News From Windy Willow Farm 2008 CSA Week 11

News from Windy Willow Farm
2008 Week 11
This week’s share includes:

zucchini
yellow squash
cucumbers, pickling or slicing
1 head garlic
1 sweet onion – some of these onions are huge! If it’s too much for you to use in one sitting, I like to wrap it in plastic wrap, then in a plastic bag, into your fridge. With the double wrapping, it should prevent your fridge from smelling like onions.
1 Qt red potatoes – Last week I gave a choice of red or white potatoes, and red was the big winner! I can’t decide which I like better, and I’ll let you decide for yourself as well.
1 mixed Qt yellow and green beans

1 eggplant, either black or purple
1 red cabbage
1 half-pint Sun Gold tomatoes – I’ve been promising these babies for weeks, and here’s your taste of the sweetest, most awesome tomato nuggets you can find. If you’ve never had them before, you should know some things: They ripen to orange. The moment they are ripe, they will split, but are still good to eat. They don’t store well at all (not that that should be a problem). Kids love them.
1 sweet pepper – The pepper plants are absolutely loaded with peppers. They look fabulous. I always start picking them prior to them turning full red or yellow, since we often get sunscald on the peppers, which basically liquefies the pepper right on the plant. We’ll be seeing a lot of these lovely peppers. I’m growing several varieties: the long thin ones are Italian fryers, called Carmen and several sweet bells that turn either red or yellow (and some of these are huge!). I also have some (accidental, thanks to the greenhouse) hot peppers coming next week.
*Bonus* one red tomato – There is an ongoing debate in my house, and it’s very predictable. I pick tomatoes and line them up on the counter. Mark’s (predictable) response is, “I see you’ve been picking unripe tomatoes.” I am a firm believer that you should pick tomatoes when they are almost ripe, because they ripen better off the vine (blasphemy, I know). Mark thinks they should stay till they’re completely ripe. I think that as soon as they ripen, you should eat them, because if they’re still on the vine, some bird or varmint will do the job for you. Please share your tomato theories with me. Other tomato suggestions: Store stem end down (I usually pull these off, so they don’t damage their neighbor tomatoes). On the counter, not the fridge. Squeeze (gently!) every day for a bit of give, and it’s ready to eat. There are thousands of tomatoes in my garden, waiting to ripen. I can’t wait!

Best guess for next week – Tomatoes, sweet peppers, hot peppers, cilantro (salsa fixins)

Photo Captions: 1) Fat and happy chicken on lush grass. 2) Sunflowers: The happiest faces in the garden and the only “weed” (they reseed themselves every year) I don’t allow anyone to pull.

I’m looking at the calendar to schedule the annual CSA picnic and bonfire. We generally do it on a Saturday in September (since the summer is so busy) as a nice ending to the season. Plus, it’s usually cooler for the bonfire. We provide the main course (lamb and/or pork on the grill) and dessert (I’ve been known to make a few strawberry/rhubarb pies). Attendees bring a dish to pass. There’s always plenty of vegetarian options, so if you are a vegetarian, please don’t worry! If anyone is interested in being involved in the planning, please speak up! I’ll send out an email with dates and voting buttons soon. Kids and family members welcome. I’m also thinking of doing it paper-free, and have everyone bring their own plate, utensils, napkin and glass.

With the cucumber season in full swing, we made our first batch of pickles last weekend. We used a method that Mark’s been researching that results in real, deli-style lacto-fermented pickles, and it was easy-peasy! We took a big pottery crock and lined the bottom with lots of dill (seed heads, flowers and the fern-like leaves), followed with lots of whole, peeled garlic cloves. A couple of horseradish leaves (the recipe said that horseradish leaves or grape leaves would help the cukes stay crunchy), a handful of peppercorns and then come the whole cucumbers (we did 20-30). On top of that, you pour the water/salt mixture (1/2 gallon water to 3/8 cup sea salt [6 tablespoons]) then we covered with an upside-down plate, a gallon jug of water on top to push it all down, and cheesecloth to keep out the bugs. In a few weeks, we’ll be sampling our own pickles! We’ve made dill pickles for years, but this method is so easy, no cutting of the cukes, or hot water. We do have one obstacle to figure out: what to do with the pickles once they’re ready – can them at that point or add brine or add cukes? Or eat them all at once! (The recipe we started with was from Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition and Craft of Live-Culture Foods by Sandor Ellix Katz, Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 2003).

