt. Stir to combine, and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, place 3 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl and sprinkle with gelatin; allow to soften for 10 minutes.
Add cream to lemon balm and stir, gently crushing leaves. In a medium saucepan, heat milk just until steaming, then add gelatin mixture and remove from heat. Stir until gelatin is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
Place a fine-mesh strainer over saucepan, and pour in lemon balm mixture. Press hard on leaves to strain out all the liquid, then discard leaves. Stir liquid, then distribute evenly among ramekins. Place in refrigerator until chilled and solid, at least four hours. After 4 hours, ramekins may be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
To serve, dip each ramekin in hot water and invert to release panna cotta onto a plate. Serve immediately.

Time to till

The ground is drying out and we will be tilling soon. We will graze the cows through first to eat as much of the cover crop as possible, then mow and till behind them. We are looking forward to getting into a planting rhythm and to be immersed abundant growth again. The gentle rain this weekend helped to slow the drying process and feed the young transplants in the field.

There seems to be a new calf every day. At first they hide in the tall grass and are impossible to see but soon they will be running circles around the rest of the herd.

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce mix
• Chicories
• Mini fennel
• Green garlic
• Potatoes
• Celeriac
• Chard
• Strawberries

Maple Custard

• 2 1/2 Cups milk
• 1/2 Cup maple syrup
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Whisk the eggs well, then add the rest of the ingredients. Strain into a greased baking dish that will fit into another pan to create a water bath. Fill the other pan enough water to go halfway up the side. 

Bake until firm, about 40 to 60 minutes.

Birds in the willows

We are looking forward to hosting our first All Member Meeting in the CSA barn this Wednesday April 6th at 6:30 pm to discuss the 2016 share and to hear your feedback.

The cows have begun to calve; there are now 3 young ones in the field but many more to come. We have a new Tunis ram on the farm and soon hope to integrate him into the herd. With the wind and sun, the fields seem to be drying it out quickly. However, we dug around in our sandiest soil today and it is still far too wet to till. We are anxious to open up the ground but we have definitely learned to be patient. Tilling too early will only cause us more problems. 

The willows around the irrigation ponds are growing and spreading, which I am happy to see. When I went closer to get a better look at them, I was amazed to see how many birds were nestled in the small patch.

This week's pick list:

• Lettuce
• Green onion
• Green garlic
• Potatoes
• Celeriac
• Chard

Potato, Leek and Celery Root Soup with Orange Crème Fraîche
Adapted from  Fields of Greens
 
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 medium-size celery root bulbs, about 2 pounds, peeled and diced  
1 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
1 t. salt
pepper  
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 green onions, cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced, and washed
2 green garlic, cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced, and washed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoon cream
1/2 cup crème fraîche[sour cream with a little buttermilk or yogurt will do in a pinch]
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 teaspoon minced orange zest

Put 4 cups stock, potatoes, celery root, salt, pepper, and bay leaf in pot and simmer for 30 minutes, until vegetables are very soft. 

While potatoes and celery root are cooking, heat olive oil and butter in frying pan. Add the green onions and green garlic, salt, and a few pinches of pepper. Saute over medium heat until they begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Cover pan and lightly steam for about 10 minutes. Add the wine and simmer uncovered until the pan is almost dry.

Remove bay leaf from the potato and celery mixture.  Add the onions and garlic to the potatoes and celery, and blend in a food processor. Return to pot, add 1-2 cups stock if need be to reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the cream just before serving.

Combine the crème fraîche, orange juice, and orange zest. Garnish each serving with a swirl of the orange crème fraîche.
 

Cool mornings

The wildflowers are blooming in the fields. What a treat to see the tiny lupines and delicate tidy tips peaking out amongst the grass. The grass might be doubling in size daily; it seems that you graze Stella and the sheep in one place, then turn around and it has regrown. It is a wonderfully abundant feeling to have plenty of lush green grass to feed everyone. Today I felt as if each time I looked at the cows, they were lying down, fat and happy. I do wish the vegetables were growing as quickly, but unfortunately they do not thrive as much in the cool, wet soils of spring.

