kids in the garden

Finding Commonalities
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Finding Commonalities

Enjoying the evening sunset together as we harvested sweet corn. In the end, we all just want more quality time with our loved ones. No technology, just Mother Nature and good conversation.

Enjoying the evening sunset together as we harvested sweet corn. In the end, we all just want more quality time with our loved ones. No technology, just Mother Nature and good conversation.

Whether at a baseball game or at the dentist office, we end up discussing summer activities with our kids, challenges as working moms balancing summer schedules, and concern for our kids as they enter into a new school year. We share a lot of the same concerns even though, what we have most in common is being parents, and the love we have for our children.

These conversation also end up including our CSA or questions they have about farming. Questions range from how our CSA is doing with the weather to what’s working and what’s not working compared to what they are experiencing or seeing in their area. These conversations are often times with friends that grew up in town and/or currently reside in town. We also discussed how the food is grown and technologies in agriculture. We, meaning all four of us, enjoy the conversations and the opportunity to help others gain a better understanding for how food is grown.

We are happy to answer questions that others have about what we do. What matters, is that in life we are always learning. After all, it is simply fun and interesting to learn how food is grown and raised to feed our families.

 

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 remember to wash your vegetables before eating.  Thank you for your support of our CSA. Enjoy the produce!

Red Oak Leaf Lettuce – I think God is trying to give you a break on lettuce. I have replanted this crop no less than 5 times. I see a variety is peeking through the ground.

Spinach  – The spinach is in the lettuce salad mix this week. It doesn’t like the heat we have been receiving.

Kale – I use the Kale in moderation in my salads. It adds some beautiful color and more nutrients to the dish.

Kohlrabi – You either have a purple or green kohlrabi in your box. Peel it and eat it like an apple.

Purple Beans – Just a taste this week.

These were some overgrown beets.

These were some overgrown beets.

Beets –  Detroit Dark Red Beets in your box. Check out how to cook them here.

Cherry Belle Radishes – They may be small but their taste is mighty. Enjoy in a salad or a radish sandwich – on buttered bread.

Carrots

Golden Egg Hybrid Summer Squash –  The best-tasting squash in Burpee’s taste trials for 2 years in a row.

Zucchini – The zucchini is still producing. Wondering when it will slow down.

Cucumbers – This crop is dwindling. You will get a break from cucumbers shortly until a new variety of this crop comes in.

Plenty of tomatoes to harvest.

Plenty of tomatoes to harvest.

Tomatoes – A variety abounds for you this week.

Peppers – Green Bell Peppers

Garlic – Enjoy the fresh garlic. I use a hand held garlic press crush and peel my garlic. It is awesome and definitely the tool of the week! Here are some garlic recipes to check out.

Onions –  Snow White hybrid and Giant Red Hamburger onions.

sweet corn

Sam’s neatly stacked sweet corn.

Sweet Corn – One of summer’s favorites.

Spaghetti Squash – I love using this squash instead of regular spaghetti. Learn how to cook this squash from Martha Stewart.

Red Norland Potatoes – Red Norland potatoes are versatile potatoes – great for boiling, potato salad and I have had success with them as French fries.

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Yukon Gold Potatoes – A beautiful golden variety of potato.  Learn some fun facts about potatoes grown in Minnesota and the Northern Plains here.

Cilantro, Basil and Parsley – Plenty to share – take a snip or a plant home and freeze or dry the herb for use in stews, etc during the rest of the year.

Fresh cut arrangement – Zinnias and sunflowers

Recipe of the Week

These zucchini brownies are a favorite.

These zucchini brownies are a favorite.

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 will 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

Lessons from Weeds
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Lessons from Weeds

 

The weeds are loving this weather. Check out this giant ragweed that they pulled out of the sweet corn field.

The weeds are loving this weather. Check out this giant weed that they pulled out of the sweet corn field.

This weekend the boys found this giant weed reaching towards the sky amidst the sweet corn. Even thought the sweet corn was trying to crowd it out, this weed just kept on stretching and growing. We had been keeping an eye on the weeds, but obviously this one snuck past us.

Weeds provide an interesting life lesson. Even when the growing conditions are challenging, keep reaching and striving to grow tall and strong. It is during these times that people are surprised by the personal growth.

Weeds also seem to take advantage of great growing conditions and thrive during these times. Again, a great lesson of when the conditions are right make the most of it.

Lesson from the Weeds – Life is worth living. Maximizing the opportunities that are presented will determine your outcomes for personal growth.

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 remember to wash your vegetables before eating.  Thank you for your support of our CSA. Enjoy the produce!

Black Seeded Simpson, Prizeleaf and Red Oak Leaf Lettuce Mix – Are you having challenges storing your lettuce? This is what I do. Wash it, place in a salad spinner, drain the water off the salad spinner, spin again and then place in a plastic bag in my vegetable crisper. It lasts me the full week or more.

Spinach  – The spinach is in the lettuce salad mix this week. It doesn’t like the heat we have been receiving.

Purple Beans – Love the color and fun to cook with!

Kale – I use the Kale in moderation in my salads. It adds some beautiful color and more nutrients to the dish.

Kohlrabi – You either have a purple or green kohlrabi in your box. Peel it and eat it like an apple.

Love the color of the Bulls Blood Beets.

Love the color of the Bulls Blood Beets.

Beets –  Bulls Blood Beets and Detroit Dark Red Beets in your box. I place the beets in a pan, cover the beets with about an inch of water. Bring to a boil and boil until a fork can be inserted easily into the beet. Remove from the heat and drain the water. Using paper towels I gently rub the skin of the beet off, slice them and enjoy!

Cherry Belle Radishes in your boxes this week. Love the color!

Cherry Belle Radishes in your boxes this week. Love the color!

Cherry Belle Radishes – They may be small but their taste is mighty. Enjoy in a salad or a radish sandwich – on buttered bread.