Four inches of rain in one week does not make Gwen a happy camper! Several crops did like the rain: corn, beans and all of the weeds. The raspberries, however, did not. Last Friday I tried to pick berries for our farm stand, and I would grab a beautiful berry, only to find that it had gone moldy. So we’re out of berries for a while, till the next variety ripens. I’m also anticipating that the summer squash will soon succumb to the powdery mildew it gets every year (it comes in on the wind and storms). We need some hot, dry days to dry things up!

Thanks for your support, we love being your farmers!
Gwen, Mark, Sarah and Jason Hyde

© 2008 Gwen Hyde

Olive Oil Roasted Eggplant with Lemon Eggplant recipe link

Submitted by: SandraRated: 4 out of 5 by 2 members
Prep Time: 15 MinutesCook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 40 MinutesYields: 4 servings
"Quick and easy eggplant slices are roasted in the oven with olive oil and lemon to garnish."
INGREDIENTS:
1 large eggplant
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive
oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon
juice
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.
2.
Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, then cut each half into quarters lengthwise. Cut each of those in half to make two shorter quarters. Place the eggplant onto the baking sheet with the skin side down. Brush each piece with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3.
Roast in the preheated oven until softened and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with lemon juice. Serve hot.

Lemon-Mint Couscous with Grilled Zucchini Lemon-Mint Couscous with Grilled Zucchini
Adapted from The Classic Zucchini Cookbook, by Nancy C. Ralston, Maryanor Jordan, and Andrea Chesman (Storey Books, 2002).
Most summer squash varieties are interchangeable in recipes.All summer squash have tender, edible skins and flesh that rangesfrom mild and nutty to buttery or cucumber-like. But the shapeand appearance of these squashes vary considerably.
This hearty salad can be served as a vegetarian main course orside dish:
INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cups instant couscous1/2 teaspoon salt2 1/4 cups boiling water 2 medium-sized zucchini, quartered and sliced 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Salt and freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/2 cup black olives 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1. Lightly oil a vegetable grill rack. Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill with the rack in place.
2. Combine the couscous, salt, and boiling water in a large mixing bowl. Cover and let stand until the couscous is tender and the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, combine the zucchini, oil, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
4. Lift the zucchini out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and grill until tender, turning occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Add the grilled zucchini to the couscous, along with the feta cheese, olives, and mint. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine.
6. Serve at room temperature.

Chilled Cucumber SaladCDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.comCategory: Cucumber Salad Serves/Makes: 6 Difficulty Level: 2 Ready In: 30-60 minutesIngredients:
2 cups thinly-sliced chilled cucumbers1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup thinly-sliced fresh onions1/4 cup vinegar1/4 cup water1 tablespoon sugar1/2 teaspoon dill weed1/4 teaspoon black pepper1 dash cayenne
Directions:Place cucumber slices in medium-size glass bowl and sprinkle with salt. Stir in onions. Place remaining ingredients in 2-cup glass measure and beat with fork to combine. Pour over cucumbers and onions and toss lightly. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Stir before serving.Recipe Location: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/133/ChilledCucumberSalad69769.shtmlRecipe ID: 40550Don't forget to stop back at CDKitchen and write a review or upload a picture of this recipe!This recipe is from CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com

News From Windy Willow Farm 2008 CSA Week 10

News from Windy Willow Farm
2008 Week 10
This week’s share includes:

