Hydration

Hello again! Kelsey here. 

As the massive, uncontrolled fires up and down the west coast continue to burn and fill the air with smoke, I thought it would be a good time to share some ways to support the respiratory system with herbs. 

Smoke is very drying, and tending to the mucus membranes of the respiratory tract is key. I have been using steam to help hydrate my airways and bring medicine directly into the lungs. I use a couple small handfuls of fresh, aromatic herbs like Rosemary, Thyme, Lavender, Sage, Chamomile. Place the herbs in a medium metal or glass bowl, and pour hot water over the herbs. Put your face at a comfortable distance over the bowl and a towel over your head, and breathe deeply for 15 minutes.

If you still have your Grace Cold Infusion tea blends from last year, this would be a great time to be drinking a quart of it per day! Cold infusions of Marshmallow root are very hydrating. If you, like me, ran out months ago, I recommend making tea with the leaves of the Marshmallow plant! They have a similar, but more mild demulcent quality. Combine with fresh Lemon balm, Chamomile, and Tulsi for a soothing, anti-inflammatory beverage. (You can find all these plants in the fields, even though some are starting to wane.)

Adding honey to your warm beverages is nice right now as well, as it also helps to sooth irritated tissue.

That’s all for now. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions!

Nothstine Dent Corn

We harvested the dry corn yesterday! Each ear is a treasure. We are excited to be able to offer cornmeal again this winter.

As well, we brought in winter squash and onions! We are grateful for a beautiful harvest of both.

The strawberries appear to be taking a well deserved break but we will have more in the future. There are flowers and green fruits on the plants.

We have one more planting of sweet corn in the field. It should be ready next week we think!

We ate through all our delicious new potatoes and are now waiting for the storage potatoes to cure to harvest them. We should have them again in a few weeks.

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya Carrots

• Ailsa Craig Sweet and Monastrell Red Onions

• Farao Green Cabbage

• Summer Squash: Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle

• Cucumber: Summer Dance, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle

• Diamond Eggplant

• Sweet Peppers

• Heirloom Tomatoes: Gold Medal, Cherokee Purple, Jaune Flamee, Sarah Purple

• San Marzano Paste Tomato

• Hakurei Turnips

• Calypso Celery

• Lettuce (On Tuesday only. The rabbits have been feasting on it. We have covered the next planting and it will be ready next week or the week after.)

• Ruby Red Chard

• Champion Collards

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Basil, Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Hot Peppers: Bastan Poblano, Czech Black, Jalapeño, Aji Crystal, Serrano

• Melons and Watermelons

• Sonora or Rye Flour

• Pick your own: jade and dragon langerie bush beans, padron and shishito peppers, ground cherries, cherry tomatoes, and tomatillos.

• Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Mandan Bride Corn

Buzzing

The overcast skies today are a welcome break from the scorching heat. Fortunately most of the vegetables and animals survived. We lost one chicken and some pumpkins but we were able to keep everyone else cool enough to weather the intense heat.

The best time to check on the plants and the soil moisture is actually in the morning. If any plant is looking limp and sad at that time, they will not make it through the day. Most plants look fairly terrible in the afternoon when it is so hot but then they recover.

During my morning walk on Sunday, I was happy to be among the multitude of bees buzzing around this buckwheat. The sound of their business was comforting.

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Albion Strawberries

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya Carrots

• Ailsa Craig and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Farao Green Cabbage

• Summer Squash: Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle

• Cucumber: Summer Dance, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle

• Diamond and Purple Shine Eggplant

• Sweet Peppers: Jimmy Nardello, Glow, Lipstick, and Aura

• Heirloom Tomatoes: Gold Medal, Cherokee Purple, Jaune Flamee, Sarah Purple, Azoychka, Vintage Wine

• San Marzano Paste Tomato

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Hakurei Turnips

• Calypso Celery

• Garlic: Inchelium Red Soft Neck

• Lettuce

• Ruby Red Chard

• Champion Collards

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Basil, Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Hot Peppers: Bastan Poblano, Czech Black, Jalapeño, Aji Crystal, Serrano

• Melons and Watermelons

• Pick your own: jade and dragon langerie bush beans, padron and shishito peppers, ground cherries, cherry tomatoes, and tomatillos.

• Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Herby Tomato Salad With Tamarind-Maple Dressing, from nytimes.com

For the salad:

• 2 pounds mixed tomatoes, such as cherry, heirloom, Sungold or beefsteak

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• ½ bunch cilantro, leaves picked and stalks finely chopped

• 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, preferably Thai

• 12 perilla, shiso or mint leaves, finely chopped

For the dressing:

• 4 tablespoons tamarind concentrate

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

• 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Cut the tomatoes into different shapes — this creates different textures and visual interest — and place them in a colander. Sprinkle with a big pinch of salt, and set in the sink to drain as you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Prepare the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients.

Assemble the salad: Combine the tomatoes, two-thirds of the herbs, and half the dressing. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. To finish, top with the remaining dressing and the rest of the herbs.

Smoke

The lingering smoke from the devastating fires of this season are weighing on all of us. The fog, for which we are always incredibly grateful, seems to react with the smoke and settle it into our valley. We have been missing the wind which clears it out. We are adjusting each day to the changing conditions and trying our best to care for the plants, animals, and ourselves when the air is unhealthy.

Last night the wind finally cleared the air. We took a family walk and I was felt as if I was gulping large breaths of the fresh air, so relieved for a break.

Even as we struggle with the smoke, we feel fortunate to be safe from fire and our thoughts are with farmers and friends whose farms who been affected more directly.

