Collard Greens or Swiss Chard
Cubanelle, Bagni, & Seyrek Mild Peppers
Romano Beans or Tomatoes
Okra or Eggplant
Lettuce or Arugula
Garlic
Basil
What a week we just had. Very beautiful out on the farm, perfect germinating and growing conditions in so many ways. Not too much rain out in our area at least. Then Thursday we noticed that our chicory plot, specifically the early planted radicchio had been ravaged over the past few days right before and after the rain storms. Over the past few years we have been erecting a deer fence around our late Fall and Winter crops, usually in early October to avoid such ravaging; but this year they had learned and hit us early. Radicchio is their absolute favorite, deer have good taste. We spent all of Thursday getting supplies and erecting the fence, because that seemed to be all we could do. So far so good, as it has definitely halted the eating. Only time will tell if the radicchio will jump out of its destruction and grow nice useable heads. At a minimum we can use whatever is salvageable for salad mix. At the moment it looks like a pretty dire situation with about 50% of all the radicchio eaten at its core; but it is always surprising, always, watching what happens with time on a growing plant. So, we muster whatever amount of patience we can and wait, hoping for the best. This is such a perfect example of the rollercoaster that is farming. Never boring, always a little stressful, and yet so rewarding and beautiful on a constant basis.
This week’s share continues with the melding of two seasons. This might be the last basil for you, so make some pesto for your winter freezer. Braise some greens with peppers and garlic, yum. Check out the recipes and enjoy the share……Brian & Autumn
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
Collard green Eggplant Curry (Kashmiri Haak Baingan)
Burrata with Romano Beans and Roasted Eggplant
Eggplant and Chard Rollatini in Basil Cream Sauce
Spicy Sauteed Okra with Collard and Turnip Greens
Salata Horiatiki (Greek Country Salad) –The New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden
1 head summer crisp lettuce, cut into ribbons
2 large firm ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 cucumber, peeled, split in half through its length, and cut into thick slices
1 green pepper, cut into thin rings
1 large mild onion, thinly slices, the rings separated
8 oz feta cheese, cut into small squares or broken into coarse pieces
1 dozen or more black Kalamata olives
For the dressing
A good bunch flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
6 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper
Put all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Just before serving, mix the dressing, pour over the salad, and toss.