Clagett Farm

Member survey results, 2007

We got about 150 responses to the survey this year, which is terrific.  Thanks so much to all of you who took the time to do that for us. 

I can't possibly mention all of the helpful comments and ideas, so if any of you would like to read the responses in full and check out the statistical summary, you may do so for a short time through SurveyMonkey--at least until we end our subscription with them.  Just follow this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/sr.aspx?sm=WF9PtUfWHv0paNfG5sxqjYejTbFc5fSet6AOYLQCJ_2bc_3d .

Here's some of the information we've learned:

• The average number adults that you believe a share typically fed in 2007 was 2.5 (the most common answer was 2). 

• 77% of you supplemented your share with other vegetables.  The top 10 items purchased were salad mix (especially in summer, and especially lettuce), onions, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, winter squash, and fruit (I'm sure fruit would have ranked higher if we had not specifically asked only about vegetables).

• The vegetables you would most like to have received more of in your share were similar to those mentioned above, but also included beans, melons and strawberries.

• You were more united in the crops that you didn't want as much.  The top item by a long shot was eggplant (61% of you!), followed by okra, turnips, radishes, kale, summer squash, collards, bok choi, cucumbers and chile peppers.

It's worth noting that we planted 1.5 acres of sweet potatoes and harvested zero pounds, while we planted 0.2 acres of radishes and turnips and harvested about 8000 pounds.  So whether you're laughing or crying about this, at least you can rest assured we're right there with you. 

• It was fun to read which particular varieties of the crops we grew were your favorites.  We'll be following your guidance as we make our seed order in the next few weeks.  Top items mentioned were: lipstick peppers, spicy mix, all blue potatoes, bright lights chard, orient express eggplant, black prince tomatoes and royal burgandy beans.

• Most of you (74%) were satisfied with the recipes available to you.  We'll continue to fine tune how we share recipes, and work on recipes that fit the share as precisely as possible.  For those of you who mentioned you would like to know how to store the crops or that you need a more basic recipes for unfamiliar items, we recommend starting with From Asparagus to Zucchini, published by the Madison Area CSA Coalition.  We have copies on the farm we can sell you, or you can buy it inexpensively on-line.

• 74% of you were happy with the quality of your produce.  In fact it was the most commonly mentioned highlight of your shares.  But there were three items that  5% of you noted you did not eat because of quality problems: apples (buggy), tomatoes (soft or overripe) and broccoli (buggy).
  

• 92% of you found the staff helpful, informative and accomadating.  Your compliments of the staff and volunteers were very encouraging, and we would all like you to know that whatever helpfulness and good vibes that you got from us were the least that you deserve.   I don't know how conventional growers work as hard as they do without such supportive customers surrounding them.

• 15% of you noted the you-pick, especially of herbs and flowers, as one of the highlights of your membership, and 46% of you took advantage of the opportunity often, which is a big increase from years past.  Clearly the herb-flower bed has been a big hit, especially in a year when our most popular you-pick items--strawberries and tomatoes--were not producing very well.  Expect it to expand in the years to come.  It's a shame we cannot grow the same herb bed in the Dupont parking lot.  But we're trying to provide herb seedlings for your own balconies and urban gardens, and perhaps we can find a way to include fresh herbs more consistently in the Dupont share.  We also heard loud and clear that you still have trouble navigating the farm to find items in more distant fields.  We have a farm map that we will make more available, and we'll see what else we can do to make the experience easier.

• Almost unanimously, the most common suggestion for the pick-up sites was for more scales.  Got it.

• Most of you (85%) were satisfied with your communication with the farm.  But 14 of you mentioned that you would like to get your weekly email sooner, to tell you what will be in your share.  And 11 of you mentioned that you weren't able to get that email at all.  So we'll try to make that easier.

• 80% of you probably or definitely plan to buy a share again next year.  Great!  The most common response for your favorite aspects of the CSA was the quality and taste of the produce.  Other top reasons why you like being members are the fact that the food is fresh, local, organic, and you appreciate your connection to the farm and the friendly people involved.  Many of you also noted the wide selection of varieties, and that it encouraged you and/or your children to try new foods, eat more seasonably, and more vegetables in general.

• Of your least favorite aspects of the CSA, the most common reason was the inconvenience of the time and/or location of the pick-up site.  I would like to believe that someday there will be so many farmers' markets and CSAs that each of your neighborhoods will be conveniently served.  Currently, labor is the most expensive thing we buy, so making our distribution less efficient would increase the price of the share a great deal.  And yet your time is also your most valuable asset, so I empathize with you completely.  We will continue to make whatever minor adjustments we can that have the least effect on the price of your share, and you can continue to support CSAs, which will encourage more farmers to join us in serving you better. 

• It's worth mentioning the other two things that a significant number of you mentioned as your least favorite aspects of the CSA.  One is the drought and crop loss, which I also felt was the worst aspect of 2007.  Another 11% of you mentioned that you didn't get the mix of produce that you prefer (too much eggplant, not enough lettuce, etc.).  We will be increasing the price of the share in 2008, and part of that increase is because we need to increase the time and materials (such as irrigation supplies, and various fabrics to protect the plants and reduce weeds) we use to get a more consistent harvest from inconsistent weather and pest conditions.  We are mindful of our use of the Earth's precious resources, though, so we'll always have to bend our wishes to what the land can most easily provide.  We hope you'll continue to take that challenge with us.

Thank you all for supporting us in a year of challenges, for eating healthfully, for taking the time to appreciate good food, for being attentive stewards of the land and your community, and for your infectious joy.  Have a great new year!!

Yours truly,
Carrie Vaughn, and the rest of your admirers here at Clagett Farm

2007 Summary of Shares

Ever try to remember the name of a type of tomato that was in your share this year?  Or how many weeks we gave you potatoes?  This is the place to look.

We've created a chart that lists all of the varieties that we harvested (I did not include the ones we planted but failed in the drought).  And we've calculated how many weeks you received each crop, and the average amount you were offered of each crop over those weeks.  You can use Adobe Acrobat reader to view this file. 

Click here to download:
Record_of_2007_shares.pdf

We'll be asking you to fill out a survey, and sometimes it's hard to remember what you loved or missed back in June.  So this chart should help you remember what was in your share this year.

Hope you all had a terrific Thanksgiving!
-Carrie

(If you're having trouble with the link above, try pasting this in your web browser: http://cbf.typepad.com/clagett_farm/files/record_of_2007_shares5th_ed.pdf)

Quick schedule update

Here we are, in the midst of our final week of shares!  Honestly, when we were in the middle of this year's drought, I never thought we could make it all the way to the end of the season with reasonably-sized shares.  It feels like a miracle. 

Our last share pick up will be this Saturday, November 10.
Next week (probably Tuesday) we will be harvesting strictly for donation, mostly to Salvation Army and Reston Interfaith.  If you would like to join us, we would love your help.  We're not sure yet which days we will be harvesting, so if you'd like to make sure you are coming to help harvest rather than mulch garlic, give us a call first at 301-537-3038.  Next week we will also be emailing you a survey to find out what you liked and didn't about your shares this past year. 

Next weekend, beginning November 16, you are welcome to the farm to glean whatever remains in the fields. There will at least be lots of greens and herbs, and I have been told more than once by members in years past that they were eating salads from our farm's greens all the way through December.  Do you really want to get caught buying salad greens from the supermarket for Thanksgiving?  That would be silly.  We will post what's available on this weblog on November 15th, so feel free to check here if you would like to know in advance what you plan to pick before you come.  We'll post maps and signs around the farm to help you find what you're looking for.

Then the farm staff will take a much-needed break.  We'll resume making plans for next year, putting everything away for the winter, fixing up the new greenhouse, and lots of other chores after Thanksgiving.  Then Rob and I are expecting a baby in mid-January.  We're anticipating that this might delay when we send all of our returning members an invitation to sign up for 2008 shares.  So look for that in February.  New members will be invited to join by April.   Then 2008 shares will begin in mid-May! 

So that's the plan, at least.  We'll see you soon, I hope!

Your farmer,
Carrie

Okra, Clouds and Clagett Barns

Photos and recipes by Rita Calvert 2007
Most of these recipes were inspired from farm friends!

Okra Walnut Salad
Serves 8
Simple and fresh our lovely salad gets a bite from the very healthy horseradish.

1 pound fresh okra, cooked and sliced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped 
1/3 cup diced celery 
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish 
1/3 cup red wine vinaigrette 
8 cups Clagett salad greens 
1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Combine okra and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; cover and chill at least 4 hours.
Toss together okra and salad greens; sprinkle with walnuts. Serve immediately.

Okra Gumbo Freezer Mix
Makes 4 pints
What a great idea this is...an instant dinner packed away in the freezebox!

