chickens

Heat and Humidity
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Heat and Humidity

Introducing some more farm cats - taming has commenced.

Introducing some more farm cats – taming has commenced.

This past week has been hot and humid! The plants are loving it!

On Saturday mid-morning some of the zucchini were about 2 inches long, and on Sunday evening they were about 9 inches long. It really is amazing to watch the growth.

Yes, the entire garden seemed to be growing as crazy as the zucchini, but unfortunately in the lead for growth were the weeds. Fortunately, we have been on top of the weeding so our crops are still thriving against the weed nemesis. We did get a fair amount of moisture on Sunday evening along with some wind. With this heat some more rain would be welcomed.

If Mother Nature continues to provide favorable conditions, we will be able to continue to have growing results in your boxes. Enjoy!

Garden Science

Carrot, onion, beet, purple kohlrabi ad green kohlrabi

Carrot, onion, beet, purple kohlrabi and green kohlrabi

Root or Tuber

All around the world, roots are basic sources of nutrition to people and many animals; a root’s nutrients are passed on to those who eat them. Sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips and radishes are actually plant food-storage roots. The roots of the tropical plant cassava give us the tapioca we use in desserts, and cassava is a food staple in many tropical countries and in South Florida. Poi is a nutritious native Hawaiian food made from the root of the taro, which is cooked and ground to a paste then fermented. Carrots, ginger, jicama, parsnips, radishes, beets, rutabaga or Swedish turnip, and turnips are great-tasting, nutritious root foods .

Potatoes are tubers, not roots. What’s the difference? The roots mentioned previously are naturally modified root structures, whereas bulbs and tubers are modified stem structures. Bulbs and tubers are sometimes mistaken for roots because they also grow underground.

Roots and stems have different cell arrangements as seen under a microscope. That is how scientists determined that a potato is not a root, but actually a stem structure or tuber. Tubers are swollen, fleshy, usually oblong or rounded thickenings of underground stems, bearing tiny buds called eyes from which new plant shoots arise. Examples of tubers people eat are the potato, Jerusalem artichoke (not a true artichoke, but the tuber of a sunflower) and water chestnut. Bulbs are short, modified, underground stems. Examples of bulbs we eat are onions, scallions, leeks, garlic, kohlrabi and shallots.

Source: Project Food, Land and People

Boxes of Produce

This list is prepared before we harvest your share. Some guesswork is involved! We do our best to predict which crops will be ready to harvest, but sometimes crops are on the list that are not in the share, and sometimes crops will be in the share even though they’re not on the list. Remember food safety in your kitchen when preparing, always wash your hands before working with your produce and always wash your produce before eating.

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce – Some of the crops are ran under cold well water to take the field heat off of them so they last longer in your refrigerators. They are not washed – just cooled. So wash your vegetables before eating.

Red Oak Leaf Lettuce – Beautiful red lettuce leaf.

Spinach – Remember to wash before eating. A combination of these vegetables will make a wonderful meal!

Beets – A taste to start the season. We are also thinning out the rows so that the beet plants remaining can grow larger.

Just a few onions.

Just a few onions.

Onions – Learn more about onions on America’s Heartland.

Zucchini and Summer Squash

Cucumbers – These are the first of the season. We have two varieties planted.

Carrots – While we have the pleasure to pull the carrots right out of the ground…See how baby carrots end up on our grocery shelf so we have the pleasure to eat them all year-long.

Sugar Snap Peas – A garden favorite. Eat the pod and all. Enjoy this delicious vegetable! A new crop will come in next week. **Fun Fact – Did you know Minnesota is the number one producer of peas for processing in the United States.

Green Beans – This crop is bountiful. Be prepared for future weeks. We do have dill if you wish to pickle some.

Purple Beans – A taste of a new crop. Enjoy the fun color.

Kohlrabi – Here are some ideas of how to use Kohlrabi.

Cilantro

Cilantro

Cilantro – Enjoy in salsas, fajitas, eggs and more. Learn more about cilantro here.

My flower picker tonight...Zinnias.

My flower picker tonight…Zinnias.