2 zucchini
4 yellow squash
10 cucumbers, pickling or slicing – these are coming on strong! I’ve been eating several every day, for my lunch, with balsamic vinaigrette, walnuts, and shredded cheese. If you’re interested in making pickles, now is the time to purchase extra.
1 head garlic
1 sweet onion – This is the Alisa Craig Exhibition variety, which grows to softball sized onions. They are gorgeous, pure white, and mild enough to eat raw, on sandwiches or in salads.
1 Qt potatoes, red or white – These were freshly dug yesterday and are beautiful and delicious. Store them in the shade (green potatoes are bad for you), where it’s cool (so they won’t sprout) and enjoy for the season. Towards the fall, I should have additional quantities for purchase, for winter storage.
1 Qt yellow beans – These yellow beans are so tender and sweet, be sure to try some raw! To freeze beans, break off stem end, blanch for 2 minutes in hot water, cool in cold water, pat dry and pack in bags.
1 bok choy – The last of our bok choy, it is going to seed in the garden. Several members have mentioned that they’ve been freezing it, for winter stir fries.
1 bunch oregano
1 bunch Swiss chard

Best guess for next week – Chinese cabbage, eggplant, raspberries, Sun Gold tomatoes, buttercrunch lettuce

Photo Captions: 1) my sweet but fearful dog, Maverick 2) Garlic harvest-stravaganza!

Love it/Hate it bin comment: I usually pick an extra bunch of almost everything to “seed” the Love it/Hate it bin. Recently, however, we’ve been having a consistent problem of running one bunch short in the regular choice bins (I count the carrots twice and then run out before all of the members have picked up). I don’t know how to solve this issue, except to put the extra bunch in the regular bins. I don’t want to pre-package your shares, due to the extra time and resources required for this. If you do inadvertently take more than you’ve been allotted, please let me know (call or email me) so I can understand what’s happening. If you need more than is allotted, we can discuss this as well. The bin works well if you move the unwanted item from the regular bin to the Love it/Hate it bin, and take what you’ll use.

This is Week 10, the halfway point in this year’s CSA season. It feels to me like we just started and that last week I was picking asparagus! I’ve been enjoying the growing season, and hope you have as well. The garden is doing its job, delivering awesome veggies and fruits. It’s hard to keep up with it all, but “that’s a good problem to have,” as I was reminded from a worker share this week.

It’s been a challenging week here at WWF. We are officially a one-dog family. Our 5-year old Shepherd/beagle mix dog, Maverick (pictured above), is currently on a one-week trial at a friend’s house. We decided that he needed a new home, one where he could spend most of his time indoors, at his master’s feet. He is extremely fearful of thunderstorms and had escaped his confines one too many times during storms, waking up the same neighbors. It’s just not fair to him to subject him to his worst fears. I am desperately hoping that my friends will love him, and just as desperately missing his silly face here. Our other dog, Jasmine, is just as mopey about him as I am.

A mystery solved: yesterday morning I discovered a dead chicken and a dead turkey in the broiler pasture. They had been partially eaten by a predator. This launched us into a flurry of activity: moving fences, mowing, moving the chicken coop, feed and water. It was important to re-establish the fences keeping the chickens in, since we thought that the electric fence wasn’t packing a strong enough charge. After all the work, I measured the power of the fence to be 4000 volts (in the old pasture it was barely 1000 volts), so I thought that the raccoon or other animal would be rightly deterred. Last night, around 11 pm, my trusty dog, Jasmine, barked me awake. I jumped out of bed and shone my million-candlepower light into the chicken pasture, expecting to see a four-legged something enjoying an organic/pastured chicken dinner. What I found was a huge owl helping himself to our chickens! Out into the pasture I went, throwing all of the chickens into the coop and locking them in. All the fencework did nothing to prevent this type of attack, and we’re left wondering how long the owl had been feeding on our chickens. We figure that when they were smaller, he just flew away with them, and now that the chickens are bigger, he can’t carry them away. Life on the farm, I guess.

Thanks for your support, we love being your farmers!
Gwen, Mark, Sarah and Jason Hyde

© 2008 Gwen Hyde

Gwen’s favorite Swiss Chard pasta, refined
I know I am like a broken record with this pasta dish, but I made it again yesterday and it was so much better than ever. I am inspired share my success with you! I think that the sweet onion and herbs make the chard even better. We found no trace of bitterness in the dish.