5 pounds fresh okra, sliced

6 medium onions, chopped

4 celery ribs, chopped

2 green bell peppers, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

4 bay leaves

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper

Combine all ingredients; spoon into 2 (13- x 9-inch) pans. Cover with foil.
Bake at 300° for 2 hours, stirring after 1 hour. Let cool completely; spoon into 4 (1-pint) freezer containers, and freeze up to 4 months.

Apple-and-Gorgonzola Salad With Maple Dressing
Serves 6

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 cups Clagett mixed salad greens (we love the spicy mix)

2 large sliced local apples

1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

For Dressing:
Combine first 5 ingredients (through pepper), stirring well with a whisk.

Combine greens and apple in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle salad with Gorgonzola cheese and pecans.

Pasta with Braised Squash and Greens
Serves 4


2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces cubed smoked tofu
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tiny minced hot chile pepper
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 pound summer squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces whole-wheat fusilli pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper

Put a large pot of water on to boil for cooking pasta.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add onion to the pan; cook, stirring often, until softened and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Return the tofu to the pan and add broth and squash; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes. Add chard and stir to immerse. Cover and cook until the squash and chard are tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Add the squash mixture, Parmesan, salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Spiced Apple Carrot Cake with Goat Cheese Frosting
Serves 10

Tangy yet fulfilling the sweet tooth as well as the nutrients, this fruity moist cake from Sunset magazine packs a powerful nutritional wallop without all of the fat. It certainly is fantastic as well simply dusted with cinnamon powdered sugar.

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups packed coarsely grated carrots (about 3 medium)

1 1/2 cups packed coarsely grated tart apples, such as Granny Smith (about 2 medium)

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, plus more for garnish

Frosting

10 ounce fresh, mild chèvre (goat cheese), at room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease three 9-in. round cake pans and set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, spices, cocoa, pepper, and salt. Whisk to combine, then stir in oil and eggs. Stir in carrots, apples, and 1 cup walnuts.

Divide batter among pans and bake until cakes pull away from pan sides and a cake tester inserted in each center comes out clean, 25 minutes. Transfer cakes to cooling racks and let cool 10 minutes. Turn out onto racks and let cool completely.

Beat goat cheese, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until combined.

Once cakes are cool, arrange first layer on a large plate or platter. Spread some frosting over it, then top with second layer. Frost second layer and top with the third. Generously frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Chill cake at least 1 hour. Before serving, press walnuts lightly into sides of cake.

Rain! Field update.

Hooray!  We've now had two good, soaking rains--one last Monday, and another yesterday.  Everyone's mood is lifted here.  But quite a bit of damage has already been done, and I thought it was worth another update.  I know this message is long, so if you want the summary: a lot of your crops died, life continues. 

• Sweet potatoes are gone.  They grew so slowly that they couldn't withstand the onslaught of deer that were recently displaced from the housing development next door.  I've never seen so many deer tracks in one field!  I don't think we'll get significant control over the deer population until this winter, so we replaced the crop in that field with a last minute planting of winter and summer squash, which they don't seem to like as much.
• About one third of the winter squash field (which includes pumpkins, butternuts, spaghetti squash, acorns, etc) germinated.  So what's there looks good, but the rest never came up because it was too dry.
  
• Our first two successions of sweet corn did not survive.  The third and fourth are ready this week.  They have substantially fewer ears than normal, but we're trying our best to get everyone one good ear. 
• We have two tomato fields.  One stopped producing completely for a while, and has now begun flowering again.  We were finally able to irrigate the second field, which has been plugging away like a champ. 
  
• I have been in awe of our summer squash fields.  Most years they are exceedingly susceptible to fungus and insect damage. We plant it five times so that as one succession dies, the next one begins producing.  Our 3rd and 4th successions never grew without any rain, but hallelujah, the 2nd one just keeps on kicking out fruit.  We just planted the 5th succession, so let's hope the 2nd round waits another month to kick the bucket. 
• We have never taken such special care with our eggplants, and they have never been so abundant. 
• Peppers were looking pretty sad in July, but now they are irrigated and looking much better.  The sweet Italia peppers have been especially tasty lately.  And we have a number of chile peppers we'll begin harvesting this week.  They've survived neglect and dry weather miraculously, and we should have quite a few poblano peppers for the share this week.  Get out your chiles rellenos and mole recipes!
• The garlic is still drying happily in the barn--you should get a head per week through November.   
• We have an extra garden bed of basil planted in front of where your cars park at the washing station, so ask us if you don't see it.  We have more than we can give away, apparently. 
  
• We ambitiously planted three different successions of 4 varieties of sunflowers this summer.  They were supposed to bloom one row at a time for 9 weeks.  But they were all too clever for me.  They waited and waited and then last Monday after our first rain in months, they ALL bloomed.  So please please please come pick sunflowers!  They're in the field beside just past the washing station all glowing yellow and black and happy as can be.  We've tried to bring some to Dupont but they don't travel well nor fit well in the van, so it's much better if you can make a little trip to pick them. 
• We plant beans and cucumbers in the same series of successions as summer squash.  The 2nd succession of beans has been producing in fits and starts, but still lives.  There's a good chance when these die, we'll have no more beans for the season.  Better luck next year.  Cucumbers fared even worse.  The second succession never began fruiting, and that looks like it for the year, unless our fifth succession finds a way to produce before the first frost. 
• Melons.  Like the sweet potatoes, what the drought hasn't taken, the deer and groundhogs have.  Not only do we have a higher population of animals than normal, but in dry years they can't find enough clover in the pastures so the vegetable fields usually ignore.    I still see some plants and they've begun flowering again, so maybe we'll get a few eventually.  There's a couple of volunteer melons at the washing station which get watered regularly and avoided by the shy deer.  Those fat melons have been taunting me--as if to prove what a little irrigation could have done if I had laid my plans better. 
• Considering our yield of potatoes in past years, I think this year they did quite well.  We're estimating we have enough this year for everyone to get a pound and a half each week for five weeks. 
• Okra is the most drought-resistant plant I've ever seen, once it gets established.  We have lots of healthy, productive plants that we'll be putting on the you-pick list soon.
• Of the fall crops that we are just now planting--broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, greens and roots--we're trying to increase our original plan to make up for the lack of sweet potatoes and winter squash. 
• Our strawberries are June-bearing, so why are we mentioning them now?  We planted next year's crop this spring and they've been hit hard.  We're investing significant cash in a fall-planted variety and the re-usable black plastic it gets planted into.  So there's still a chance we'll  recover.
• And just in case you thought plants were all we're growing this year, we are also expecting a baby.  Yours truly is pregnant, due in January!  Since I know terrifyingly little about how to grow humans, your advice and hand-me-downs are welcome.  I'm still trying to figure out how we'll include it in the share next year.  You-pick?

Happy rain, everyone.
-Carrie

The effect of this drought on your crops

By Carrie Vaughn

It's been about a month and a half since the farm has had a good, soaking rain.  We've had a few frustrating weeks when most of your homes in DC and north of us in Maryland got heavy rains while the storms passed us by completely.  And every week it seems like we get an afternoon with heavy clouds and even a touch of sprinkling rain, but before the rain even gets the ground wet or soaks through our shirts, the storm dissipates and moves on.   

I don't mean to sound gloomy.  In fact, we all know it will rain eventually, and we're amazed that there is still so much to harvest when the ground is as hard and dry as concrete.  Where does the water come from that keeps filling these squashes and cucumbers? 

So here's the current status of your crops:
Your winter squash, melons and sweet potatoes are alive but aren't growing.  At best, we'll be harvesting them rather late.  Your tomatoes are heavily loaded with fruit but are ripening very slowly.  The eggplants are irrigated and doing better than we've ever seen eggplants on this farm in the last 9 years.  Wow! 

Beans have produced fewer than most years, but still amaze us when we get anything at all.  And cucumbers and squash seem to be plugging away pretty normally.  They're vulnerable to lots of pests and diseases, so even though the dry weather has cut into their production, there's always something that goes wrong with those crops, so we're pretty happy with what we're getting.  And have you noticed how you don't have to peel those yummy little baby lemon cucumbers?  Unfortunately, the young squash and cucumber plants that should replace the ones that we're harvesting now are very delayed by the dry weather, so we may end up with a few weeks that are very light. 

The okra don't seem to mind the dry soil one bit, and they're producing nicely.  We're not sure yet how the corn will fare.  Dry weather inhibits pollination, so even when the plants look good, the ears might not fill out.  We have our fingers crossed. 

We tried growing a mid-summer crop of lettuce under shade cloth and heavily irrigated.  We harvested it last week and it was magnificent--even better than our last crop of lettuce in June.  So we'll be expanding on that experiment next year. 

