CSA Harvest #18

Mauri everyone and hooray for the 18th delivery! Also a hooray is definitely in order for this beautiful weather we've been blessed with. As we've been working this week we try to absorb every ray of sun we can to store it up for the long, cold, gray winter ahead. The welcomed warm days have also made the strawberries pump out even more berries than normal and they're sweeter too! Please savor these last weeks of berries since when the fall rains really hit the berries will be done until next spring.

At this time of year on the farm we are still busy planting last minute crops that can grow and mature quickly. Baby salad greens, more turnips, lettuce, arugula and spinach that we hope will find their way into your basket during the last few weeks. Also we are clearing out the spent corn to get it ready for the garlic planting that will happen in about two weeks. If anyone would like to try their hand at planting garlic extra hands are surely welcome in this activity! We will be planting out 27 lines of garlic on beds 100 feet long. We fit three lines of garlic per bed. This leaves us with enough to sell and give in the CSA each season with enough left over for planting when fall comes. We try to save the largest cloves for planting since large cloves make large bulbs.

Many farmers try to save costs and be more self reliant by saving their own seeds each season. Due to time and lack of a labor force here at Big Lick we pretty much only save garlic seed for replanting and for the past two seasons potatoes (along with annual flowers). Garlic actually gets better and better as it is grown in the same site year after year. The plant begins to adapt to the soil and the climate. This will be our fourth season planting this garlic at Big Lick Farm. The potatoes we have tried saving enough each season but they do not do as well when saved each year. Potatoes are more susceptible to viruses and disease which can weaken the plants over time and lead to reduced yields. We will need to save up enough to buy more seed potatoes for next season. The main expense we pay for seed potatoes are shipping costs since most all the seed potatoes come from Colorado and need to be shipped out via UPS. Of course the benefit to ordering new potato seeds are there are always delicious new varieties to try! This year sadly our potato variety has dwindled down to a few French fingerling and lots of yukon golds. We will be planting some different varieties next season.

Already we have been making lists of new varieties other Oregon CSA farms have had success with and ones which we would love to grow next season. Also we will be sending out surveys in the next few weeks to each of you (via email). We would love to hear some feedback about how we're doing. And input as to how to make 2011 our best season ever is greatly appreciated!

Happy eating!

Suzie, Asinete, M.A., Violet and Sally

Harvest This Week Includes:

Basil tops (may be the last of it depending when the first frost comes!) freezes well!

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Softneck garlic

Yellow Sunshine Watermelon

Charantais cantaloupe (really there this week! sorry they did not fit last week!)

Hakurei Turnips

Lacinato kale aka Dinosaur Kale (the most nutritious of all the kales)

Heirloom Tomatoes

Strawberries

Lipstick and Gypsy Peppers (too many? they freeze well!)

Luscious sweet corn (from our last planting) we are really hoping we can get some in baskets tomorrow.. if not this week then definitely next week!)

Raspberries (on rotation)

How to Store it and Cook it!

Did you make the kale chips from the recipe last week? My mom who thought kale was blah before made the kale chips this last weekend and could not stop raving about them... try for yourself! guaranteed you will love! more kale recipes from last week's blog..

Hakurei Turnip Gratin

Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in a non-stick 12 inch skillet (make sure you have a top to fit the pan.)

Wash one bunch of white hakurei turnips well, top and tail them, and slice them in 1/4 inch slices. Save the turnip greens for another recipe. You don’t need to peel the turnips. Layer the slices in the pan. Sprinkle the sliced turnips with 1 teaspoon dry thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, and 1/8- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

Cook for 3 minutes over medium heat, then pour 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup chicken stock over the top. Cover and cook the turnips over medium heat for 20 minutes. The turnips will be completely cooked through, but there will be considerable liquid left in the pan. Remove the cover and cook to reduce the liquid. When most of the liquid has reduced (about 5-10 minutes), and the sauce is thickened, grate finely 1/2 cup of fresh parmesan cheese evenly over the top. Watch closely as the cheese melts and make sure that the liquid does not entirely cook away.

Serve the turnips hot. The recipe is supposed to serve 6, but maybe realistically it would only serve 4, once they discover that they love turnips!


Turnip Greens
Ingredients

* 1 bunch Hakurei turnip greens, cut into large strips
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
* 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
* 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1 clementine, tangerine, or small orange, peeled and sectioned
* A pinch of sugar, brown sugar or honey
* salt

Directions

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the turnip greens and the remaining ingredients. Saute until the greens have wilted. Serve with slivered raw Hakurei turnips.

Chicken Salad with Hakurei Turnips and Raisins

Ingredients

* 2 cups diced chicken
* 6 small Hakurei turnips diced
* 1/4 cup raisins
* 2 tbsp mayonaise
* 1 tbsp dijon mustard
* 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
* 1/4 tsp ground coriander, ground cumin, or curry powder
* 1/2 tsp tabasco sauce
* salt and lots of black pepper

Directions

Mix all the ingredients together. Let the salad rest for at least 1/2 hour to allow the flavors to bind.