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Albion Strawberries

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya Carrots

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Ailsa Craig and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Kolibri Kohlrabi

• Solaris Fennel

• Farao Green Cabbage

• Luscious Corn

• Summer Squash: Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle

• Cucumber: Summer Dance, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle

• Diamond and Purple Shine Eggplant

• Sweet Peppers: Jimmy Nardello, Glow, Lipstick, and Aura

• Dry Farmed Early Girl Tomatoes

• Heirloom Tomatoes: Gold Medal, Cherokee Purple, Jaune Flamee, Sarah Purple, Azoychka, Vintage Wine

• San Marzano Paste Tomato

• Hakurei Turnips

• Calypso Celery

• Garlic: Inchelium Red Soft Neck

• Lettuce

• Ruby Red Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Hot Peppers: Bastan Poblano, Czech Black, Jalapeño, Aji Crystal, Serrano

• Melons and Watermelons

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, ground cherries, cherry tomatoes, and tomatillos. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Jimmy Nardello Sweet Peppers are abundant right now! They are a thin skinned pepper with a delicious and complex flavor.

You can:

-Toss them whole with olive oil and salt and pan fry them until they are soft. Eat them whole as well or slice them up and add them to another dish.

-Slice them raw and add them to everything!

-Eat the raw, which is Teddy’s favorite way to consume them.

Dana

Hi, I’m Dana! After having to cancel my study abroad trip in the fall, I decided to try and occupy this time by gaining more agricultural experience. I started working on the veggie crew this June and I’m so excited to be a part of the team. I’m going into my fourth year at UC Santa Cruz studying Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems and I truly can’t think of a better way to get the most out of my education while classes are online than working on a farm and putting my knowledge from the classroom to the test.

Learning about farming, the science, sociology, and history behind it, and cutlivating a deep relationship to some of California’s agricultural lands has been a source of growth and healing for me and something I deeply cherish. It’s truly a profound feeling to be currently surrounded by those who truly value the land and what it has to offer at Open Field. I am incredibly grateful for the knowledge I’m gaining and the connections I am making during my short time here. Back in Santa Cruz, it can be a challenge to find a comfortable personal space and break out of certain molds, so I am savoring every last minute of solace and nourishment that I find so easily here. 

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Albion Strawberries

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya Carrots

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Zoey Sweet and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Kolibri Kohlrabi

• Solaris Fennel

• Luscious Corn

• Summer Squash: Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle

• Cucumber: Mideast Peace, Summer Dance, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle

• Diamond, Money Maker, and Purple Shine Eggplant

• Sweet Peppers: Jimmy Nardello, Glow, Lipstick, and Aura

• Dry Farmed Early Girl Tomatoes

• Heirloom Tomatoes: Gold Medal, Cherokee Purple, Jaune Flamee, Sarah Purple, Azoychka, Vintage Wine

• San Marzano Paste Tomato

• Hakurei Turnips

• Calypso Celery

• Garlic: Inchelium Red Soft Neck

• Lettuce

• Ruby Red Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Esmee Arugula

• Basil , Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Hot Peppers: Bastan Poblano, Czech Black, Jalapeño, Aji Crystal, Serrano

• Melons and Watermelons

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, ground cherries, cherry tomatoes, and tomatillos. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

Recipe: Quick Pickled Radishes and Aji Crystal Hot Peppers (for 16 oz jar)

-2/3 cup white vinegar

-1/3 cup water

-2 teaspoons sugar

-2 teaspoons salt

-2 teaspoons mustard seed

-2 tablespoon black pepper corns

-1 smashed garlic clove 

-1 or 2 grape leaves (not necessary but help preserve crunch)

-4 slices radishes

-2 or 3 sliced aji crystal hot peppers 

Pack the jar with the sliced radishes, peppers, grape leaves, the smashed garlic clove. Mix the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir to make sure the sugar and salt dissolve, then remove from heat. Add the mustard seed and pepper corns to the liquid. Poor the liquid over the contents in the jar. Seal tightly and put in the fridge. Start eat them the next day or two!

Celeste

Hi Guys! What’s up! 
Well This is my Full face! 

I emigrated 7 years ago from Jalisco, Mexico .  Since I was a child I have been surrounded by animals . My father was a rancher. We had 32 horses, 100 bulls, 120 pigs, and 30 cows 
I enjoyed feeding every single one of them. I thought it was a very funny tingly sensation when their tongue touched the palm of my hand. 
I had my own little farm too, inside my room with guinea pigs , 3 hamsters , a turtle , and 2 bunnies. My dad used to tell me “ Tu cuarto huele como al rancho”  but I thought it smelled like happiness! 
I’m an animal lover 100%. I feel very grateful to wake up in morning knowing that is not only me, but the entire crew who appreciates the animals in a very special way like i do .

But I gotta say that when I was in that “rude teenage phase “ I thought farmers where smelly and that they sucked! Now, I became a smelly farmer, I definitely think farmers are the most precious people in the world and my dad just says “ Karma got you good girl“.

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Albion Strawberries

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya Carrots

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Zoey Sweet and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Kolibri Kohlrabi

• Solaris Fennel

• Luscious Corn

• Summer Squash: Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle

• Cucumber: Mideast Peace, Summer Dance, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle

• Diamond, Money Maker, and Purple Shine Eggplant

• Sweet Peppers: Jimmy Nardello, Glow, Lipstick, and Aura

• Dry Farmed Early Girl Tomatoes

• Sora Radishes

• Hakurei Turnips

• Calypso Celery

• Garlic: Inchelium Red Soft Neck

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Lettuce

• Ruby Red Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Basil , Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Hot Peppers: Bastan Poblano, Czech Black, Jalapeño, Aji Crystal

• Melons and Watermelons

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, ground cherries, cherry tomatoes, and tomatillos. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Fresh Corn Salsa 
Ingredients: 
3 medium cooked corn ( kernels ) 
1 medium Early girl tomatoes 
1/4 cup Cilantro
I small red onion 
1 large jalapeño 
1 lime juice 

Steps : 

Add kernels to a large bowl , add in the finely diced red onion , chopped cilantro, diced jalapeño, and early girl tomato; Toss gently to combine
Add the lime juice and season with salt and black pepper. 
Also , you can add fresh cooked Mexican cactus . 

