Prairie Farm, WI
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
It’s been a full week on the farm! It felt good to harvest and pack vegetables and to get into the rhythm that delivery days bring; lots of harvesting and washing on Mondays and Thursdays, more harvesting and packing on Tuesdays and Fridays and the mad scramble to get everything else done in between. The “everything else” includes things like fencing out the deer who also love your vegetables, staying on top of cultivation, trellising tomatoes and planting. We continue to plant! Just this week, we direct seeded cilantro, salad mix, and the last of the beans (a Romano type). We planted beets that will be transplanted to the field in a few weeks and we transplanted the last of the fall broccoli, savoy cabbage, and some cutting celery. Spring Hill members Cassandra and Martin got a ride on the transplanter on Friday, tucking in what will be September’s beets. Mike drove the tractor at about .1 miles per hour while Cassandra and Martin, in seats at the back of the transplanter, placed a cluster of beets into each hole that had been made and filled with water by the transplanter. It sure beats crawling along on hands and knees! This week’s big project was haymaking. It seems inevitable that we make the bulk of our hay when it’s hot and humid and indeed, that is what we did. We got a nice rack full of hay though and it should take care of most of what we hope to mulch. Lots of mulching has already been done. The tomatoes, peppers and leeks were mulched by Tuesday and Friday’s workers and we’re hoping this week’s crew will take care of the raspberries. Cucumbers, zucchini, melons, broccoli and Brussels sprouts were mulched early on and soon we’ll get to the next batch of zucchini and some of the fall crops. It’s always good to have the soil covered and especially so when we see forecasts of heavy rains. We hope you’re enjoying the vegetables and look forward to working with you this season!
1. In a large bowl, stir together vinegar and salt. Add broccoli and toss to combine.
2. In a large skillet heat olive oil to hot, but not smoking. Add garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in sesame oil and pepper flakes. Pour mixture over broccoli and toss well. Let sit for at least one hour at room temperature, and up to 48 (chill if you want to keep it for more than 2 hours). Adjust seasonings (it may need more salt) and serve.
Serves 4 (How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman; 2008)
1. Trim and core the fennel and cut into small cubes, ¼ inch or so, or into thin slices (or share it super thin on a mandolin).
2. Squeeze the juice from one of the oranges, pour it over the fennel, add salt and lime juice, and let it sit (for up to several hours) while you prepare the other oranges.
3. Peel the remaining oranges and slice into wheels, then slice in half again, removing any pits and tough, fibrous material. Add the oranges and cilantro to the fennel, toss, taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.
serves 4 (The Art of Simple Food II by Alice Waters; 2013)
Thinly sliced Napa Cabbage and Fennel will make a nice addition to the slaw; adjust the dressing and herb quantity as needed.
1. Peel the woody skin from the kohlrabi. Using a sharp knife or mandolin, cut the kohlrabi into thin slices. Then cut the slices into matchstick pieces. Do the same with the carrot.
2. Toss the vegetables with the remaining ingredients. Adjust seasonings as needed and serve.
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).