Picket Fence Farm Happenings
Season 2 Issue #6
What’s Happening on the Farm?
We have been trying to take advantage of this nice, DRY weather to work in the garden. Lots of weeding, harvesting, and fertilizing with fish emulsion fertilizer. Things are shaping up in the garden, but we still have a lot of work to do. All this rain has really stunted things, so bear with us as we try to get more planted and wait for what is already planted to ripen. The boxes are a little lighter than we would like, but all of this rain has really effected how things are growing...just one of the reasons why we are so excited for the new high tunnels for the farm. We hope this dry weather continues next week (sounds like maybe some rain over the weekend though). The work continues on Saturday with more planting (more tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, basil, cucumbers, and green beans).
What’s in the Box?
Green Beans (may have some yellow wax beans mixed in)
Onions--small yellow
Carrots--mixed varieties (Mokum, Red Cored Chantenay, Parisian)
Baby Beets--**Friday pick-ups only**
Zucchini--May have green, yellow, or round**only for the Saturday deliveries this week**
Herb Bundles--Garlic Chives, German Thyme, Rosemary
Recipe Ideas
This recipe is from Gooseberry Patch Farmers’ Market Favorites:
Summer Herb Butter
1/2c. butter softened (1 stick)
1/4 c. fresh herbs, chopped (such as basil, thyme, sage, parsley, dill, chives, tarragon, oregano, marjoram, or rosemary)
1 tsp. sea salt
1 t. pepper
Blend all ingredients together. Spoon onto a sheet of wax paper and shape into a log. Twist ends of wax paper to seal. Refrigerate one hour to allow flavors to blend. Use within 2 weeks. Makes 1/2 cup.
More Herb Ideas: Add chives to dips, dressings, and salads. Rosemary is great in bread (like Focaccia--look on allrecipes.com for some good recipes ) in Italian dishes, and potato dishes. I am going to make Herb Roasted Potatoes by cutting potatoes into pieces, tossing with olive oil and the rosemary and thyme, along with some garlic, salt and pepper and baking in the oven. You could probably grill these in foil packets as well if cooking out for the holiday weekend).
A note on the herbs: --Put these in a glass of water (like you would cut flowers) to keep fresh longer. Also, to use the rosemary and thyme in recipes, strip the leaves off the stems and use the leaves only.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Mowing in the Garden
Well, with all the rain we have had (almost 14 inches in the month of June alone), the weeds are growing like crazy. We resorted today to mowing in the garden. We have sections that had early crops that are now done, plus in between rows that are a mass of weeds, so we just mowed them down. We will have to start thinking about sowing seeds in July for a Fall harvest, so we will till these plots under again before we replant. We also have a new flame weeder we will be trying out. We are hopeful that it will help too. We also worked on putting weed barrier down around the tomatoes. There is A LOT more weeding to be done, but it felt good to make a dent in it anyway. Tomorrow we will start weeding melons, zucchini, and probably sweet potatoes.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Picket Fence Farm Newsletter #5
Picket Fence Farm Happenings
Season 2 Issue #5
What’s Happening on the Farm
The most exciting thing happening is the purchase of 2 new greenhouse frames for the farm. We plan on reconstructing them into 4 moveable high tunnels for our vegetable production. The weeds are still terrible, but I feel like that's all I ever complain (I mean talk) about. We have purchased a flame weeder from Johnny’s Selected Seeds and hope to use that as soon as it arrives, along with mowing then tilling. We need to get ahead of the weeds somehow. It sounds like we will be getting a few dry, sunny days in the week ahead, which is a blessing. All of this rain is not making gardening very easy at the moment. The garden isn’t a total loss yet however, so I need to remember all the positives: green tomatoes and peppers growing (no blight yet!), eggplants blooming and starting to grow mini fruits, cantaloupes and watermelons blooming, baby cucumbers that will be ready soon, zucchini growing and looking healthy, sweet corn waist high, potatoes about ready to dig (if the mud would dry up), and no mold or mildew problems yet.
What’s in the Box?
Romaine Lettuce
Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce
Green Cabbage
Green Beans
Greyzini Zucchini **(Friday pickups will receive zucchini this week, Saturday deliveries will receive zucchini next week).**
Red Onion
Recipes
Zucchini Alfredo
This recipe came from allrecipes.com and is very good.
1 12 oz pkg. uncooked egg noodles (I have served this over pasta also)
3 TBSP oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup milk
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (or use a tsp or so of dried)
salt and pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese to taste
Cook noodles according to pkg. directions, drain.Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook 2 minutes. Mix in zucchini and cook 10 min. until some of the moisture has evaporated. Pour the milk in the skillet and add the cream cheese, stir until melted. Mix in basil. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve over cooked pasta.