Watermelon Radishes –  This is the last of this crop. Interested to hear your thoughts.

Golden Egg Hybrid Summer Squash –  The best-tasting squash in Burpee’s taste trials for 2 years in a row.

Zucchini – The zucchini is still producing. Wondering when it will slow down.

Onions –  Yellow Candy – These onions are beautiful. Enjoy!

Cucumbers – This crop is dwindling. You will get a break from cucumbers until a new crop comes in of a different variety.

The tomatoes are ready for harvest.

The tomatoes are ready for harvest.

Tomatoes – Just starting to come in.

Peppers – Sweet, Thunderbolt Pepper

Sweet Corn – One of summer’s favorites.

Potatoes – Red Norland potatoes are versatile potatoes – great for boiling, potato salad and I have had success with them as French fries.

Parsley and Basil are available for you to take home. Freeze or dry it to use in your cooking throughout the year.

Parsley and Basil are available for you to take home. Freeze or dry it to use in your cooking throughout the year.

Basil and Parsley – Plenty to share – take a snip or a plant home and freeze or dry the herb for use in stews, etc during the rest of the year.

Garlic – Enjoy the fresh garlic. I use a hand held garlic press crush and peel my garlic. It is awesome and definitely the tool of the week! Here are some garlic recipes to check out.

Fresh cut arrangement – Zinnias and sunflowers

 

Recipe of the Week

Freezing Corn

I keep it simple because I don’t have time for more when it comes to freezing my vegetables to feed the family throughout the year.

After peeling off the loose husk and clipping off the extra silk, I cook the corn on the grill, rotating it over about a 30 minute time frame.

After peeling off the loose husk and clipping off the extra silk, I cook the corn on the grill, rotating it over about a 30 minute time frame.

After the husks are browned around the entire cub, I peel the husks off, and it is ready to eat.

After the husks are browned around the entire cub, I peel the husks off, and it is ready to eat.

What we don't eat, we simply cut off the extra sweet corn. A bundt pan works great to catch all of the corn. We then place it in a Ziploc bag that has been labeled and dated and place in the freezer to use this winter.

What we don’t eat, we simply cut off the extra sweet corn. A bundt pan works great to catch-all of the corn. We then place it in a Ziploc bag that has been labeled and dated and place in the freezer to use this winter.

 

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July’s Bounty

While we are exhausted from the fair, we were happy to see bountiful produce to harvest.

While we are exhausted from the fair, we were happy to see bountiful produce to harvest.

It is post fair week, and while we are exhausted from the fair, we are excited to see new changes happening in the garden because it is the end of July! This means sweet corn, potatoes, tomatoes and more to come. If you are walking around the garden, look for gourds, winter squash, watermelons and pumpkins growing.

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 remember to wash your vegetables before eating. 

Black Seeded Simpson, Prizeleaf and Red Oak Leaf Lettuce Mix – Are you having challenges storing your lettuce? This is what I do. Wash it, place in a salad spinner, drain the water off the salad spinner, spin again and then place in a plastic bag in my vegetable crisper. It lasts me the full week or more.

Spinach  – The spinach is in the lettuce salad mix this week. It doesn’t like the heat we have been receiving.

Purple Beans – Plenty are growing – let us know if you would like any to can or freeze. Here are some recipe ideas.

The pea pod grows from the flower. Notice the white flower at the tip of the pod.

The pea pod grows from the flower. Notice the white flower at the tip of the pod.

Sugar Snap Peas – A new crop is in.

Kale – Here are some recipes for this vegetable. Two varieties Dwarf Blue Curled Vates and Ursa Kale.

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi – You either have a purple or green kohlrabi in your box. Peel it and eat it like an apple.

Beets –  Bulls Blood Beets – Learn more about this variety of beets here.

Watermelon Radish

Watermelon Radish

Radishes – Watermelon radishes – try some of these recipes out.

The Golden Egg Hybrid squash is plentiful.

The Golden Egg Hybrid squash is plentiful.

Golden Egg Hybrid Summer Squash –  The best-tasting squash in Burpee’s taste trials for 2 years in a row.

The zucchini grows super fast in the weather we had this week.

The zucchini grows super fast in the weather we had this week. One zucchini was as big as Sam’s forearm and the other as long as his leg.

Zucchini – The zucchini is growing like crazy. Learn how to save it for use during the cold winter months From the Farm Table and try some of the recipe ideas from Taste of Home.

Onions –  snow white hybrid – These onions are beautiful. Enjoy!

Cucumbers – Enjoy these in your box. Let us know if you are interested in canning quantities and dill for pickles.

Tomatoes – Just starting to come in.

Sweet Corn – Finally one of summer’s favorites.

Potatoes – Red Norland potatoes are versatile potatoes – great for boiling, potato salad and I have had success with them as French fries.

Garlic was harvested a few weeks ago and has been curing/drying for you.

Garlic was harvested a few weeks ago and has been curing/drying for you.

Garlic – Check out our experiment on garlic explained here.

Fresh cut arrangement – Zinnias and sunflowers

Recipe of the Week

Freezing Herbs

This is step by step instructions that I posted a few years ago, but it was worth reposting. From time to time, I will be setting out additional herbs in case you don’t have those herbs in your pot, or you would just like more. Help yourself, and use this method to have a taste of the garden throughout the winter.

Wash herbs under cold water.

 

Cut or pull herbs apart and place smaller portions in the separate compartments in an ice cube tray. This tray I found in the $1 isle at Target.

A closer look at how Keith was doing this.

Run water over the herbs and place in the freezer.

Once frozen, take out of tray and place in labeled bag or container. These will come in handy throughout the year when a recipe calls for an herb. Just take the ice cube and place in the recipe. Fresh herbs throughout the year.

