Hello! I am glad you are joining me in the newsletter. I think that most of you probably received the gushing rain Saturday night that some of the area was so blessed with. Unfortunately, we did not receive a drop. Last Wed., as some of you who pick up at the Wed. Market know, we received a bunch of rain in Carrboro. Only very minimal amounts here, 2/10ths of an inch. Needless to say, it I dry, dry, dry out here. The grass is dying....I always say when the grass starts dying, that means it is pretty darn dry. We do have irrigation though, and a wonderful large pond. So, we are irrigating all day long, but really, it never seems to be enough when it gets this dry. Lets cross our fingers for tonight, as there is a chance of rain in the forcast.
Otherwise things are going very well out here on the farm. The temperature is very enjoyable for working in, and as you can see, we have some new crops that are ready to be harvested and added to the shares. We have been busying ourselves this week with the usual farm work of weeding, weeding and more weeding. Harvesting, transplanting and trellising. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, onions, leeks, and potatoes all look absolutely fabulous so far. We are seeing germination in our first planting of beans. Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage are coming along and look vibrant. We will be harvesting the garlic soon to hang and dry for the heads that will be given out most of the season. In short, all is well on the farm, despite its thirst.
As I mentioned we are seeing the very start of some new spring crops this week. There will be plenty more carrots and beets as we have planted a LOT of them and they are doing well. Yesterday was the first harvest for these crops as there were a very small amount that were ready to go, but the bulk is going to be next week and beyond. The Chioggia beets are an heirloom variety that is quite beautiful. When you cut into them you will see their beauty as they are designed like a target, with white and red circles. I would be interested to hear what you think of this variety as compared to the Red Ace that you will receive later on and more like the standard dark dark maroon beet. The carrots grown this year are fun in that we have three different colors to make a rainbow bunch with. Let me know what you think of each of their flavors, as looks are not the only thing ; - ) The red or rather purple variety is called Purple Haze and this is the first year I have grown it. The yellow, Yellowstone, and then orange, Sugarsnax, you have seen in previous years. I like all three of these varieties because they taste good and grow long and skinny. As a side note, you do not need to peel your carrots. Especially the young ones you have received this week. They are sweet and delicious as is so enjoy.
Next week we will have strawberries for the full shares, and then we will have to see how they progress as their season is short and sweet. We will also have Kohlrabi for you all next week, so get ready! Swiss Chard will finally make an appearance as it sure has been taking its time getting itself ready. The leeks are growing so quickly with this warm weather that we may even see some of them in the shares in the next few weeks even though we usually wouldn¿t harvest them until June/July. The Sugarsnap peas are just starting to plump up and we will see more of these in the next two weeks. These are NOT a shelling pea, meaning you eat them as it, with shell, pea and all. They are quite sweet and delightful.
As a side note, my mother made a wonderful salad with the baby boc choi that I wanted to pass on to you. She cut up the boc choi raw, then mixed in bean sprouts and cilantro and mandarin oranges (she buys the can that is in either light syrup or pear juice as opposed to heavy syrup). Then you pour a little bit of orange juice over to dress, it is very tasty and refreshing.
Also, I have meant to throw a reminder into the newsletter for all of you to return your boxes, AND bags each week. If you receive your share in a paper bag, return that as well. We also will reuse the plastic bags if you rinse them out, dry them, and return them to us. This helps cut down on costs and waste. We will also take back pint containers and elastic bands. Recycle and Reuse!!!
Once again, if any of you have any feedback, thoughts or concerns, PLEASE email me as I always love to hear from. It is a treat, really. Elise.
| Crop | Amount | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Total | $27.50 | |
| Lacinato Kale | 1 larger bunch | $3.00 |
| Cabbage | 1 head | $2.50 |
| Rainbow carrots | 1 small bunch | $2.00 |
| Chioggia Beets | 1 bunch | $2.00 |
| Lettuce | 2 heads | $3.00 |
| Turnips | 1 larger bunch | $3.00 |
| Baby Boc Choi | 1 larger bunch | $3.00 |
| Suger Snap Peas (or misc. item) | 1 lb. | $5.00 |
| Spring Onions | 1 larger bunch | $3.00 |
| Crop | Amount | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Total | $16.25 | |
| Lacinato Kale | 1 bunch | $2.00 |
| Rainbow carrots | 1 small bunch | $2.00 |
| Strawberries | 1 pint | $2.50 |
| Lettuce | 1 head | $2.00 |
| Radishes | 1 bunch | $1.75 |
| Baby Boc Choi | 1 bunch | $2.00 |
| Spring Onions | 1 bunch | $2.00 |
Heat olive oil in skillet. Sprinkle in the cumin and cook about 1 minute. Add beets, carrots and turnips; fry until tender. Remove from heat, sprinkle on a little tamari and serve.
You can save the tops of the beets and turnips, add the chopped greens, cover with lid and cook until soft.