We have the capacity to irrigate more of our fields, and we have begun doing so.  But laying out the drip tape, repairing it as it breaks, and then pulling it up again at the end of a crop's life is extremely time-consuming, especially since we try to re-use the delicate drip tape rather than throw away all that plastic.  That's why we don't begin each field with irrigation every time it's available.  Labor isn't cheap these days!  Since most of our summer crops are relatively tolerant to dry weather, we don't irrigate them unless absolutely necessary. 

So we have our work cut out for us.  But as I said, we're amazed and grateful for what we still have, and we're eagerly awaiting that long, soaking rain, whenever it finally hits us. 

Bone Dry Down on the Farm – Just ask the dogs

Clagett Farm Recipes
Photos and Recipes~Rita Calvert 2007

Farm Talk from Michael Heller

Bone Dry Down on the Farm – Just ask the dogs
 
Old Mr. Devaughn dropped by the farm the other day.  He’s 86, but hard work and tobacco have conspired to make him look older.  He brought with him two 5 gallon buckets of unshelled limas.  He’d picked them that morning starting at 7 “before it got so goshed darn hot”. Just being neighborly, and also one of his many thank yous for us letting him walk the farm with his young rabbit dogs from time to time. He grew up on the farm next door with his tenant-farming family.  But he doesn’t live there any more.  Coming here nurtures early memories, which he often shares with us.  This morning he talks about the drought.
        “I ain’t never seen it so dry – not even in the 30’s and them days was dry!   Snooky Catner over on Osborne is feedin’ hay to his cows like its winter.  Lots of others is doin’ the same. “Why heck there’s lots of years we had the fire department to bring us water, ‘cuz the well wazn’t but 35’ deep.  But this year! – why them dogs can’t even hunt.  I put ‘em out with a rabbit not 10 yards away, and they couldn’t pick up a scent it was that dry. I’ve gived up even runnin’ the dogs.” 

Concia Zucchini with Mint and Vinegar from Cucina Ebraica by Joyce Goldstein

4 to 6 small zucchini, (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or basil 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 
2 large cloves garlic, minced 
6 tablespoons olive oil 
4 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar

Cut the zucchini into 1/4 inch thick slices, or to prepare it Veneto fashion, cut the zucchini lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and let stand in a colander for 30 minutes to drain off any bitter juices. Rinse and pat dry. In a small bowl, combine the mint or basil, parsley, and garlic. Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. In batches, add the zucchini and cook, turning as needed, until golden on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a shallow serving dish and sprinkle with some of the mint mixture and some of the vinegar. Repeat with the rest of the zucchini, mint mixture, and vinegar. Leave at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, basting occasionally with vinegar in the dish, before serving.

Food of the Week . . . Swiss Chard
Did you know that Swiss chard promotes healthy bones and vision? It is a very good non-dairy source of calcium and an excellent source of vitamin K, which plays an important role in maintaining bone health since it activates osteocalcin, the major non-collagen protein in bone. Swiss chard's rich supply of magnesium is also necessary for healthy bones. About two-thirds of the magnesium in the human body is found in our bones. Some helps give bones their physical structure, while the rest is found on the surface of the bone where it is stored for the body to draw upon as needed. Swiss chard is also an excellent source of vitamin A and is rich in beta-carotene, two important nutrients for healthy vision. In a study of over 50,000 women, those who consumed the highest dietary amount of vitamin A had a 39% reduced risk of developing cataracts. Chard is also a concentrated source of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, two powerful antioxidants that concentrate in the lens and retina to protect them from oxidative damage.Carotenoids have been found to reduce risk of developing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

Mediterranean Swiss Chard
Serves 2

Swiss chard is one of the super foods rich in many nutrients, including anti-oxidants. We have created this recipe so you can eat it often with many meals. The simple dressing complements it very well. When the chard is fresh it needs nothing else to be delicious and satisfying. Don’t overlook the stems as they add extra fiber with close to the same nutrients s the leaves--just chop them into smaller pieces.
2 large bunches chopped Swiss chard
1 medium clove garlic, pressed
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice
extra virgin olive oil to taste
salt and black pepper to taste

Bring lightly salted water to a rapid boil in a large pot. Cut off tough bottom part of stems.
Add the chopped stems and leaves to the boiling water and simmer for only 3-5 minutes, until tender.

Drain in a colander and press out excess water. Toss with rest of ingredients. Make sure you don't toss
chard with dressing until you are ready to serve. Otherwise the flavor will become diluted.

Okra with Coriander and Tomatoes

1 pound chopped tomatoes
1 pound fresh okra
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions thinly sliced
 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon sugar
finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
salt and ground black pepper
 
Trim off any stalks from okra and leave whole. Heat oil in a saute pan and fry the onions
and coriander for 3-4 minutes until beginning to color.
 
Add okra and garlic and fry for 1 minute. Gently stir in the tomatoes and sugar and simmer
for about 15 minutes, until okra is tender, stirring onceor twice. Stir in lemon rind and
juice and add salt and pepper to taste, adding a little more sugar if necessary. Serve warm or cold.

 
Okra - Japanese style
This is a very general ethnic recipe where a pinch of this or a dad of that is up to you.

1. Boil okra - don't overboil too much because it gets stickier.
2. Wash it in cold water (to keep the color green).
3. Cut (bite size) in pieces.
4. Put them in a bowl.
5. If you can find Japanese dried bonito frakes (called katsuobushi, which is sold in any oriental store), put them on the okra.
6. Pour a couple of drops of soy sauce (don't over do it!) and a drop of mirin (which you can find in any oriental store)
7. Mix them lightly, and done!
 

Baked Summer Squash with Pesto Crumbs
This can be served as a whole meal, over wild rice and garnished with toasted pecans.

3 pounds mixed summer squash
3 tablespoons. butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup half-and-half
3/4 teaspoon. salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon mace
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 shallots, minced
4 scallions, finely chopped
½ cup Pesto Bread Crumbs Recipe (see below)

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 2 ½ to 3 quart casserole dish with cover. Trim squash and cut into large chunks (about 1 ½ inches). Arrange squash pieces in casserole and set aside. Melt butter and olive oil together in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients, blending thoroughly. Pour sauce mixture over squash, tossing until squash is coated. Cover casserole and bake 40 minutes. Toss squash gently and spoon juices and seasonings from the bottom of dish over squash. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake uncovered for 10 minutes longer, until squashes are tender when pierced with a knife.
Adapted from More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Renee Shepherd.

Pesto Bread Crumbs
Makes 2 cups
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
3 tablespoons roasted pine nuts
1 ½ cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until thoroughly blended. After using, refrigerate any leftovers.

Squash Pancakes

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
4 medium summer squashes, grated
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/3 cup each chopped fresh parsley, basil and cilantro
2 tablespoons minced shallot or green onion
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
Mix together eggs and milk. Add squash, herbs and shallots. Then mix in the cheese. Add slowly the bread crumbs and flour and mix well. In a large, heavy, non-stick skillet, melt 1T butter until it starts to brown. Spoon about 1/4C of mixture into the pan and flatten a bit with the spoon. You might be able to fit 2 pancakes into the same pan at once. When the edges show a little browning turn with a spatula. Cook the other side until it is also golden brown. Keep pancakes warm in the oven until they are all cooked.

Cream of Zucchini and Pernod Soup(CREME DE COURGETTES A L'ANIS )
Serves 6

This hot or cold soup with our most abundant zucchini is dressed up beautifully with the earthy flavor of anise from the fennel seed and the French liqueur, Pernod.

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups chopped zucchini (from about 6 medium zucchini) 
1 large onion, chopped 
2 cups water 
4 garlic cloves, chopped 
1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds 
1 fresh thyme sprig 
2 tablespoons crème fraîche or whipping cream 
2 tablespoons Pernod or other anise_flavored liqueur 
Additional olive oil
fresh basil buds

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped zucchini and chopped onion and sauté until onion is translucent, about 15 minutes. Add 2 cups water, chopped garlic, 1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds and thyme sprig. Stir in 2 tablespoons crème fraîche and 2 tablespoons Pernod. Simmer soup uncovered 20 minutes. Remove thyme sprig from soup. Working in batches, purée soup in processor until smooth. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Return to saucepan and rewarm over medium heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and serve. Garnish with basil.

Summer Squash with Toasted Garlic and Lime
Serves 4

1 pound zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 scant tsp salt, plus more to season finished dish
2 tablespoons vegetable broth for sauteing
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (can sub fresh lemon juice)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons freshly chopped oregano
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

In a large skillet, saute the garlic in the vegetable broth until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove garlic and set aside. Raise heat to
medium-high. Add squash to pan and saute for 8-10 minutes, until tender but a little crunchy.