Pine nuts, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan
Olive oil
Bunch Swiss chard, stems minced, leaves roughly chopped
Sweet onion, chopped
Garlic, as much as you can get your hands on. (I used two whole heads), minced or pressed
Fresh herb, basil or oregano
Salt and pepper
Pasta of your choice, I used whole-wheat fettuccini
Balsamic vinegar, best quality you have
Parmesan cheese

Toast your pine nuts in a dry frying pan. Heat your pasta water. Sauté the onions in oil until soft, adding the garlic and chard stems. Cook until garlic turns straw colored. Cook the pasta, and add the chard leaves to frying pan. Sprinkle balsamic vinegar (about a Tbs) on the chard after turning off the heat. Toss the cooked pasta with the frying pan contents. Arrange pasta in a big bowl, sprinkle pine nuts, herbs and parmesan cheese over top. Salt and pepper to taste.

STIR FRIED SESAME STRING BEANS
Printed from COOKS. (from: Cooks.com - Recipe - Stir Fried Sesame String Beans)
2 tbsp. peanut oil1 tbsp. sesame seeds1 lb. fresh string beans, trimmed1 clove garlic, minced1/3 c. chicken broth or waterFew dashes sesame oil1 tsp. soy sauce or teriyaki
1. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of peanut oil in a wok or a frying pan. Over medium heat, cook sesame seeds, stirring constantly until seeds are golden. Remove and set aside.
2. Increase heat to high. When pan or wok is hot, add remaining oil. When oil ripples, add string beans and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute. Add chicken broth or water, lower heat, cover and cook until string beans are crisp tender. Return sesame seeds to pans along with a few drops of sesame oil and soy sauce. Mix well. Makes 4 servings.

ZUCCHINI AND YELLOW SQUASH CASSEROLE
Printed from COOKS.COM Cooks.com - Recipe - Zucchini And Yellow Squash Casserole
3-4 med. zucchini3-4 med. yellow squash1 med. onion1 tbsp. butter1 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese1 c. crushed TriscuitsSalt and pepper to taste2 eggs
Slice zucchini, yellow squash, and onion. Steam until tender in butter. Beat 2 eggs. Combine all ingredients except Triscuits in greased casserole. Top with Triscuits. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

News From Windy Willow Farm 2008 CSA Week 9

News from Windy Willow Farm
2008 Week 9
This week’s share includes:

2 half-pint raspberries: one black and one either red, black or purple – It’s been a busy day, picking raspberries! Currently, black raspberries are coming on strong, and they’re easy for me to pick; I don’t like them nearly as much as red or yellow raspberries. They also are a quick pick: they all ripen together, you can stand in one spot and fill your container. The reds are more spread out, and tend to hide behind foliage.
1 bunch baby carrots
2 zucchini
2 yellow squash
4 cucumbers, pickling or slicing – I had major cucumber germination problems this year and purchased a flat of cucumbers from a local greenhouse. Half was supposed to be a slicing variety, and half was supposed to be a pickling cuke. Turns out that the majority of the plants were picklers, and so most of what we have to offer today are these. (Reason #352 that we are building our own greenhouse!!) The pickles taste fine, and will fit in your jar as well. (That’s the main difference for pickling vs. slicing cukes: they stay short while the slicers are too long to fit in a jar.) Want to make your own pickles? Here’s an excellent link, with pictures: http://www.pickyourown.org/makingpickles.htm
1 bunch kale – This beautiful green will get better as the season progresses, turning sweeter with the frosty weather. It’s so good for you, so enjoy it in your favorite recipes.
1 bunch beets with greens
1 mini cabbage – Our favorite cabbage is a giant, flattened head of cabbage, called “Tendersweet” which yields a huge quantity of cabbage. In the past, members have expressed concern at finding ways to use so much cabbage. This year I tried these mini cabbages, called “Gonzales” and have been pleasantly surprised. They have a mild and crunchy taste, and you can use one in a dish. My favorite way of preparing a summer cabbage salad is to shred the cabbage and simply toss with Italian dressing.
1 bunch dill – use both the ferny leaves and the flower seeds in your recipes. Or hang upside down to dry.
1 head garlic – freshly harvested, this garlic is delicious to use immediately. If you want it to keep for months, leave it in a dry place until the stalk has dried.

