Guess what? It rained!!!! A bunch!!! We have had rain for the past three nights in a row here, and I am actually finding myself wishing it would chill out. The ground is so muddy now we have to wait to do the work that is pressing. This year seems to be one extreme to the next! Ah, but I am a farmer and thus will seemingly ALWAYS complain about the weather won't I ;-) The crops are grateful for the moisture though, despite irrigating everyday, they were still apparently somewhat drought stressed as they have really jumped in the past few days. Nothing like a good soaker (or three!!). My dogs weren't too fond of the thunder and lightning, but hey, nothing is perfect.
So I am mentally planning a work day for sometime towards the end of the month, our annual potato harvest. Last year we had about 20 or so CSA members came out to volunteer their time and help harvest potatoes. All, including children, are welcome. It will most likely be on a Sunday afternoon, and either June 22nd, 29th or July 5th (depending on the potatoes). I will let you know as time goes on over the next couple of weeks when the exact date is. We may also take a week off from the shares towards the end of the month, thus adding a week onto the end of the season. A vacation may be in order to give myself and the crew some R & R as well as to allow some of the summer stuff to play catch up. Once again, I will keep you informed.
So, first off, I wanted to talk about the carrots. In discussing the topic of storage and carrots with some other folks, I would like to recommend to you all to take the greens off the carrots if you are not going to not use them immediately. They will store longer this way. The greens, when left on, will soak water out of the root in order to stay hydrated and fresh themselves, as well as acting as additional surface area to evaporate water from the whole. Keeping water in the carrot root is the key to keeping them fresh, so as you can see, taking off the tops is a good thing for storage. We can do that here, before we give them to you, if you would like. Please send me an email letting me know your thoughts on this. They just look so darn pretty to me with the tops on and that is why we have not done so before. Also, if you are going to hold your carrots and want them to stay super crisp, here are a few other things you can try in addition to de-topping. Wrap them in a damp paper towel inside of the plastic bag inside of the crisper drawer. Or, you can literally immerse them in water in the fridge, in a bowl or jar, and leave them like that until you are ready to eat them. They stay very hydrated and crisp this way. My mother does this with carrots and radishes both, and both make for a nice snack on the go (grab and go!).
I have also been having a nice discussion with a friend of mine who has recently tried beets for their first time. In case you all are new to the beet world too, thought I would throw in the newsletter a funny tale about their redness. Turns out beets don't only dye your fingers red, as well as anything else you cook them with, but also your pee. So, if you or your child pee pink or red after eating your beets, no need to run to the hospital. It is actually normal. In reading up on this though, turns out it may be a sign of low iron in the diet, something I didn't know and interesting to think on. I also learned it supposedly only happens to 14% of people, which surprises me because it seemed fairly common to me. Anyhow, enough about that!!!!
The summer squash is about to explode, we were pretty close for this week's harvest but didn't quite make it. They need to get a little bigger, as they will most likely do in the next couple of days with our expected 95 degree and humid temperatures. We will have a little break in cabbage and then see some again as red cabbage, fun and pretty. There is still more cauliflower and broccoli for next week, as well as carrots, beets, onions, garlic and more! The lettuce is done for the season, so sad, no more salads. Lettuce typically gets bitter in hot and dry temperatures, and it can be iffy if it makes it into June or not. We had a good streak of it. Cucumbers should be ready in a couple few weeks so you can start making cucumber salads instead. The tomatoes look GOOD, and I sure hope I don't jinx them by saying that. We should be harvesting those, along with potatoes in about a month.
That is all for now folks. Please send me feedback. Elise.
| Crop | Amount | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Total | $24.00 | |
| Basil | ¼ lb. | $2.50 |
| Onions | two | $2.00 |
| Beets | two bunches | $4.00 |
| Leeks | two | $2.00 |
| Carrots | one larger | $3.00 |
| Kohlrabi | one bunch | $2.00 |
| Broccoli | ½ lb. | $1.50 |
| Swiss Chard | one bunch | $2.00 |
| Cabbage | one larger | $3.00 |
| Garlic | two | $2.00 |
| Crop | Amount | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Total | $13.50 | |
| Basil | 1/10 lb | $1.00 |
| Onions | one | $1.00 |
| Beets | one bunch | $2.00 |
| Leeks | one | $1.00 |
| Carrots | one bunch | $2.00 |
| Broccoli | ½ lb. | $1.50 |
| Swiss Chard | one bunch | $2.00 |
| Cabbage | one head | $2.00 |
| Garlic | one | $1.00 |
Slice carrots thinly. If the skin is not tough, it is not neccessary to peel them. Toss with enough Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette (see below) to coat. Check for seasoning. Add another pinch of salt or pepper if desired.
Chop the garlic finely and place in a small bowl. Add the lime (or lemon) zest and the lime (or lemon) juice and whisk to combine. Whisk in the olive oil and the spices. Add black pepper to taste and chopped cilantro and/or mint if desired.
By: April McGregor of Farmers Daughter (check out her other yummy baked goods and prepared foods at the Wed. Carrboro Farmers Market!)