farming

Weather Extremes
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Weather Extremes

Inspecting the water tank which holds our rain water captured from one of our buildings. This water is used for irrigating our crops through a gravity flow, drip irrigation system.

The boys inspected the water tank which holds our rain water captured from one of our buildings. This water is used for irrigating our crops through a gravity flow, drip irrigation system.

This past week has provided weather extremes from hot and humid last week in the mid 90’s and so humid you were drenched in sweat standing there. Yet at the same time our crops were dry, and we needed to irrigate some of the vines and tomatoes.

Inspecting the drip irrigation line to make sure the plants were receiving water.

Inspecting the drip irrigation line to make sure the plants were receiving water.

To today, which is wet and cold with the highs in the mid to low 60s feeling like early October. Over the last few days beginning late Sunday until today, we have received around 1 and 8/10 inches of rain. We are very thankful for the nice moisture that was received, and the irrigation has been put to rest again.

These extremes do put stress on our crops. The most noticeable is our tomatoes. Even though we mulch them to help maintain even moisture levels. We have noticed that there is excessive splitting due to the extremes of humidity and moisture. It is a good reminder to us that Mother Nature is always in control. Don’t worry, there are still a lot of tomatoes for your enjoyment, and if you are in need of some for canning, let us know.

Garden Science

Well, this milk pumpkin experiment has been interesting. The week we started it a critter decided to dig both milk containers out of the ground. At first site, we thought it was a raccoon. After further evidence was uncovered in our yard, we believe it was our dog. So we started it again, covering it with rocks, far to heavy for either a raccoon or a dog to move.

Well, this milk pumpkin experiment has been interesting. The week we started it, a critter decided to dig both milk containers out of the ground. At first sight, we thought it was a raccoon. After further evidence was uncovered in our yard, we believe it was our dog. So we started it again, covering it with rocks, far to heavy for either a raccoon or a dog to move.

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.

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.

Lettuce and Spinach – A break from this crop this week. We should have a new crop in next week. The weather should lend itself to good growing conditions for it.

Kale

This is the last of the first crop of carrots. Math and measurements always seem to be part of our harvest. It measured in at about 8.25 inches.

This is the last of the first crop of carrots. Math and measurements always seem to be part of our harvest. It measured in at about 8.25 inches.

Carrots – Here is a good link to carrot recipes.

Picking peas is more laborious then one realizes. These recycled fences from my parent's farm work great for the peas to grow on and help tremendously with the harvest.

Picking peas is more laborious than one realizes. These recycled fences from my parent’s farm work great for the peas to grow on and help tremendously with the harvest.

Sugar Snap Peas – Our third crop of peas. The heat, humidity and rain is speeding this crop along. Enjoy!

Broccoli – Have you been searching for new things to do with this vegetable. Here are a few ideas.

Kohlrabi – Here are some ideas for using your Kohlrabi.

This beet weighed in at 2.5 pounds!

This beet weighed in at 2.5 pounds!

Beets – Larger beets are finally here.

I love how my kids notice things that I don't. This is one of them. The natural braid that occurs on the stem of an onion. Too cool and beautifully amazing!

I love how my kids notice things that I don’t. This is one of them. The natural braid that occurs on the stem of our yellow onions…too cool and beautifully amazing!

Yellow Onions – See how onions are raised by farmers in Idaho.

Cucumbers – Plenty of cucumbers. Think about trying the sweet refrigerator pickle recipes below or try a refrigerator dill pickle recipe from Taste of Home or canned dill pickle recipe.

Peppers – A variety abound – enjoy!

Tomatoes – Tomato varieties included in your boxes: Yellow Girls, Honey Delights, Big Boys, Roma, Fourth of July, Big Mammas, Honey Delights, Amish Paste and cherry tomatoes.

Keith looks like he is jumping on a pogo stick, but it is indeed a potato fork.

Keith looks like he is jumping on a pogo stick, but it is indeed a potato fork.

Potatoes – Yukon Gold and All Blue Potato – We made French Fries out of the blue potatoes – lots of fun with the kids.

Sweet Corn – One of my favorites. I usually simply throw it on the grill with my meat, and they are done at about the same time. Here’s how I grill sweet corn.

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

Fresh cut arrangement – A variety from sunflowers, Rudbeckia, straw flowers, marigolds and zinnias.

Recipe of the Week

Sweet Pickles

In an effort to use up the bountiful harvest of cucumbers, I went out of my comfort zone and made sweet refrigerator pickles. Below are the two that we tried. Steve thought they were both delicious recipes.

To make both recipes we pulled out this handy tooled to slice up the cucumbers. This was given to us from Steve's side of the family and something his great-grandpa had made and used with their garden produce. The boys felt very grown-up using this.

To make both recipes, we pulled out this handy tooled to slice up the cucumbers. This was given to us from Steve’s side of the family and something his great-grandpa had made and used with their garden produce. The boys felt very grown-up using this.