Stir in lime juice, oregano, parsley, pepper, roasted garlic, and salt to taste. Mix well.

Paul's Zuke Soup
Serves 6-8

This yummy soup makes use of much of the Clagett bounty.

1 onion, sliced 
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 
3 pounds zucchini (8 or so medium ones), chopped 
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock 
2 cups water 
1/2 cup parsley leaves 
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 
4 strips bacon, fried, drained and crumbled 
salt and pepper 
freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
homemade croutons 
Additional chopped basil for garnish

Place onion, garlic, zucchini, stock, water, parsley, basil, bacon and dashes of salt and pepper in a large stockpot. Simmer until zucchini is very tender. Process in a blender until very smooth. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot, sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, croutons and additional chopped basil.

Vegetable Kebabs with Mustard Sauce
Serves 4

Add shrimp if you like since they cook as quickly as the vegetables.

16 baby carrots (about 8 ounces), peeled
16 baby yellow scallop squash* (about 8 ounces) or 3/4 pound yellow squash
16 baby zucchini (about 6 ounces) or 3/4 pound zucchini
16 red or white pearl onions (about 6 ounces)
1 1/2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 large red bell peppers (about 9 ounces), cut into sixteen pieces
2-by-3/4-inch pieces
eight 12-inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water to cover 1 hour

In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook carrots 1 minute. Add yellow squash and zucchini and cook vegetables 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking and drain well in a colander. Transfer vegetables to a bowl. (If using larger yellow squash and zucchini cut them into a total of thirty-two 3/4-inch pieces.) In boiling water remaining in pan cook onions 4 minutes and transfer with slotted spoon to bowl of ice and cold water. Drain onions well in colander and peel, leaving root ends intact.
Vegetables may be boiled 1 day ahead and chilled in sealable plastic bags.

In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, mustard, oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Basting sauce can be made 1 day ahead.

Prepare grill.

Thread vegetables, alternating them, onto skewers. Brush one side of kebabs with about half of sauce and grill,coated side down, on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 5 minutes. Brush kebabs with remaining sauce and turn. Grill kebabs 5 minutes more, or until squash is tender.

Inspired Cooking From the Farm

Clagett Farm Recipes~ Inspired Cooking From the Farm
Photos and Recipes~Rita Calvert 2007

Overheard at the Farm:
A savvy farming-type person let us know that she fertilizes any herbs growing in a pot by saving
her vegetable cooking water to feed those guys.

Chop Chop
Yes I DO mean Chop Chop. You know how chow chow made it. So you take whatever the harvest is for the week and you coarsely chop it up and toss. Voila-speedy, simple, fresh!

Pick and choose great selection from the weekly harvest such as:
radishes
summer squash
garlic scapes
carrots
cucumbers
snopeas or sugar snaps, sliced on the diagonal

lemon balm leaves
dill
basil or anise hyssop leaves

Place the clean produce in a food processor and coarsely chop. Add the herbs last. The Chop Chop keeps best refrigerator “naked” and will last for a few days. Drizzle with citrus and olive oil just before serving or toss with Clagett Vinaigrette.

Sesame Sauteed Greens

1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 bunch green chard
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 bunch turnip tops
1 bunch beet greens
2 Cups cabbage, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
 
In a skillet, over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds in the oil until they begin to pop. Quickly add onions and garlic and sauté until the onions begin to soften. Add cabbage, green chard, beet greens, and turnip tops. Sauté until greens begin to wilt. Add sesame oil and sauté, stirring to mix flavors.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Cabbage should be al dente and greens wilted.

Serve with roasted fowl or favorite veggie entrée.

Colorful Cole Slaw with Fresh Garlic Scapes and Herbs
 
Yield: 2 quarts
The delightful thing about this salad is its versatility. By varying the types of cabbage, peppers, onions and herbs, you can have a different cole slaw each time you make it
 
8 cups assorted cabbages, finely shredded or slivered (green, purple, Chinese, Nappa, Savoy)
1/2 cup thinly sliced garlic scapes
1/2 cup shredded carrots
a bit of jalapeno or dragon chile for a spicy bite
1 cup assorted onions, thinly slivered or sliced (red, yellow, or scallions
1 cup herbs, finely chopped (flat leaf parsley, dill, cilantro, thyme)

Dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise or silken tofu
2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar (white wine, rice or tarragon vinegar)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
 
Place all of the vegetables and herbs in a large bowl.
Mix all dressing ingredients until very smooth. If you use tofu, mix in food processor, blender or with an egg beater. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Combine well and chill.(Best eaten within 2 days).
 

Food of the Week . . . Strawberries
Strawberries are the food of the week. Did you know that strawberries contain unique phenolic phytonutrients that serve as potent antioxidants, which have repeatedly been shown to help protect cell structures in the body and to prevent oxygen damage in all of the body.s organ systems? Phenols not only make strawberries a heart-protective fruit, but an anti-inflammatory one as well. Like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, phenols block the enzyme cyclo-oxygenase (or COX) whose over activity has been shown to contribute to unwanted inflammation, such as that which is involved in rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, asthma, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Specific phenolic compounds known as anthocyanins also provide strawberries with their beautifully characteristic red color.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
 Serves 6

Future Harvest CASA recently held their 1st annual fundraiser at Boordy Vineyards. Michael Heller and family, Carrie, Rob, Craig were all there from Clagett farm. We had a lovely time on the lush grounds of the vineyard and got to partake of local food prepared by 2 of our Sustainable Chefs, Ned Atwater and John Shields. Ned made the most scrumptious Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp topped with freshly whipped cream from his favorite local dairy. Try it~so simple so irresistible
 
3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup fresh rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 to 2 cups sugar (depending on tartness of fruit)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup local butter
freshly whipped (local) heavy cream
 
Instructions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place strawberries and rhubarb in ungreased pyrex pie plate or baking dish, 10 x 6 x 1-1/2 inches. Sprinkle with salt. Measure sugar, flour and cinnamon into bowl. Add butter and mix thoroughly until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over fruit.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm with whipped cream.

10 Minute Fresh Berry Dessert with Yogurt & Chocolate
Serves 2

This 10 minute dessert combines our favorite flavors in a quick and easy way that is rich tasting, yet healthier than many desserts. The chocolate is a great complement to berries and yogurt.
1 basket fresh strawberries (or raspberries)
8 oz low fat vanilla yogurt
2 oz melted dark chocolate

Fold together yogurt and berries.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler with heat on medium. Place berries and yogurt in individual bowls and drizzle with melted chocolate.

* For a more formal presentation you may want to pour a pool of yogurt on a plate and place berries on top of pool. Drizzle chocolate over berries.

Clagett Farm Recipes~Untapped Resources

Photos and Recipes~Rita Calvert 2007

So the message this week appears to be don’t discredit the stems and leaves! Again big time health benefits and/or essence for stock.

Tidbits Overheard at the farm while picking a few strawberries:
A “new to Clagett” young couple are grateful to be part of the CSA team. They missed out 2006 season and got on the waiting list for 2007. Now happily eating lush flavorful produce, they wonder why Clagett can’t just grow more!!  Farmer Carrie, maybe folks need to understand all that you handle and the complex system to expand growing areas!

Untapped Resources
Serves 2
In the directions below we use the steam saute technique. The water should cover the bottom of the pan up to about  1-inch.

1 tablespoon Asian toasted sesame oil
1 inch fresh water
8 ounces baby carrots
3 baby white turnips scrubbed with leaves and stems coarsely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
fresh thyme leaves, chopped

In a medium skillet, place the oil and water and heat until boiling on high. When boiling, add the carrots, turnips, leaves, stems and cover with a lid. Continue steaming until tender when pierced with a fork. Time will vary with the size of your pan but generally after 4-6 minutes. Remove vegetables (you can display them separately or mixed) and sprinkle with salt, pepper and fresh thyme.


Steak and Lettuce Wraps
Serves 4

Our sprightly spring lettuce replaces a tortilla or rice pancake in this casual fare.

1 pound flank steak
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup diced peeled cucumber
4  radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic scallions
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 head Boston  or Bibb lettuce, leaves separated

Preheat grill to medium-high. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the steak for 6 to 8 minutes per side for medium. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices.

Combine the sliced steak, cucumber, radish, garlic scallions, mint, basil and cilantro in a large bowl. Mix sugar, soy sauce, lime juice and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over the steak mixture; toss well to coat. To serve, spoon a portion of the steak mixture into a lettuce leaf and roll into a 'wrap.'

