Farm Notes, CSA Week 6

July 17/18, 2008, CSA Week 6

Rain, rain, where are you? Not on our farm, that’s for sure. Last Sunday we got about 3/10 of an inch, and that’s been it for at least 3 weeks. It is dry!!! Not great for our crops, to say the least. Lettuce, arugala, and braising greens that had been looking great went to stunted and now burnt. The beets and other root crops are staying small because they need the water to get any size. The winter squash plants and melons are all smaller than they should be at this point in the season. Chris tells me that lettuce needs the equivalent of 1 inch of rain per week in order to grow properly, so that’s why it’s so far behind where it “should” be. By next year’s growing season, we will dig a couple of ponds that we’ll be able to pump water from for irrigation, but we currently have no real way to irrigate. It is a very frustrating place to be. So, where do we go from here? We spoke to Deb Kavakas of Stoneledge Farm this week about supplementing our shares with some of their produce. Stoneledge is a certified organic vegetable farm located in Cairo, NY. They have a 700 share CSA and sell some wholesale produce. They have been in business for over 15 years and have very kindly helped us out with produce and advice while we work through this rough patch.

Our summer squash seem to be faring ok through the lack of rain; their production was significantly more this week than last and we have several new plants in flower, so hopefully next week’s share will be all of our squash. Our green beans are flowering, so we should have those next week or the week after. And, a positive note about lack of water…the vegetables tend to be sweeter!

This week’s share includes Baby Onions, Swiss Chard, Summer Squash, Beets and Lettuce. All of the lettuce and beets and about 1/3 of the squash are from Stoneledge, and the rest of the squash, chard and onions are ours.


Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onion, Fresh Cheese and Red Chile
Serves 4

A 12-ounce bunch Swiss Chard (or collard, mustard or beet greens), thick lower stems cut off
1 ½ tablespoons oil, lard or bacon drippings
1 large white or red onion, sliced ¼ inch thick
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or crushed through garlic press
About 1 tsp red pepper flakes
½ cup chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
Salt
12 warm corn tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled fresh cheese, such as queso fresco, feta, or goat cheese, for serving
About ¾ cup salsa or hot sauce, for serving

Cut the chard crosswise into ½ inch slices. In a very large (12 inch) skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown but still crunchy, about 4-5 min. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for a few seconds, until aromatic, then add the broth or water, ½ tsp salt and the greens. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pan and cook until the greens are almost tender, chard needs about 5 min, collards 7-8 min.
Uncover the pan; raise heat to med-high and cook, stirring continually, until the mixture is nearly dry. Taste and season with additional salt if needed. Serve with warm tortillas, crumbled cheese and salsa.

For a heartier meal, you could add leftover chicken or steak the greens during the final few minutes of cooking. Flaked tuna or smoked salmon is a nice add-in, as is cubes of smoked firm tofu.

From Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Beet Salad with Lemon, Cilantro and Mint
Serves 4 to 6

1 ½ pounds beets, cooked and peeled
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon plus 2 tablespoons juice
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped mint
½ teaspoon ground coriander
Salt and fresh ground pepper
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 handfuls salad greens
¼ cup oil-cured black olives (optional)

Cut the beets into quarters or sixths. Whisk together lemon zest and juice, onion, herbs, coriander, ¼ tsp salt, pepper to taste, and oil in a small bowl. Taste dressing on a beet and correct if needed. Toss the beets with enough dressing to coat lightly. Toss the greens with remaining dressing and arrange on salad plates. Add beets and olives to serve.

From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, by Deborah Madison


Zucchini Noodles
Serves 4

4 small zucchini
1 cup prepared pasta sauce or creamy low-fat salad dressing

Run a vegetable peeler down the length of zucchini, creating long strips ("noodles"). Steam or microwave for 2 minutes; toss with pasta sauce or salad dressing.
From www.eatingwell.com