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Sam, Sophia, Michael and Scott Tulip Planting
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What's happening on the farm right now?
We just finished up planting the tulips today. Maybe in other places the early spring tulips bloom earlier than the late spring tulips. Here, it feel like they all bloom within about a week of each other so we have found three distinct micro-climates on the farm in an effort to spread out their bloom time.
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Our coldest spot, pictured above, is on the north side of the intern house. The sun doesn't shine there and the soil in our raised bed stays frosted and/or frozen long after the rest of the farm has warmed up. These tulips bloom two or maybe even three weeks after the ones in our second micro-climate, out in the open in the field at the end of the strawberry beds.
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The final micro-climate we're trying this year is in our hoop house. We haven't ever grown tulips under cover because we never wanted them to bloom before April 1 when the North Asheville Tailgate Market starts. We are trying it this year for two reason. First, one of our bulb suppliers accidentally shipped us our order twice. They did not want them back so we had some 2000 or so extra bulbs to experiment with. And two, for the first time ever the NATM is going to open in February and March. So, if these extra tulips bloom extra early in our tunnel, we will be seeing you in March with extra gorgeous bright bunches of tulips!
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PLEASE NOTE: Our last RAD market of the season TODAY Wednesday November 2nd. We will not be taking pre-orders for pick up Wednesdays, either at RAD or at the farm the remainder of the season.
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We will be at the North Asheville Tailgate Market on Saturdays until December 17th, with a break on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, November 26. Place your pre-orders on Wednesday and Thursday for pick up at market on Saturday. Also, please note, after Thanksgiving, NATM market hours will be 10am until 1pm.
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For those of you with CSA market shares, your balance is updated through October 22. Your balance will roll over to next year if you don't use all your credit by December 17. The CSA discount, however, is for one season only.
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I go for runs on the back roads out here and hardly get going before I have to stop and take a picture. So lovely.
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What's available in the store and at market this week?
We've got some delicious, frost-kissed collards, just right for making John's recipe this week. Also, green curly kale, red curly kale, red russian kale and lacinato kale. And if you looking for another type of green, we also have rainbow Swiss chard and cabbage. The carrots are sweet and crunchy. We have lettuce mix and head lettuce. The little gems, red and green petite little lettuces that are a cross between a bibb and a romaine, are back as well. We have pungent yellow onions good for everything. We've sold out of several varieties of winter squash but still have plenty butternut, sunshine kabocha, tetsukabuto and angel hair spaghetti squash. A smattering of cauliflower and some luscious spinach. Purple daikon radishes and red round radishes.
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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 cooking observations and delicious recipe offerings appear here each week.
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“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie.” Jim Davis, Think Garfield
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ABOUT COLLARDS – Not a well-known green, but worthy of checking out. Remove the stems, ribs, and the thick center vein before using.
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Once cooked, collards are great with hot sauce. Southerners eat collards on New Year’s Day, and so should you.
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bentonscountryham.com - Chefs in Paris use Allen Benton’s products, and our freezer is stuffed with his bacon and ham. Also available at the Sunburst Trout store in Waynesville. Do call ahead to see what they have in stock.
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Southern style, is to sauté collards in fat until wilted. Bentons bacon fat, for example. A couple of pounds of collards makes for a nice side portion for 4. Some garlic and a splash of cider vinegar or red wine is also good in this dish. Onions can be sautéed along with the greens and chopped country ham is a tasty addition too.
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Mind you, vegetable oil of your choice will also sauté the greens just fine.
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GREENS WITH CORIANDER SEED AND BROWNED BUTTER – Spinach and turnip greens work well also. This recipe is from “New Southern Cooking” by Nathalie Dupree and is an excellent addition to anyone’s cookbook collection. Serves 4
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2 pounds of collard greens, washed, veined and stemmed
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2 tsp. ground coriander seed
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2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil (optional)
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Melt butter in a large skillet and add the greens and cook until wilted. Add the coriander seed and basil.
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A chilly banded water snake in the creek behind our house.
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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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