Many people I know use an ice cream pail with a lid for their refrigerator pickles. We decided to use jars, so that we could give them away as gifts and store them more easily in our refrigerator. When filling the jars, we used a knife to help encourage the cucumbers into the jars.

Many people I know use an ice cream pail with a lid for their refrigerator pickles. We decided to use jars, so that we could give them away as gifts and store them more easily in our refrigerator. When filling the jars, we used a knife to help encourage the cucumbers into the jars.

Sweet Refrigerator Pickles 6 cups thinly sliced cucumbers 2 cups thinly sliced onions 1-1/2 cups sugar 1-1/2 cups cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed 1/2 teaspoon celery seed 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves Place cucumbers and onions in a large bowl; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook and stir just until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over cucumber mixture; cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. Yield: 6 cups. Source: Taste of Home

Sweet Refrigerator Pickles
6 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Place cucumbers and onions in a large bowl; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook and stir just until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over cucumber mixture; cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. Yield: 6 cups.
Source: Taste of Home

Sweet Refrigerator Pickles Recipe adapted from Jane Reslock Feist 2 pounds cucumbers, sliced 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal (about 8 cups) 1 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion, sliced 1 inch thick 2 celery stalks, sliced 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal Coarse salt 2 cups sugar 1 cup cider vinegar 1 teaspoon celery seed 1 teaspoon mustard seed In a colander set over a medium bowl, toss cucumbers, onion, and celery stalks with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Set aside to drain, 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. In a small bowl, combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed, and mustard seed; stir until sugar is dissolved. Divide cucumber mixture among clean jars or airtight containers, and pour vinegar mixture over. Refrigerate at least 8 hours (or up to 2 weeks). Source: Martha Stewart

Sweet Refrigerator Pickles
Recipe adapted from Jane Reslock Feist
2 pounds cucumbers, sliced 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal (about 8 cups)
1 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion, sliced 1 inch thick
2 celery stalks, sliced 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal
Coarse salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed
In a colander set over a medium bowl, toss cucumbers, onion, and celery stalks with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Set aside to drain, 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. In a small bowl, combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed, and mustard seed; stir until sugar is dissolved. Divide cucumber mixture among clean jars or airtight containers, and pour vinegar mixture over. Refrigerate at least 8 hours (or up to 2 weeks).
Source: Martha Stewart

Exhaustion finds Peace
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Exhaustion finds Peace

The boys used one of the beets that was way to small to make warrior paint.

The boys used one of the beets that was way to small to make warrior paint.

Our evening concluded last night with, Sam falling asleep at the table while eating his supper, and Keith going to bed with a smile on his face. You may be wondering why did Sam fall asleep at the table? You see we ate supper at 9:30 p.m. This is not unlike what I grew up doing on our family farm, or what I know other farm families do.

You see we harvest some of our crops the evening before pick-up (cucumbers, sweet corn, tomatoes etc,) and early in the morning of the day of pick-up trying to avoid harvesting during the heat of the day.

We arrived home from our off farm jobs and the boys activities. All of us were exhausted. We all would have much rather played catch or laid on the couch. But we knew the work needed to be done, so we grabbed a Schwan’s ice cream bar which always brings a smile to the boys faces and headed to the field.

I tried to keep everyone focused and separated to avoid the exhausted brother fights. Once Steve arrived, we split into harvesting teams allowing for one on one time with our kids. Just us and Mother Nature on a beautiful summer evening having good conversation with our kids, marveling at the interesting finds in the garden and enjoying the beautiful color of the sunset.

As we cleaned up for the evening, everyone’s moods had changed for the better. They were happy, peaceful, helpful and calm.

So while I was concerned at the time we were eating supper, all of us felt good at what had been accomplished. As I put our oldest to bed, I mentioned to him how peaceful he looked, and how the exhaustion and angst were gone. He agreed that the time spent together outside brought peace and was a good way to end the day.

So now you know one of the many reasons farm families don’t mind the late meals together after working to accomplish a bigger task. When I reflect back on my childhood, I remember those times with fondness and know that those were the days that built character, good work ethic and team work.

Garden Science

The seed potato can be seen at the base of the plant. So cool to see how the roots and the plant have grown from this and to find the delicious potatoes that it has grown.

The seed potato can be seen at the base of the plant. So cool to see how the roots and the plant have grown from this and to find the delicious potatoes that it has grown.

A young potato is attached and growing from the seed potato that we planted this spring.

A young potato is attached and growing from the seed potato that we planted this spring.

This is what we got when we pulled the potato plant out of the ground. There were a few more potatoes that were in the ground. Look closely and you can find the seed potato.

This is what we got when we pulled the potato plant out of the ground. There were a few more potatoes that were in the ground. Look closely and you can find the seed potato.

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.

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. A new crop of lettuce and spinach has emerged. Hoping that it will be ready next week.

Kale – I will be trying this vegetable in place of lettuce this week.

Carrots – Here is a good link to carrot recipes.

Green Beans/Purple Beans – A more manageable amount to try to freeze this week.

Sugar Snap Peas – Our third crop of peas was ready this week. Enjoy!

