Prairie Farm, WI
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
It’s been mid-season garden clean-up week on the farm. We mowed down the early broccoli patch. The first bean plantings got the same treatment. Cucumbers are next in line. The onion tops have flopped over (in some cases with a little help), a signal that they have stopped growing and are ready to be moved out of the garden and into storage. We’ll be working on getting them out of the field over the next week or so. As the days shorten some and the nighttime temps cool a bit, the growth in the gardens slow down. Most of our days now are spent harvesting, with just a small amount of time allotted for weeding, etc. However, we still continue to transplant and plant some fast-growing fall crops such as Swiss chard, beets, Black Spanish Radish and our favorite green from last year: Amara! Amara is sometimes referred to as Ethiopian kale, or Texel greens. Whatever you call it, it is delightful with a mild taste suitable for salad or cooking. We just planted a bed of Amara, and plan to plant another in the hoop house in about a week or so. Look for it in September and, in the meantime, enjoy the tomatoes, peppers and melons! A really big planting this past week was peas and oats (a traditional forage mix for grazing animals) in the pollinator patch. This cover crop will grow to about 18”to 24” yet this year before dying back in the fall. This will help hold the soil in place, keep soil temperatures moderate and provide a nice planting environment next spring for the Monarch Habitat with no more tillage required.
serves 4 (cookinglight.com)
1. Combine oil, rind, juice, mustard, salt, and pepper in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. In a separate bowl, toss desired amount of dressing with beans and onion; toss well to coat. Add arugula, toss gently to combine. Season to taste and add dressing if desired.
serves 6 (msmarket.com)
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, dill, lemon juice, honey and olive oil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the sliced cucumbers, tomato, and red onion with the dressing.
3. Season the salad with salt and pepper, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.
4. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese when ready to serve.
8-12 servings (nytimes.com)
Shared by Spring Hill member Karen Shilling. This recipe by Melissa Clark and has many, many 5 star reviews. With the melon in this week’s bag, and ripe berries and stone fruit, this will make a beautiful fruit salad.
1. Place sugar, ¾ cup water, chili and star anise in a small pot and bring to a bow. Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes until the mixture is as thick as maple syrup and spicy tasting. Strain syrup. (Syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance. Store in the refrigerator.)
2. Toss the fruit with half of the sugar syrup, the tarragon and the basil. Add more syrup to taste, depending on how sweet and spicy you want the salad. Season
Pickling Veggies! These recipes are easy, fast ideas for pickling all the cucumbers and carrots that may be piling up in your fridge. The carrot recipe also takes advantage of the fresh jalapeños in this week’s bag. https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-pickled-carrots-247432 https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-refrigerator-pickles-83971
Arugula | Basil | Beets | Bok Choy | Braising Mix |Broccoli | Broccoli Raab | Brussels Sprouts | Cabbage | Carrots | Cauliflower | Celeriac | Chard | Cilantro | Collards | Cucumbers | Eggplant | Fennel | Garlic | Green Beans | Jalapenos | Kale | Kohlrabi | Leeks | Lettuce | Onions | Parsley | Parsnips | Pea Vines | Peppers | Potatoes| Pumpkins | Radishes | Rhubarb | Rutabagas | Scallions | Spinach | Sugar Snap Peas | Sweet Potatoes | Tomatillos | Tomatoes | Turnips | Winter Squash | Zucchini |
Not only does your visit to the farm increase the sense of community we all enjoy, but the harvesting/packing/transport of veggies is an essential part of our success. We truly rely on your participation! Many members report appreciating connecting to the land where their food is grown as well. The sooner you sign up the better (more options and helps out our delivery coordinator).