Harvest #2 (Week B) should include radishes, turnips, kale, green garlic, head lettuce, lettuce mix, bok choy, swiss chard, cilantro, and dill. U-pick should start this week and will include labeled herbs from the herb garden (lemon balm, mint, catnip, oregano, parsley, garlic chives, thyme, etc).

Where did spring go? For the past week or so it's felt more like mid-summer. In addition to the high temperatures, it's been 2.5 weeks since we've had a good rain on the farm, no rain is forecast until maybe Friday, and with all these days in the 90s crops are very very thirsty. We've spent a lot of time setting up and connecting irrigation. As of now we're almost caught up and have been able to provide a drink to most of the crops. Certain crops, like potatoes which occupy way too much field space to add water to (unless we're really desperate and also have ample time), will probably have to wait until the rain for a drink. The top growth of the potatoes (which looks just like a tomato plant) only recently broke through the surface of the soil and the roots/tubers aren't bulking up just yet. Even during this 'drought' the tops have continued to actively grow. A new patch of rhubarb, also without water so far, grows like it doesn't have a care in the world. New blackberry transplants, u-pick flowers, and the herb garden also await a drink, biding their time. Crops transplanted two weeks ago that are still alive and actively growing are a testament to the wonders of the plant world and perhaps the health of our soils and north facing slopes.

This week's workshift schedule:

Please bring gloves, water, a hat, and sturdy shoes! For now, masks should be worn unless social distancing is achieved (6'+).

We meet under the large red maple at the end of the barn by the pick up room.

It is always so exciting when the season starts - every year I look forward to walking into the barn to see all the beautiful veggies - and last week the variety and colors did not disappoint! So, how do you use some of the items we are receiving right now?

Green garlic - keep it refrigerated and use the entire stalk. Green garlic is used like dried garlic, but I don't cook it for as long as dried garlic, because the flavor fades away - perfect for the quick cooking meals of late spring.

Hakurei turnips and radishes - I group these together because they can be enjoyed in the same ways - eaten raw in salads or with dip (another name for Hakurei turnips is salad turnips); roasted in the oven with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, sliced up and sauteed or stir fried. And...please don't throw the greens away - they are really great when sauteed with onions and/or garlic and other veggies, stir fried, or added to stews and soups - although the thought of a long simmered stew is not very appealing today. If you can't use them right away, cut the greens off the bulbs, and discard any yellow leaves. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and place the greens in a large colander placed in the sink. When the water boils carefully pour over the greens. Allow to cool, then squeeze out as much water as you can. Place in a freezer bag until ready to use. I love this method so much more than placing the greens in the pot and boiling them - learned this years ago from a fellow member. One recipe on this site that I particularly like is the Asian Green and White Saute. It is fast, uses both components of the veggie, and most important it is delicious - change up the herbs/spices to complement the protein you are eating.

Lettuce/Swiss chard - there are a lot of salad dressing recipes on this site, demonstrating how easy it is to make your own dressings. As for storing these tender greens, I have found the best way is to use a large plastic container with a kitchen towel or paper towels placed in the bottom. The worst thing for greens is to sit in water and to be squished. So using a large plastic container with something absorbent on the bottom takes care of the water, and the roomy container allows for more air flow. I use an old Tupperware cake storage container and it works great.

Bok choy - another of the flexible veggies, bok choy is yummy raw and cooked. There are several recipes on this site, including the Spicy Roasted Bok Choy and the Asian Style Cole Slaw. Everyone I have made the Slaw for loves it - and I use whatever I have - no cabbage, no problem! Use the bok choy, turnips and Swiss chard! Yum.

What a delicious start to the season! Here are a few things we enjoyed this week:

Green garlic, turnips, kale - made the Kale Rice Bowl - one of my staples for weeknight eating. A note on the ground pork that goes in it: the flavor of the dish is so much better when flavorful local pork is used. We added a new twist this time - we cut a few turnips into matchsticks and added them just as the meat was browned - resulted in a very nice crunch.

Radishes, turnips - made a dip I found a couple of years ago: Radishes with Goat Cheese Dip - it calls for a food processor, but you really don't need one and I use Greek Yogurt instead of the sour cream. This dip is great with all sorts of veggies, so try it for your Memorial Day cookout as a yummy appetizer.

Next Monday, 5/31 Week A Harvest #3, harvest will run normally (pick up from 1-8 pm) despite the Memorial Day holiday. Please email us if you need to switch your pick up day or week.

Composting is one the most marvelous transformations is this world. Turning food "waste" into valuable soil by doing mostly nothing at all is just too easy not to participate in. We are avid compost participants and are more than happy to provide the opportunity to community members who may not have the space or will to keep their own compost piles at home. If you are interested in turning your kitchen waste into soil instead of landfill fodder, consider bringing it to the farm to contribute to the compost pile by the parking lot.

Probably the simplest container to hold your compost is a 5 gallon bucket with a lid. It's large enough to hold a week or two's worth of kitchen waste and uncomplicated enough to travel with to the farm.

We'll accept all biodegradable food waste except cooked bones, which we don't want our dog to get a hold of. Just make sure to filter out plastic food packaging/containers. Please contact us if you have any questions - we are here to support you on your composting journey!