Broccoli – Have you been searching for new things to do with this vegetable. Here are a few ideas.

Kohlrabi – Here are some ideas for using your Kohlrabi.

Beets abound.

Beets abound.

Beets – Some history on this crop.

Yellow Onions – See how onions are raised by farmers in Idaho.

Zucchini and Summer Squash

Cucmbers abound we have Fanci Pak and Slicing Speedway (a lot like Straight 8).

Cucumbers abound we have Fanci Pak and Slicing Speedway (a lot like Straight 8).

Cucumbers – You received both varieties of cucumbers this week. Let us know if you are in need any for canning.

Peppers – a variety abound – enjoy!

Tomatoes – Tomato varieties included in your boxes: Yellow Girls, Honey Delights, Big Boys, Roma, Fourth of July, Big Mammas, Honey Delights, Amish Paste and cherry tomatoes.

Potatoes are like digging for gold. Tons of fun and hard work!

Potatoes are like digging for gold. Tons of fun and hard work!

Potatoes – Kennebecs – You’ll be enjoying potatoes for the rest of the season.

Sweet Corn – One of my favorites. Here is a way to freeze the corn before it gets to old in your refrigerator.

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

Variety of flowers abound.

Variety of flowers abound.

Fresh cut arrangement – A variety from sunflowers, Rudbeckia, straw flowers, marigolds and zinnias.

Dill is available for canning, and it helps to draw in beneficial insects.

Dill is available for canning, and it helps to draw in beneficial insects.

Fun Fact

We enjoy reading a lot of children’s agriculture books learning about different aspects of farming. One of our favorites is The Boy Who Changed the World. Give it a read – it’s a great way to get kids thinking about people around the world, and how they too can make a difference.

Recipe of the Week

Zucchini Brownies

Zucchini Brownies

Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup baking cocoa
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups shredded zucchini
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil (I substitute with applesauce.)
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting

  • 1/4 cup butter, cubed
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, combine the zucchini, sugar and oil; stir into dry ingredients until blended. Stir in walnuts and vanilla.
  • Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° F. for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
  • In a large saucepan, melt butter; stir in sugar and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook and stir 1 minute or until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in chips and marshmallows until melted and smooth; add vanilla. Spread over brownies. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired. Yield: 2 dozen.

Source: Taste of Home

Happy kids and a great way to feed them zucchini and applesauce!

Happy kids and a great way to feed them zucchini and applesauce!

Sharing the Bounty
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Sharing the Bounty

A special shout out to a few of our shareholde families, Staabs and Garlinskis, for helping to harvest 70# of green beans which were donated to the food shelf.

A special shout out to a few of our shareholder families, Staabs and Garlinskis, for helping to harvest 70# of green beans which were donated to the food shelf. We figure if 1# feeds a family of 4 over 280 families will be served with this donation.

After harvesting last week, we knew we had way more then all of us could use. With the help of a few shareholder families, we harvested 70 pounds of green beans and 78 pounds of cucumbers that were then donated to our local food shelf. After a few estimated calculations, we figured that the green beans alone would nourish over 280 people. Thank you to the Staab and Garlinski families for your help with harvest.

The food shelf had great appreciation for the fresh produce. Thank you for helping us to feed those in need.

Garden Science

We have been reading Farmer Boy this summer. If you have read this book, you will remember where Almanzo fed his pumpkin milk to help it grow bigger then any other in the county receiving the blue ribbon at the county fair.

Well we have talked about doing this experiment for a few years, and this weekend we found time to start it and at least give it a try.

Fist we selected a pumpkin, I think we should have started a tad earlier. But nonetheless, we cut a small slit in he stem on one pumpkin and on the vine on another. Then carefully insterted a candle wick which had been soaked in milk into the slit and wrapped gauze aound the slit and candle wick.

Fist we selected a pumpkin, I think we should have started a tad earlier. But nonetheless, we cut a small slit in the stem on one pumpkin and on the vine on another. Then carefully inserted a candle wick which had been soaked in milk into the slit and wrapped gauze around the slit and candle wick.

Next, we had selected a jar and drilled a small hole in the top; threaded the wick into the hole and placed tape on the hole and wick. Then we placed it into a hole we had dug and secured it in the hole. We will check it daily to see if the milk is being absorbed.

Next, we had selected a jar and drilled a small hole in the top; threaded the wick into the hole and placed tape on the hole and wick. Then we placed it into a hole we had dug and secured it in the hole. We will check it daily to see if the milk is being absorbed.

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.

Beets

Yellow Onions

Zucchini and Summer Squash – Some insects may be getting the best of this crop. We are trying our best to figure out why some of these plants are dying off.

Cucumbers growing right behind the flower.

Cucumbers growing right behind the flower. The cucumbers are growing like crazy. If you are interested in canning some, please let us know. This past week we had so many that we donated 78 pounds of cucumbers to the food shelf.

Cucumbers – You received both varieties of cucumbers this week – new is the straight 8 variety (longer variety).

