Hey ya’ll! I’m Sarah and I’m working on the veggie crew here at Open Field. This is my first year here on the farm as well as my first time ever in California! I’m originally from the Carolinas and grew up in a small town in South Carolina just south of Charlotte, NC. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about summers back in South Carolina. During those hot, humid summers I remember as a child (and as an adult, too!) running through corn fields, picking wild berries, eating juicy yellow peaches, tasting the sweet nectar of honeysuckles, and catching fireflies at dusk. I’ve realized that I can do all those things here in California, too (except catch fireflies, of course)! When I first arrived here on the farm it was the beginning of April and so many wildflowers like I’ve never seen before were in bloom. Since then, I’ve had 2 songs stuck in my head (which I’m sure my roommates are tired of hearing me sing) both titled Wildflowers. One sung by Dolly Parton and the other by Tom Petty. Give ‘em a listen if you haven’t!
While back in SC I studied Environmental Studies and my interest in agriculture piqued when spending a semester in Costa Rica learning how various agricultural practices impact the environment and the surrounding communities. After college I spent two years living in Bolivia teaching and working in a school garden at an international school. From there I went on to work on a farm for 2 years in Southwest Florida with an international organization that focuses on tropical agriculture and research.
And now here I am in California and I feel very fortunate to be working here at Open Field and expanding my experience and knowledge in agriculture. I’ve heard that from gratitude comes joy so I’d love to share some things I’m grateful for: being able to experience life on the West coast, for the kindness of Seth and Sarah and the opportunity to learn about biodynamic farming from them (with which I’m increasingly becoming fascinated), for access to fresh vegetables, for the fun and quality conversations I have with my coworkers, for sweet Rosie (Seth and Sarah’s dog… who doesn’t love her?!), for the beauty that is cultivated here on the farm, for the ability to use the strength of my body and mind for farming, for the abundance of plant medicine around us, for the fog that rolls over the hills, and yes, for the wildflowers.
This week’s pick list:
Eggs
Albion Strawberries
Rhonda Beets
Yaya Carrots
Red Gold New Potatoes
Zoey Sweet Onions
Summer Squash: Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle
Cucumber: Mideast Peace, Summer Dance, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle
Solaris Fennel
Pink Beauty Radishes
Hakurei Turnips
Calypso Celery
Everygreen Hardy Scallions
Alto Leeks (We plant these spring leeks in clumps and harvest them young and tender.)
Garlic: Inchelium Red Soft Neck
Lettuce
Rainbow Lacinato Kale
Champion Collards
Imperial Broccoli
Basil (bulk for pesto this week) , Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley
Pick your own padron and shishito peppers are starting! Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.
Saltonstall Olive Oil
My aunt use to make these pickled beets and they have always been my favorite way to eat beets:
5 or so medium sized beets
1.5 c water
1.5 c white vinegar
1.5 c sugar (I make mine with a little less)
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp whole allspice
1 tsp whole cloves
Cook the beets with your preferred method (roasting or boiling is what I’ve done). Allow beets to cool enough to be able to peel off the skins. Cut beets either in fourths or circles or however you’d like! Transfer beets to a heat proof bowl or mason jar. While beets are cooking add the rest of the ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. Allow the liquid to cool a bit before adding it to the beets. I usually leave the spices but you may want to strain them out because accidentally eating a whole clove isn’t an enjoyable experience. Refrigerate when cooled and eat the following days.