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2023 Farm Crew, from left to right:
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Sam, Scott, Ann Rene, Alex, Michael, Theo and Tay.
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What's happening on the farm right now:
I thought this week I would write about some of the folks that are making the farm happen this season. They are doing such a great job, getting all the work done and laughing while they do it. The farm has never looked better.
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The whole crew is in the picture above except for Vanessa and Belle. Sam and Alex you likely recognize. Sam is our long time farm manager and has a talent keeping us all working but not working too much. Alex is the other lead farmer. Need I say more? Scott and Michael are working with us part time for a second year in a row. They bring fresh energy and new stories to the farm on their days here and even the occasional case of beer for Friday afternoon bouquet making.
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Ann Rene, Theo and Tay all live and work on the farm full time, so they are doing the bulk of the work. Ann Rene came to us from landscaping in Moab, Utah last summer so we knew she would be unfazed by what we have going on here. Theo, up from north Georgia, visited a local health practitioner who predicted that they would be neighbors. Sure enough, two months later, Theo signed up to work with us. It was meant to be! Tay has worked on several farms before joining us this season and we were hoping to give him some extra responsibilities. One of the important jobs around here is to water the greenhouse. It sounds easy but it isn't. There are LOTS of variables. The very first week Tay was here we asked him to take over watering. He has been doing a stellar job ever since.
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We are so grateful for all these great people. We wouldn't have all the delicious produce and beautiful flowers without them.
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What's available in the store and at market this week?
We'll have the first of our tomatoes at market this week. We won't have a ton but they are ripening. Mixed cherry tomatoes are available in the online store. We also have pints of blueberries online so don't wait to place your orders! Again this week, we have carrots and beets with tops, Swiss chard and green curly kale. (The cabbage loopers did a number on the black kale and we likely won't have that again until fall.) We have delicious red potatoes and red and yellow onions. The yellow onions roasted are so sweet! We have cilantro and basil, lettuce mix and head lettuce, red butter, romaine, green oak and red leaf. The sunflowers are lovely and the mixed bouquets are too.
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North Asheville Tailgate Market hours are
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Saturdays 8am-12pm on the campus of UNC Asheville.
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River Arts District Farmers Market hours are
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Wednesdays 3-6pm at the Smoky Park Supper Club, 350 Riverside Drive.
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John's Recipe of the Week
| John Loyd is our dear friend, neighbor, CSA worker member and a gourmet Southern cook. His delightful observations on gardening and cooking appear here each week. |
“Stressed spelled backwards is desserts.”
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ABOUT BASIL – The most useful thing to know about basil is that the less it cooks, the better it is, and the fragrance is never better than when it is raw. Basil should only be added to pasta and other dishes that call for basil after they are done. At the very last moment is best.
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Tear basil rather than cutting it with a knife. Salads and fresh vegetables are perfect for some basil to notch up the flavor. Powdered basil is something one should never use. It’s a joke.
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GARLICKY VINAIGRETTE – Thanks to Julie Rosso and Sheila Lukins. Really good on thick leaved greens like kale, romaine and arugula. Also, great as a marinade for chicken or flank steak.
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Very nice drizzled over tomatoes and basil. Add beets, carrots and basil to make a good salad. Maybe top with walnuts.
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4 large cloves garlic, minced
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Salt and pepper, to taste
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Combine everything in a bowl and slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the oil is incorporated and the dressing is thick. Season and serve.
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CARROT IDEAS – I like to steam or braise carrots. Here are some variations on serving for 4 to 6 people.
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1 or 1 ½ carrots, cooked the way you like to cook them. Things that can be added in:
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Parmigiano cheese, grated
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Cook the carrots until just tender. In a large skillet cook a tsp. minced garlic in 2 or more tbsp. butter, until garlic is soft. Turn heat up, add the carrots and cook them until they begin to brown. When done, and they should be very tender, add the Parmesan, turn the carrots a time or two. Or add 2 tablespoons of drained capers. Pepper, cook for another minute or two and salt to taste.
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I planted this elderberry when I first moved here in 1997. Despite having a hoop house raise on top of it and being cut down multiple times, it has refused to leave the farm. It doesn't set much fruit because it is all alone and elderberries need to cross pollinate with one another. Still, it flowers beautifully each year and smells wonderful. I gave up trying to get rid of years ago and now wonder if there is a lesson it is teaching and what it might be.
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Your farmers, Vanessa and Alex
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Love the flowers. Honor the vegetables. Let the weeds go!
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- Cheri Huber and Ashwini Narayanan
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