Carrots – Here is a good link to carrot recipes.

Green Beans/Purple Beans– This crop is bountiful.  If you have not been able to keep up but hate the thought of throwing them away. Try these easy blanching steps to freeze the green beans to use throughout the year.

Kohlrabi – Here are some ideas for using your Kohlrabi.

Kale – Are you still trying to figure out this vegetable? Here ae some more ideas.

Tomatoes – The tomatoes are starting to come in with a variety included in your boxes including: Yellow Girls, Roma, Fourth of July and cherry tomatoes.

Sweet Corn – One of my favorites. Here is a way to freeze the corn before it gets to old in your refrigerator.

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

The boys wee happy to share some flowers with their Grandma.

The boys were happy to share some flowers with their Grandma.

Fresh cut arrangement – A variety from sunflowers, Rudbeckia, straw flowers, marigolds and zinnias.

Recipe of the Week

I thought you might enjoy hearing how some of our shareholders are eating some of their veggies.

  • Carrots and Cucumbers – slice and dip in peanut butter
  • Beets – peel and eat raw and/or in salads. I like to eat them cooked with some butter on them.
  • Kohlrabi – peel and slice then eat like an apple.
New Perspective
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New Perspective

Weeding is a continuous project. We found this velvet leaf plant in the corn.

Weeding is a continuous project. We found this velvet leaf plant in the corn.

This past week, we received a few nice rains. With the rain and humidity comes weeds. So you guessed it, we were weeding again this weekend as you can see from the picture some of them that have gotten past us are growing pretty tall.

But with that these weather conditions come plentiful harvests. Right now our green beans, sugar snap peas, broccoli, cucumbers and dill are growing like crazy, and the tomatoes are on the verge.

As we were out harvesting this week, the boys reminded me of a valuable lesson. I was in a hurry to get the job done, “focus on the job at hand.” But in their minds, it seems to always come down to exploration, whether it is the discovery of a new insect or the goofy faces you can make with a green bean (don’t worry these become compost). I think it is a good reminder to us all.

Slow down. Enjoy the beauty around you.

Don’t always be in a hurry.

Excitement is around the corner.

Laughter is among us – let it happen. We’ll all be happier after a good laugh.

Slow down. Enjoy the beauty around you. Don't always be in a hurry. Excitement is around the corner. Laughter is among us - let it happen. We'll all be happier after a good laugh.

*Slow down. Enjoy the beauty around you.
*Don’t always be in a hurry.
*Excitement is around the corner.
*Laughter is among us – let it happen. We’ll all be happier after a good laugh.

Garden Science

A few posts back, you may recall I discussed the importance of thinning the carrots. Well, we decided to not thin all of them so that you could see what happens when the carrots are planted to close together.

A few posts back, you may recall I discussed the importance of thinning the carrots. Well, we decided to not thin all of them so that you could see what happens when the carrots are planted to close together.

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.

Beets are becoming plentiful.

Beets are becoming plentiful.

Beets

Onions

Zucchini and Summer Squash – Some insects may be getting the best of this crop. We are trying our best to figure out why some of these plants are dying off.

Cucumbers – We have two varieties planted – let us know if you would like any for canning.

Carrots – Learn more about carrots.

Sugar Snap Peas – This is the second crop of peas. Because of the heat and humidity this crop is rapidly maturing.

Harvesting green beans

Harvesting green beans

Green Beans – This crop is bountiful.  Let us know if you are interested in canning quantities.

Purple Beans – This crop is starting to come to an end.

Sam showed his grandparents how to harvest a kohlrabi. His grandparents have been farming for over 50 years and always enjoy learning about different types of agriculture.

Sam showed his grandparents how to harvest a kohlrabi. His grandparents have been farming for over 50 years and always enjoy learning about different types of agriculture.

Kohlrabi

Kale

Cilantro

Cilantro

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

Flower varieties this week.

Flower varieties this week.

Fresh cut arrangement – A variety from sunflowers, Rudbeckia and zinnias.

Recipe of the Week

Chocolate Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins - a winner in this household.

Chocolate Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins – a winner in this household.

Chocolate Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

•3 cups all-purpose flour

•1 1/2 cup sugar

•2 teaspoon baking soda

•2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup cocoa

•1 teaspoon salt

•2 eggs, lightly beaten

•1 cup applesauce

•1/2 cup milk

•2 tablespoons lemon juice

•2 teaspoons vanilla extract

•2 cups shredded zucchini

•1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

•1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions: In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Combine the egg, oil, milk, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zucchini, chocolate chips and walnuts. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Garnish with a few miniature chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done. Yield: about 2 dozen.

Recipe modified from Tasteofhome.com.

 

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On his way to harvest, what a beautiful view.

On his way to harvest, what a beautiful view.

We spent a lot of time catching up to the growth in the garden: installing a fence to protect the sweet corn from raccoons, moving fence for peas to grow on and planting the final crops of lettuces, spinach, sugar snap peas and carrots. As well as, a lot of weed control and insect management.

