The Cornucopia Carrot Vol.3, Issue 11

Good evening!

Another rainy afternoon brought us inside, but not before we accomplished a lot of work outdoors.  It is time for garlic harvest and I am estimating that about 1/3 of it is pulled and stacked in the barn waiting to be trimmed and hung to cure.  The girls think it looks really "cool" hanging in long strings from the rafters to the floor.  Adrienne took some pictures before supper and we will get those posted soon.  It is actually a fairly messy job due to the rains.  Ideally we would have a few weeks of drying weather before garlic harvest, but it looks like that is not to be, so we must forge ahead and hope that it dries well without any fungal problems.  We cannot wait too much longer, or the bulbs wrappers will start to deteriorate or worse, the bulbs will "shatter" as they get overripe. 

Our helpers did a great job of prepping your veggies today and John also had some help clearing out old plants.  We rented a big mower for the tractor to even out the pasture and mow off the old strawberry plants in preparation for plowing.  While all of this was going on, I managed to transplant about 800 Kohlrabi which will benefit from the cloudy damp conditions, and plant a row of late basil.  The girls donned rain gear and hosed each other off along with the potatoes and carrots :0)

Our little piggies continue to thrive and are a good source of entertainment.  The turkeys also continue to grow and do well.  If you are interested in a turkey for Thanksgiving be sure to reserve one now - thank you to those of you that have already ordered.  We ordered the turkeys a little later than usual so that they would be ready just before the holiday and we are hoping to offer them as a fresh (not frozen) bird.

In your basket this week......

Kerr's Pink Potato - this is a wonderful tasting Irish masher.

Tomatoes - either cherry or regular

Carrots - crispy and sweet

Daikon Radish - wonderful in salads or sliced up on a sandwich

Onions - these are really getting "huge", but are wonderfully sweet and delicious - red or white.  If you find yourself getting ahead on onions, just chop them up and put them in the freezer - ready to pull out and add to a cooked dish  when you are in a hurry.

Green Beans - we are amazed at how the cool weather has affected the rate of growth of the beans.  We really could use some warm days of sunshine

Broccoli - we had really hoped to bring you some zucchini this week, but once again the cool weather........., anyway, zukes for sure next week!

Whole shares will also have a cucumber this week.

Some Recipe ideas that I tried this week that you may also enjoy.....

Root Veggie Slaw 

I heard the idea for this on my way home from market last week while listening to the public radio show "The Splendid Table".  The great thing about it is that you can use just about any veggies you have on hand, and the dressing is a nice light change from traditional creamy slaw dressings.  (from The Improvisational Cook by Sally Schneider)

1 small celery root (@12oz)

4 med. parsnips (8oz)

2 parsley roots (8 oz)

1 tsp lemon  or orange zest

8 oz yellow or red beets

Dressing:  whisk all ingredients together and pour over vegetables and stir - taste and adjust seasonings.

2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Kosher salt - to taste

Pinch of sugar

2 1/2 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil or roasted hazelnut or walnut oil

1 tsp. warm water

Freshly ground black pepper - to taste

I used the dressing recipe above, but my veggie mix consisted of:

chopped cabbage

peeled, finely chopped raw beets (these add nice color)

minced onion

grated carrots

grated daikon radish

You could also use small chunks of broccoli or cauliflower - use your imagination!

Listed below is another root veggie salad recipe.  I think this would also be nice with equal parts daikon and carrot.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/sr/22257/japanese-daikon-carrot-salad/recipe/

Japanese Daikon Carrot Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 1/3 c peeled & finely shredded daikon radishes .
• 1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted .
• 1/3 c finely shredded carrots .
• 3 tbsps granulated sugar .
• 1/4 c rice vinegar or white vinegar .
• 1 1/2 tsps salt

Directions

• Step #1 Toss radish, carrot & salt together in large bowl.
• Step #2 Let stand for 10 mins.
• Step #3 Knead until soft.
• Step #4 Squeeze dry. (or let drain in a colander)
• Step #5 Combine rice vinegar & sugar in small c.
• Step #6 Stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Step #7 Pour over radish mixture.
• Step #8 Toss until well coated.
• Step #9 Sprinkle top with sesame seeds.
• Step #10 Makes 2 c.
• Step #11 Company�s Coming.
• Enjoy the Japanese Daikon Carrot Salad recipe

Have a great week!

