Basil
Parsley
Arugula
Fennel
Candy Onions
Frisee or Escarole
Chioggia or Red Ace Beets
Russian Kale or Spigariello
Zephyr Summer Squash
We were lucky this past week in that the devastating storm missed us by about 20 miles, so although we experienced some wind and rain it was nothing to speak of and all is well on the farm. We got a nice amount of rain, but we still need to irrigate in order to catch up for dry conditions over the past few weeks. The weed pressure has definitely set in and it is a bit intimidating; but we pick and choose what is top priority and get down to hand-weeding, cultivating, hoeing, whatever we have time for. June is a time when we are harvesting a tremendous variety of crops, some semi-weekly and others in one or two big harvests such as onions, garlic, and potatoes. Plus we are always catching up with planting multiple successions of nightshades, cucurbits, beans, and quick green crops. After all this is done, we feel a bit limited in time; but this is the most important time for managing the Summer crops, meaning not just the weeding; but also debugging, feeding the crops through foliar feeds or injections into their irrigation, and sometime mulching, shading, etc. This year has been more “caught up” than in past years; mostly due to the fact that we have more help, in addition to our full time intern Ellen, we also have some returning part-time help and having more hands makes this all possible. Even so each week seems hectic and the list is too long, but it is June and this week is the solstice, so we are officially in the summertime.
So although this week marks the beginning of Summer, the early Summer crops seem to be happening so slowly this year. Part of this is due to the 3 weeks in May that were temperate, grey, and wet. Not only did we get behind in planting our crops such as eggplant and peppers, the crops we had planted such as tomatoes and cucumbers grew loads of green leafy mass, but the fruit set and now ripening has been painfully slow. Although we are now harvesting cucumbers and tomatoes, they are small amounts, teasing us just a little bit. When they do actually become available it will be all at once, multiple successions and every farm in the area will be flush. It is coming any day now. Your share this week is full of aromatics: the basil, parsley, sweet onions, and fennel. All of these can and should be used to brighten up your dish or meal. There are also some bitter or strong greens included in this share. We encourage using them as a base for a heavier salad as a meal or thinking about grilling, sautéing, or using sparse amounts in a sandwich or such. For those of you unfamiliar with Spigariello, it is a cross between broccoli leaf and Tuscan kale; but like broccoli raab it can be used stems, leaf, and all. Unlike broccoli raab, it is not super bitter, but rather a bit nutty and earthy. It is great added into a pasta or egg dish. It can be blanched and then sautéed with garlic and onions in olive oil and served as a side. Get creative with the summer squash and zucchini as now is the flush time with this crop. For us it is delicious fried, grilled, grated, roasted, sautéed, and especially with herbs and eggs. Enjoy the recipes and the share……Autumn and Brian
The sweet side of bitter greens
Grilled endive recipe works with any type (frisée, escarole, radicchio, chicory, witloof)
Grilled Zucchini with Buttermilk-Basil Dressing
CARAMELIZED FENNEL AND ARUGULA PIZZA WITH A SOURDOUGH CRUST