 

Learning by Doing
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Learning by Doing

This week is fair week in our house. Those that have been involved in county fairs realize this means chaos and exhaustion by everyone in the household. Some may wonder why we put ourselves through this. The short answer is we participate because our kids are in 4-H. The longer answer is: our kids are members of 4-H because we know it builds lifelong friendships, provides unique personal growth opportunities and the kids learn by doing.

The boys brought general projects and are showing animals. Some of their general projects like photography and shop projects could be done ahead of time. Projects like livestock are conducted over several months, over the period of the lifetime of the animal, and some general projects need to be done as close to project judging time as possible such as foods and vegetable gardening.

Sam sharing his Cloverbud general projects with a judge.

Sam sharing his Cloverbud general projects with a judge.

Sam's photo off of our deck following one of the recent storms. He framed the photo and said he like the different colors in the picture and if you look closely that you can see that the roads form different letters. Appreciate how he made me step back and look at his photo through a different lense - a good life lesson.

Sam’s photo that he was sharing with the judge was taken from our deck following one of the recent storms. He framed the photo and said he liked the different colors in the picture and if you look closely that you can see that the roads form different letters. I appreciate how he made me step back and look at his photo through a different lense – a good life lesson.

One of Keith's one hundred photos that sparked his idea for a theme of 4 on roads. The judge said she appreciated his perspective and understanding that you don't always have to take a photo standing up and that he chose a different perspective in how to look at his surroundings.

One of Keith’s one hundred photos that sparked his idea for a theme of four photos on roads. The judge said she appreciated his perspective and understanding that you don’t always have to take a photo standing up and that he chose a different perspective in how to look at his surroundings.

Allowing the kids to complete projects with minimal guidance does take patience for both parties involved, but it allows the kids to grow. For example, learning that sometimes you need to take over 100 photos to get four really good ones that you are happy with or being persistent to find the proper way to display an item such as vegetables.

Through this journey, they are learning the value of mentorship and seeking out others that are experts or have experiences in project areas helps them to understand the value in building a community of support. Thank you to all who have been willing to help. As parents, we see the personal growth, and the humbleness they demonstrate in learning from others.

As project judging time arrived, the kids said they were nervous about the judging. Through the judging process, they learned to shake hands before and after their interviews, remove their hats when conducting their interviews and say thank you at the end of their judging. Once completed, they said it was really fun, and they were so appreciative of how helpful the judges were in teaching them more about their projects and truly seeing what they had learned by doing.

Preparing for the vegetable project was a challenge as we didn't quite know how to properly display the vegetables for a blue ribbon display. After looking at the vegetable and potato displays last year, Keith said he wanted to bring them. He was very nervous for this judging, but as you can see he enjoyed his discussion with the judge who was very helpful in helping us both understand the vegetable project and potato project. Keith was ecstatic to receive Reserve Champion in his potato project and Honorable Mention with his Vegetable Project.

Preparing for the vegetable project was a challenge as we didn’t quite know how to properly display the vegetables for a blue ribbon display. After looking at the vegetable and potato displays last year, Keith said he wanted to bring them. He was very nervous for this judging, but as you can see he enjoyed his discussion with the judge who was very helpful in helping him to understand the vegetable project and potato project. Keith was ecstatic to receive Reserve Champion in his potato project and Honorable Mention with his Vegetable Project.

As a parent living in the chaos of fair week and in my exhaustion, I question whether it is worth it. But I am reminded by take away comments and gestures throughout each day of the fair.

As Keith was selecting his pen of two laying hens and was contemplating the final decision, he said, “Mom today isn’t about winning. It is about learning.”

I asked Sam how it went in the show arena, and how did it go answering the judges questions. He responded with a big grin, “I got the best ribbon I could get – a green.” As a 4-H Cloverbud, they all receive green participation ribbons as an opportunity to learn by doing, to gain confidence in learning that participating, learning and having fun – is the most important thing.

Yesterday, the boys washed their 4-H chickens and pig – together, no fights simply building self-confidence and experiencing new things together. As the day came to a close, I complimented them on how well they worked together. They looked at each other and said, “Yes we did, and it was fun.” The working together carried over to the fair in their pride in caring for their animals and showing them to the fairgoers.”

So from this exhausted parent to other exhausted parents, 4-H and participating in the county fair is definitely worth the investment of time and effort. Watching your kids Learn by Doing is priceless. After all, in the end it is not about the blue ribbon it is about raising a blue ribbon kid.

Garden Science

Did you know that we are still planting seeds in the a garden? These will be some of the last crops planted this year. The plan is for these to reach maturity the last few weeks of the growing season and hoping to have a later frost.

Tilling up another area to replant with the final round of lettuce, spinach, kohlrabi and cucumbers.

Tilling up another area to replant with the final round of lettuce, spinach, kohlrabi and cucumbers.

This weekend we replanted peas and reinstalled the pea fence that had been twisted a bit in some earlier storm winds.

This weekend we replanted peas and reinstalled the pea fence that had been twisted a bit in some earlier storm winds.

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 remember to wash your vegetables before eating. 

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce – Are you having challenges storing your lettuce? This is what I do. Wash it, place in a salad spinner, drain the water off the salad spinner, spin again and then place in a plastic bag in my vegetable crisper. It lasts me the full week or more.

Prizeleaf and Red Oak Leaf Lettuce – I love these beautiful lettuces – Prizeleaf is green with reddish tips and Red Oak Leaf is a red lettuce leaf. They add such a wonderful color to salads and sandwiches.

Spinach  – The spinach is in the lettuce salad mix this week. It doesn’t like the heat we have been receiving.

Green Beans

Green Beans

Green Beans – Plenty are growing – let us know if you would like any to can or freeze. Here are some recipe ideas.

Carrots – Some beautiful purple carrots this week.

Sugar Snap Peas – A new crop is in.

Kale – Here are some recipes for this vegetable. Two varieties Dwarf Blue Curled Vates and Ursa Kale.