The boys learned how to install electric fence this week around the sweet corn in order to protect the crop from raccoons. Thanks to my parents for upcycling this nice solar powered fencer!

The boys learned how to install electric fence this week around the sweet corn in order to protect the crop from raccoons. Thanks to my parents for upcycling this nice solar-powered fencer!

We also installed a fence for the third crop of sugar snap peas to climb up. This greatly assists in harvesting ease. A fourth and final crop was planted of sugar snap peas. We also planted another crop of lettuce, carrots and spinach.

We also installed a fence for the third crop of sugar snap peas to climb up. This greatly assists in harvesting ease. A fourth and final crop was planted of sugar snap peas. We also planted the third crop of lettuce, carrots and spinach.

We received 1.8 inches of rain on Thursday and Friday. We had driving rain on Friday night, and we’re fortunate that is all we received. Other areas of the state saw a cruel side of Mother Nature.

There are many Golden Nuggets from the opportunity to work with all of you. One of them for us is watching our kids confidently share their story of how they raise the crops, and the opportunities and challenges that they see in the field. In the end, we hope the boys understand that it is not what you reap (grow and harvest) but it’s what you sow (the seeds of knowledge and understanding) that is the true reward. Thanks again for the opportunity to work with all of you!

When we have an oversupply of vegetables, Harner Brothers CSA donates them to the local food shelf. It's important to us to teach the importance of caring for others and sharing when we can.

When we have an oversupply of vegetables, Harner Brothers CSA donates them to the local food shelf. It’s important to us to teach the importance of caring for others and sharing when we can.

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 thinning out the rows so that the beet plants remaining can grow larger.

Onions

Zucchini and Summer Squash – Some ideas for using your zucchini...

Harvesting cucumbers has begun. We have the cucumbers climb up the fence so that when the cucumbers grow that they hang down through the fence and help to keep the cucumbers clean. This is some "recycled" fence from my parent's farm. It works great!

Harvesting cucumbers has begun. We have the cucumbers climb up the fence so that when the cucumbers grow that they hang down through the fence and help to keep the cucumbers clean. This is some “recycled” fence from my parent’s farm. It works great!

Cucumbers – These are the first of the season. We have two varieties planted – look for more in the coming weeks.

Just a few carrots.

Just a few carrots.

Carrots – Learn more about carrots.

Sugar Snap Peas – This is the second crop of peas. We planted to fourth crop this week so that you can enjoy this vegetable throughout the season.

Come on out and harvest a few green beans. This is the view you will find.

Come on out and harvest a few green beans. This is the view you will find.

Green Beans – This crop is bountiful. We do have dill if you wish to pickle some.

Purple Beans

Purple Beans

Purple Beans – Enjoy the fun color.

Kohlrabi

Kale – Some Kale ideas from P. Allen Smith.

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

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

Garden Science

Have you ever noticed that corn tassels (sweet corn vs. field corn vs ornamental corn vs popcorn) are different colors. Next time you drive by a field of corn notice the color of the tassel - field corn. This is an ornamental corn tassel - notice the purple in it.

Have you ever noticed that corn tassels (sweet corn vs. field corn vs ornamental corn vs popcorn) are different colors. Next time you drive by a field of corn notice the color of the tassel – field corn. This is an ornamental corn tassel – notice the purple in it.

The sweet corn tassel is a lighter yellow. Notice the differences - Mother Nature truly produces amazing colors.

The sweet corn tassel is a lighter yellow. Notice the differences – Mother Nature truly produces amazing colors.

Recipe of the Week

Short and sweet recipe. When grilling pheasant, turkey and chicken, I like to baste with melted butter and honey and place any herb on top of it. Turn once. Grill to an internal temp of 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

Short and sweet recipe. When grilling pheasant, turkey and chicken, I like to baste with melted butter and honey and place any herb on top of it. Turn once. Grill to an internal temp of 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

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.

Thankful
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Thankful

The boys harvested a bounty of vegetables.

The boys harvested a bounty of vegetables.

Thankful is what comes to mind this week after we returned home from a quick trip over Independence Day weekend. As we traveled the Midwest, we saw areas – particularly Indiana that have had way to much moisture.

We feel blessed to have been getting what our plants need in a timely fashion. We pray that this continues, and we also pray for the farmers who are struggling with challenging conditions.

For those that are wondering, we received about 2.5 inches of rain on Monday.

Science of the Week

The saying is - corn knee high by the Fourth of July. Well, corn is not only knee high, but it is tasseling. Our sweet corn is tasseling. Some of the field corn is nearly six feet and tasseling. The science that goes into selecting good seed provides the opportunity for the corn to be productive in a variety of weather conditions.

The saying is – corn knee-high by the Fourth of July. Well, corn is not only knee-high, but it is tasseling. Our sweet corn is tasseling. Some of the field corn is nearly six feet and tasseling. The science that goes into selecting good seed provides the opportunity for the corn to be productive in a variety of weather conditions.

Question of the Week

Why do you thin the crops?

