CSA Newsletter

Greetings from the Garden! This box has lettuce, salad greens, braising greens, chard, kohlrabi, green onions, asparagus, sunchokes, marjoram, and probably the last of the spinach.

Field Notes. Large temperatures shifts are stressful on all the plants. We had a 50 degree change in less than 36 hours! And as a friend said, " Plants can't put on or take off a sweater; they just stand out there!" The heat was tough on all the greens that do well in cooler, damp conditions. Heat pushes spinach to bolt - that is shoot up and set seed. The brassicas, like the first broccoli crop will probably set small heads. Maybe the weather will be good for side shoot production. Since I like peas and peas like it cool, I am glad to see the end of that blast of heat for their sake (as well as my own).

Ken is rallying after a bout with an unknown illness. We are glad he tested negative for Lymes. He is trying to get caught up as best he can. He and our helper Sam have weeded much of the field. The onions look great. The peas have been weeded and they also put up the pea fence. Both peas and onions do poorly when they have to compete with weeds.

The heat was also rough on the animals. Chickens lay fewer eggs, and one of the pigs was listless for a couple days. She seems better today. Ken made them a mud puddle or wallow to keep cool in the heat.

The weather has also been stressful on the farmers. It amazes me when I watch the news for the weather forecast and one of the anchors says, "Bring on the heat." And they are in an air conditioned studio! We move more slowly, drink lots of water and adjust the work to do as much outside in the coolest part of the day.

From the Kitchen. All the greens have stronger flavor once there is hot weather and I tend to add green onions or chives or garlic chives to the salad dressings. I also add cheese or toasted walnuts to these more robust greens.

We roasted a goose once the weather cooled and I picked the bones and simmered for soup stock. Both Ken and I like to chop greens and place in the bottom of a bowl and add hot broth soups to wilt the greens. I also like to use bok choy and kohlrabi and turnips in the soup.

Ken calls marjoram the pizza spice. It is great with canned tomatoes. I like marjoram with venison. I also use it with cumin in any "South of the Border" or Tex - Mex recipes. Marjoram is a cousin to oregano and can be used in its place; I find it milder and mellower - less edgy. Deborah Madison often uses it where one would use basil. If you find a new idea, let me know and I will pass it on.

I have been experiencing some computer difficulties and hope to get new photos of pigs and field on the blog soon!