Picket Fence Farm Newsletter Season 2 Week 3

Picket Fence Farm Happenings
Season 2 Issue #3

What’s Happening on the Farm
The plants are growing, along with the weeds...it has been hard to get out there and weed with all the rain we have been getting lately. It sounds like there is more rain forecasted too. We have harvested a few raspberries and strawberries...this is the first year for them, so hopefully by next year we will have fruit in our CSA boxes. It usually takes a couple years for fruit to start producing. Things are starting to bloom and that is always exciting. We have blooms on green beans, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant! I don’t know about you, but I am longing for that first ripe garden tomato. We are also reading books on extending the harvest, hoping to implement ideas on extending our growing season on into Fall, and getting an earlier start for next Spring. We are also learning about ways to reduce weeds, better amend the soil, and the use of floating row insect barrier to reduce bug damage on crops. Fresh, local, chemical-free food is important to us, and we hope it is to our customers as well. We have lots of ideas for 2011...We’ll keep you posted!

What’s in the Box?
Sugar Snap Peas
Swiss Chard--Green
Swiss Chard--Ruby (with some Bright Lights mixed in)
Garlic Chives (best stored in a glass of water in the fridge)

Recipe Ideas
*Cook Swiss Chard as you would spinach. It can be added to soups, casseroles, etc. It is also good sauteed in oil with garlic and a splash of balsamic vinegar . If the stalks are large, cut them up and sautee a few minutes before adding the leaves to wilt...they take a little longer to cook.
Swiss Chard is similar to spinach and beets with a flavor that is bitter, pungent and slightly salty. It is high in Vitamins K, A, C, Magnesium, Potassium, and Iron, along with many others. Check out www.whfoods.com for the nutritional analysis of many fruits and veggies.

*Garlic Chives can be added to soups, sauces, cream cheese, butter, sour cream, dips, or sprinkle on potatoes and omelets.

*I like to check out allrecipes.com for ideas for fresh veggies.