Kohlrabi – You either have a purple or green kohlrabi in your box. Peel it and eat it like an apple.

Beets –  Dark Detroit Red Beets – Learn how to cook beets here.

Watermelon Radish

Watermelon Radish

Radishes – Watermelon radishes – let us know what you think about this vegetable.

Golden Egg Hybrid Summer Squash –  The best-tasting squash in Burpee’s taste trials for 2 years in a row.

Zucchini – The zucchini is growing like crazy. Learn how to save it for use during the cold winter months From the Farm Table and try some of the recipe ideas from Martha Stewart.

Onions – Yellow Candy – These onions are beautiful. Enjoy!

Cucumbers

Cucumbers

Cucumbers – Enjoy these in your box. Let us know if you are interested in canning quantities and dill for pickles.

Fresh Basil – some of you have basil in your herb pots and some do not. Check out these basil ideas.

Fresh Dill

Fresh cut arrangement – Zinnias and sunflowers

Recipe of the Week

Chocolate Zucchini Bread Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1 cup applesauce

3 large eggs

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups shredded peeled zucchini

1/4 miniature chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, applesauce, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and baking powder; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Stir in zucchini. Transfer to two 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans coated with cooking spray.
  2. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 2 loaves (12 slices each)

 

Stand up, Stand Tall
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Stand up, Stand Tall

Welcome Minnie and Daisy to the farm.

Welcome Minnie and Daisy to the farm. Barn cats play an important part of controlling field mice and other rodents around our place. As you can tell, we all love having these kittens around.

Thank you to everyone who expressed concern over how our crops fared the storms. We are happy to share (see photo below) that they have recovered as much as can be expected. They have stood back up, standing tall and looking like a crop is in their future. I shared the photos last week as an opportunity to help everyone better understand what happens to farmers’ crops when storms roll through.

One comment from our blog post sticks out – “After all my years of farming, one thing I have learned, is that we do everything we can to ensure that the crop we put in the ground will grow and reap a harvest with whatever weather conditions Mother Nature gives us. If you were thinking positively when you planted it, chances are…it will be ok.”

This comment reminded me that farming presents more learning lessons than one realizes. In fact, it reminds me a lot of life and parenting. We do all we can to ensure that we are helping our children grow up to be productive, loving and caring people who provide back to this world more than they have been given. We think positively about their future. While we are preparing them, similar to preparing to growing a crop, we do the best we can hoping that whatever storms come their way in life that they to, like the corn, will stand back up, stand tall and reap a productive lifetime.

Garden Science

This is a photo of the top of the corn plant last week.

This is a photo of the top of the corn plant last week. Take time to check out the different plants. They really are unique.

The ornamental corn leaf feels different then the...

The ornamental corn leaf feels different then the…

broom corn leaf...

broom corn leaf…

then the field corn leaf. All are unique to the type of corn variety that it is.

then the field corn leaf. All are unique to the type of corn variety that it is.

Great news. All types of corn are standing back up on their own. When I refer to types I mean: sweet corn, field corn, ornamental corn, broom corn and popcorn. Corn genetics are an amazing thing. Thanks to plant scientists these plant varieties were able to withstand that strong wind and straighten back up to keep on growing. I think it also helped that we were all praying for this to happen. God is good!

Great news. All types of corn are standing back up and standing tall on their own. When I refer to types I mean: sweet corn, field corn, ornamental corn, broom corn and popcorn. Corn genetics are an amazing thing. Thanks to the plant scientists, these plant varieties were able to withstand that strong wind and straighten back up to keep on growing. I think it also helped that we were all praying for this to happen. God is good!

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 remember to wash your vegetables before eating. 

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce – With a lot of lettuce in your boxes, check out Martha Stewart’s lettuce salad recipes or this potluck taco idea for picnics and family gatherings. 

Prizeleaf and Red Oak Leaf Lettuce – I love these beautiful lettuces – Prizeleaf is green with reddish tips and Red Oak Leaf is a red lettuce leaf. They add such a wonderful color to salads and sandwiches.

Spinach and Beet Leaves – We thinned our beets and have combined them with the spinach for a healthy salad mix.

Carrots

Carrots

Carrots – Some beautiful carrots this week.

Kale – Here are some recipes for this vegetable. Two varieties Dwarf Blue Curled Vates and Ursa Kale.

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi – You either have a purple or green kohlrabi in your box.

Beet –  Dark Detroit Red Beets – Learn how to cook beets here.

 

Picking green beans can literally be exhausting.

Picking green beans can literally be exhausting.

Green Beans – Plenty are growing – let us know if you would like any to can or freeze. Here are some recipe ideas.

Watermelon Radish

Watermelon Radish

Radishes – Watermelon radishes – let us know what you think about this vegetable.

Golden Egg Hybrid Summer Squash –  The best-tasting squash in Burpee’s taste trials for 2 years in a row.

Quite the zucchini and summer squash harvest this week.

The zucchini and summer squash harvest this week.

Zucchini – The zucchini is growing like crazy. Learn how to save it for use during the cold winter months From the Farm Table and try some of the recipe ideas from Martha Stewart.

Onions – red onions – These onions took a beating in the storms. They had stopped growing so we harvested them this week.

Fresh Basil – some of you have basil in your herb pots and some do not. Check out these basil ideas.

Fresh cut arrangement – Zinnias

Recipe of the Week

Cinnamon Zucchini Bread

Cinnamon Zucchini Bread

Cinnamon Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

3 Eggs, beaten

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Brown Sugar

1 cup applesauce

3 cups Flour (opt: substitute 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour)

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

2 cups Zucchini, shredded

Shredding zucchini is super easy and fun with this salad shooter.

Shredding zucchini is super easy and fun with this salad shooter.

Instructions

Beat together the eggs, sugars and applesauce.

Stir together all the dry ingredients and add to the egg-sugar mixture. Stir in the shredded zucchini.

