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News from the farm...
May 15, our last frost date, is just a few days away and it looks like we are in the clear. It's full steam ahead with planting our summer vegetable and flower crops. 3 kinds of eggplant, 8 kinds of peppers, way too many kinds of winter squash, tomatoes, summer squash, cucumbers, basil, zinnias, celosias, dahlias, sunflowers, salvias...with a little cooperation from the weather and some hard work, all these will get planted in the next couple of weeks. The fields that we are resting over the summer will get their summer cover crop mix and we'll start sowing buckwheat in the beds that are already emptying of early lettuces and greens.
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The crops that we have already planted, potatoes, onions, early summer squash and cucumbers are looking really good. Below is a picture of the potatoes. They have never looked better. And amazingly, the summer squash is growing out of the frost damage from those super cold nights a few weeks of ago
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Just teeny tiny baby squash for now but we all know how fast summer squash can grow!
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What's available this week??
Strawberries. Get them while you can. The head lettuce is on break this week but we have plenty of lettuce mix. We have bunches of kale and more spring onions. This is the last week for anemones and one of the last weeks for ranunuclus. The snapdragons are looking good though and more varieties of peonies are starting. We found a few more jars of honey!
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We still have a good selection of veggie starts. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, summer squash and winter squash plants. These plants want to get in the ground and, as I mentioned before, the danger of frost is over so no need to worry about covering the tender ones. Oregano, thyme, sage, two kinds of perennial fennel (these are excellent pollinator plants), French tarragon, English lavender, cilantro, dill, parsley and of course basil, Italian, Thai and tulsi. We have three kinds of scented geranium and smattering of other bedding type flowers.
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PLEASE NOTE: the NATM is back at UNC Asheville this Saturday May 15th. 8am to 12pm.
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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. |
“Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments.” Bethenny Frankel
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“In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport.”
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STORING YOUR STRAWBERRIES - Strawberries will keep for at least a week if stored with care.
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Note: If you are not freezing the berries, check them often, removing any that look funky.
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Cut the stems off and put them in an airtight container on a paper towel. Seal, and store cold.
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FREEZING – Frozen the strawberries will last 12 to 18 months.
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One way is to stem and freeze them whole.
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We like stemming, cutting in half and washing them. Then sugaring them and then bagging or putting the berries in a container. Taste for sweetness just before you freeze them.
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A word on off-season store bought berries. Store them on your counter and watch for bad ones. They will keep to two days. Cooling them will speed up what’s already a lack of taste these long distance berries have. We eat them from the farm and that’s it for us till next year. We are snooty.
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CHARD – This recipe appears about every year, as we think it doesn’t get better than this way to cook it. So here it is again with some new variations.
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Simply, the chard is sautéed in oil until wilted. The variations go from there. Here are some ideas. Two to three bunches is enough for 4 or 5 folks.
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This is fast, maybe ten minutes or so.
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Olive oil – You have to use this, or if you prefer, unsalted butter will do. As many tablespoons as you like.
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Garlic, 2 cloves are nice. Slice and fry until browned.
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Red pepper flakes, maybe ½ tsp. at a time. tasting. Cook with the garlic
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Onion – a small onion or two can be cooked at this time also.
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ADD THE CHARD. Maybe half if you’ve got a small skillet. When first half wilts, add the rest of the chard and cook until also wilted.
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Red wine vinegar – add a splash or two
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Lemon juice is a nice thing to finish with, using just a sprinkle or two.
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Salt and pepper to taste.
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Parmesan cheese is good finisher too.
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Flowers and crew ready to make bouquets! They went fast!
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Thanks for reading and best wishes.
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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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