Salad mix
Carrots
Scallions
Genovese basil
New potatoes (sangre and yukon gold)
Sungold cherry tomatoes
Swiss chard
Weeds keep coming and coming. With lots of warm days and heavy rains, they seem to grow by leaps and bounds every week and it is impossible to keep up with them. As of late we have been hoeing, hand weeding, and using the cultivating tractor (when the soil is dry enough), whenever we can find the time. We kept up with our onion beds really well till about two weeks ago and suddenly there are weeds trying to take over the fully-grown bulbing onions. The wild life is another time consuming element in crop management, especially in the height of summer. Even with all the weeds, the deer still seem to be able to search out our actual crops, when it is what they are craving. Beet greens seem to be a favorite at the moment, plus an occasional pepper or tomato top.
All these elements culminate during the busiest time of year and it takes a certain amount of acceptance and perseverance to keep working hard to make the plants happy, healthy, and to bring everyone great tasting food. So with that said, think about encouraging those you know to head out to the farmers market this week to get food for the big holiday. Farmers work really hard to get the food on those market tables and it is great to see it all get sold to happy customers that will truly enjoy the bounty. This Tuesday afternoon at Byrd Market there will be an awesome selection of vegetable, fruit, and meat vendors with a wide variety of options. What better time to support your local community of farmers than for your Fourth of July bbq’s, gatherings, and parties. A few recipes are included below. Enjoy the share…
Chicken and Swiss Chard with Couscous in Brodo – From Bon Appetit
Roasted Carrots with Scallion-Ginger Glaze – From Mark Bittman
Potato Salad with Vinaigrette –From our friends at the Kitchen Garden
1 1/2 lb. new potatoes
coarse salt
1 bunch spring onion, sliced thin
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup good wine vinegar
salt and pepper
Boil potatoes in salty water until tender but firm, about 15 min. Drain well. When cool, cut into quarters and toss with onion, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve slightly warm or chilled. The flavors will develop as it sits. This salad can obviously be altered in a variety of ways, adding whatever type of vegetable or herb you have or whatever type of flavoring your heart desires. (Try with some basil added too.)