Creamy Coleslaw
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
3 carrots, shredded
1 small head of cabbage, shredded
Mix mayo and sugar. Stir in cabbage and carrots just before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Sometimes I add a little more mayo, adjust amounts to your liking). Can also add a splash of vinegar--I like Balsamic.
Season 2 Issue #5
What’s Happening on the Farm
The most exciting thing happening is the purchase of 2 new greenhouse frames for the farm. We plan on reconstructing them into 4 moveable high tunnels for our vegetable production. The weeds are still terrible, but I feel like that's all I ever complain (I mean talk) about. We have purchased a flame weeder from Johnny’s Selected Seeds and hope to use that as soon as it arrives, along with mowing then tilling. We need to get ahead of the weeds somehow. It sounds like we will be getting a few dry, sunny days in the week ahead, which is a blessing. All of this rain is not making gardening very easy at the moment. The garden isn’t a total loss yet however, so I need to remember all the positives: green tomatoes and peppers growing (no blight yet!), eggplants blooming and starting to grow mini fruits, cantaloupes and watermelons blooming, baby cucumbers that will be ready soon, zucchini growing and looking healthy, sweet corn waist high, potatoes about ready to dig (if the mud would dry up), and no mold or mildew problems yet.
What’s in the Box?
Romaine Lettuce
Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce
Green Cabbage
Green Beans
Greyzini Zucchini **(Friday pickups will receive zucchini this week, Saturday deliveries will receive zucchini next week).**
Red Onion
Recipes
Zucchini Alfredo
This recipe came from allrecipes.com and is very good.
1 12 oz pkg. uncooked egg noodles (I have served this over pasta also)
3 TBSP oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup milk
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (or use a tsp or so of dried)
salt and pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese to taste
Cook noodles according to pkg. directions, drain.Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook 2 minutes. Mix in zucchini and cook 10 min. until some of the moisture has evaporated. Pour the milk in the skillet and add the cream cheese, stir until melted. Mix in basil. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve over cooked pasta.
Creamy Coleslaw
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
3 carrots, shredded
1 small head of cabbage, shredded
Mix mayo and sugar. Stir in cabbage and carrots just before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Sometimes I add a little more mayo, adjust amounts to your liking). Can also add a splash of vinegar--I like Balsamic.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Rain, Rain Go Away and a New Purchase
Well, this rain is just getting ridiculous! We haven't been able to get out in the garden and weed for a week and it's looking crazy out there! We need dry weather. I am hoping to get out there tomorrow to assess things and see what we will have to harvest this week. If it doesn't start to dry up I am worried we will start having mildew and disease problems on the plants. On a more exciting note:
We were able to make a new to us purchase for the farm off of Craigslist. We bought 2 high tunnel greenhouse frames, 1 is 18X84 and the other is 18X96. They need new end walls and plastic covering, but the frames are in good shape. We plan on making 4 moveable greenhouses out of them that travel on skids...allowing us to rotate plantings and extend our harvest. We are excited for this purchase! It will help us to get an earlier start and harvest later into winter. It will also be a more controled enviroment (more protected from pests and the weather). The below pic is off of Craigslist...the next big task is getting them to the farm!
We were able to make a new to us purchase for the farm off of Craigslist. We bought 2 high tunnel greenhouse frames, 1 is 18X84 and the other is 18X96. They need new end walls and plastic covering, but the frames are in good shape. We plan on making 4 moveable greenhouses out of them that travel on skids...allowing us to rotate plantings and extend our harvest. We are excited for this purchase! It will help us to get an earlier start and harvest later into winter. It will also be a more controled enviroment (more protected from pests and the weather). The below pic is off of Craigslist...the next big task is getting them to the farm!
Friday, June 18, 2010
What's On My Food?
http://www.whatsonmyfood.org
I received the above link in an email and thought it would be VERY beneficial for all to check out. All you have to do is click on a vegetable/fruit item and it lists possible pesticide/herbicide residue on the conventionally grown item (and compares VS. Organic). It also tells if the chemical is a carcinogen, hormone disruptor, etc. VERY eye opening...I hope you all choose to by organic/chemical free when possible.
I received the above link in an email and thought it would be VERY beneficial for all to check out. All you have to do is click on a vegetable/fruit item and it lists possible pesticide/herbicide residue on the conventionally grown item (and compares VS. Organic). It also tells if the chemical is a carcinogen, hormone disruptor, etc. VERY eye opening...I hope you all choose to by organic/chemical free when possible.