The Cornucopia Carrot Vol. 3 Issue 10

Good Evening Folks!

I hope it is dry tomorrow morning at the park for your subscription pick up. I was assured by friends this evening that it will dry up.

What can I tell you about this past week? It rained and rained, digging carrots and potatoes meant washing off mud. The onions and beets took more rinsing than usual.

In preparing today for tomorrow morning we sure miss the energy and skills of our youngest daughter. Adrienne is off to music camp at USD-Vermillion for the week.

A highlight this past week was being the "featured vendor" at the Falls Park Farmers Market. Chef Jonathan from the Sanford Hospital comes and prepares a treat for visitors to the market based on produce from the "featured vendor". Madeline liked it so much she made it for supper tonight.

California Blend Salad

1 head Broccoli (cleaned and destemed)
1 head Cauliflower (cleaned and destemed)
6 carrots (cleaned and sliced)
½ C. Favorite Dressing

1. Blanch all vegetables in steamer or olive oil
In boiling water for 4-8 min.
2. Chill veggies and toss in your favorite dressing.

Roasted 4 Potato Salad

Ingredients:
Potato Mix of Yukon Gold, Bintje, Rio Colorado & Kerr's Pink (cleaned & diced)
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
olive oil
1. Mix all ingredients
2. Spread out on sheet pan
3. Bake at 350 for 25 min, or until tender
4. Serve hot or chill and serve.


In your box this week....

Cherry Tomatoes!!! - Yes! they are finally ripe in a quantity that you could all have some. John calls this a "teaser" - they may not make it home - a nice little assortment of colors, shapes and sizes. Enjoy!

Garlic - this is uncured garlic, but I couldn't resist sharing these bulbs of plump cloves with you. Peel off the outer layers and store cloves, wrapped in a "baggie", in the fridge.

Onion - Red or Yellow - we can't get enough of these sweet summer onions.

Beans - Green or Yellow - always good steamed, but also nice pickled in a bean salad.

Carrots - with all the rain we've had, these are super crispy

Potatoes - this week we are featuring a Dutch heirloom called "Bintje" a really nice white potato.

Beets - scrub these up and try roasting some in the oven to go along with your potatoes.
Due to wet conditions, these are coming to you this week without tops.

Cauliflower -

This week, the full shares will also be receiving green cabbage

Have a wonderful week!

The Cornucopia Carrot Vol.3, Issue 9

Well, you would think that someone that majored in history at college and continued to read books about the past till recently, would have learned not to repeat the error of the past. Every time John picked green beans in the past it led to back trouble. About a year ago he was treated in Sioux Falls several times and has felt much better this winter/spring compared to the previous three years. This afternoon while Janna, Jessica and Adrienne were picking beans he thought he would help! Big mistake, a few minutes later while digging carrots something in the lower back said it quit. Bottom line for our customers is that the carrot digging stopped. 

It was very beautiful outside this morning and most mornings lately. The rain was just wonderful over the weekend taking off the pressure to irrigate. We had watered pretty steady last week and were feeling on top of the moisture situation and on top of the weeds. To be blessed with a such timely rain is great. Now when it dries a bit (today) we will get on the weeds and clean up of broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage plant remains and feed them to the pigs.

If you have been following our posts since January you may recall we purchased some purebred Berkshire glits which were bred and gave us 19 wonderful little feeders! They were farrowed at a friends farm and were brought here about a week ago. Janna and Madeline put broccoli in the freezer today and we fed them the stumps and rejected pieces. They cleaned it up! We like taking care of our compost that way!

This wednesday our second batch of pastured broilers will go to the butcher and get packaged. We continue to hear wonderful remarks about the flavor of meat from people that have purchased them.  Now last thursday the third batch of broiler chicks arrived and with them the turkeys. We bring it to your attention now because they are heritage breeds, at 6 weeks they will be on grass till butchering, which this year will be just before Thanksgiving. They will be ready just it time so it will be a "fresh" bird! Again there will be  a limited number so please reserve one early.

This week in your shares you will find some of the following;

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Beans

Potatoes-Red Norland

Lettuce-Summer Crisp, a heat tolerant variety!