Fresh cut arrangement – A variety from sunflowers, zinnias, bee balm, lilies and more.

Recipe of the Week

Vegetables on the Grill

On double layered aluminum foil ( I cross the pieces so the vegetables are wrapped separately in two different pieces of aluminum foil) place: *Variety of vegetables of choice ( I used pea pods, carrots cut into the shape I knew my boys would eat, green and purple beans cut into 1 inch pieces and broccoli cut into bite size pieces) *Drizzle with olive oil *Sprinkle with Romano and Parmesan cheese *Flavor with herbs of choice

On double layered aluminum foil ( I cross the pieces so the vegetables are wrapped separately in two different pieces of aluminum foil) place:
*Variety of vegetables of choice ( I used pea pods, carrots cut into the shape I knew my boys would eat, green and purple beans cut into 1 inch pieces and broccoli cut into bite size pieces)
*Drizzle with olive oil
*Sprinkle with Romano and Parmesan cheese
*Flavor with herbs of choice

Place on grill for about 8 minutes flipping aluminum packet once which is filled with above vegetable mixture, olive oil, cheese and herbs. Unwrap and enjoy.

Place on grill for about 8 minutes flipping aluminum packet once which is filled with above vegetable mixture, olive oil, cheese and herbs. Unwrap and enjoy.

Vegetables on the Grill

On double layered aluminum foil ( I cross the pieces so the vegetables are wrapped separately in two different pieces of aluminum foil) place:

*Variety of vegetables of choice ( I used pea pods, carrots cut into the shape I knew my boys would eat, green and purple beans cut into 1 inch pieces and broccoli cut into bite size pieces)

*Drizzle with olive oil

*Sprinkle with Romano and Parmesan cheese

*Flavor with herbs of choice

Place on grill for about 8 minutes flipping aluminum packet once which is filled with above vegetable mixture, olive oil, cheese and herbs. Unwrap and enjoy.

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God’s Creation and Science

Keith and Sam on one of the Big Max pumpkins. Not sure that they will reach their “big” potential, but they are growing and other varieties are looking good. I think we need more science applied in future years to figure out how to reach the 1,000 pound level and a lot of prayer this year.

As I walked into the house this evening with the sun setting and the new moon rising, it was easy to be in awe of God’s Creation that surrounds us. Then I thought of our garden and marveled at all of the science that we have growing and what our entire family is learning from this adventure. I also thought back to growing up on our farm south of Tracy and recalled the same feeling from those experiences. I look at agriculture whether it be plant or animals from a scientific perspective. It allows me the opportunity to find reason or ways to make improvements…to make the best better and ways to achieve more with what we have in order to achieve our best while maintaining what is best for our environment, our animals and our family while producing safe, healthy food which we feed to our family and provide for your families.

I also recognize that there is much that science can’t explain or that is simply out of our hands, and this year like every year, the perfect example is the weather. We pray for rain. We pray for the right growing conditions. We pray for the severe thunderstorms not to have damaging winds, hail or tornadoes. In the end, we recognize that God gives us what he knows we can handle for the journey he has laid before us.

BOXES OF PRODUCE

Thank you to all who have returned their mid-year surveys. This provided very helpful information for us, and your feedback is greatly appreciated!!

This list is prepared before we harvest your share. Some guesswork is involved! We do our best to predict which crops will be ready to harvest, but sometimes crops are on the list that are not in the share, and sometimes crops will be in the share even though they’re not on the list.

Remember food safety when preparing, always wash your produce before eating.

Lettuce Blend – While not a significant amount this week, it is a start again that hopefully will take us through the remainder of the growing season includes Prizehead, Red Oak Leaf and Simpson Elite.

Cucumbers – We hope you are enjoying this yummy vegetable which I think only has a week or two left. Learn more about harvesting cucumbers across the U.S.

Broccoli – Also nearing the end of this garden vegetable.

Peppers – I like to cut them up to 1/4 inch pieces and freeze them for soups and other recipes this fall and winter.