Coat four mini loaf pans with cooking spray. Sprinkle sugar on the bottom. Pour batter evenly in all four pans. Sprinkle tops with sugar.

Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Blessings
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Blessings

 

The crops are loving this rain, heat and humidity. They are growing like crazy. Good news for our shareholders. The peas are blooming and from these flower blossoms will grow our sugar snap peas!

The crops are loving this rain, heat and humidity. They are growing like crazy. Good news for our shareholders. The peas are blooming and from these flower blossoms will grow our sugar snap peas!

Blessings come in many ways.  This past week, we have had nearly 3 inches of rain with heat and humidity that encourages plant growth. The storms that came through blew down a few large branches,  but thankfully didn’t damage the crops.

We were also blessed this weekend to go through the Living with the Land ride at Walt Disney World’s Epcot (sorry for my blurry photos…this was a boat ride with camera operator in tired mom mode). It was an interesting display on innovations in agriculture growing food using resources wisely while integrating new technologies to produce food sustainably to feed the growing world population. The farmers I know seek first to understand these technologies while striving for continuous improvement to pass family farms on to future generations.

For me, it was fun to see our kids interested in all that was shared on this ride. They were figuring out how we to could use what was learned to apply to Harner Brothers CSA.

Walt Disney World Epcot exhibit Living with the Land – lettuce shown.
Walt Disney World Epcot exhibit Living with the Land – chives shown.
Walt Disney World Epcot exhibit Living with the Land – zucchini shown.

Garden Science

Potato bugs have reappeared. So we are again spending family bonding time picking the bugs and the eggs off of the potatoes and tomato plants.

Potato bugs have reappeared. So we are again spending family bonding time picking the bugs and the eggs off of the potatoes and tomato plants.

The potato bugs evidently appreciated the rain,  humidity and heat. Their activity level increased dramatically. This week, we did need to spray an insecticide targeted to kill the potato bugs. Please know that we use this to protect the crop to grow the food.

We feel safe using the insecticide knowing the stringent testing and approval process insecticides go through in order to be approved to be used according to U.S. Government regulations. For example a wasp spray is an insecticide. We also have to be certified and go through testing and have a pesticide applicator license in order to apply the insecticide according to government regulations.

Our family will be out searching for the adult bugs that may have survived because of their hard outer shell which protects the adults like a coat of armor protecting than them from insecticides. We will pick them off the plants to protect the plant from completely being eaten by these insects that can devastate a crop.

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 from Chute's Farm - delicious!

Asparagus from Chute’s Farm Fresh Gardens – delicious!

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. We are nearing the end of this crop. Enjoy! Learn the history of asparagus on America’s Heartland.

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.

Prizeleaf Lettuce

Prizeleaf Lettuce

Prizeleaf and Red Oak Leaf Lettuce – I love these beautiful lettuces – Prizeleaf is green with reddish tips and Red Oak Leaf is a red lettuce leaf. They add such a wonderful color to salads and sandwiches.

Spinach

Spinach

Spinach – remember to wash before eating.

Beet – The beets are Dark Detroit Red Beets.

Beet Leaves – The beet  eaves are Bull’s Blood Beets which are young plants that we are thinning out of the rows – eat the whole plant in a salad – delicious. It will add color and nutrition to your salads.  Note: In the bag with the spinach.

Radishes – French Breakfast radishes this week – a taste for your salads.

Herb – cilantro – While we realize some of you have cilantro in your herb pots, we recognize some of you don’t and some of you simply love cilantro.

Fresh cut arrangement – Spirea flowers and hosta leaves

Recipe of the Week

Omelet

2 eggs

2 tbsp. milk

1/8 tsp. salt

Dash pepper

1 tsp. butter

Fillings: meat, cheese, garden veggies

Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper in small bowl until blended.

Melt butter in 6 to 8-inch nonstick omelet pan or skillet over medium heat until hot. TILT pan to coat bottom. Pour in egg mixture. Mixture should set immediately at edges.

Gently push cooked portions from edges toward the center with inverted turner so that uncooked eggs can reach the hot pan surface. Continue cooking, tilting pan and gently moving cooked portions as needed.

When top surface of eggs is thickened and no visible liquid egg remains, place filling on one side of the omelet. Cover the omelet for about 30 seconds until cheese is melted then fold omelet in half with turner as you flip it onto your plate. Garnish with parsley and cheese. Enjoy!

 

The Season Begins
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The Season Begins

I was reminded this morning why we do what we do. The boys were both up early as the sun was rising with smiles on their faces, eager to help and knowing what to do. We hope that the values learned with the CSA of teamwork, hard work, seeing ones hard work come to fruition and working together to get a job done will be characteristics that will last a lifetime.

Welcome

Welcome to all of our shareholders. We appreciate the opportunity to work with you and for you throughout the growing season. We work hard to earn your trust and respect in the food that we grow for your families and ours!

All of you should have received an email with more details of dates and specifics with the CSA. We are excited to see the daily changes and growth in the garden. Look for weekly blog posts for guidance throughout the season which will provide you with updates, ideas for your box of produce and recipes.

A lot has been done in the garden this past week including weeding, pest control and planting another crop of sugar snap peas, green beans, beets, carrots, radishes, lettuces and spinach. Sometimes a little stress relief is needed after all of this activity.

A lot has been done in the garden this past week including weeding, pest control and planting another crop of sugar snap peas, green beans, beets, carrots, radishes, lettuces and spinach. Sometimes a little stress relief is needed after all of this activity.

Steve was busy hilling the potatoes this weekend. The potatoes have enjoyed the weather and were already in need of being hilled. Hilling helps the potato growth to occur under ground vs. above ground (thus the greening of the potato). We feel we have a more plentiful harvest when this is done.

