The Last Snow Job - This Season

We have had some warm days, and have begun opening the greenhouses before they get too hot.  The soil in the greenhouses is getting not only warm, but also dry.  With ice on the irrigation pond and the air temperatures cold enough that the pump does not start smoothly, this seems like one good alternative.

Ken had a brilliant idea earlier when the weather was cold and the soil inside the greenhouse was dry - bring in snow and place it near, but not on the plants.  

We shoveled the deep snow from the sides of the greenhouse into our plastic shopping baskets that we use for harvesting certain crops.

Then we dumped the snow in the walk ways between the plants.  

After we cleared most of the snow the sun could warm the ice covered plastic and soon it will thaw and we can roll up the sides for more ventilation options.

P.S. The title for this entry was from Ken.

CSA Newsletter

Greetings from the Garden!  This box has salad mix, carrots, beets, potatoes, squash, potato onions, celeriac - celery root, shallots, garlic, and parsley

Field Notes.  Work here continues around the weather.  Ken has been watching for the snow melt and ground thaw so we can dig parsnips.  This is later than most years. We just had a week of warm weather and now a week of colder nights. We plan to have spring dug roots in the next box - parsnips, sunchokes, etc. Ken has been repairing hoopettes that came down during heavy snow.  And he has been planting and transplanting in the greenhouses.  One is full and one is nearly full.

Ken has also been out trimming apple trees.  He started on the ground with snow shoes.  He was happy that he could start with the deep snow as that meant he could reach higher up in the trees from the ground.  Then when we had some nice weather he got the ladder out and now is nearly done.  Trimming unproductive branches allows the tree to focus energy on productive ones.  Cutting to allow space between branches allows the leaves to get maximum sunlight.

From the Kitchen.  I have been moving into spring.  On cool mornings I light the cook stove.  On the few warm mornings we have had I use the gas stove.  We have been eating eggs as it is egg season.  We sell both chicken and goose eggs.  Ken bought some smoked fish and I have made omelettes with some sauteed onion, grated cheese and smoked fish. I also make custards and quiche.

The potato onions are not true shallots.  They grow like potatoes - you plant a bulb and then harvest a clump.  their flavor is milder than a shallot.  I use them in place of storage onions or shallots.  We grow them as they fill a gap on years like this when cool spring weather stalls out the green onions.  

When this last cool spell started I have been cooking carrots with ginger.  The ginger is a warming herb.  I have been cooking beets, slipping the skins and then slicing into warm butter and ground fennel seeds.  Fennel seeds are a good digestive aid herb.  This is the time of year I work to come up with new ways to dress up familiar food.

Planting and transplanting

Ken's work is never done, it seems!  Often people think we "take the winter off," but no, we don't.  Our work does change, though.  I do seed orders and tax prep in late fall, then plan for the next season, send out harvest dates to potential CSA members, and in my spare time weave rag rugs.  

Ken keeps planting for winter micro greens, and starts planting full season crops in late January early February with the onions.  Last year he was seeding and transplanting in late February in the greenhouses.  This year it was late March.  

The seedlings are growing and going out - here are some brassicas, 

and some celery and parsley

And here is a close up of one of my favorites, a beautiful red mustard.

Spring Tasks - Trimming in the Orchard

Apple trees need to be trimmed.  The best time to trim is late winter and early spring.  Ken started this year when the snow was deep.  He wore snow shoes and was all excited that deep snow meant he could reach up higher into the tree from the ground!

The last week during two sunny warm days listed as fruit days on the biodynamic calendar he got out the ladder.  He headed out with his orange bucket of tools

He is up high on the ladder and well into the trees with loppers and hand pruners.

Each cut is a decision on how the tree should do best.  There is not so much a wrong way as there is good and better pruning decisions.

This is hard work up and down and in and out, but I know that Ken does enjoy being outside on a nice warm spring day.  And we both like having apples for the CSA and ourselves.

Another Rug before the Season Ends!

End of rug with warp

In between various winter tasks I have been working on organizing rags and weaving this winter.

Rug beam - finished rugs ready to be pulled and ends finished

I have just finished the fifth rug on a very long sectional warp.  I had blue denim in mind when I warped up the loom, and I have done three straight denim rugs.  Then I did a rug with a few stripes of some over dyed denim I dyed with left over dye from a class I took in January.

The fourth rug had denim and a stripe every six inches.  I liked it, so I did the next rug with over dyed denim at three inch intervals.

Now I have one more batch of denim and hope to get one more rug woven in time so I can pull all but one and finish the ends before our spring opener the first weekend in May.

Putting up Cook stove Wood

We have had some cool mornings, and we have started cutting wood to replace all we burned last winter.  Ken had some cut that needed splitting, and two friends helped with that at the end of March.  

This week Ken was doing maintenance on motors, engines and tires - one tractor has carburetor problems, the sawmill engine needs work, a trailer tire was flat, etc. He wanted to make sure the buzz saw works and he started it up and buzzed up some wood.  I stacked it, and during the coming week there are some cool mornings in the forecast.  

That means we won't be slogging in mud, so we may be buzzing up some long poles for the cook stove

CSA Newsletter

Greetings from the Garden!  This box has onions, shallots, garlic, potatoes, squash, carrots, beets, celery root, winter radishes, kohlrabi and salad greens

Field Notes.  Each season is different!  Two years ago we had 80's in March and no maple syrup season.  Last year temperatures in the mobile high tunnel were warm enough for Ken to sew seeds for root crops and transplant greens at the end of February when our friend from Arizona visited.  This year the soil and air temperature was warm enough last week. There was still snow outside the greenhouse

Ken has been planting many full season crops that he will transplant later as it warms - onions, tomatoes, peppers, and more.  

And of course, Ken is planting greens for winter harvest right along.  We remain patient as we hope the weather is good for people making maple syrup and the snow melts slowly enough to go into the soil rather than run off and flood.

From the Kitchen.  This time of year I think about featuring local food as we can eat locally all year.  So what do I do?  Here is one example - local lamb with parsley, potatoes with lamb gravy, and carrots with frozen peas. 

And on the side a micro green salad .

This time of year I serve squash cooked kinpira style.  this is a Japanese way to cook various seasonal vegetables.  The squash today would work wonderfully for that.  Here is a link to where I describe the steps using summer vegetables.  In place of pepper and eggplant use thin crescent moon shaped pieces of squash. Just a bit of practise and you will have a new tool in your cooking toolbox!

Kinpira

What is kinpira? Kinpira is a Japanese cooking technique. In spring one uses carrots and gobo - burdock root - cut into matchsticks. In summer chefs combine thumb sized pieces of Asian eggplant and green pepper. And in fall and winter squash like our buttercup cut into thin crescent shapes is common.

Start with a cast iron or heavy skillet. Toast some sesame seeds and set aside. Use a cooking fat or oil that can take heat, and add some dried hot red pepper flakes if desired. Add the vegetable that takes the longer cooking time (gobo in spring and green peppers in summer). Cook over high heat, and keep stirring. Add the second vegetable. Cook to al dente. Add a teaspoon to tablespoon of sugar, Stir to caramelize, but don't burn. Add a splash at a time of a sweet cooking wine like Japanese mirin or sherry. I use homemade parsnip wine. Finally add some good quality tamari or soy sauce. Top with the toasted sesame seeds and serve.

The sequence is important as the sugar and sweet wine seal in the flavors. Experiment as everyone seems to like a different ratio - some like it hotter, others like it sweeter or saltier. The end result is a toasted sweet, salty glazed vegetable with a bit of crunch. Delicious!