Thinning is done when crops are planted to close together. We try to space them evenly with the proper distance between each other, but with small seeds, this is sometimes difficult to do with our planter.

Thinning is the process of pulling out the extra plants so there is proper spacing between the plants so that they can grow to their optimum performance. We thin different crops such as the beets so that the root vegetable has more room to grow into a beautiful shape. If the vegetables are to close together you start to get the unique shapes or the vegetables that are wrapped together. We appreciate our shareholders that on occasion embrace the “ugly” vegetable and enjoy the still wonderful flavor!

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 such a wonderful meal!

Comparing the size of the beets to the size of his head.

Comparing the size of the beets to the size of his head.

Beet Leaves – Great in your salads.

Beets – A taste to start the season.

Cherry Belle Radishes – Last ones for a while.

Zucchini and Summer Squash

Peas were bountiful this week.

Peas were bountiful this week.

Sugar Snap Peas – A garden favorite. Eat the pod and all. Enjoy this delicious vegetable!

Green Beans

Green Beans

Green Beans – This crop is becoming bountiful. Be prepared for future weeks. We do have dill if you wish to pickle some. Here are some recipes from Martha Stewart.

Purple Beans

Purple Beans

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

Check out the size of this onion.

Check out the size of this onion.

Onions – Yellow to start the season

The boys were using a baseball as they "measured" the size of the kohlrabi for harvest.

The boys were using a baseball as they “measured” the size of the kohlrabi for harvest.

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

Kale – Let us know what you think!

Fresh cut arrangement 

Recipe of the Week

Lazy Tacos

This is a family favorite and a go to recipe in our house. Thank you to Steve’s Aunt Coleen for sharing this idea with us many years ago. This dish can take on many options depending on your family’s tastes.

Crush corn chips and layer taco favorites on top such as:

taco meat

onions

black olives,

tomatoes

lettuce

cheddar cheese

chilli beans

salsa

cottage cheese

salad dressing

Note: with all of the fresh produce I would also try a variety of vegetables.

Sharing the same values
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Sharing the same values

A lot of activity occurred in the garden again this week. One of the activities included the boys putting up a fence for the cucumbers to climb on. This will help to keep the cucumbers cleaner.

A lot of activity occurred in the garden again this week. One of the activities included the boys putting up a fence for the cucumbers to climb on. This will help to keep the cucumbers cleaner.

“How can we live only two miles apart, but yet our lives can be so different.”

This statement came from a friend of ours who shares many of the same values that we do. But captures one of the reasons that we do what we do with the land and opportunities that we have.

This mom and I have kids that are growing up together and have been doing so since they were babies. We value a good education; a loving home; a strong belief in God; a variety of experiences outside of the classroom to build loving, caring, hard-working good kids, and I could go on.

So how does this tie together? Those of us who grew up on farms, and who continue to be involved with farming and production agriculture have a tremendous opportunity to share our passion and inborn fondness for growing food, caring for the world around us and opening our doors to the constant learning and excitement that we experience each and every day. Our entire family values the conversations and the questions that people ask about what we are doing at our CSA, and why we are doing it. Thank you for asking, and if we don’t know the answer to your question we can try to connect you with someone who does.

Question of the Week

This is what the lettuce looks like when you cut it. Then it grows back within a few days to look as beautiful as the lettuce in the back of the picture.

This is what the lettuce looks like when you cut it. Then it grows back within a few days to look as beautiful as the lettuce in the back of the picture.

Does the lettuce keep growing after you cut it?

We grow leaf lettuce, and yes it does. We will do this for a few weeks until it appears to have outgrown this stage, become flowering or bitter. Then we move into a new crop that we planted 3 to 4 weeks after the other planting. We stagger our plantings in about 3-4 week increments so we can enjoy them throughout the growing season.

Garden Science

Potato bugs eating the entire potato plant.

Potato bugs eating the entire potato plant.

Bugs, bugs everywhere. We have planted different plants to draw in beneficial insects to help decrease the potato bug population by eating the potato bugs.

We monitor our potato bugs (do regular crop scouting) and have spent a tot of “quality family time” picking the bugs off of the potato and tomato plants since they first appeared. But a few weeks ago, the potato bugs hit a population threshold where we knew we must do something different, or they would eat the potato and tomato crops. We researched different insecticides (a pesticide for insects) that would kill the insects, and two weeks ago sprayed an insecticide called Potato Beetle Beater It is labeled as an organic pesticide. The reason we selected it was because it killed the potato bugs in a different mode of action than previous insecticides. It is important to note that insects are very different than humans and that an insect’s body makeup is very different than humans. It appears that it worked! We will continue to monitor throughout the growing season.

We do not take the use of pesticide (encompassing term for pest control – herbicide – kills weeds; insecticide – kills insects) lightly. Our kids are out in and amongst the crops on a daily basis, and their health is of the utmost importance to us. We do not want to put their health in danger in any way. Nor do we want to put your kids health or your health in any danger.