Cecilia

Hi, I'm Cecilia.  I started working on the veggie crew at Open Field in 2017.  Though I spent last season working on a vegetable farm in Sonoma, I came back to Open Field looking forward to the opportunity of new challenges and new responsibilities.  This year I have been focusing mostly on irrigation.  Given the drought, it has been a really interesting (and sometimes scary) year to immerse myself in this work.  Spending this season trying to problem-solve the water situation with Sarah has allowed me to learn so much about how we can and should use our most precious resource.  Though it has been challenging, every week as we adjust to changing weather and changing fields I feel more and more equipped to continue my career as a farmer in California.  With less water, I find myself feeling grateful for every vegetable we bring in from the fields.  

Even though I do not work with the animals here at Open Field, it feels good to be back on a farm where they are a constant presence.  Last week I shared a segment from a Wendell Berry poem called The Farm.  We watched Seth bring another round of cows in this week, so it felt appropriate to share it again here.  

Eat these good beasts that eat

What you can't eat. 

Be thankful

To them and to the plants,

To your small, fertile homeland,

To topsoil, light, and rain

That make you what you are.  

Be thankful and repay

Growth with good work and care.

Work done in gratitude,

Kindly, and well, is prayer.  

You did not make yourself, 

Yet you must keep yourself

By use of other lives. 

No gratitude atones

For bad use or too much.  

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Albion Strawberries

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya Carrots

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Zoey Sweet and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Kolibri Kohlrabi

• Solaris Fennel

• Summer Squash: Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle

• Cucumber: Mideast Peace, Summer Dance, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle

• Diamond, Money Maker, and Purple Shine Eggplant

• Dry Farmed Early Girl Tomatoes

• Sora Radishes

• Hakurei Turnips

• Calypso Celery

• Everygreen Hardy Scallions

• Garlic: Inchelium Red Soft Neck

• Lettuce

• Ruby Red Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Basil , Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Hot Peppers: Bastan Poblano, Czech Black, Jalapeño, Aji Crystal,

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, ground cherries, cherry tomatoes, and tomatillos. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Beet-Fennel Soup, from Everyday Dorie: The Way I Cook by Dorie Greenspan

• 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and cut into chunks

• 1 large red or sweet onion, such as Vidalia, cut into chunks

• 2 garlic cloves, germ removed

• 3 sprigs fresh thyme or oregano (optional)

• Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

• 5 medium red beets, trimmed, peeled and cut into chunks

For serving (optional):

• Plain Greek yogurt, sour cream or crème fraîche

• Strawberries, hulled and cut into small pieces

• Cucumber, preferably mini (Persian), peeled (or not) and cut into rounds or small dice

• Fresh herbs, minced for sprinkling

• Ice cubes

Pour 1 tablespoon of the oil into a Dutch oven or large saucepan and warm over low heat. Add the fennel, onion, garlic and herbs, if you’re using them, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables soften, about 15 minutes; if you need to, add a little more oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the broth and beets, turn up the heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 45 minutes, depending on your beets. Don’t be impatient — the beets must be easily pierced with a knife.

To puree the soup, use a blender, either stand or handheld (immersion), or a food processor. Working in batches and discarding the spent herb sprigs when you come to them, puree the soup, giving it just a minute more than you might normally in order to ensure that you get a silky texture.

You can serve the soup hot or let it cool a bit and then refrigerate until it’s thoroughly chilled before serving. If you’ve refrigerated the soup, stir it before serving. Hot or cold, the soup is good with any of the suggested toppings; the strawberries are especially good when the soup is chilled. For the cold version, I like to put a couple of ice cubes in the bowls (or glasses) before I pour in the soup.

Heart Thinking

I had the pleasure of leading our morning circle this week and want to share with you all some of what was read. First a quote I began the week with from Rudolph Steiner:

"The logic of thinking is compatible with the strongest egotism. The logic of the heart is capable of gradually overcoming all egotism, and uniting all people as participants in a single human community."

Over the years that I have thought about  and read  the work of Rudolph Steiner, I have heard at times reference to the idea of "heart thinking". I have in the past simply thought ok that seems interesting but what does that mean. Well I just got a book that is dedicated from my perspective to the reality of this idea. I cannot go into the contents of the book but would like to describe why this idea is interesting to me. As far as I can tell we as Humans are smack in the middle of a time when we are being asked to dig into the better parts of ourselves and find a new way forward. From chaos comes growth as I see it. Well my feeling is that we are going to have to begin a new kind of thinking as part of this process and heart thinking may just be a way to begin. I would describe heart thinking most simply as learning to use the organ of our heart as a thinking organ which could allow us to think in a more open way and a less linear way. When I think about the idea what best describes it would be an approach that would begin with reverence for all that we come into contact with and continue on from that place. I have also heard that if we cry when we are speaking we can think of that thinking as coming from the heart. Many of us have experienced this and may know what it feels like to be crying for seemingly no reason or unexpectedly. I have said many times that what interests me most in the act of farming is the opportunity it offers for bringing about social change and renewal. I have to admit this approach has become tough lately because it seems we need so much of what can be offered by our connection to nature and our nourishment and so many have been for many complex reasons severed from that connection. Well my wish as we find our way out of chaos and into growth is that we use our hearts to connect again and again with what truly nourishes us and the whole community of life.   Seth

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Albion Strawberries

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya Carrots

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Zoey Sweet and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Kolibri Kohlrabi

• Solaris Fennel

• Sweet Corn

• Summer Squash: Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle

• Cucumber: Mideast Peace, Summer Dance, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle

• Diamond, Money Maker, and Purple Shine Eggplant

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Hakurei Turnips

• Calypso Celery

• Everygreen Hardy Scallions

• Garlic: Inchelium Red Soft Neck

• Lettuce

• Ruby Red Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Basil , Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, ground cherries, cherry tomatoes, and tomatillos. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil

Nana’s Cucumber Salad

• Slice cucumbers about 1/4 inch thick. Place in a bowl and season with white wine vinegar and your favorite salt. Top with several ice cubes. Keep cool in the fridge until you are ready to eat.