Picket Fence Farm Newsletter Week 4
Picket Fence Farm Happenings
Season 2 Issue #4
What’s Happening on the Farm
One word...MUD! Well, maybe two...MUD and WEEDS. All of this rain is making it hard to get in the garden and weed. We’ve been able to get in there a couple times, but there is A LOT more work to be done. Between the weather and us learning how much we need to plant for our customers (our membership increased quite a bit this year) the bags are a little less full than we would like. Please bare with us! As we get further into the season your bags will get fuller! The green beans and zucchini are really close to being ready... I hope by next week we’ll have some. Some of you will have either Sugar Snaps or Kale but not both. This hot weather has been hard on the cool weather crops and these things are either sparse or done. We’ll be planting more for a Fall harvest, however.
What’s in the Box?
Lettuce- either Buttercrunch OR Tom Thumb variety
Radish- either French Breakfast OR Cherry Belle
Kohlrabi- Kolibri
Onion-Sweet Spanish
Sugar Snap Peas OR Kale-either red or green
Recipe Ideas
*Kohlrabi can be cooked, but many people like to eat it raw with a dip. It has a cabbage/turnip type flavor.
*Kale is a cooking green and is excellent in soups or casseroles.
*Sugar Snap Peas are great raw in a salad. I hope we have more of these in the Fall!
I found the following recipes on allrecipes.com:
Vegetarian Kale Soup
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· 1 yellow onion, chopped
· 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
· 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
· 8 cups water
· 6 cubes vegetable bouillon
· 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
· 6 white potatoes, peeled and cubed
· 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans (drained if desired)
· 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
· 2 tablespoons dried parsley
· salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot; cook the onion and garlic until soft. Stir in the kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the water, vegetable bouillon, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, Italian seasoning, and parsley. Simmer soup on medium heat for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Sugar Snap Pea Salad
1/2 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise
1 pound radishes
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook sugar snap peas in a pan of boiling salted water, about 30 seconds, or just until they turn bright green. Drain and plunge into cold water to stop cooking. Drain. Cut cucumber and radishes cross-wise into 1/4-inch thick slices. Toss peas, cucumber, radishes and sesame seeds with vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Season 2 Issue #4
What’s Happening on the Farm
One word...MUD! Well, maybe two...MUD and WEEDS. All of this rain is making it hard to get in the garden and weed. We’ve been able to get in there a couple times, but there is A LOT more work to be done. Between the weather and us learning how much we need to plant for our customers (our membership increased quite a bit this year) the bags are a little less full than we would like. Please bare with us! As we get further into the season your bags will get fuller! The green beans and zucchini are really close to being ready... I hope by next week we’ll have some. Some of you will have either Sugar Snaps or Kale but not both. This hot weather has been hard on the cool weather crops and these things are either sparse or done. We’ll be planting more for a Fall harvest, however.
What’s in the Box?
Lettuce- either Buttercrunch OR Tom Thumb variety
Radish- either French Breakfast OR Cherry Belle
Kohlrabi- Kolibri
Onion-Sweet Spanish
Sugar Snap Peas OR Kale-either red or green
Recipe Ideas
*Kohlrabi can be cooked, but many people like to eat it raw with a dip. It has a cabbage/turnip type flavor.
*Kale is a cooking green and is excellent in soups or casseroles.
*Sugar Snap Peas are great raw in a salad. I hope we have more of these in the Fall!
I found the following recipes on allrecipes.com:
Vegetarian Kale Soup
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· 1 yellow onion, chopped
· 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
· 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
· 8 cups water
· 6 cubes vegetable bouillon
· 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
· 6 white potatoes, peeled and cubed
· 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans (drained if desired)
· 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
· 2 tablespoons dried parsley
· salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot; cook the onion and garlic until soft. Stir in the kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the water, vegetable bouillon, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, Italian seasoning, and parsley. Simmer soup on medium heat for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Sugar Snap Pea Salad
1/2 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise
1 pound radishes
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook sugar snap peas in a pan of boiling salted water, about 30 seconds, or just until they turn bright green. Drain and plunge into cold water to stop cooking. Drain. Cut cucumber and radishes cross-wise into 1/4-inch thick slices. Toss peas, cucumber, radishes and sesame seeds with vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
A Little Rainy...
It has been raining buckets off and on again since yesterday. This mornings Pella drop off was VERY wet to say the least! When we got home we checked out the rain gage and there was 5 inches in it! That is all from this week, and it is supposed to rain more the next couple of days. We are under flash flood warnings and I can see why...on our way back to the farm we saw a lot of standing water,rushing water, and washouts on the gravel road. I just wish we had our rain barrels in place already...we could have caught some rain water today!
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