Sam and Keith showing that the newly planted beans are growing. We like to hear how you are using this vegetable. It is a laborsom task so any inspiration is appreciated:)

Green Beans – We are nearing the end of this patch. We have another round of green beans and dragon tongue beans growing in the garden that should provide us with plenty to enjoy in September. See how Green Beans are harvested for us to buy at the grocery store.

Summer Squash – Zucchini – Nearing the end of this crop.

Onions – In your boxes this week were yellow onions. We hope to have a few purple and white onions, but the weather appeared to go hard on them. So you will primarily see yellow onions.

Our onions are a science wonder as we have never had onions this small before. In the past, they have been giants so we like to attribute this to the weather and guarantee that we will strive to grow large onions again next year.

Potatoes – This week we have Norland – great for mashed or boiled potatoes, Yukon Golds – great for baking or cooked and Kennebec – great for baking.

Although large and plentiful, we have been challenged with the tomatoes growing to fast and splitting on the top or odd growing patterns. Even thought the tomatoes are mulched it demonstrates the need for regular irrigation. This Brandywine variety shows an odd growth pattern on the bottom. But compared to the boys, these are huge tomatoes.

Tomatoes – Tomatoes in your boxes this week to include Big Boys, Roma, Yellow Girl and cherry tomatoes. Check out how farmers are striving for the perfect tomatoes.

Sweet Corn – Thank you to our neighbors FarGaze Farms – the Peterson families for this delicious vegetable! Here are a few more ideas for your sweet corn from Martha Stewart.

Herbs – Peppermint, oregano, cilantro, and lemon thyme Remember you can dry them or you can freeze. See how to freeze with olive oil to use later. Wondering what to do with the peppermint – try this refreshing summer tea recipe.

Fresh Flowers – Zinnias, Rudbeckia or sunflowers this week. Place a few hosta leaves in with them when placing in the vase. Also, remember to add about a teaspoon of bleach to help the flowers last longer.

Recipe of the Week

Quick and Easy to Try.

*Cherry Tomatoes quartered and eaten with Cottage Cheese.

*BLT without the bacon. I love bacon!! But I don’t always have the time to make it. So at work when I need a quick-lunch, I bring some of the garden lettuce and one of the varieties of tomatoes, and I have a refreshing quick-lunch.

Rhubarb Muffins

This weekend I thawed out some of my frozen rhubarb and enjoyed these delicious muffins. My apologies – I forgot to get the camera for a step by step. I have rhubarb thawed in 2 cups or 6 cups amounts. I doubled the muffin recipe so I could freeze half the dough in a Ziploc bag. When I thaw the batter out, I simply snip off the corner of the bag and use it like a pastry bag and squeeze into the muffin tins.

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup applesauce

1 egg

1/2 cup yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 cup finely sliced rhubarb

Topping:

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup finely chopped nuts

Combine sugar, applesauce, egg, yogurt and vanilla in a bowl. Sift flour, soda, and salt together and stir into liquid mixture. Blend in nuts and rhubarb. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Topping: Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts and sprinkle over batter in muffin tins. Tip: I always spray the liners with a spritz of baking spray so the muffins don’t stick to the liners. Bake at 325 degrees  for 25-30 minutes. Makes 12 muffins. This can also be baked in a greased loaf pan for 45 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Chickens

Well in addition to the CSA, this spring we hatched chicks in Keith’s Montessori classroom. The boys talked me into keeping the White Leghorns. The chicks had outgrown their brooder house. So they were in need of a chicken coop. After many weekends of hard work by Steve, Keith and Sam, the chickens were moved into their new home this weekend. Steve designed this in his head and simply built it, which I find so amazing. The boys had an absolute blast building with their dad in fact Sam asked tonight when they could build another one.

This weekend, the boys also decided they wanted to reinvest some of their earnings from the CSA into growing their flock of birds. A friend of ours’ kids were selling some of their chickens. So on Saturday evening, we drove over and the boys reinvested their money. We now have 9 hens, 5 roosters and 7 breeds of chickens along with a few of the new hens laying.

The boys were beyond excited to get their first eggs from their new chickens. although we will not be offering these eggs in our CSA, we wanted to share with you the excitement that has been going on here. We do have another friend that has enough laying hens if you wish to purchase farm fresh eggs.