Best guess for next week – Red potatoes, yellow beans, sweet onions.

Photo Captions: 1) The greenhouse, a work-in-progress 2) Beautiful zucchini flowers that were fried up into heaven!

My favorite customer comment of the week: From last week’s pickup, “ The vegetables are breathtaking!” See, I’m not making this up! CSA pickups are great for my ego!

We are one of the few local CSAs that include fruit in our regular vegetable share. We see it as a bonus part of the share, a sweet taste of summer. Last year several members expressed interest in a greater quantity of berries. If members want to “pool” their berries together, and take turns in getting larger quantities of berries, have at it! Or, you can come to our Friday Farm Stand to purchase additional berries, or pick your own. We hope to be in berries for most of the rest of the summer.

As you may have noticed, the greenhouse finally resembles a greenhouse! My goal for today’s work is to get far enough to mount at least one sheet of the polycarbonate sheeting on the outside. We only have a few more weeks to complete the entire structure; it was a surprise to learn that we only had 60 days from purchase to completion, to qualify for the warranty. Our drop-dead date is August 1st, or we’ll have zero warranty.

Also on display for your inspection is ¾ of our garlic crop. It is spread on the stones, drying. Garlic that is well cured will stored for months (ours last year lasted the entire year, I just threw out last year’s leftovers!). I break two cardinal rules in garlic growing: I hose it clean immediately after digging and I cure it in the sun. My garlic tastes great, and lasts for a long time if stored properly, so these infractions hasn’t caused us any issues, yet!

I had a special treat delivered to me last week: fried zucchini flowers! I provided the zucchini flowers, and was exchanged the finished product in return. They were amazingly good, melting in your mouth. I ate so many I almost made myself sick. A lovely treat, to be enjoyed once a year.

Thanks for your support, we love being your farmers!
Gwen, Mark, Sarah and Jason Hyde

© 2008 Gwen Hyde

Creamy Chilled Zucchini Soup Recipe (from http://www.care2.com/greenliving/creamy-chilled-zucchini-soup.html)
Adapted from Cold Soups, by Linda Ziedrich (Harvard Common Press, 1995).
This summer classic is a refreshing celebration of the season’s abundance, and one of the simplest and easiest recipes ever. It only calls for four ingredients (including salt!) and the star of the show is lightly steamed zucchini, while sour cream adds rich and voluptuous texture and calcium.
You can whip up a batch of this to serve for lunch or a light dinner in no time: just add a crisp tossed salad and a loaf of crusty bread. Creamy Chilled Zucchini Soup is a lovely way to use up those wonderful zucchini that are popping up in every Farmers’ Market.
INGREDIENTS
4 1/2 cups peeled, sliced, and steamed zucchini1 cup sour cream1 teaspoon toasted and ground cumin seeds1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Blend all the ingredients and serve chilled.
Serves 4.

Cabbage-Carrot Salad Recipe (from http://www.care2.com/greenliving/cabbage-carrot-salad-recipe.html)
By Santha Cooke, MS, LMT
INGREDIENTS
(use organic ingredients where possible)
1/2 small red cabbage, grated3 or 4 carrots, grated1/2 bunch finely minced fresh parsley leaves (remove the thick stems)1/2 bunch minced fresh dill weed (remove the thick stems)Juice of one orangeJuice of one lemon
1. A food processor makes it a snap to grate the carrots and chop the cabbage. Combine the vegetables and herbs. Squeeze the orange and lemon juice over them and toss.
2. Options: This salad begs for improvisation! Some possibilities: add a grated apple or some finely chopped kale. How about a drizzle of olive or flax seed oil? Try grating a beet. Or adding some raisins or toasted walnuts. Perhaps some minced garlic . . .