Water

I am grateful for the foggy weather of late. This morning the fog was so dense it felt like delicate raindrops on my face. There were large drops falling off the roof and the leaves. Water is always on my mind but it is even more intense this year. The pond is lower than it has ever been since we have lived here. It did not fully recharge last winter as we had such low rainfall and very little runoff. Each time I crest the hill and see it, my heart sinks. Then I remember the delicious food that it is growing and my hope returns.

We have adjusted our crop plan to use as little as possible while still providing abundance for all of us. The silver lining is that we are learning what we can grow with less, what to prioritize, and we are making lasting adjustments. The difficult part is the unpredictability of the future. What will this winter bring? We hope the pond recharges. We hope that we are not pushing our resources beyond their capacities. But eight years on a property is a very short time to begin know it. As well, with climate change, everything is changing and the unpredictability is growing.

I listened to the Climate Action Commission Town Hall this Saturday. I am grateful for the commissioners who are volunteering their time to tackle this difficult issue and crafting a path forward for us all. Please follow along and take the survey to participate in the process. (https://cityofpetaluma.org/climate-action-commission/)

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Albion Strawberries

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya Carrots

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Zoey Sweet and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Summer Squash: Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle

• Cucumber: Mideast Peace, Summer Dance, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle

• Diamond, Money Maker, and Purple Shine Eggplant

• 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

• Ruby Red Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Basil , 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

Steak Salad With Celery, Strawberry, Feta, Lemon and Chile, from sfchronicle.com

This simple salad might just make you do a double take. It combines the underappreciated workhorse celery with the beloved strawberry, all in a bright, spicy and salty vinaigrette. As for the strawberries with steak, it really works and is delicious. Trust. This is one of the rare occasions in which a firmer, underripe berry is preferred to perfectly ripe, so it maintains texture in the salad. All these ingredients can easily be found at any grocery store right now. But consider using multiple, or different, types of chile flakes, or Parmesan instead of feta cheese.

• 1 pound steak seasoned with 1 teaspoon sea salt

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• Sea salt

• 3 stalks celery

• 1½ cups whole fresh strawberries (200 grams), not overripe

• ½ bunch scallions, sliced thinly

• 1 lemon, juiced

• ½ teaspoon chile flakes

• ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

• 3 ounces feta cheese, sliced thin, or Parmesan

• 1 bunch parsley, leaves plucked

Rub the steak with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and let sit on the counter to temper.

While the steak is tempering, make the salad. Slice the celery stalks against the grain and on a ¼-inch bias. (The celery should be green through and through: avoid dry-looking, white, holey celery parts of the stalks.) Transfer to a medium bowl. Trim the tops off the strawberries and slice lengthwise ¼-inch thick. Add the berries to the bowl with the celery along with the scallions and lemon juice. Add the chile flakes, black pepper, feta cheese, the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Toss to combine. Let these ingredients marinate.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high. Once hot, add the oiled steak to the pan and cook, until deeply browned and a crust has formed, about 4 minutes. Turn the steak over and cook until that side is equally browned and medium-rare. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5-7 minutes.

Once rested, add the parsley leaves to the salad and slice the steak against the grain. Serve the steak with the salad and, if desired, more black pepper and flake salt on top.

Roasted Strawberry Granita

Serve this in chilled bowls or glassware. Roasting the strawberries is certainly optional. However, this quick roasting technique will concentrate flavor and create a rich syrup that will easily puree quickly in your food processor or blender. This size batch of granita will also give you many spoonfuls of midnight snacks, afternoon pick-me-ups and proper after-rich-dinner sweet endings. Re-fluff the granita with a sharp-edged fork if you see the fruit syrup separate from the ice crystals after a few days. This is a cold dessert, and since cold dulls our senses, you want the berry puree to be highly “seasoned.” Adjust the sugar, salt and acidity levels before freezing. Adding a splash of lemon juice can help brighten this dessert.

Granita

• 4½ cups whole strawberries (634 grams), about 2 green baskets, rinsed and tops sliced

• ½ cup sugar

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Almond butter cream

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1½ tablespoon almond butter, or other creamy nut butter such as peanut or tahini

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• ¼ cup almonds, lightly toasted and casually chopped, if using

To make the granita: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a medium baking pan in the oven to preheat. This will allow the strawberries to quickly roast and not stew.

Set aside a few berries for garnish. With the rest of the berries, cut them into quarters if they are larger than your thumb, leaving you with evenly sized pieces that will cook at the same rate. Toss them with the sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Carefully take the preheated pan out of the oven and add the seasoned berries, then place the pan back into the oven. Roast for 10 minutes, uncovered, until soft and ready to burst. While still warm, add the roasted berries, their juice and ⅔ cup water to a blender or food processor. Blend until pureed. Taste. The puree should taste highly seasoned with sugar yet still bright; add a splash of lemon juice if it’s overly sweet.

Pour the puree through a fine wire mesh strainer, using a rubber spatula to help push it through, leaving behind excess seeds. Doing this assures a light texture in the final product. Pour puree into a wide glass, plastic or stainless steel container about 1 to 2 inches deep. A loaf pan can work, or even a 2-quart glass Pyrex baking pan. Freeze for at least 4 hours.

Once fully frozen, place the container on a cool surface and with a strong-willed fork or a metal pastry scraper, begin to make long regular cuts into the granita. The goal is small, evenly sized flaky ice crystals. If the granita begins to melt, transfer back to the freezer and resume after a few minutes. You’ll be tempted to scrape just enough for an immediate bowl but continue to scrape until it’s all flaky.