We have taken a pesticide applicator license test and have our license. We know that in order to apply different pesticides that we must follow label directions and use in appropriate weather conditions so that the pesticide is only affecting the intended target and not other crops/plants etc. During college, I also worked in the weed science department at South Dakota State University researching different methods of weed control. Please let us know if you would prefer not to have any potatoes, or if you have any questions.

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

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce

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

Red Oak Leaf Lettuce

Red Oak Leaf Lettuce – Beautiful red lettuce leaf. It adds such a wonderful color to your salads.

Spinach – Remember to wash before eating. A combination of these vegetables will make such a wonderful meal! Check out some of Martha Stewart’s spinach recipes.

Beet Leaves – Great in your salads.

Cherry Belle Radishes

The first of the summer squash and zucchini are in your boxes.

The first of the summer squash and zucchini are in your boxes.

Zucchini and Summer Squash – The first of the crop is in your box. More to come.

Sugar Snap Peas – A garden favorite. Eat the pod and all. Enjoy this delicious vegetable!

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

Kale – Let us know what you think!

Broccoli – We love to eat this fresh out of the garden in a salad. Just a taste in the box this week.

Fresh cut arrangement – Hosta leaves with a variety of flowers.

Today's flowers

Today’s flowers

Recipe of the Week

Fruited Chicken Lettuce Salad

1-1/2 cups torn lettuce and spinach

1 package (6 ounces) ready-to-use grilled chicken breast strips

1/3 cup sliced fresh peach

1/3 cup fresh raspberries

1/3 cup fresh blueberries

Dressing

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 teaspoons lime juice

1-1/2 teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Dash pepper

In a large bowl, combine the torn leaves of the lettuce and spinach, chicken and fruit. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the dressing ingredients; shake well. Pour over salad and toss to coat.

Source: Taste of Home

Life Lessons: Work Ethic and Storms
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Life Lessons: Work Ethic and Storms

This weekend, we were yet again trying to get the weeds under control. After finishing the weeding, the boys mentioned that, “It really did look a lot better. Really it did.”

Yet another life lesson learned. There will be moments in life that will look quite challenging, overwhelming and nearly impossible (trust me – it really did look that bad). The attitude you bring into the situation will determine the outcome (an I can do attitude is a must!) At the end of the road, you will look back and realize that 1) It was achievable; 2) It wasn’t quite as bad as you thought it would be (a little water fun on a hot summer day is always a great thing.); and 3) Your efforts were worth it.

Garden Science

We did receive heavy winds on Monday that laid our corn pretty flat. After all of our hard work of weeding, to see our crops looking that way is disheartening and concerning.

But as we looked at the crops, we discussed plant genetics and that there are scientists, plant breeders, who study the plants and look for natural qualities/traits that will help the plant to survive these challenging weather conditions: heavy winds, hail, droughts and very wet conditions while producing a quality crop – that is healthy to eat and produces good yields (quantity of crop).

In the end, the boys optimistic attitude won the conversation.

“Don’t worry mom. All we need is a 70 miles per hour wind from the opposite direction, and the crop will stand right back up.” Always love a child’s perspective!

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.

Asparagus – This is the last week for fresh-cut asparagus from the Chute’s Farm Fresh Gardens in Aitkin, Minnesota. These farmers are friends of ours who we know from Farm Bureau and also the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership Program.

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. It adds such a wonderful color to your salads.

Spinach – Remember to wash before eating. A combination of these vegetables will make such a wonderful meal! Check out some of Martha Stewart’s spinach recipes.

Beet Leaves – Great in your salads.

Picking peas isn't the most enjoyable job, but it sure can reap a tasty reward for a job well done.

Picking peas isn’t the most enjoyable job, but it sure can reap a tasty reward for a job well done.

Sugar Snap Peas – A garden favorite. Eat the pod and all. Enjoy this delicious vegetable!

When harvesting Kale you simply snap the leaf off from the stem.

When harvesting Kale you simply snap the leaf off from the stem.

Kale – A new vegetable to our family. Some of you requested it so we are giving it a try. Let us know what you think!

Broccoli – We love to eat this fresh out of the garden in a salad.

Broccoli

Broccoli

Fresh cut arrangement – Hosta leaves

Recipe of the Week

Since we had never tried Kale before, we tried Kale Chips. safe place to start everyone.

Kale Chips

I washed the kale and spun it draw in my lettuce spinner.

I washed the kale and spun it dry in my salad spinner.

Then I tore off the leaves of the kale leaving the rib of the leaf for the compost pile.

Then I tore off the leaves of the kale leaving the rib of the leaf for the compost pile.

I drizzled the olive oil and sprinkled the kosher salt on the leaves then tossed it together. Then spread it out evenly on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

I drizzled the olive oil and sprinkled the kosher salt on the leaves then tossed it together. Then spread it out evenly on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Baked at 350 for 10-12 minutes. We were impressed with how crunchy they were. We want to experiment with a few other ways to make the chips like with honey.

Baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes. We were impressed with how crunchy they were. We want to experiment with a few other ways to make the chips like with honey.

