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Tag: beets

  • CSA Week 5: We got the beet.

    There is a lot of love in this week’s box. It isn’t just that we love veggies, or that kale is showing us a lot of love this year. It’s the beets. We love beets. A few years ago we had the Year of the Beet, in which all of our beets grew to full size and customers got tired of seeing them. This year, three of our plantings of beets were washed out by heavy rains, and what you see this week is most of what survived. We debated leaving them another week in the ground, but they were calling us: “pull me!, pull me!” At least it sounded like they were calling us. Did I mention that we love beets?

    We’ve heard rumors that some people dislike beets. To them we say, you might be doing something wrong. Now we aren’t ones to tell you how to cook, but if you hate beets and the only way you’ve had them is boiled or canned, try roasting them. Just cut off the leaves (save those!!) and the tip of the root, wrap each beet in foil, and bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 45 minutes. Let them cool and the skin should slide off. From there you can cut them into chunks and serve with feta cheese and walnuts, put them in a salad, or eat them whole like an apple.

    As for the beet greens, they are great raw or cooked. They are, essentially, Swiss chard (chard and beets are different varieties of the same species, Beta vulgaris.) The classic preparation is to saute them in just a little butter with onion and garlic just until they begin to wilt. For example, this recipe (which adds Parmesan cheese).

    Enough about beets, though. On to this week’s veggies!

    This week's veggies.
    Clockwise from top: Lacinato kale, beets, spring garlic, green curly kale, green onions, “salad helper” bundle, basil in the middle.

    Lacinato kale (or cabbage!): If you got kale last week, you will have cabbage this week–but for most of you you are getting kale two ways: lacinato (AKA Tuscan) kale and green kale, below. As it warms, try something cool like this cold kale and apple soup.

    Green kale: Everyone gets kale this week! Here is one of our favorite recipes; please experiment and share! This is great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and can be made oversized to feed a group, tiny to feed one, or ahead of time for an event.

    Crustless Quiche with Kale

    1/3 cup cooked quinoa
    4 eggs, beaten
    1/3 cup milk
    1/3 cup feta cheese
    1/3 cup parmesan
    1/3 cup cheddar
    Salt and Pepper to taste

    We added:
    1 cup chopped Kale
    3 chopped mushrooms
    1 chopped baby garlic

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a glass pie pan. Mix all ingredients, pour into pan, bake for 45 minutes. We actually baked it for 30 minutes, then turned off the oven and came back to the house an hour later, and it was fine. This is a forgiving recipe–play with it!

    Beets: See the top of this blog post for recipe ideas.

    Spring onions: Since you are getting these pretty much every week, here is yet another idea for green onions: green onion soup! Great as a starter or as a light meal–just be sure you wash the onions thoroughly to avoid any dirt!

    Salad helper bundle: As we mentioned last week, the spring rains this week washed out most of our lettuce. Still, we can’t let the little bit that is left go to waste. These tiny bundles are enough for a salad for one–or to use as a “salad helper”. You can add kale and beet greens to liven them more. Included in the bundle: 1-2 radishes, tiny baby lettuce, spinach.

    Basil: Unlike lettuce, our basil is starting to really take off. We included one sprig this week–not enough yet for pesto, but enough to chop and serve over a simple pasta dish, eggs, soup, salad, or in the quiche dish above.

    Spring garlic:

    Garlic Breath

    by Shel Silverstein

    Little Seth had garlic breath–
    Said hi to his sister and breathed her to death.
    Breathed on the grass
    And the grass all died.
    Breathed on an egg and the egg got fried.
    Breathed on the air and the air turned green.
    Breathed on the clock and it struck thirteen.
    Breathed on the cat and the cat went moo.
    Breathed on the cow and the cow gave glue.
    Breathed on his brother,
    His brother went blind.
    Breathed on his mother
    And she lost her mind.
    Breathed on a top
    And made it spin.
    Breathed on the house
    And the walls caved in.
    Breathed on his feet and they ran from Seth,
    Just to get away from his garlic breath

  • Spring CSA Week 4: Goodies, Greens, and Garlic Scapes!

    Spring CSA Week 4: Goodies, Greens, and Garlic Scapes!