To make the almond butter cream: Just before serving, quarter the reserved strawberries. In a bowl you will use for whipping, add a small amount of heavy cream to the almond butter and whisk or stir to loosen it up. Add the rest of the cream and sugar and whip by hand with a whisk or in a standing mixer until you have almost-stiff peaks.

Serve the almond butter cream in chilled bowls or glasses topped with the granita, reserved fresh strawberries and toasted almonds, if using.

Sarah Beth

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.

Sam

Hey there! My name is Samuel, writing to you from my comfy chair on a warm, breezy Sunday afternoon. Since it was my week to lead the morning circle, I have the honour of writing the blog post as well! I will keep it somewhat short, so we can get back to enjoying the Summer and all our delicious vegetables;) 

Just a little about myself for context: I was born in Laguna Beach in 1985, was a small child in San Luis Obispo, but spent most of my childhood and adolescence in Huntsville, Alabama. When I was 24 I moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico to pursue my first farming internship, and have been involved in sustainable agriculture ever since. 

For me, the benefits of working for Open Field Farm are myriad. Right at the top of the list is getting to work with all the great people who are involved with bringing this amazing food to harvest every week. My friends / co-workers on the crew are all awesome and I greatly value getting to spend time talking, joking, cooking with and learning from them every week. Everyone here is incredibly knowledgeable, and are all hard workers. I think this is because we all truly believe in the ideals, or the “mission” of the farm. 

Seth and Sarah have been very influential on my life in the short time I’ve known them. This farm is different from any of the other farms I’ve worked on in the past, there is a true sense of caring and community here, and a strong emphasis on learning. Before moving to Petaluma I had a vague notion of what bio-dynamics entailed, but thanks to Seth and Sarah I have officially “drank the kool-aid” and am very excited about learning as much as I can. I recently finished a book Seth let me borrow called Bio-dynamic Introductory Lectures Vol I by Alex Podolinsky, and am anxiously waiting the James’ return from vacation so I can check out the next installment of the series. 

Alright that’s probably enough gushing for one blog post! My bicycle and Helen Putnam Park await... Cheers and thanks for reading, hope you have a great week!

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Albion Strawberries

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya Carrots

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Zoey Sweet Onions

• Kolibri Kohlrabi

• Summer Squash: Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle

• Cucumber: Mideast Peace, Summer Dance, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle

• Solaris Fennel

• Hakurei Turnips

• Everygreen Hardy Scallions

• Alto Leeks (We plant these spring leeks in clumps and harvest them young and tender.)

• Garlic: Inchelium Red Soft Neck

• Lettuce

• Kale: Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Cabbage: Farao and Emiko

• Basil, Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Olive Oil

Corrales Calabacitas Quesadillas

(I learned this recipe at the Corrales, NM Farmers Market)

Makes 2 quesadillas

• 2 teaspoon olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 yellow onion (or 1 leek, or 2 green onion) diced

• 1 jalapeno (or any pepper) seeded and diced

• 2 zucchini, quartered

• Kernels from 1 ear of sweet corn

• 1 cup cooked black beans

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste

• 4 corn tortillas
  

Add olive oil to a medium skillet and place over medium heat. Next add in garlic, onion, jalapeno, zucchini and corn; saute for 5-7 minutes or until onion begins to soften and become translucent. Stir in black beans, cumin and salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside in a bowl.

Monique

Hey everyone! My name is Monique and I am part of the 2020 veggie crew. While I may be new to Open Field Farm, I am not new to farming. I was born and raised in Petaluma and grew up surrounded by agriculture – my great grandparents  had a productive backyard garden, my grandma had two goats in her suburban backyard on the eastside of town, and my neighbors all had some combination of livestock and crops growing on their property.

After my first year away at college, I came home to spend the summer interning at Petaluma Bounty. This was my first exposure to farming, not just gardening. It’s where I gained new respect for farmers and farm workers and began to understand everything that is required for me to enjoy the food that I eat. While I earned my degree in environmental engineering, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career that would more closely tie me to the land and to food. 

After college, I participated in the internship program at Green String Farm. A few months after that, I began my service as a Sustainable Agriculture Volunteer with the Peace Corps in Panama. I spent two years in Panama working with coffee producers in the indigenous lands of the Ngäbe-Buglé tribe. I often think about the community, about my Panamanian friends and family, when I’m working in the fields here at the farm. While I miss them, I am grateful to have found a new community to be a part of here at Open Field Farm. I have learned a lot not only from Sarah and Seth, but also from all of the other crew members. 

P.S. If anyone is looking for good resources on learning about anti-racism in food and agriculture, Food+Tech Connect has put together a list of resources including articles and books to read, videos to watch, media to follow, podcasts to listen to, and more! Here’s the link: https://foodtechconnect.com/2020/06/29/food-ag-anti-racism-resources-black-food-farm-businesses-to-support/

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Albion Strawberries

• Rhonda Beets

• Yaya Carrots

• Kolibri Kohlrabi

• Summer Squash: Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle

• Cucumber: Mideast Peace, Summer Dance, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle

• Solaris Fennel

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Everygreen Hardy Scallions

• Alto Leeks (We plant these spring leeks in clumps and harvest them young and tender.)

• Garlic: Metechi Hard Neck and Inchelium Red Soft Neck

• Lettuce

• Kale: Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Cabbage: Farao and Emiko

• Basil, Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Olive Oil

Great Grandma’s Zucchini Patties

This isn’t the healthiest recipe, but it’s one that fondly remember eating growing up. Especially during the summers when there was always an abundance of zucchinis!

• 2 cups shredded zucchini

• ½ cup finely chopped onion

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 egg

• 1/3-1/2 cup of flour

• 1/3 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

• Pepper to taste

Stir all ingredients together. Add more flour if the mixture seems too watery – it should have the consistency of a thick batter. In a frying pan, heat about ½” of oil for frying (I like to use sunflower oil). Drop the batter in the heated oil by the spoonful. Let the bottom get a light sear on it, then flip it and press it down with a spatula. Let the patty cook on one side, then slip and finish cooking on the other side. Repeat the process until the last of the batter is used up. Let cooked patties drain on paper towels.