Grated Carrot and Black Olive Salad
Serves 3-4
from Simplicity from a Monastery Kitchen by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette

5 large carrots, sliced julienne style
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 green onions or 1 shallot, thinly sliced
15 medium whole black olives, pitted
4 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
sea salt and pepper  to taste

Place the julienned carrots in a big deep bowl. Add the parsley, shallots, and black olives. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, place the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly with a fork until a smooth sauce is achieved. Pour the sauce over the carrot mixture and mix the ingredients well. Refrigerate the salad and keep cold until ready to serve.

Carrot Yogurt Soup
Serves 4-6

We’re making everything with those Clagett sweet baby carrots so this recipe is adapted from Sunset's Make-Ahead Cookbook

2 tablespoon cooking oil
2 large garlic scallions chopped (should be cut in half, cleaned and then white and light green parts chopped. The dark green parts can be tossed or used to make stock.)
1 garlic clove or 1 stalk green garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon each curry powder and flour
3 cups stock: chicken or vegetable
3 large or 6 medium or 1 pound baby carrots, scrubbed and sliced
1 cup plain yogurt
cayenne pepper, ground
1/3 cup chopped, toasted salted peanuts

Heat oil in 3-4 quart pan over med. heat. When oil is hot, add onion, then garlic, stirring, until onion is soft. (About 10 minutes). Add curry powder and flour; continue to cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add broth and carrots. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender when pierced (15 to 20 minutes).

Blend with immersion blender, food processor or regular blender with 3/4 cup of the yogurt until pureed. Season to taste with S and P and cayenne (use sparingly!). Let cool; cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day or freeze for up for 4 months.) Thaw overnight or defrost in microwave.

To serve: Serve at room temperature or hot. Garnish with peanuts, yogurt, and if you like carrot curls you can make by using a vegetable peeler and 'peeling' long carrot curls from a carrot. Put these curls in a small bowl of ice water to help them stay curly and crunchy before you serve them in the soup.

Toasted Anise Strips
Serves 12

These lovely bar cookies are actually a style biscotti (meaning twice baked). You can also add chopped lavendar leaves and any herb with a lemon essence. The cookies are great with the Chilled Strawberry Soup.

1/4 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon anise extract
1 tablespoon freshly chopped anise hyssop
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add extract. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Spread half of the batter onto a greased baking sheet, forming an 11-in. x 5-in. rectangle. Repeat with remaining batter on a second baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Remove from baking sheets; cut into 1-in. slices. Place with cut side down on baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

Chilled Strawberry Soup
Serves 4

This recipe is “just in case” you get too many strawberries although Clagett’s this year are so sweet they don’t last long enough for soup!

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups very cold water
2½ cups fresh strawberries (save a few to use as a garnish)
2 tablespoons sugar
Juice and zest of one lime
1 cup unsweetened apple juice
½ cup nonfat vanilla yogurt

Mix cornstarch with 1 cup of the cold water. In a saucepan, combine blueberries, cornstarch mixture, remaining water, sugar, lime juice and zest, and apple juice. Cook over low heat for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.  Allow mixture to cool for 30 minutes. Mix in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Chill well, at least one hour, then pour soup into bowls.  Swirl a dollop of yogurt into each bowl. Garnish with berries, and serve.

The horses and their babies were fed a few treats from the Clagett trimmings of carrots and garlic scallions.

Clagett Farm Recipes~Burst of Spring Pickins’ 2007

by Rita Calvert, a chef and worksharer at Clagett Farm

Number One item: It's great to be back in touch with ya'll after what seemed like a long drawn-out winter. We were really just waiting to get back to the farm for some good "Farm chit chat"!

Mother Nature's Little Secret
We bet you didn't realize that those spicy somewhat bitter greens such as the “spicy mix” containing peppery arugula or watercress pack a whollop of nutrition. It has been said by an Indian chef that Americans need to be converted to the "bitter" taste. So load up and blend these greens with milder ones.

Tips & Tidbits
I overhead a mom saying she spreads peanut butter on just the stems of bok choy to feed her 6 & 7  year old children. The bok choy is finished before they realize it’s not celery.

Chesapeake Spring Salad
Serves 4

Since local is important, as well as organic, I will attempt to bring you recipes with suggestions and sources for locally and sustainably-produced products.

6 cups Clagett Farm romaine and salad greens
1 cup fresh strawberries, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup “Chesapeake Honey” Walnuts (see below)
Chapel Country Creamery Cave Aged Chapelle Cheese, shaved
Herbes de Clagett Vinaigrette (see below)

“Chesapeake Honey” Walnuts
2 cups walnut halves
1/2 cup local honey
sprinkle sea salt
Place the walnuts on a greased microwave safe plate. Drizzle with honey and toss. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Microwave for 2-3 minutes, tossing every minute to coat. Spread warm nuts on wax paper in a single layer to cool.

Herbes de Clagett Vinaigrette
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons peeled fresh garlic
8 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons chopped lemon zest
4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, thyme)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
To make the Vinaigrette: in a small food processor, combine all ingredients and blend for 45 seconds to 1 minute until emulsified.

To assemble the salad:
Line plates with greens. Top with strawberries, walnuts and cheese shavings. Drizzle with vinaigrette.


Black Bean Vegetable Soup with Locally Grown Toppings                      
Serves 6-8

Half of the black beans in this spicy soup are pureed with tomatoes, the other half are simmered with carrots, onion and other veggies.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
6 leaves bok choy, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups vegetable stock
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup salsa (your choice of spiciness)

Locally Grown Toppings
thinly sliced garlic chives
grated cheddar cheese
chopped fresh radish

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, garlic, and carrots, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add chili powder and cumin; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add stock, 1 can of the beans.
Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, puree together tomatoes and remaining can of beans; add to pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until carrots are tender. Finally, add salsa and black pepper.  Serve with your choice of toppings.



Farm and Sea Salad
Serves 4

2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained
1/4 cup finely diced celery
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely scallion salt & black pepper to taste
1 medium head romaine lettuce, chopped
1/3 cup chopped radish

Sunflower Seed Dressing
3 medium cloves garlic, pressed
1 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
cracked black pepper
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
4 ounces silken tofu
1 teaspoon chopped fresh  herbs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil a little water to thin if necessary

Mix tuna, celery, walnuts, parsley, onion, salt and pepper. Blend dressing ingredients in blender adding oil a little at a time at end (to incorporate.) Blend well to make sure sunflower seeds are ground. Mix desired amount of dressing with tuna mixture. Serve on bed of chopped romaine lettuce with chopped radish.

Enchiladas with Greens

One Straw Farm is an organic “outreach” place with one fiesty “Lady Joan Norman” as half of the farmer team. Rumor has it that her Swiss Chard Burritos are incredible. Here is the base recipe for using your choice of greens. Also use corn or flour tortillas as you prefer.

1 bunch greens- chard, collards, kale or a mixture of the greens
2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Chapel Creamery (Easton) cheddar cheese
corn  or flour tortillas
salsa of choice

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Sauté the greens in oil and garlic. Make a cheese sauce with milk, cheese, flour and butter. Mix cheese sauce into greens. Place the mixture into a tortilla, roll and place onto a greased baking dish. Cover with salsa and bake @ 375 for 20 min.

Spring Greens & Herb Risotto
Serves 2

This makes a generous amount of pesto, so use half and freeze the rest for the next time you make risotto.

For the spinach & herb pesto
3/4 cup densely packed stemmed spinach leaves
1/4 cup mixed flat-leaf parsley, thyme and tarragon leaves
1/4 cup chicken stock, as needed

For the risotto
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock; more if needed
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Prepare the spinach and herb pesto -- Put the spinach and herbs in a food processor or a blender. Process, adding a little stock to loosen if needed, until well combined. The pesto should resemble a very thick soup. Set aside.

Make the risotto -- Bring the stock to a boil; reduce to a simmer. In a medium, heavy-gauge saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 2 Tbs. of the butter. Stir in the rice, toasting just until it starts to sizzle and pop, about 1 min. It should not color. Add the onion, stirring constantly, and cook until translucent, 1 to 2 min. Stir in the wine.

When almost all the liquid has disappeared, after about 1 min., add just enough hot stock to cover the rice. Lower the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer; stir occasionally. When the stock is almost gone, again add enough stock to cover the rice, along with a pinch of salt. Check the risotto every 3 or 4 min., giving an occasional stir to make sure it isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan, adding just enough stock to cover the rice when the liquid has almost disappeared.

Continue this way until the rice is just al dente, about 20 min. total cooking time. Bite into a grain; you should see a white pin-dot in the center. Take the risotto off the heat. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. butter. Stir in half of the herb pesto (freeze the rest for another time) and the cheese. Stir vigorously for a few seconds. The risotto should be moist and creamy, not runny. Add more stock to loosen the risotto if you like, and more salt to taste, if needed. Serve immediately.