Cabbage

Onion

Carrots

The Cornucopia Carrot Vol.3, Issue 8

"Warm" Greetings to all of you!

It has been a very hot week!  While we welcomed the drying that the warmth brought so that we could get at the weeds, it was also a challenge to work in such heat.  Most of our days started early so that we could take a break during the day when the sun was hottest.  We also recruited some extra helpers to help us with the weeding.  Tuesday my cousin and her daughter, in town visiting from Ohio, dropped by and volunteered their services as well - which we did not refuse :)  Thank you Rachelle and Elaine!  

On top of all this, it was a week of strawberry picking.  The strawberry season has been rather short-lived this year due to the heat that seemed to make everything ripen at once.  We probably could have picked every day last week, but in order to stay sane and save our backs, we managed to keep it to every other day.  The berries in your share this week will be the last this season.  I think that eleven days is a really short season, but I noticed that the beans are coming on, so it is a good thing that they are finished.

Recycle your green strawberry boxes back to us if you still have them - we would really appreciate it - as we have many uses for them throughout the season.  Thanks!

This is a week of standard vegetable favorites that we hope you will enjoy.

In your share this week......

Peas - Super Sugar Snax

Carrots - crisp and flavorful

Potatoes - Purple Viking - these have purple skin and white flesh.  We have enjoyed them this week mashed with skins on and also as "oven roasted fries".  Scrub your potatoes and cut in wedges.  Pat dry. Toss in olive oil to coat.  Arrange on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt or seasoning salt.  Bake in oven 425F for about 45 minutes, or until tender.  The time may vary depending on how thick you cut your wedges.  Serve with ketchup or mayo.  We also like to roast carrots with the potatoes.

Broccoli - 

Onions - Super Star white onions are mild and sweet and the greens are still great to use too!

Strawberries - get out the ice cream or whip up some cream and enjoy this seasonal treat!

Full share will also include Garlic Scapes this week.  Try coating these with a little olive oil and grilling them.  Yum!  or... add these to your potatoes like chives.  

Have a great week!

Next week look forward to green beans and cauliflower

The Carrot Vol 3, Issue 7

Hello Everyone,

This is one of those weeks when we are very thankful for air conditioning. We are planning on an early start to our outside work tomorrow so that we can retreat indoors for the hottest part of the day. If you are able, it will be a good idea to pick up your box as early as possible to keep your things from getting overheated. We are excited to have our main cooler up and running. This allows us to bring the produce in and store it at 38 degrees, keeping it fresh for you.
Strawberries are ready. We will also have them available for sale at the farmstand. Let your friends know - they are delicious and with this heat they may not last long.

Some information to pass along that may be of interest to you....
1) We are including a flyer in your box about the upcoming NISO tour of gardens.
2)This evening we visited with the organizers of the Eat Well Food Tour. They are leading discussions on the connection between faith and food. They will be in Sioux Center at Children's Park Tuesday evening for a pot-luck. Check their web site for more details
www.eatwellfoodtour.com

In your basket this week.......

STRAWBERRIES!! - the rain of the past two weeks has produced some large, very nice tasty berries

Green Cabbage - make some cole slaw!

Head Lettuce -

Garlic Scapes - We are popping the tops from our garlic so that the plant will concentrate on developing the bulb. These scapes can be used the same way you use the bulb.....in stir fry, salads, make it into some pesto, soups, etc. Keep these loosely wrapped in the bag they come in, in your fridge and they will keep for several weeks, but I think you'll have them eaten in no time.

Half share will also have Beets this week

Whole share will also include...

Carrots

Swiss Chard

Kale

Garlic Scape Pesto - Your share this week has about 1/2 # of scapes, so you will need to adjust the recipe accordingly. Also, the amount of olive oil you use will depend on whether or not you choose to use the nuts. Walnuts will also work well in place of the pine nuts.

My favorite thing to do with them is to make garlic scape pesto. It is super easy to make and refrigerates well for several weeks in a well sealed jar. I also plan on popping some into the freezer to top off my winter soups. I use this pesto on brushetta, pasta, eggs, foccacia, and just about anything I grill like shrimp, salmon, chicken. It’s also fabulous added to mayonnaise and smeared on a big roast beef sandwich. Now I’m hungry!!!