News From Windy Willow Farm 2008 CSA Week 8

News from Windy Willow Farm
2008 Week 8
This week’s share includes:

1 head red buttercrunch lettuce – This is the end of the lettuce for the time being, until my next planting matures, probably 3 weeks from now. Last week I transplanted our fall lettuce, since one of my goals this year is to do a better job in providing lettuce throughout the season. In a week or two, it’ll be ready to go into the garden, to grow to full size for our salads.
4 heads broccoli – Not the nicest broccoli we’ve grown, and with the heat, I should be cutting it every 12-15 hours or so. But it tastes great and will store for the winter, if you’re so inclined.
1 head bok choy – Suprisingly this hasn’t gone to seed yet, so we’re still enjoying it. Maybe one more week with this one, I’ll try to get creative with the recipes.
1 half-pint black raspberries –This is a surprise addition to today’s share. I didn’t think there would be enough ripe to share with you, but here they are. They are fabulous (and great for you as well) fresh, or baked up into pancakes or smoothies. That is, if you can pry them from your kids! Please bring back our green containers next week. This Friday, during the farm stand, we’ll offer black raspberry U-pick, 12-5 if you’d like more.
1 bunch cilantro – this is a love it/hate it kind of herb. To some, it tastes soapy. To others it tastes like heaven! It is also known as Mexican Parsley and is fantastic in salsas, or eggs, but I try and put it in everything, salads, on top of potatoes or grilled cheese, inside burritos. Yum.
1 bunch Swiss chard – A gorgeous bouquet of Swiss chard, makes fabulous pasta. Don’t forget to temper it with either balsamic vinegar or lemon juice.
3 bulbs purple kohlrabi – A relative of broccoli, but sweeter. It can be eaten raw or cooked, but please remove the leaves prior to eating.
1 Qt Snow peas
1 Qt Shelling peas
1 bunch baby carrots – These sweeties are baby, since they only grow to about 4 inches long. They are our interim carrot, until our main season, Sugarsnax carrots are ready (at about 18 inches long!). Our sandy-loam soil is perfect for carrot growing. Enjoy them raw, or roast them like asparagus (I can’t wait to try this!), I’ve heard that they get incredibly sweet that way. Or toss them with the kohlrabi in the recipe below.
1 summer squash – the summer squash is just starting to produce. Today we have an assortment: round “eight-ball” zukes, long, straight zukes, and yellow squash.

Best guess for next week – Red potatoes, mini cabbage, broccoli raab

Photo captions: 1) Our family eats a lot of broccoli, all year long, and this is how we put it up. Here it’s all cleaned, cut, blanched, cooled and is now drying on towels. 2) Now it’s packaged into bags, which will be closely sealed and packed in gallon size bags.

I hope you had an enjoyable holiday weekend! We got so much work accomplished here, by 11 am, I felt like I had already worked the entire day. We were out before first light, to see where our broiler chickens and turkeys were sleeping. Sure enough, many of them were still outside, too lazy to make the 3-step hike back into the coop. So we caught them all and transported them to our portable coop in the pasture. (The laying hens we moved into the barn pasture.) Mark mowed the chickens’ pasture very short, to encourage them to forage. It’s great to see them scattered about the pasture. Now they only have to make one step to be inside the shelter of their coop.

After chicken moving, it was pig moving time. Mark set up new portable electric fences (to keep the pigs in and the coyotes out), moved the water line, the pig coop and the tall bulk feeder. I set up the new electric line to charge their fence. The kids even helped, by using the hose to make the pigs a new wallow. It’s a whole family activity. The pigs love fresh pasture, and had parts of it rooted up within the day. These pigs root enough for double their number!

After smelling like pig, we got back to the near-constant work of installing our greenhouse! We finally sunk all of the ground posts, (after measuring a million and a half times) which have to be spaced properly, and be plumb, and driven to the proper height. Next we’re assembling the frame for a Saturday Greenhouse building party. I’ll include details in the email.

After all this work during the weekend, I finally opened my eyes and looked around! The kids were so excited to point out all of the new flowers that had opened over the weekend: sunflowers and many different shades of hollyhocks. I felt like I hadn’t even opened my eyes all weekend. I’m glad my kids are here to remind me to notice the beauty in life.