Photos and Recipes~Rita Calvert 2007

Our 2007 crop plans

by Carrie Vaughn

Each winter we make big plans for everything we'll plant in the year to come.  I'm overcome with irrational optimism with occasional waves of dread.  Generally we expect about 80% of what we plant in the ground to successfully produce a crop that makes it to your table.  Depending on whether I'm feeling optimistic or dreadful, that might seem like it's right on the mark or too high.

Ocassionally someone wants to know details about which varieties we're planting and how much.  For those of you interested enough to try to make sense of my spreadsheet, you're more than welcome to check it out.  I've tried to attach it below as an Open Office document (you can download this software for free from the web) and an Excel document (I think it worked--let me know if it didn't).

Download 2007 crop_plans.ods (Open Office)

Download 2007 crop_plans.xls (Excel)

 

Looking back at 2006

by Carrie and Gail

Now that the 2006 season has ended, we thought it would be helpful to give you all a summary of how things went.

2006 Season Results: The Raw Numbers
77,474 pounds harvested
~    an increase of 9,119 pounds from 2005
~    an increase of 11,416 pounds from 2004

Distribution:
~    51% sold as full-priced shares to CSA members
~    7% earned by worksharers
~    45% distributed to low-income individuals (up from 36% in 2005)*.

The Share
~    27 weeks (an extra week from 2005)
~    average share was 7 pounds (down 1 pound from 2005)

2006 Season Results: Our Thoughts
Our goal was to distribute 50% of our harvest to low-income folks this year, so we got closer but did not quite reach it.  Even though we increased the number of total pounds harvested, the increase went more to low-income families which resulted in a lower per-week share average for CSA members. In the end, you received roughly the same amount of vegetables as last year, however, because we extended the share by one week.

It is clear to us that the average weekly share size this year was too small, and increasing the size and value of your share will be our primary focus for 2007.

Feedback from CSA Members- Thanks!
    As in previous years, many of you (63.2%) felt that a single share typically feeds 2 adults.  And most of you (85%) supplemented your share with other vegetables, such as onions, carrots and summer lettuce.  There were no items that a majority of you wanted less of or none at all. There were 11 items that most respondents wanted more: asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, corn, spinach, strawberries and sweet potatoes.

We had a total okra crop failure this year, and perhaps that means many of your prayers were answered.  As ever, this is a polarizing vegetable.  64% were happy that we got none at all while 36% of respondents wanted more.

Spinach and strawberries were the only items that no one wanted to get less of, which offers us one of those rare opportunities when we could please EVERYONE. Fruit (blueberries especially), onions, celery and brussel sprouts were the ones that ranked highest among new crops we should start growing next year.

And of the specific varieties that people prefered, all types of tomatoes were the stand-out favorites, especially Striped German, Black Prince and Garden Peach.  Among the heirloom tomatoes, the Striped German is a very poor producer and what we can harvest usually spoils before it gets to the pick-up.  But man, it sure is delicious.  During tomato season, it’s not a bad idea to plan on a picnic at the farm!  Picking your own tomatoes and eating them straight off the vine is one of the enjoyable moments of being a shareholder in a local farm; tomatoes will never taste the same once they’ve been put in a truck.

The vast majority of you appreciated our additional labeling this year, with some good suggestions.  My favorite comment was, “The kids enjoyed taste-testing different varieties. They tried veggies they wouldn't normally eat in the name of science.”

We heard loud and clear that many of you missed getting the weekly email about what was in the share.  We'll try this winter to iron out a system that allows you to easily choose what kinds of emails you get from us so no one's inbox fills with junk and everyone gets the information they need.  Bear with us!  On the opposite side of the communication spectrum, we're finally getting close to saturating the need for recipes.  There were several requests for more summer squash and kohlrabi recipes.

Most of you (70%) were satisfied with the quality of all your produce, but there was a significant number who were disappointed with the bugginess (11 respondents) and/or poor taste (6 respondents) of the sweet corn.  Sweet corn is a troublesome crop for organic growers because the best way to eliminate corn ear worms is to dab the corn silks at just the right time with Bt (an enzyme lethal to caterpillars but non-toxic to everything else) and horticultural oil.  This can be quite time consuming and expensive.  Corn also has a narrow window when it is sweet, so the timing can be tricky to make sure every share gets a fair amount of premium-quality ears.  Some years we're luckier than others.  Note, also, that conventional growers use seed treated with fungicide, so they can plant corn earlier in the season than we do.  Our suggestion is to join us for harvest on any Tuesday or Saturday around 7:30 or 8am during sweet corn season.  Corn is never sweeter than the moment after it's harvested, and a good harvester tests a few ears each morning just to be sure we're getting a good crop.  Fortunately, raw corn makes a great breakfast.

We got lots of good suggestions for improving you-pick for the coming year, including making more maps available and clippers and signs in the field.  Our own line drawings of the farm have been difficult for people to understand, so we might solicit the help of a professional artist.  There was also plenty of encouragement to include more items on the you-pick list, which is generally limited by what crops we are able to grow in excess, and how accessible their fields happen to be.

As for the pick-up sites, we concur with the suggestion that staff should wear nametags or some  identifying article of clothing so you all would know to whom to direct questions.  Most of you were quite positive about your experiences with us, although the biggest hassle was certainly getting to the pick-up site each week.

It sounds like there's also a feeling among some that we should have a spring event to help you all get to know each other and get oriented with the farm and fields.  That's a great idea.  And we'll also work out a way that you can contact other members in your area before shares begin so you can coordinate pick-ups.

The End
    All good things come to an end, and this email is the official end of the 2006 Clagett Farm CSA season. From all of us at From The Ground Up! CSA, we just want to say thanks again for sharing this experience with us and making Clagett farm part of your lives. The direct relationship between grower and consumer is a rich one that CSA’s strive to recover. Have a great winter! We hope to see you all again next May.

*Last year we would have told you that we had to distruted 42% to low-income individuals, but that's because we used to include the food distributed to worksharers.  Since not all worksharers are low-income, we made two separate categories this year.

Gleaning - for the determined scavenger

by Farmer Carrie

This evening ends our final vegetable pick-up for the year.  It's been a curious year--not a bad harvest but definitely unpredictable in a stressful sort of way.  I'll be tallying up the final harvest weights and survey responses and get back to you in a few weeks with a summary of the season.  In the meantime, we'd love to welcome any who would like to come for a final gleaning of the last scraps in the field.

Below I've listed what remains in the fields, roughly in order of how much is left.  Where I've given amounts, they are the total amount I think a determined pack of gleaners could harvest (NOT the amount that each person will get--so come early if there's something you're desperate for). 

Turnip greens - At planting time, I failed to communicate adequately with one of my co-workers, and we grew too many turnip greens (a variety of turnips that makes terrible roots but large, luscious leaves) and not enough turnip roots.  As a consequence we have lots and lots and lots of turnip greens left in the field just begging for someone to appreciate them. 
Dill - lots
Cilantro - lots
Parsley - lots
Red Cabbage Leaves - These cabbage plants never headed before the short days ended their growth cycle for the winter.  If you have a good use for the leaves, there's plenty here to pick.  They're tougher than the leaves in the center of a cabbage head. 
Broccoli Leaves - No heads here either, but the leaves closely resemble collards.  There's maybe 5 pounds total.
Watermelon radishes - There are lots of these, but small, which means they're hotter than the ones we've been harvesting for shares.
Beet leaves - Many of the beets never grew roots large enough to eat, but they did make leaves, which are similar to swiss chard.  There's a few pounds here, at least. 
Broccoli Raab - lots of edible flowers, maybe 4 pounds or so of leaves. 
Spicy mix - about 3 pounds (spread out over a large area, so it will take time to pick)
Lettuce - Of the tiny leaf lettuce that's been in your share lately, we have a few pounds.  There's more lettuce as heads, but they are leftover from the summer, and vary quite a bit in bitterness.  You'll find a few sweet heads if you're willing to taste some bitter ones first. 
Arugula - a pound
Mustard - a pound
Spinach - enough for a few salads
Altaglobe radishes (the little red ones) - a handful

The very small amounts of salad greens take a lot of time and diligent squatting to pick.  We recommend bringing a small serrated knife to make harvesting easier.  We're expecting rain all day Thursday, so you should also anticipate walking through some mud. 