    The wet weather continues, though the temperatures are finally starting to rise. We never thought we’d be happy to see 80 and 90-degree afternoons, but the plants are loving it. The beets have really taken off, the spring greens are flagging, and summer goodies like Swiss Chard are starting to come on. In this week’s box you have:

    Roughly clockwise from top: Green onions, kale, garlic scapes, radishes, young Tom Thumb lettuce, beets, romaine and arugula, and mixed herbs (rosemary, sage, and lavender).
    Roughly clockwise from top: Green onions, kale, garlic scapes, radishes, young Tom Thumb lettuce, beets, romaine and arugula, swiss chard, and mixed herbs (rosemary, sage, and lavender).
    • Green Onions: You’ve been able to watch these little guys mature from week to week and, we hope, have by now discovered all sorts of delectable ways to work them into your meals. If you need a little inspiration (or want to use them as a long-lasting pantry staple), Emily over at Organic Authority has some excellent ideas for green onions.
    • Kale: Ready to move beyond kale chips? This versatile green is awesome in everything from frittatas to casserole to mashed potatoes. For some new ideas, check out Local Harvest’s “Kale Recipes–17 Different Ideas!” posted by Maplewood Organics up in Vermont. Some people recommend boiling kale before sauteing to make it extra-tender, or “massaging” it before use in a raw salad. Personally, we think this particular Russian Red variety is delicate and succulent enough just as it is–rinse and go!
    • Garlic Scapes: Wondering what do do with those mysterious green curlicues? Scapes are a secondary method of reproduction for some heirloom garlic varieties. These come from our signature Asian Tempest garlic and are basically a scallion that tastes like a bright, spicy garlic treat. Margo over at Greenling DFW posted one of my favorite-ever posts on using garlic scapes. If you’r a canner, pickle them and use them all year long. Meat lover? Wrap ’em in bacon! Love to eat raw? They’re perfect as-is on a salad. Scapes are one of those things that will work for everyone. And if you just don’t like garlic, put them in water and wait for them to bloom!
    • Radishes: The funky spring weather has these coming in a few at a time–one will be massive, and the one beside it just barely starting to bulb up. Enjoy these little tidbits on a salad or (if you drink alcohol) in that classic radish martini we mentioned back in Week 2. Want to give someone a laugh with their drink? Try this.
    • Tom Thumb Lettuce: This heirloom variety is a miniature butterhead with a creamy taste. I’ve left it on its roots, so it may last an extra day or two if you put it in water. These guys are growing so quickly I’m thinning almost every week. They’re delicious when young, but I can’t wait to see the mature miniature head. We get a kick out of growing new varieties out here. Hmmm… Should I be worried that I geek out over vegetables?
    • Beets: The beets are finally getting big! Roast the bulb in the oven with a little salt, pepper, and olive oil, either in a pan or covered in tinfoil. Then have at it–they’re great tossed into a stir fry; on a salad; mixed with quinoa, their cooked greens, and balsamic vinegar; or alone as a side dish.
    • Mixed Salad Greens: I love arugula–just in small doses. Mix it with the romaine and Tom Thumb (and even the raw kale or chard, if you like…), top it with radishes, green onion tops, scapes, and roasted beets–this week’s box will give you some of the best salad flavors spring has to offer!
    • Swiss Chard: LuxeEpicure calls swiss chard the “peacock of dark, leafy greens.” With red, pink, yellow, orange, and green veining big rich leaves, chard is delicious stir fried, in pastas and casseroles, or as a side dish by itself. Chop the stems and tear or cut the leaves into smaller pieces; cook the stems first since they take a bit longer and then add the greens–or just eat the greens raw in salads. You can even use the whole leaf to wrap tamales!
    • Mixed Herbs: See below… rosemary is deeper green, woodier, and generally sturdier than lavender–and the smells are unique. Sage is the broader-leafed green in the middle. All are excellent for cooking. I like a little sage in my eggs, a little lavender in the water I use to boil fresh green beans, and lots of rosemary with my pork, potatoes, or carrots.
    Left to Right: Rosemary, Sage, and Lavender
    Left to Right: Rosemary, Sage, and Lavender

    Summer Plans

    We’re hoping to have a “Farm Friends” cookout later in the summer for everyone who has participated in the CSA over the last two years. We’d like to do it in July or August–if you’ve been involved in the CSA and there are any dates that particularly suit (or don’t)… let us know!

    We’ll also be opening up sales for the Summer CSA to our current customers at the beginning of next week (June 3) and to the general public the following week (June 10). Summer session should start by mid-July, though the dates may be variable due to the late start and cool, wet temperatures we’ve had so far. Let us know if you want to join the ever-growing circle of friends who pick up our boxes each week. We love what we do, and we’re ready to grow!

    Thanks to Our Volunteers!

    We had another volunteer day today–and despite the adverse weather we had one lone soul brave the elements to help us out. Thanks to Trevor, who helped us organize the tools in the shop while rain tapped a rhythm on the tin roof and our four-year-old “dusted tools” while getting dusty herself.

    The veggie boxes are out to our “Farm Friends,” the animals are secure against the weather, and the shop’s tool room looks better than it has in years. Time for a well-earned rest and–if the weather holds–a cookout with some friends. We’ll raise a radish martini to all of you who keep us going.

    Peace, love, and veggies!