We hope you’re enjoying the bounty our farm has to offer. If you have any comments or suggestions, we’d be thrilled to hear them.

Thanks for your support, we love being your farmers!
Gwen, Mark, Sarah and Jason Hyde

© 2008 Gwen Hyde

This Epicurious.com recipe: SWISS CHARD WITH RAISINS AND ALMONDS

From a CSA member: “Hi Gwen, Just in case you want another Swiss chard recipe, I'm sending you this one. It's delish! The only thing I changed in the recipe is that I used the stems, sautéed them with the onions and I didn't have any paprika.”
You can view the complete recipe online at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/241474

SWISS CHARD WITH RAISINS AND ALMONDS
1/2 large onion, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick (1 cup)

2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/4 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika

2 lb Swiss chard, center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds with skins

Cook onion with 1/4 teaspoon salt in 2 tablespoons oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring, until softened. Sprinkle with paprika and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add chard in batches, stirring frequently, until wilted, then add raisins and water. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until chard is tender, about 7 minutes. Season with salt.
Cook almonds in remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle almonds over chard.

ROASTED KOHLRABI (from http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/2007/01/roasted-vegetables-roasted-kohlrabi.html)
Hands-on time: 10 minutesTime to table: 45 minutesServes 4 (smallish servings since roasted vegetables shrink so much)

1 1/2 pounds fresh kohlrabi, ends trimmed, thick skin sliced off with a knife, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic (optional, to my taste)

Salt

Good vinegar

Set oven to 450F. Toss the diced kohlrabi with olive oil, garlic and salt in a bowl. (This can be done on the pan but you'll likely use more oil.) Spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and put into oven (it needn't be fully preheated) and roast for 30 - 34 minutes, stirring every five minutes started after about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with a good vinegar (probably at the table so the kohlrabi don't get squishy).
NUTRITION ESTIMATEPer Serving: 64 Cal (45% from Fat, 12% from Protein, 44% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 3 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 8 g Carb; 4 g Fiber; NetCarb 4; 31 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 23 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 pointCREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUEAdapted from Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop

Broccoli and Bok choy Stir-Fry (from “From Asparagus to Zucchini: A guide to Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce”)
1 Tbs peanut oil
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup broccoli florets
1 two-inch piece of ginger, grated
Pinch salt & pepper
1 pound bok choy, shredded
2 Tbs sherry
1 Tbs soy sauce

Heat oil in wok or deep skillet. Stir fry peppers, broccoli, ginger, salt and pepper until broccoli softens slightly, 3-4 minutes. Add bok choy and sherry; cook 2 minutes. Sprinkle with soy sauce, serve immediately. Two servings.

News from Windy Willow Farm 2008 CSA Week 7

News from Windy Willow Farm
2008 Week 7

This week’s share includes:

1 bag spinach – We’ve enjoyed a great run of spinach, and my last producing row is about to go to seed, so this is all we’ll probably see until fall.
1 head Tropicana lettuce – We’re at the end of our spring planted lettuce as well, these heads will become very bitter in another week or so. Midsummer greens at WWF usually are cabbage, Swiss chard, beet greens and Chinese cabbage, since these are easier to grow in the heat.
1 head buttercrunch lettuce
1 head Romaine lettuce
1 bunch basil – A customer favorite, each bunch is almost an entire plant. Basil turns black at temperatures below 50 degrees, so if you store in your refrigerator, be sure to wrap in a paper towel and plastic bag. Enjoy!
20 garlic scapes
1 Qt snow peas.
1 Qt sweet shelling peas
2 heads broccoli
1 head bok choy – we have been enjoying these awesome, crunch bok choy! They have been excellent in stir fries, and have included snow peas, garlic scapes, and broccoli
1 bunch beets – these baby beets are so sweet! They’d do well to be roasted (with garlic scapes, olive oil, salt and pepper) or with my teriyaki beets recipe below. Don’t forget, their greens are awesome prepared like spinach or fresh in your salad.