PERENNIAL HERBS
There's no need to pick these to the bone, since a little leaf cover will help them survive the winter, but they could handle a little grazing if you're interested.
Culinary herbs -- lavender, oregano, thyme, marjoram
Medicinal herbs -- tansy, catnip, evening primrose, comfrey, mullein
I don't have any idea how to use the medicinal herbs, but the plants are there with some leaves attached.  If any of you know what to do with them, you're welcome to harvest all you want.

Donations...
Given the Thanksgiving season, you might be interested in harvesting some food for your local soup kitchen or homeless shelter.  Many of them would enjoy some of the turnip greens we have in abundance.  It's a muddy trek up a hill to the field, but with a good knife, you could probably pick about 10 pounds in ten minutes.  Once harvested, you can take the greens to an agency near your home, or leave them with us, and we'll drop them off.
Christ House, in Northwest DC, has requested about 20 pounds.  DC Central Kitchen can take anything we have to offer.  I haven't asked, but I have a hunch Shepherd's Table, in Rockville, would also be happy for the greens. 
So if you have a little time to help while you're here, we'd really appreciate it. 

THE GLEANING SCHEDULE
You are welcome to glean any time beginning Friday morning.  We will post signs to tell you where to find which crops.  But sometimes a little personal guidance helps, so we'll be around to walk you to the fields on Friday and Saturday afternoons (about 1pm to dark).  If you plan to arrive around 4pm or later, I recommend bringing a flashlight, in case the daylight fails you before your knees do. 

See you then!
-Carrie

Bitter Sweet

Clagett Farm CSA Recipes
Fall 2006

Recipes from “Cook For Life Balance” by Rita Calvert

Bitter Sweet

We sailed through the Clagett Harvest Fest in brilliant sunshine and a mild breeze (although the Education Barn with all of the food, auction and goodies was a touch chilly). The CSA pick up was thoughtfully moved down the hill to be a splendid visual for the festival.

Many of us mentioned with sadness --the last few harvests in the weeks remaining. Of course conversation then segued to wonder what Carrie & buddies do all winter?

so joyfully we continued to gather our fresh garlic, winter squashes and a new crop of fall greens including bok choy, that fabulous arugulas and spicy mix. Life couldn’t be healthier!!

Bok Choy
Many of us may recognize bok choy as a vegetable with white-greenish stalks and large leaves. It is better known in Thai cooking as pak choi, but can be called white cabbage or mustard cabbage. The stalks are crunchy but not stringy and it’s an easy vegetable to cook – either in a stir-fry or simply blanching and eating in a salad or as a snack.

Many Thai recipes also call for coconut milk. Keep in mind that this is quite different from the liquid that comes directly from the center of the coconut. The milk is made by extracting juices from the white flesh and is much richer in flavor.

This is such a delicious blend for a light salad. Try it either with the traditional chilies (very spicy) or with red bells (very mild).

Pak Choi (Bok Choy) with Lime Dressing

2 tablespoons cooking oil
3 fresh hot chilies – (or red bell pepper slivers)
4 garlic cloves – sliced thinly
6 green onions, sliced on the diagonal (separate white and green parts)
2 pak choi, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon crushed peanuts
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 cup coconut milk

To prepare the dressing, mix lime juice and fish sauce. Slowly blend in coconut milk with a whisk.

Heat a wok with just a touch of oil and stir-fry the chilies first and then the garlic. Use a skillet as an alternative. Next, cook the green onions: 3 minutes for the white parts and an additional 1 minute for the green.

Fill a large pot with water, salt, and bring to a boil. Add the pak choi, stir for about 10 seconds, remove, and drain.

Place the pak choi in a large serving bowl and toss with the dressing. Top with chile/garlic mixture and peanuts. Can be served hot or cold and prepared in individual bowls after blending the dressing and the pak choi.

Winter Squash~A Variety of Health-Promoting Nutrients

Winter squash, unlike its summer equivalent, can be harvested very late into the fall, has a longer storage potential, and still provides an outstanding variety of conventional nutrients. Winter squash emerged from our food ranking system as an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), a very good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and manganese. In addition, winter squash emerged as a a good source of folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, copper, vitamin B6, niacin-vitamin B3 and pantothenic acid. How does this amazing array of nutrients support our health?

One of the most abundant nutrients in winter squash, beta-carotene, has been shown to have very powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Beta-carotene is able to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the body. Since oxidized cholesterol is the type that builds up in blood vessel walls and contributes to the risk of heart attack and stroke, getting extra beta-carotene in the diet may help to prevent the progression of atherosclerosis.

It may also protect against diabetic heart disease and may be useful for preventing other complications caused by free-radicals often seen in long-term diabetes. Additionally, intake of foods such as winter squash that are rich in carotenoids may be beneficial to blood sugar regulation.

Butternut Squash Pizzas with Rosemary
Makes (2) 8-inch pizzas

Just imagining a picture of this and you’ll savor the flavor, sniff the aromas and begin to drool. If you can’t imagine a pizza without some tomato sauce...add it to your heart’s desire.

1 cup thinly sliced onion
1/2 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
sea salt and black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 (16 ounce) package ready made pizza dough
1 tablespoon cornmeal
2 tablespoons grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place sliced onion and squash in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; toss to coat.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until onions are lightly browned and squash is tender; Toss in the rosemary, set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. On a floured surface, roll each ball of dough into an 8 inch round. Place the rounds on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal (you may need 2 baking sheets depending on their size). Distribute squash mixture over the two rounds and continue baking for 10 minutes, checking occasionally, or until the crust is firm. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Cut into quarters, and serve.

Ricotta Stuffed Squash
Serves 8

As a meal in itself this dish is hardy, colorful and satisfying.

2 medium butternut squash, baked until tender squash
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces fresh arugula (or spicy Clagett mix)
2 eggs
2 cups ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons mixed clagett fresh chopped herbs
1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

cut the squash in half andscoop out the seeds.

In a small frying pan over medium heat, melt one tablespoon of the butter. Add onion and arugula cook 3 minutes. Add the garlic.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, herbs and arugula mixture. Fill the squash halves with this mixture, and place squash in a shallow baking dish. Melt the remaining butter and brush over the squash shells

Bake for 20 minutes.

Serve with warm tomato sauce.

Winter Squash & Baked Turkey Tenderloin
Serves 2–3

Hearty and savory, this easy-to-make casserole features turkey tenderloin and winter squash covered with a cheese and bread crumb topping. Serve this comforting cool weather dish with a salad of baby lettuce leaves and sliced cucumbers.

1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
11/2 TB extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 small yellow onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 medium stalk celery, sliced
3/4 lb turkey tenderloin, cubed into bite-size pieces
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
*2 cloves minced garlic
sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
2 cups winter squash such as Kabocha (leave the skin on) or Butternut (remove skin), cubed into bite-size pieces

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs, cheese, and one tablespoon of the olive oil. Set aside.

In an oven-proof skillet, heat remaining half tablespoon of olive oil and the butter over medium heat. Sauté the onion and celery for 5 minutes. Add turkey, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper, cooking until the turkey browns. Add the squash and continue to cook for a few more minutes. Sprinkle with bread crumb mixture. Cover the dish and transfer to the hot oven. Bake the casserole for 15–20 minutes or until turkey is completely cooked and squash is tender.

Oh Sweet Crimson!

Yesterday we harvested a little less than one quarter of our watermelon patch. 
The harvest day started out sort of like a long-anticipated trip with Dave as our
tour guide, driving the tractor so that we could load almost 1,000 watermelons
onto the wagon)!















In the two photos above, you see Kenji harvesting the Quetzali variety and
below that, Carrie and Dave harvest Crimson Sweet.





The watermelons are all perfectly ripe, sweet, and juicy! Be prepared to
take one in your share today (they each weigh about 3-4 pounds, though
some are smaller.)



With every heavy harvest comes the inevitable unloading. We spent quite
awhile loading the watermelons into bins so that they could be weighed and
stored properly. We hope you enjoy the refreshing treat during these last
days of summer!

Summer Planting

In addition to the continual bountiful harvest of tomatoes and other summer crops, this week we have also been busy in the field below the wash station.  After cutting the cover crops last week,  we went to work on spading and seeding a few of the beds.

Here is Dave on the tractor, spading the beds and further incorporating the cover crops into the soil.

And Kenji seeding a freshly spaded bed with Spicy Mix.  On Thursday we also planted carrots, cilantro, and spinach.  If all goes well, everyone will get to enjoy these veggies and herbs in the fall.

Cassie, as always, doing her part to help out on the farm.
Later in the day we installed irrigation lines in the four newly seeded beds. 

Kenji, taking a well-deserved break at the wash station.

Here is Joe, watering the brassica seed trays near the wash station.  Soon we will be transplanting these seedlings in fields throughout the farm.

