Hello all,
What a crazy little cold snap we are having in the midst of usually one of the hottest months of the year. I heard the weatherman tossing around the phrase “polar vortex” again the other day. Looks like things should be warming up as the week goes on and we can pack up the winter sweaters for storage again.
The Hungry Turtle Learning Center hosted a beautiful dinner this past week at the farm. Thanks to Tony Tushar of Brasa for making such an awesome meal, Bobby Maher for putting the event together and all the volunteers and people who worked the event to make it happen. Everyone had a great time! Below are a couple photo highlights.
hams roasting on cinder block smoker oven put together by fire-pit master Mark
turnips added to the fire to char, later peeled and added to a cooked chard + turnip greens salad
flower arrangements by Stefanie
group for pre-dinner field tour
Inside the barn between courses
In the box this week:
Broccoli (1 lb small & medium, 1.5 lb full) Carrots (1.25 lb small, 1.5 lb medium & full) Summer Squash (2) Oregano Napa cabbage (medium & full) Spring Onions: red zepplin (medium & full) Pea tendrils (5 oz medium & full) Turnips (full) Head Lettuce (full) Cucumber (full)Broccoli! We are doing a crop swap with neighboring farm Turnip Rock this year, most of the broccoli going out this week is from their farm and boy does it look good! Don’t forget to toss them in a plastic bag to help them stay fresh longer.
Carrots are making a return appearance this week for those of you who can’t get enough. Removing the greens and bagging your carrots in a plastic produce bag will help keep them crunchy and fresh longer as well. We have a friend who likes to use the greens to make a carrot-green pesto with if anyone is feeling experimental.
Our Napa Cabbage crop is coming in spurts, so this week mediums and fulls will receive this beautiful airy treat, smalls will find it in their boxes likely next week or the following. Great lightly cooked in stir fries or left raw for a light and crunchy coleslaw. Some people like to remove individual leaves to to cut up and work their way to a preserved middle, I prefer to set the whole head on its side and chop away from the top to the bottom to get a mix of the crunchier outer leaves and the softer inner leaves.
You may also know napa cabbage as one of the main ingredients in the spicy Korean pickled condiment Kimchi. Check out this great video if interested in seeing how it’s done. We aren’t giving out the “10 lbs” of Napa Cabbage used in the video, but you can always make a smaller version or request some extra Napa on the side once the rest of the crop comes in in a few weeks. Maybe Brian, who worked on the farm last year, will post a video of his own famous secret Kimchi recipe…
I’m going to link another video for our second recipe this week to make a napa cabbage salad with a sweet dressing and crunchy ramen noodles and almonds. This video is corny but does a good job of showing some techniques for chopping the cabbage and making a nice homemade vinaigrette.
The Pea Tendrils have been so good lately that we just had to put them in the box for a second time. This batch still has the edible flowers attached, so use soon, they are an ephemeral treat that won’t keep for too long. With the flowers on they can be eaten raw or slightly cooked to wilt the stems, or you may just find yourself snacking away the whole bag.
Until next week, enjoy!