Kelsey

Hi! I’m Kelsey. I started working at Open Field in March 2017 as part of the veggie crew. Over the last few years, my position has evolved into part-time veggie harvester and part-time herbalist. I consider tending the herb and perennial gardens, harvesting and drying the herbs, and blending them into teas to be my meditation and my creative outlet.

This past week I harvested the first round of Chamomile, to be dried and used for tea blends come fall. As I was harvesting, taking in the sweet scent of the blossoms, I felt so grounded and grateful for the many, many ways that plants can help keep us healthy. Feeling inspired by the chamomile, I wanted to share just a couple of it’s properties and possible uses.

-Chamomile soothes the nervous system and helps reduce stress and anxiety. It may be added to your bath water for an extra-calming soak, especially when combined with lavender, lemon balm, and/or rose petals.

-I often get dry, itchy eyes this time of year with all of the wind and the dust. A chamomile compress can made by pouring hot water over chamomile flowers in a bowl, steeping (covered) for 15 minutes, then soaking a clean washcloth in the tea, folding it and putting it over your eyes while lying down. You can keep it on for however long feels good, continuing to re-soak the cloth in the tea to re-warm it.

I hope that you are enjoying all of the fresh herbs currently growing in the U-pick gardens!

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Strawberries

• Beets

• Carrots

• Kohlrabi

• Summer Squash

• Cucumber

• Fennel

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Scallions

• Leeks

• Garlic

• Lettuce

• Kale

• Collards

• Chard

• Spinach

• Basil, Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Jorge

Jorge joined us on the farm in 2013, the summer before our first CSA season. He has been an intregal part of building and running the farm. Currently, he cares for all the animals on the farm: cows, sheep, and chickens, but the cows are his favorite. He is originally from Jalos, Mexico. He leads us in morning circle with motivational phrases. This is from last week:

Se vale caer (It is okay to fall)

Se vale sentir dolor (It is okay to feel pain)

Se vale quejarse (It is okay to complain)

Se vale gritar (It is okay to yell)

Pero rendirse nunca (But never give up)

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Strawberries

• Beets

• Carrots

• Kohlrabi

• Summer Squash

• Fennel

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Scallions

• Leeks

• Garlic

• Lettuce

• Kale

• Collards

• Arugula

• Basil, Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Olive Oil

Strawberry Spoon Cake, Jerrelle Guy, nytimes.com

• ½ cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus more for greasing

• 5 ounces/145 grams frozen and thawed or fresh, hulled strawberries (about 1 cup)

• ⅔ cup/150 grams packed sugar

• ½ cup/120 milliliters whole milk, at room temperature

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 cup/130 grams flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8-inch (square or round) baking dish with butter. Set aside.

Using your hands or the back of a fork, mash the berries to release all their juices, and stir in 1/3 cup of the brown sugar. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar, milk and salt, then add the flour and baking powder and continue whisking just until the batter is smooth. Transfer the batter (it’s not much) to the greased baking dish, and spread evenly into corners.

Spoon the strawberries and all their juices over the top of the cake batter. Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or just when a toothpick comes out clean in the center. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3 to 5 minutes before spooning into bowls. Serve warm with ice cream.

Jesse

Since this blog started, it has been me, Sarah, writing it each week. I have always wanted to incorporate the voices of the crew but have struggled to make a new routine. Now we are making the change.

As I have mentioned in the past, each week one of us leads our morning circle. At the beginning of each work day, we gather together in a circle and take a moment to connect before we start the day. There are no strict rules of how to lead the circle, simply with what that person chooses, be it with a collective moment of silence, a poem, or stretching. The person who has led us in circle the previous week will then write the blog if they choose.

Jesse led us this week, starting each morning with a moment of silence. These are his words:

“Hi, my name is Jesse. I just want to take a moment to say thank you for being a very important part of the farm and for staying with us during these hard and crazy times we are all going through.

A little bit about me: I did a lot of carpentry growing up and never saw myself doing farm work until I joined Open Field Farm six years ago. All I can say is that I fell in love with the work and, most importantly, with Seth and Sarah. They are the biggest reason I love being here and being a part of this journey.”

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Strawberries

• Onions

• Beets

• Carrots

• Summer Squash

• Fennel

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Scallions

• Lettuce

• Kale

• Collards

• Arugula

• Basil, Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley

• Olive Oil

• Revolution Bread

Spicy Grilled Zucchini, from nytimes.com

• 1 pound zucchini, cut on the diagonal or lengthwise in thin slices

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, as needed

• Salt

• freshly ground pepper

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or ground chile pepper (more to taste)

• 1 tablespoon slivered fresh mint or basil

• 1 lemon, cut in half

Prepare a medium-hot grill. Season the zucchini with salt and pepper, and toss with the olive oil. Grill on each side until the slices are tender and there are light marks on the sides. Transfer to a platter, and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes and the herbs. Douse with lemon juice if desired, and serve.

You can serve this at room temperature. It will hold for an hour or two. Don’t douse with lemon juice or sprinkle on the herbs until just before serving.

Milkweed

For the most part, I have been tending the baby chicks this year. They are still in the brooder with heat lamps, needing more close monitoring at this young age of two and three weeks. The work of caring for the chicks is mostly feeding them, cleaning their water of the sawdust and poop that accumulates in the troughs, and keeping them warm but not hot. It is a repetitive task but one that is grounding and rewarding.

When Seth and I were first engaged, I always recall what a stranger said to me in response to learning our news. She sighed and said: Marriage is such hard work. While it was not the most uplifting comment (although it is very true), what struck me the most is what is wrong with work? How do we show love and support but though the work of tending to each other needs, listening, and caring?