Many Tomatoes

There comes a day during the summer in which we harvest over a 1,000 lbs of tomatoes. When that happens we know that the tomato season is really in full swing. Well, it happened today. We picked over 1,200 lbs of tomatoes. And we definitely did not harvest all we could. Off the top of my head, these are the varieties we harvested: Big Beef, Daniella, Rose de Berne, Black Prince, German Striped, New Girl, Sun Gold, Juliet, Green Zebra, and Garden Peach. Plenty to choose from.

Twining tomatoes

Our tomato crop promises to be a good one. Shareholders already got some, but most of it is still to come. The plants are laden with green fruit, so August, once again, will be a great tomato month. To keep up with the growing plants, though, we have to twine them between the stakes. Twining facilitates and increases the tomato harvest. It's quite a chore, though--especially when it's hot and humid.

Below we see Kenji and Patti Wawzyniecki working as a team of twiners. Patti is a leader of a Young Neighbors in Action group that volunteered at Clagett Farm during this week of challenging weather.

And here is Stefan Wawzyniecki, the other leader of this hard working group, young members of St. Bartholomew's Parish in Vermont, Connecticut. They came to the DC area for a week of service work. Not exactly a relaxing vacation for them, but we were certainly impressed and grateful for all their good help.

Joe and Gail after several hours in the tomato field.

After much sweating, pulling and straining Kenji and Patti stop work to get a well deserved lunch break.

Tomato tease

A hot and humid week. Summer. Among other things, the shares now have plenty of summer squash in several varieties and the tomatoes are making a modest appearance. As veteran shareholders know, the first tomato shares are only a teaser. In the coming weeks it will increase dramatically.

A few scenes from Tuesday.

Carrie figuring out the share.

Cleaning garlic at the wash station.

Some of our tomatoes.

Cabbages under the rain

Yesterday a hard working group of volunteers from Massachusetts harvested over 1,400 lbs of cabbages. Despite the rain and the mud the Young Neighbors in Action volunteers worked hard weeding, harvesting and twining tomatoes. And today they were back at the farm for more of the same!

Pulling garlic

Today we harvested about 40 percent of our garlic. We started pulling garlic from the ground about two weeks earlier than last year. From every harvest there is always some garlic that does not make the grade, but this year the proportion may be somewhat higher. The garlic that did pass muster, though, looks quite good. Red Rocambole and Killerney are two of the varieties we pulled out today. For the curious, we only grow hard neck varieties.

It seems that this year there is a higher proportion of small bulbs (blame it on the dry spring). Do not despair: there is plenty of garlic for everyone and you will definitely get a number of good-sized bulbs.

Today's garlic is now curing in the loft of one of our barns. The timing was perfect: a very welcome rainstorm, with enough lightning and thunder to terrify the dogs, hit us just as we were getting ready to leave the field.

As old shareholders know, first we will be giving you fresh garlic and a few weeks later you will start receiving cured garlic.

We didn't have a camera today, but you can see pictures of last year's garlic harvest by clicking here.

Rita's Recipes: "Hand Food Farm Picnic"

Clagett Farm CSA Recipes   Spring/Summer 2006

We like to give you recipes that act as the foundation; recipes you can use frequently and build upon. So we might just call for that Walnut Lemon Pesto from week 1. Remember..do you have it as your Staple Recipe? Also the Garden Salad is another great staple and as produce comes in & out of season, just exchange.

Hand Food Farm Picnic

Thai Cashew Coconut Dip w/ Farm "Dippers"
Asian Cabbage  Wraps
Asian Cole Slaw
Fresh Strawberries with Lavender Lemon Curd

We¹re coordinating an entire Farm Picnic Menu for you this time based on Hand Food  which  is extremely popular & fun! (In our book, it has to be a Good Time).

For dessert use those marvelous sweet strawberries and add some fresh clipped lavender to a purchased lemon curd (or make your own if you feel especially handy).

Thai Cashew Coconut Dip w/ Farm "Dippers"
Makes about 2-1/2  cups dip

In our area Safeway and shoppers Food Warehouse carry this in their Asian section or get it at an Asian grocery.

1 cup Cashew Macadamia Butter (or Cashew Butter, or Sunflower butter) 1 14 oz can Coconut milk (NOT the sweetened kind) 1 clove garlic, minced juice of 1 lime 1/3 to 1/3 cup Thai Chile Sauce fish sauce, soy sauce or salt to taste
garnish: anise hyssop, or Thai basil or regular basil
fresh chopped cilantro

Blend the above i ingredients and adjust seasonings to taste. Place in bowl surrounded by ³Dippers². Garnish with fresh herbs

Dippers: Kohlrabi slices, carrots, snopeas, cucumber slices, bell pepper wedges, pumpernickel pretzel rods, rice crackers

Asian Cabbage  Wraps
Serves 6

1 6-ounce package dried bean thread noodles (saifun)*
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, finely chopped
18 uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined, coarsely chopped
2 cups fresh sugar snap peas
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup chopped garlic scapes
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla)*
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon minced seeded Thai chilies or Dragon chile
8 whole leaves Asian cabbage (coarse stem removed)

Place noodles in large bowl. Cover with cold water; let stand until noodles begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Drain. Transfer to large pot of boiling water; cook until just tender and pliable, about 3 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and shrimp; stir-fry until cooked, about 4 minutes. Add the sugar snaps & stir fry 1 minute more. Transfer to large bowl. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add garlic-oil mixture to bowl with chicken and shrimp; cool.

Add noodles, garlic scapes and remaining ingredients to bowl. Toss to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Mound on a platter surround with cabbage leaves for folks to serve themselves. Hold the cabbage leaf in the hand and fill with noodle mixture.

Asian Cole Slaw
Serves 8

1/2 cup green scallions or garlic scallions
1 head of Asian green cabbage
2 large carrots
1/2  cup mayonnaise
1/4  cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons Oriental toasted sesame oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
sesame seeds, toasted

Slice half of the scallions, cabbage and carrot into a very thin julienne (Use a mandolin if available) and place in a salad bowl. Reserve the remaining scallions, which you have also julienned. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, rice wine vinegar, honey, ginger and sesame oil until thoroughly mixed and pour over cabbage mixture. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds.

Recipes from "Cook For Life Balance" by Rita Calvert

Last week of May

Among other things during the last week of May, we transplanted sweet potatoes, u-pickers hit our two strawberry fields hard, and we started to harvest garlic scapes. The appearance of garlic scapes usually indicates that garlic bulbs themselves will be harvested about a month later. As Carrie noticed, the garlic plants are drying somewhat earlier than usual. We are not exactly sure what this means. The drier than usual spring is certainly a factor. Perhaps we will start harvesting garlic sooner than expected and perhaps our bulbs will be smaller than in previous years.

May turned out to be a fairly dry month. The farm probably got less than half the usual precipitation. All in all this has been a dry spring: in terms of rain, April was a good month, but it was sandwiched between a March with virtually no precipitation and a fairly dry May.

Last Saturday we were surprised by the number of worksharers that came to the farm--almost forty individuals. In August we can keep such a crowd busy harvesting, but there is simply less to harvest in May. Nonetheless, once the harvest was done we kept everyone fairly busy with weeding some of our beds as well as raking recently mowed rye grass and hairy vetch (cover crop) and then piling it all up on a compost heap.

We appreciate our volunteers and worksharers, and we understand that most of them are unable to come to the farm during the regular work week. But let me lobby for Tuesday as the day of the week to come. If you want to work for a share or simply volunteer at the farm, you will be especially welcomed on Tuesday, which is our most intense harvest day.

And now a few photos.

Above we see Dave clearing a heap of just-mowed cover crop that was in his way. Dave was using the tractor to prepare a couple of beds with a mechanical spader. (Photo by Sarah Tooley.)

Worksharers and Gail (foreground) weeding one of our beds.

Kenji engaging in close combat with new green stuff on his compost pile.

Strawberry time!

We have ripe strawberries, ready for you-pick.  We'll be including strawberries in your share, but one quart really isn't enough. You should definitely plan to find your way to the farm at least a few times in the next four weeks and pick to your heart's content.  We're not at peak ripeness yet--most of the berries you find are sweet but under-ripe.  So your first share of strawberries might need a few days on your counter to reach their maximum potential. If you're picking large quantities for jam, I recommend waiting a week more. 

And just a quick note for Saturday members--you should have received an email that there WILL be a share this Saturday, May 20.  It turns out your greens grew better than we had expected.  Nice surprise, eh?

A Healthy Cover Crop

The lush green field in the foreground of the photo is a cover crop--a mix of hairy vetch and rye grass seeded by Rob last fall. Here is a closer look at this healthy mix.

In not too long this cover crop will be incorporated into the soil with a tractor-pulled disker. After that th