Still we are planting by hand into the field this week, as well as seeding a large round of succession crops in the greenhouse. The onions and peppers are germinating in the greenhouse, which we have been keeping as toasty as possible with the cool mornings. Now that the puddles are gone, we can mow the perennial and herb gardens. 

This week's pick list:

• Celery
• Green onion
• Green garlic
• Potatoes
• Celeriac
• Chard
• Sonora Wheat

Egg Lemon Soup, adapted from nytimes.com

2 quarts water
3 stalks green garlic
 Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup long grain rice
2 eggs
¼ to ⅓ cup lemon juice (to taste)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as mint, sorrel, or marjoram)
Handful of swiss chard leaves, thinly sliced

Begin by making a garlic broth. Cut of the green tops of the garlic and set aside the white bottom stem. Cut the leaves into big 1 inch slices. Place in a pot with the water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes and then remove from heat. Let the broth cool and continue to infuse flavor for another 30 minutes, then strain. The broth can be made in advance.
Bring the garlic broth to a simmer and season as desired with salt and pepper. Thinly slice the white stems of green garlic and add to the broth. Add the rice and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl and whisk in the lemon juice.
Ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot broth into the lemon/egg mixture and whisk together. Making sure that the soup is not boiling, stir the egg mixture back into the soup and turn off the heat. Stir for a minute or two, taste and adjust seasonings. Add the herbs, chard, and mix well, then serve.

Hidden puddles

The grass is so tall now that when you look out at the fields you see very few puddles, but there are so many more just underneath the green grass. When you walk the fields, you can feel the smallest elevation change, where the valleys are still full of water but the higher areas are drier. While nothing in the field loved being soaked again last week, the plants are also clearly growing rapidly with the warm temperatures. They have yellowed outside leaves but nice dark green centers. Now that the equinox has passed, it does feel as if the growth is about to explode. 

Now that the rain has passed, we are hoping to be out in the fields by the end of the week to put in the transplants that are waiting in the greenhouse. As well, we are fine tuning our seeder so that our direct seeded crops can be successful and more plentiful in the coming season. 

This week's pick list:

• Celery
• Green onion
• Green garlic
• Potatoes
• Celeriac
• Chard
• Sonora Wheat

We are including Sonora wheat berries in the share this week. They have incredible flavor and are a beautiful light colored wheat. 

Whiskey & Wheat Berry Salad Recipe, adapted from 101cookbooks.com

1 pound wheat berries, cooked*
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup whiskey
1 tablespoon maple syrup
5 ounces goat cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice and zest of the lemon

1 tablespoon each thinly sliced green garlic and green onion
fine grain sea salt
1 cup pinenuts, toasted
large handful each of chopped mint and sorrel leaves

Place the raisins in a small bowl, add the whiskey and maple syrup, and let soak for a couple hours (or overnight). When the raisins are done soaking, drain off (and save) the leftover whiskey. You'll use it in the dressing.

Cook the wheat berries and set aside.

Macerate the green onion and garlic in the lemon juice and zest for about 5 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil, 3 tablespoons of the whiskey (leftover from soaking the raisins), and a couple pinches of salt. 

While the wheat berries are still warm, drain them and then toss them in a bowl with the dressing, raisins, herbs and a few more pinches of salt. Just before serving, sprinkle with goat cheese and pine nuts, toss once or twice and serve. You can let the wheat berries marinate in the dressing for a little while before adding the goat cheese and pine nuts, if you wish.

Makes a party or potluck-sized salad.

*To cook wheat berries: Combine the pound of wheat berries with about 8 1/2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Make sure there is plenty of water in the pan to cover the wheat. Bring to a low boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until plump and chewy (and a few of the berries split open), about an hour or so, stirring every so often to ensure even cooking. The berries will stay al dente, and the only way to be sure they're done is to taste a few. Let cool in their liquid while you prepare the dressing.