I will not shirk away from the hard work of being anti-racist, of recognizing my white privilege, and being uncomfortable. I want to be a part of dismantling a broken system and building a new one. While I have taken some action in the past week to support the Black Lives Movement and to begin this work, I know I have more to do and commit to it.

Michelle Alexander wrote an opinion piece in the New York Times: America, This is your chance https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/08/opinion/george-floyd-protests-race.html In it, she includes many actions we can take and resources. She concludes with this quote: “Our only hope for our collective liberation is a politics of deep solidarity rooted in love.”

This week’s pick list:

• Onions

• Beets

• Fennel

• Scallions

• Lettuce

• Kale

• Collards

• Chard

• Basil

• Cilantro

• Dill

• Strawberries

• Revolution Bread

• Olive Oil

“Edna Lewis (April 13, 1916 – February 13, 2006) has inspired generations of chefs as the seminal African-American influence on authentic Southern cookery.” from: https://www.ednalewisfoundation.org

She inspired me in high school when I first read The Taste of Country Cooking. Her intimate knowledge and relationship with the plants and the seasons is a trait to which I still aspire. I am grateful those who have highlighted Black chefs and farmers on Instagram and sparked me to reread her book.

Skillet Scallions, from the Taste of Country Cooking by Edna Lewis

• 4 bunches scallions

• 3 Tablespoons butter

Prepare the scallions by picking off any yellow stems. Cut away the fibrous roots from the bottoms. Wash in cold water under tap, then cut the tops down to fit in the skillet. Heat the skillet and add the butter. When the foaming stage is reached, put in the scallions. The few drops of water left on the scallions from washing are enough for steaming. Cover the skillet and cook over a moderate fire. Turn them over after about 3 minutes. Total cooking time is about 4 to 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook; the white part should be a bit crisp, the tops tender, shiny, and green. No salt or pepper will be needed.

Black Lives Matter

Most of the time, this blog is a way for us to share a glimpse of the weekly happenings on the farm. While the farm work does continue, our thoughts are with the Black Lives Movement and the protests that are happening outside of this bubble. We regret that we have not plainly stated our support before.

We stand with the Black community in demanding an end to police brutality toward them, as well as the systemic and environmental racism that is endemic in our country. The unequal deaths during the pandemic have laid even more clear the dire consequences of allowing this racism to continue. These inequalities have existed since the foundation of our country and we need to do the work to end them. We commit to doing this work ourselves and to support the Black organizers and other leaders of color.

To those in our community who are hurting, we are here. We are listening.

This week’s pick list:

• Onions

• Beets

• Turnips

• Scallions

• Lettuce

• Kale

• Basil

• Cilantro

• Dill

• Arugula

• Strawberries

• Dried Tea Herbs

• Revolution Bread

• Olive Oil

Field harvest

We are harvesting our first crops from the field this week: radishes and lettuce of course! We also have some small but sweet carrots from the tunnel and the first basil. It smells delicous. The strawberries are starting as well.

We are trying to plan our days around the heat, aiming for lighter tasks that are under cover in the afternoon. On Thursday we hope to catch up on planting and that the heat has started to subside. The fields are starting to fill in!

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Onions

• Beets

• Carrots

• Radish

• Scallions

• Basil

• Spinach

• Lettuce

• Kale

• Strawberries

• Dried tea herbs

• Dried ground peppers

• Revolution Bread

• Olive Oil

Shredded Egg Salad, from 101cookbooks.com

• 6 eggs

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil and mint

• 3 sliced scallions

• 3 radishes, shaved thin

to serve: little dollop of salted creme fraiche and/or a drizzle of olive oil

Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by a 1/2-inch or so. Bring to a gentle boil. Now turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for ten minutes (a couple minutes longer than I normally do). Have a big bowl of ice water ready and when the eggs are done cooking place them in the ice bath for three minutes or so - long enough to stop the cooking. Crack and peel each egg, then use the big holes on a standard box grater to grate the eggs. Place in a bowl and use your fingers to gently toss the eggs with the salt and pepper. At this point you can add whatever you like to the salad, such as herbs, scallions, and shaved baby radishes. Serve topped with tiny dollops of something creamy - like creme fraich or plain yogurt, and a drizzle of olive oil. Just a bit of each so you don't weigh it down.

Clean Up

We have a break in planting this week to focus on weeding, cultivating, and other projects. Most of the plants in the fields have taken root and are starting to take off in growth. Everything is glowing after the glorious rain.

We are tidying the herb room as well. With the first harvests of this season already dried and jarred, we are working to empty the herb room of last year’s harvest. We made one last big mix of oats, anise hyssop, tulsi, chamomile, and spearmint to give out in larger bags this week. Next week, we will have bulk bags of single herbs. Pascale cleaned all the jars so they are ready to be filled again.

There was a beautiful white calf born in the herd this week! It is a stunning sight to see.

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Onions

• Scallions

• Arugula

• Spinach

• Beets

• Fennel

• Lettuce

• Kale

• Dried tea herbs

• Dried ground peppers

• Revolution Bread

• Olive Oil

Spinach Pasta, smitten kitchen.com

• 5 ounces baby spinach leaves

• 2 3/4 to 3 cups flour (we use our sonora flour but we sift it first to remove the large bran flakes.)

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

• 3 large eggs

• 3 large egg yolks

• Water (only if absolutely needed)

• Additional flour for rolling

Wash spinach but no need to dry. With water droplets still clinging to the leaves, wilt spinach in a hot skillet until completely soft, about 4 minutes. Let cool and wring all the water — seriously, every drop you can get out — out of the spinach in small fistfuls, and then pressing these little bundles out against a fine-mesh strainer. Rest spinach on paper towels to remove even more water, then mince spinach on a cutting board.