Steve hilled the potatoes this weekend. The potatoes have enjoyed the weather and were already in need of being hilled. Hilling helps the potato growth to occur under ground vs. above ground (thus the greening of the potato). We feel we have a more plentiful harvest when this is done.

Garden Science

Did you know that cucumber plants when they emerge from the ground smell just like fresh cut cumbers!

Did you know that cucumber plants when they emerge from the ground smell just like fresh cut cucumbers!

Pick-up and Delivery

Remember that pick-up and deliveries will be on the schedule you have arranged with Harner Brothers CSA – please note the exceptions to this which were in the email.

It is your responsibility to know that the pick-up or drop-off time will occur at the agreed upon time, and it is your responsibility as a shareholder to know this and be responsible for the produce at that time. If you are unable to utilize your share that week, it is still your responsibility: find someone else to pick it up or donate it to the food shelf.

Each box is labeled for each family. The same boxes will be used for your family throughout the season. Boxes and containers should be returned the following week. Bags will only be used once.

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.

The Harner Bros are the 5th generation to raise this rhubarb originally planted on our family farm and transplanted to this location.

The Harner Bros are the 5th generation to raise this rhubarb originally planted on our family farm and transplanted to this location.

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. Check out earlier posts on rhubarb for recipe ideas.

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 with us, and the delivery time worked out well. They snap the asparagus vs. cutting so that you are getting all edible stalk and should have very minimal amount that you do not eat.  Enjoy! See how asparagus is harvested in California.

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce - love eating this in salads and on sandwiches.

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce – love eating this in salads and on sandwiches.

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.

Prizeleaf and Red Oak Leaf Lettuce – I love these beautiful lettuces – Prizeleaf is green with reddish tips and Red Oak Leaf is a red lettuce leaf. They add such a wonderful color to salads and sandwiches.

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 -good in your salad greens. Beets will be forthcoming later in June.

Beet leaves – good in your salad greens. Beets will be forthcoming later in June.

Beet/Beet Leaves – These are young plants that we are thinning out of the rows – eat the whole plant in a salad – delicious. It will add color and nutrition to your salads. Learn more here.

Herb – chives – wash then chop up chives into small pieces. I enjoy using them in potatoes on the grill.

Herbs, Peonies and Iris

Herbs, Peonies and Iris

Herbs pots – includes three of one of the following: thyme, rosemary, sweet basil, parsley, cilantro, arugula or sage.

Fresh cut arrangement – peonies and iris’

 

Recipe of the Week

Rhubarb Jam

Mix together and set aside until a juice forms

6 cups rhubarb sliced into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces

3 cups sugar

Next:

Add one can of pie filling (cherry, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry)

Cook these ingredients for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 package of 3 oz jello (use Jello that is of the same flavor as the pie filling). Mix well. Pour into containers. Refrigerate or freeze.

Rhubarb jam - I make strawberry rhubarb, blueberry rhubarb, cherry rhubarb and raspberry rhubarb. Enjoy, it is a delicious treat!

Rhubarb jam – I make strawberry rhubarb, blueberry rhubarb, cherry rhubarb and raspberry rhubarb. Enjoy, it is a delicious treat!

Signs of Spring
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Signs of Spring

We have been busy planting, weeding, mulching and staking. Great news – there is a lot is growing, and we were blessed with rain last night. We anticipate that you should start enjoying garden produce very soon.

It is so fun to watch the crops that you plant sprout and grow. This is a young spinach plant. Do you know how long it takes for spinach to germinate? 7-14 days depending on growing conditions.

It is so fun to watch the crops that you plant sprout and grow. This is a young spinach plant. Do you know how long it takes for spinach to germinate? 7-14 days depending on growing conditions.

 

Mulch and irrigation line was laid at the beginning of May for our tomatoes to provide regular moisture to the plants to provide more event growth opportunity for the tomatoes.

Mulch and irrigation line was laid at the beginning of May for our tomatoes to provide regular moisture to the plants to provide more even growth opportunity for the tomatoes. Note: We usually work with our shoes on for safety purposes. This job gets so much dirt in your shoes it’s difficult to work with them on.

Learning to fence is part of living at our place. We will use trellis fro our sugar snap peas and cucumbers.

Learning to fence is part of living at our place. We will use trellis’ for our sugar snap peas and cucumbers.

Planting of pumpkins and squash also occurred earlier in May and they are poking out of the ground.

Planting of pumpkins and squash also occurred earlier in May, and they are peeking out of the ground.

We utilize fence repurposed from my parents farm to use for our trellis for our peas. We are ready for these little plants to take off climbing.

We utilize fence repurposed from my parents farm to use for our trellis for our peas. We are ready for these little plants to take off climbing.

Garden Science

We did have frost in mid-May. Notice the black parts on the leaves of the potatoes which were caused by the cold weather.

We did have frost in mid-May. Notice the black parts on the leaves of the potatoes which were caused by the cold weather. Good news is that it didn’t damage the plant significantly, and it is growing out of the stress of the cold weather.

Agriculture in the Classroom

We were privileged to be part of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture's Book of the Year project and were featured in their Ag Mag - great for students in 3rd -5th grade available in both English and Spanish. The Book of the Year is First Peas to the Table which tells a story of President Thomas Jefferson and his farm.

We were privileged to be part of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s Book of the Year project and were featured in their Ag Mag – great for students in 3rd -5th grade. The Book of the Year is First Peas to the Table which tells a story of President Thomas Jefferson and his farm.

We had a fun day with Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell. She is a farm girl from Georgia. As part of my job with the Minnesota Farm Bureau, we were able to share Minnesota agriculture with her through a farm visit at FarGaze Farms and Wolf Creek Dairy. She also stopped by to see the national contest that she partnered with the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture on called First Peas to the Table Contest. The students have learned so much through this opportunity.