Kale Chips

1 large bunch of kale, rinsed well, dried and torn into 2 inch pieces

1 -2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon coarse salt (I tried some with Kosher salt and seasoning salt)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Place Kale pieces in a single even layer on baking sheets; drizzle with olive oil and salt.

Bake in oven for about 12 minutes. Serve.

Weeds, Weeds, Weeds
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Weeds, Weeds, Weeds

Another motivation for weeding is finding fresh carrots.

Another motivation for weeding is finding fresh carrots.

While the weather has been beautiful, it has proven to be a haven for ideal weed growth. We spent a considerable amount of time this week weeding in the garden, and we are only half done! A combination of methods are used from hand weeding to tilling to rid these pesky plants from hindering a productive crop of garden produce. I always feel this is the most challenging time for weeds as there is no natural “canopy” from the garden crops formed over the weeds to shade out their growth.

What keeps us motivated to finish the weeding? Well, the radio always helps, along with, good conversation and a few games of “would you rather” or the stop everything and play “pretend.”

But to be honest, the feeling of looking back on your work and being able to say to yourself, “job well done” and also knowing that the plants will be healthier and more productive throughout the growing season, makes it all worth it.

At the end of the day, the bond from accomplishing the job together is pretty important!

At the end of the day, the bond from accomplishing the job together is pretty important!

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.

Rhubarb – One pound equals about 3 cups. Wash, cut the ends off, cut off any bad parts damaged by wind, chop into 1/4 – 1/2 inch pieces. No need to peel You can freeze it in a Ziploc bag (no blanching) and use for months to come. Our family loves it in muffins, breads, jam, pie, crisp, sauce and torte.

Asparagus – Fresh cut asparagus from the Chute’s Farm Fresh Gardens in Aitkin, Minnesota. These farmers are friends of ours who we know from Farm Bureau and also the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership Program. They had some extra they wanted to share.

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce – One of my favorite garden crops. 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 remember to wash your vegetables before eating. See how lettuce is grown throughout the year so it is available in our grocery stores even on our cold Minnesota days.

Red Oak Leaf Lettuce – I love this beautiful red lettuce leaf. It adds such a wonderful color to your salads.

Spinach – Remember to wash before eating. A combination of these vegetables will make such a wonderful meal! Check out some of Martha Stewart’s spinach recipes.

Radishes – Wash, cut off the tops and also the bottoms, slice and enjoy in salads. Some enjoy dipping in salt.

Herb – Chives – wash then chop up chives into small pieces or wash and freeze in a Ziploc bag. When they are taken out of the freezer you could crush them at that time into tiny pieces to use as flavoring in dishes.

Fresh cut arrangement – Hosta leaves. I learned this a long time ago from Martha Stewart to cut a few hosta leaves and bring the “outside in.” I think it is a great way to brighten up your house, and they should last several weeks!

Rhubarb Torte

This is a family favorite. The recipe was given to me by a dear friend, a dairy farmer from Wisconsin. I love the recipes shared with friends and family as they always bring good memories to mind as you share the delicious dish with others.

The first step is to wash the rhubarb, cut off the ends and any scarred areas on the stock (from wind or hail) and cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces.

The first step is to wash the rhubarb, cut off the ends and any scarred areas on the stock (from wind or hail) and cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces.

Using a pie crust cutter. Mix the following: 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 Tablespoons milk, and 1/2 cup butter. Mix then pat into a 9 x 13 cake pan.

Using a pie crust cutter. Mix the following: 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 Tablespoons milk, and 1/2 cup butter.
Mix then pat into a 9 x 13 cake pan.

6 cups rhubarb cut into small 1/2 inch pieces. Place cut rhubarb on top of the bottom layer. Then sprinkle 6 oz package of Jello powder (strawberry or cherry) over rhubarb.

6 cups rhubarb cut into small 1/2 inch pieces. Place cut rhubarb on top of the bottom layer. Then sprinkle 6 oz package of Jello powder (strawberry or cherry) over rhubarb.

Mix with pie cutter. Topping: 2 cups sugar, 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup butter. Then spread on top of Jello.

Mix with pie cutter. Topping: 2 cups sugar, 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup butter. Then spread on top of Jello.

Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.

Enjoy with ice cream or whipped topping.

Enjoy with ice cream or whipped topping.

Rhubarb Torte

Using a pie crust cutter. Mix the following.

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 Tablespoons milk

1/2 cup butter

Mix then pat into a 9 x 13 cake pan.

6 cups rhubarb cut into small 1/2 inch pieces

6 oz package of strawberry or raspberry jello.

Place cut rhubarb on top of the bottom layer. Rhubarb should be cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Sprinkle jello powder over rhubarb.

Topping

2 cups sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

Mix with pie cutter or fork and spread on top of Jello. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.

What a beautiful sunset, we had the other night after a hard days work. God has a way of bringing peacefulness to the day and even better when it is captured through the lens by a young boy.

What a beautiful sunset, we had the other night after a hard days work. God has a way of bringing peacefulness to the day and even better when it is captured through the lens by a young boy.