Dump spinach, smaller amount of flour and salt on countertop and mix with your fingers, then form into a pile. Make a deep well in the center and add the whole eggs and yolks to it. Use your fingertips to break up the eggs and begin moving your fingers in a circular motion, keeping the eggs within the well (or you’ll have egg lava running everywhere and be in a very bad mood). Each circular movement pulls in a little bit of flour from the sides. In a few minutes, the mixture will become thicker and thicker, finally becoming too tight to move easily with your fingers. At this point, you can use a bench scraper (a perfect tool here) or spatula to start adding the remaining, a little pile at a time. Once a shaggy dough has formed, begin kneading the mixture, scraping it up when it sticks, until a ball is formed. It will look flaky but will hold together.

Knead the dough, pressing it away with the heels of your hands then forming it back into a blob, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the dough is moist but not sticky. Add remaining flour, a spoonful at a time, only if dough is too sticky. Add a drop or two of water only if it’s cracking when you knead it. In almost all cases, I find that erring on the side of firmer pasta is safer than softer pasta, which doesn’t hold shapes well and will want to stick a pasta roller. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then knead it again for 5 to 8 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic and let rest at room temperature for an hour.

Divide dough into sixths. On a floured surface, roll the pasta as thin as you can; as thin as a credit card and translucent is ideal. Letting rolled-out pasta rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into your desired shape helps yield cleaner, easier cuts.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, well-salted water for anywhere from 2 to 6 minutes (depending on thickness), until al dente. Drain and toss with fixings of your choice — garlic-sizzled olive oil or melted butter, parmesan or pecorino, dollops of ricotta or mascarpone. Eat immediately.

Beginning

We harvested our first variety of garlic this year: inchelium red garlic. Jesse built a beautiful rafter system from which we hung the garlic rather than laying it out in the shade house. We are hopeful that by drying it inside with fans, it will cure better and last longer.

We are hoping to take as much advantage of the rain as possible to work the soil and break down some of our clods. We are so grateful for any moisture that comes!

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Onions

• Garlic scapes

• Scallions

• Pac Choi

• Spinach

• Beets

• Fennel

• Lettuce

• Kale

• Dried tea herbs

• Dried ground peppers

• Revolution Bread

• Olive Oil!

Kale Miso Pesto, from sfchronicle.com

• 2 cups fresh kale, rinsed (If you don't have kale, you can substitute another leafy green like arugula or spinach)

• 1 small handful fresh mint

• ½ cup nuts (pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachios or cashews)

• 1 heaping tablespoon white miso

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions: In a blender or food processor, combine the kale, basil, mint, nuts, miso and garlic and blend or process until smooth. With the machine running, add the olive oil. Add a bit of ice water as needed to achieve the proper consistency; it shouldn’t be too thick, but you don’t want it too runny, either.

Transfer to a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper or a touch more miso. The pesto will keep in a lidded container, refrigerated, for a few days or can be frozen for up to a month (McNaughton freezes it in ice cube trays, then pops the cubes out and stores them in a ziptop freezer bag).

Neighbors

The sheep have been grazing around our house for the past week. It is one of my favorite times of the year. The grass is tall and full of nutrition for them. Watching the sheep all lying down, chewing their cud, and basking in the morning sun, is relaxing and fulfilling. We love to walk by our windows and see them, sometimes right up close!

We are planting onions, celery, celeriac, new potatoes, and tomatoes this week. The first round of direct seeded crops are emerging and Cecilia is cultivating them today.

This week’s pick list:

• Eggs

• Apples from Filigreen Farm

• Onions

• Garlic scapes

• Rutabaga

• Beets

• Turnips

• Lettuce

• Kale

• Dried tea herbs

• Dried ground peppers

• Revolution Bread

• Olive Oil!

Layered Yogurt Flatbreads, from smitten kitchen.com

• 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (I use Diamond, use half of another brand, here’s why)

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 cup plain, full- or low-fat yogurt (Greek or regular)

• 2 to 4 tablespoons water

• 4 tablespoons melted, unsalted butter, olive oil, coconut oil, or ghee (for assembly)

Make dough: Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Add yogurt and the first two tablespoons of water and stir to combine — you’ll have to mash it a bit to get it mixed in. For plain, non-Greek yogurt, you might need 1 more tablespoon of water to bring it together. For Greek, I needed 2 more tablespoons. Mix as best as you can with a spoon and then, if you can reach your hands into the bowl, use them to bring the dough together into a rough ball. Transfer — along with any unmixed bits — to your counter and knead into a smooth ball, about 1 to 2 minutes. Lightly flour a spot on the counter, place the ball of dough on top of it, and upend the empty bowl over it. Let rest for 30 minutes.

Layer dough: Divide dough into 8 wedges. Working with one at a time, very lightly flour your counter and roll out each into a round or oblong shape as thin as it will go — usually about 6″ in diameter. Brush thinly with 2 teaspoons butter or oil. Roll dough away from you into a thin cylinder, then wind each cylinder into a coil (it will look like a sideways snail). Place each coil of dough back on a floured spot and cover, resting for another 15 to 20 minutes; repeat with remaining pieces of dough.

Heat your oven to 300 degrees F and have a big baking sheet ready. (Flatbreads fully cook on stove, but you can keep them warm and lightly puffed in the oven.)

Cook flatbreads: Working with one coil at a time, roll into a thin round (about 5″). Brush the top with more butter, you can be a bit more generous here. Repeat with as many flatbreads as you think you can fit in your pan; leave the remaining coils continue to rest, covered.

Warm a frying pan over medium-low heat. Flip flatbread butter-side-down onto pan and cook until a deep golden brown underneath, about 5 minutes. Brush the top with more butter as it cooks on the first side, then flip and continue cooking until the same deep golden brown on the second. Transfer to baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Continue this process with the remaining coils and flatbreads.

Do ahead: These layered yogurt flatbreads keep perfectly in the fridge; I wrap mine in foil. Rewarm in a 300-degree oven for about 10 minutes.