Best guess for next week – Cilantro, kale, Chinese cabbage, Swiss chard

Photo captions: 1) Our red potatoes are in full bloom, with beautiful purple and yellow blossoms. Mark and I have negotiated my first digging: I’ll search for new potatoes next week. Can’t wait!
2) Talk about pea-stravaganza! We picked and shelled for hours to have enough peas for the winter. My kids eat peas like they’re going out of style, and I want to be sure we have enough. We blanched them for 30 seconds, then the usual cold water bath, drying, bagging and freezing.

My favorite customer comment of the week: “The sweet shelling peas were a taste of heaven” Keep your comments coming, I love to hear them!

This morning found me outside early, when the sky was just lightening. I enjoyed a few moments of quiet contemplation, listening to the frogs in our pond: peepers with their high voices, and bullfrogs adding their baritone counterpoint. The morning wind was still, and the birds also seemed to be listening to the frogs’ concert. It’s nice to be in the country.

Today was a busy day on the farm, with several worker shares picking and weeding. It’s great to see so much activity, working to ensure a fabulous harvest for you. Besides picking and weeding, we’ve also been rototilling, and transplanting broccoli, cabbage and lettuce seedlings, all designated for fall harvest.

This week I uncovered more rows, with plants that were pushing on our fabric row cover. The cucumbers, loaded with blossoms, spilled out as soon as I took the covers off, while the peppers and eggplant protested their fabric confinement. The newly uncovered plants are delicate: they have been coddled under the row cover for most of their lives, and can’t tolerate much wind. I was glad that the recent storms missed us. A day or two later finds the plants strong and vibrant, reaching towards the sun. We welcomed the bees, with their pollinating activities, to the garden to help fertilize our lovely blossoms.

You may have noticed an electric fence around our main garden. This is deer protection, as they were “helping themselves” to a dozen heads of lettuce every night! It’s our first real deer damage, since we’ve always had animals pastured around the garden, with fencing. I’m glad the fencing is working to keep them where they belong: out of my garden.

Thanks for your support, we love being your farmers!
Gwen, Mark, Sarah and Jason Hyde

© 2008 Gwen Hyde

Teriyaki Beets
This is an old favorite recipe of mine, and always a great standby method of cooking delicious beets when you’ve run out of other ideas. It’s even a kid pleaser!

12 small unpeeled beets 1 Tbs minced fresh ginger
4 Tbs butter 1 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs honey

Boil or steam beets until almost tender. Rinse in cold water and cut into halves. Combine butter, honey, ginger and soy sauce in small saucepan and heat until butter and honey are melted. Brush some sauce over beets and place on heated broiler pan. Broil 5-10 minutes until tender, basting frequently. Transfer to serving dish and pour remaining sauce over. Makes 4-6 servings.

Baby Bok Choy with Cashews
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped green onions, including green ends
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound baby bok choy, rinsed, larger leaves separated from base, base trimmed but still present, holding the smaller leaves together
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
Salt
1/2 cup chopped, roasted, salted cashews
Method
1 Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add onions, then garlic, then bok choy. Sprinkle with sesame oil and salt. Cover, and let the baby bok choy cook down for approximately 3 minutes. (Like spinach, when cooked, the bok choy will wilt a bit.)
2 Remove cover. Lower heat to low. Stir and let cook for a minute or two longer, until the bok choy is just cooked.
3 Gently mix in cashews.
Serves 4.

Favorite Spinach Salad (from http://whatscookingamerica.net/Salad/FavoriteSpinachSalad.htm)
2 bunches fresh spinach leaves, washed, dried, and chilled
4 to 6 bacon slices, crisply fried and crumbled
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
4 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
4 to 6 green onions, chopped
Sliced almonds
1 cup sliced fresh mushroomsItalian salad dressing (store bought is fine)

Remove stems and veins from spinach and tear into bite-sized pieces; place into a large salad bowl.
Add bacon, water chestnuts, eggs, green onions, almonds, and mushrooms.
Use 1/4 cup Italian salad dressing for 6 cups of spinach greens; toss gently and serve.
Makes 4 servings.