We had a fun day with Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell. She is a farm girl from Georgia. As part of my job with the Minnesota Farm Bureau, we were able to share Minnesota agriculture with her starting at Little Oscars and farm visits at FarGaze Farms and Wolf Creek Dairy. She also stopped by to see the national contest in action that she partnered with the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture on called First Peas to the Table Contest. The students have learned so much through this opportunity. Thank you to Betty for being such a great spokesperson for agriculture!

 

Dance like no one’s watching
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Dance like no one’s watching

Pumpkins etched with Care for your Families. Thank you for being a member of our CSA!

Pumpkins etched with Care for your Families. Thank you for being a member of our CSA!

The other night when we were working, I had the Happy station playing on Pandora. The songs were those that made you want to sing and dance. So the boys and I were singing and dancing like no one was watching. Their smiles and laughter were contagious, and the stress and our exhaustion from our days seemed to be pushed away.

It reminded of me of picking rock when I was growing up. Those were some long days in the field. Rock picking can be long, hot, boring work, but when we blared the radio on the tractor, the singing and the dancing ensued and laughter followed.

As we push for our fall cleanup to be completed, it’s these moments that I want to freeze in time. Time to be crazy, time to accomplish, time to learn and explore and time to have fun, all as a family.

Remember in the end, your kids simply want to laugh and play with you and dance like no one is watching.

Garden clean-up has begun. The boys used a shredder to break down the plants so that we can incorporate them into the soil.

Garden clean-up has begun. The boys used a shredder to break down the plants so that we can incorporate them into the soil.

Garden Science

So are you wondering how the names are created on your pumpkins? It begins at the end of July/beginning of August.

The boys carefully select pumpkins that they think go with the amount of letters in your last name and a pumpkin that will grow to be a nice size for your front porch.

The boys carefully select pumpkins that they think go with the amount of letters in your last name, and a pumpkin that will grow to be a nice size for your front porch.

Then using their great-great grandpa's wood working tools that were hand carved, they carefully etch out your last names in the pumpkin. This will then appear as a

Then using their great-great grandpa’s wood working tools that were hand carved, they carefully etch out your last names in the pumpkin. This will then appear as a “scar” on the skin of the pumpkin. A great way for the boys to work on their spelling, their letter writing and how to work gently with a young plant.

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 – Enjoy this mix on some BLTs or salads.

Carrots – We are having a healthy crop. Hope you are enjoying them.

Green Beans – A little taste – We were surprised that the new crop of green beans and sugar snap peas were not quite ready. Both are blooming and those blooms will grow into the vegetables. Hoping next week.

Broccoli – Broccoli for your salads.

Kohlrabi – Maybe one more week??

Beets – Enjoy the beets before they are all harvested.

Yellow Onions

Cucumbers – Enjoy the “ugly” cucumbers:) The tail end of the cucumbers.

Peppers – A few green peppers with the small Habanero peppers. Choose a few tonight. Fun facts about peppers.

Tomato varieties abound.

Tomato varieties abound.

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. The tomato crop is quickly slowing down. Let us know if you would like any to freeze or can.

Potatoes – Midnight Moon and Masquerade in your box this week. Additional varieties will reappear next week. Learn more about potatoes here.

We broke of the bad parts of the corn that had ear worm. Then boiled the good sweet corn for about 8-10 minutes and cut off the corn to freeze and enjoy throughout the year.

We broke of the bad parts of the corn that had ear worm. Then boiled the good sweet corn for about 8-10 minutes and cut off the corn to freeze and enjoy throughout the year.

Sweet Corn – After finding the earworm in way to many ears, this crop was shredded and will be incorporated into the soil to build soil health. We are looking into our options to prevent this pest next year while providing more sweet corn for your families to enjoy. We did salvage the good part of our ears, boiled them for 8-10 minutes in boiling water, cut the corn off the ears and froze the corn for us to enjoy the rest of the year.

Basil – Pull a plant, replant in your garden or use it fresh.

Melons – Choice of watermelon or cantaloupe. This is the end of the crop. Enjoy!

The boys had a great time harvesting your name pumpkins.

The boys had a great time harvesting your name pumpkins.

Pumpkins – The boys enjoyed etching your names into the young pumpkins a few weeks ago. So while they may not look exactly perfect, please know they were done with much joy for each of your families by the boys to show gratitude for your families to enjoy this fall.

What a variety of gourds we have this year. These two resembled snakes. We hope you enjoy your share. Look for more next week.

What a variety of gourds we have this year. These two resembled snakes. We hope you enjoy your share. Look for more next week.

Gourds – A variety of them abound from Baby Boos to egg gourds to Jack-Be-Littles and more. Enjoy your share this week and look for more next week.

The ornamental corn colors are beautiful.

The ornamental corn colors are beautiful.

Fresh cut arrangement – Ornamental corn – one bunch for each of you. This crop was beat up by winds and a few storms this year. We plan to increase the amount of plants planted next year.

Recipe of the Week

Butternut Squash

A family favorite! I freeze and use throughout the year in recipes that call for pumpkin.

1. Using a butcher knife, split the squash in half lengthwise. Place in a cake pan, put about 1/4 - 1/2 inch of water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for at least an hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Remove from oven. peel off the skin using a knife or turn it over and scoop out cooked squash. Scoop out and remove the seeds - discard (seeds could be cooked using a pumpkin seed recipe). 3. Place cooked squash in bowl with 1/2 cup of stick butter and 3/4 cup of brown sugar. Mix and enjoy.

1. Using a butcher knife, split the squash in half lengthwise. Place in a cake pan, put about 1/4 – 1/2 inch of water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for at least an hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Remove from oven. peel off the skin using a knife or turn it over and scoop out cooked squash. Scoop out and remove the seeds – discard (seeds could be cooked using a pumpkin seed recipe).
3. Place cooked squash in bowl with 1/2 cup of stick butter and 3/4 cup of brown sugar. Mix and enjoy.