Garlic scape pesto
1 pound garlic scapes
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil (about 1/2 to 1 cup)
Pine nuts if available
Chop the garlic scapes into 3 inch lengths. Put it int he food processor and process until pureed. Add the parmesan and pine nuts and process until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil as the food processor runs and continue until all the oil is combined into the garlic. Store in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator.

I copied the post above from this site....
http://www.whatgeekseat.com/wordpress/2007/06/16/garlic-scape-pesto/

Have a great week !

The Carrot Vol 3 Issue 6

Hi,

The day began with a few clouds but by mid morning the harvesters had these yellow suits on! They were so easy to spot from a distance, I even used a rhyme, a yellow fruit that goes with Janna..., she turned the hose on me! Jessica generally wears shorts and flip flops. I have tried for 4 years to get her into a solid pair of socks and boots but she doesn't get it, even Jessica put on a yellow suit and rubber boots! Despite the rain we got a nice selection for your subscription.

kohlrabi - green this time. This is a great dipping veggie, but is also nice chopped and steamed with its leaves

broccoli

radish-shunkyo semi long - with a wonderful crisp texture - try them sliced on a sandwich, mixed into some tuna, or with cream cheese on some crackers -the possibilities are endless....
Guess what.....you can also eat radish greens :) no kidding.

peas - still the variety with those great juicy edible pods.

onions - slice them, dice them, they are great with everything

lettuce - speckled - also called "flashy trout back"

Full shares may also include......

beets - Madeline made a wonderful lunch with the chopped green tops and some onions thrown in - all sauteed in some butter and tossed with angel hair pasta and topped with parmesan cheese.

napa cabbage - wonderful for some coleslaw with onions and radish chopped in or try it in a stir-fry with peas thrown in at the very end.

cilantro/parsley - your choice

We are very thankful for the rains of the past week. We talked to a college friend this morning. He farms near Platte, SD and said that this is the "weirdest spring weather" that he can remember. We have had to do some re-planting due to dry weather(seed didn't germinate) and hot wind that killed newly emerged seedlings leaving very uneven stands of some crops. The recent moisture is a real blessing - allowing seed to germinate and cloud cover gives new transplants the chance to get established without wilting in the hot sun. With the promise of warmer weather this weekend things should really "take off".

We hope that you have a wonderful week!

The Cornucopia Carrot Vol.3, Issue 5

Welcome to another week at the farm!

Rain this weekend has brought much needed moisture for which we are thankful.  We also welcome Elizabeth VanMaanen as a new employee.  She will be helping out several days each week and we are enjoying getting to know her better.  We feel like things are really moving forward and having extra help really makes a big difference.  We got a lot of weeding, mulching and transplanting done this week.   

Tomorrow you can expect to see one of our girls at the farm stand as we will be heading up to Minneapolis to pick up our oldest daughter, Allison, who is returning from choir tour in Europe.  

A Reminder:  please remember to return your box each week so that we don't run out. Thanks!

In your basket this week.......a number of firsts of the season....

Peas - We can never get enough of these delicious treats - once again, these are the variety with the sweet edible pod - string them and eat the whole thing!

Potatoes - First new potatoes of the season.  Either Yukon or Rose Gold varieties.  I like them best steamed until tender and served with a pat of butter.  

Leaf Lettuce - try this light dressing for a change... 4 Tbsp. olive oil, 2 Tbsp lemon juice,  1 Tbsp. honey, 1/2 Tbsp brown mustard.  Whisk together or shake it up in a small jar.  You may adjust the honey and mustard to your taste.  Also tastes good with some balsamic vinegar in place of some of the lemon juice.

Carrots! - www.carrotmuseum.com  check out this site for some great ideas and information about this year round favorite.  You might even want to try some of the suggestions on using the greens of the carrot in soups, salads, etc.

Broccoli - (or trees as my kids used to call it :)  

Whole shares this week also include the following.....

Salad Turnips - white, crunchy and mild.  You'll like them raw for snacking or chopped up in your salad.  These are also tasty lightly steamed - and nothing goes to waste with the turnip - start the root part cooking and then toss in the green tops toward the end.  These will make a nice medley with the peas and carrots.