Squash mixed up and ready to be eaten or frozen. I freeze mine in cupcake tins, after they are frozen I put them in a Ziploc bag and pull them out as needed for meals or when a recipe calls for pumpkin.

Squash mixed up and ready to be eaten or frozen. I freeze mine in cupcake tins, after they are frozen I put them in a Ziploc bag and pull them out as needed for meals or when a recipe calls for pumpkin.

Butternut Squash

1 squash

1/2 cup of stick butter

3/4 cup of brown sugar

1. Using a butcher knife, split the squash in half lengthwise. Place in a cake pan, put about 1/4 – 1/2 inch of water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for at least an hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Remove from oven. peel off the skin using a knife or turn it over and scoop out cooked squash. Scoop out and remove the seeds – discard. Or seeds could be cooked using a pumpkin seed recipe.
3. Place cooked squash in bowl with 1/2 cup of stick butter and 3/4 cup of brown sugar. Mix and enjoy.

4. Once squash is mixed up and ready to be eaten or freeze in cupcake tin. After they are frozen I put them in a Ziploc bag and pull them out as needed for meals or when a recipe calls for pumpkin.

Sharing our Story
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Sharing our Story

This past weekend, I had the joy and pleasure of teaching a young girl how to pick flowers. Picking flowers is a skill that I have taught my boys and my husband, and something we all take for granted. Much like the boys teaching other kids how to harvest carrots.

As I reflect on these experiences, I am reminded of why we encourage our boys to teach something each week in the garden. You see each week during our growing season, we encourage the boys to share something that is new or different that is “growing” on in the garden from insects to soil types to seeds to harvesting vegetables to eat on the way home etc. We encourage our children to continue to share the farm story wherever an opportunity is available, and they continue to amaze me.

Farm Fact: Over half of all Minnesotans have never met a farmer.

Keith working at the state fair sharing how farmers care for the animals, environment and producing food for families in our neighborhoods and around the world.

Keith working at the state fair sharing how farmers care for the animals, the environment and producing food for families in our neighborhoods and around the world.

This week, Keith joined me at the Minnesota State Fair at the Minnesota Farm Bureau booth answering consumer questions  and providing an opportunity for consumers to meet a farmer. He also worked at the Minnesota Farm Bureau Foundation’s Ag Cab Lab in the CHS Miracle of Birth Center helping families to better understand ethanol, and what it is like to drive a tractor. He had a great opportunity to help share what Minnesota Farm Bureau is doing at this year’s Minnesota State Fair on WCCO TV.

Sam sharing how the chicks have grown that they hatched at the Montessori, and how to tell the difference between roosters and hens.

Sam shared how the chicks that were hatched at the Montessori have grown, and taught the children how to tell the difference between roosters and hens.

This past school year, we hatched chicks in both of the boys’ classrooms. This summer, we brought the grown chickens into school to share with the children and show them how quickly poultry and animals change – a great science lesson! Sam did a great job leading this sharing time and describing the differences between roosters and hens.

While there are many different types of farms across Minnesota and the United States, we are happy to share our story with those who are interested and to help answer questions that you may have or connect you with farmers that would be able to answer them. You see the reason we enjoy sharing our story is because we like to see the joy in the faces when people connect and better understand. Much like the joy in a young girls face when she better understands how to harvest and pick a beautiful bouquet of flowers, or the smile on boys’ faces with their mouths outlined in dirt after eating freshly harvested carrots.

Science in the Garden

We spend quite a bit of time trying to identify insects. A cool one we found this week was the hummingbird moth. Learn more here.

We spend quite a bit of time trying to identify insects. A cool one we found this week was the hummingbird moth. Learn more here.

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 – New crop looks delicious. We hope this will last us until the end of September.

Carrots – Interested to hear what you think. These carrots came out of a different soil type then the ones earlier this summer. Your feedback is appreciated.

Green Beans – A little taste – a new crop of green beans and sugar snap peas in the coming weeks to finish out the year. Check out this segment on America’s Heartland on green beans.

Broccoli

Kohlrabi is also starting to thin out.

Kohlrabi is also starting to thin out.

Kohlrabi – We may get one more week of this.

Beets – The beets will be coming to an end in a week or two.

Yellow Onions

Cucumbers are starting to come to an end, but we still filled a wagon full.

Cucumbers are starting to come to an end, but we still filled a wagon full.

Cucumbers – This crop will also be ending shortly.

Peppers on the other hand are producing. There are a few varieties to choose from.

Peppers on the other hand are producing. There are a few varieties to choose from.

Peppers – A variety – enjoy! Watch out a few of the small Habanero peppers. They are mighty.

We picked just a few tomatoes. If you would like to can or freeze extra to enjoy later. Please let us know.

We picked just a few tomatoes. If you would like to can or freeze extra to enjoy later. Please let us know.

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 – Kennebec, Viking and Blue potatoes for your Labor Day holiday for Red, White and Blue potato salad.

Sweet Corn – Will return in a week or two.

Basil – A little for your potato salad.

Red or Green Cabbage – Here is a coleslaw to give a try at your weekend picnic.

Melons – Choice of watermelon or cantaloupe. Enjoy!

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

Recipe of the Week

Check out the links above for some tasty recipes. I was thinking, “What did I make from the garden this week?” I was reminded of this trusty favorite.

Tater Tot Hotdish

This is a family favorite and an easy way to use many of your fresh or frozen vegetables.

Brown:

1 pound of hamburger

1 Tablespoon onion

In a casserole dish mix in:

1 can of Cream of Mushroom/Cream of Chicken Soup

Frozen corn, peas and/or green beans

Top with tater tots (I was curious to see how some potatoes cut into French fries would work, but I have not tried that yet.)

Cook in 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 1/2 hour or until edges are bubbling. Enjoy!

Enjoy! Sometimes the boys like to eat it with ketchup on it.

Enjoy! Sometimes the boys like to eat it with ketchup on it.