“When I know not who I am, I serve you. When I know who I am, I am you.”
~Indian Proverb~
Summer Share Box 3 Crop List
- Swiss Chard – All
- Napa Cabbage – All
- Romaine Lettuce – All (Fulls 2, Singles & Halves 1)
- Kohlrabi – All
- Broccoli – All
- Chives – All
- Cilantro – All
- Red Kale – All
- Asparagus – Single
- Collard Greens – Full / Single
- Radishes – Full / Single
- Garlic Scapes – Full
Farmer Notes
~Broccoli is mostly from the first planting and shows the excess rain and humidity
~Chard is a Rainbow variety – it can be eaten raw in a salad, sautéed, or used in quiche/soup/stir fry etc. It is our crop of the week.
~Garlic is planted in the fall and mulched. The garlic comes up through the straw in the spring. Hardneck garlic puts forth flowers through a spiral ‘scape’. We harvest the scape as a yummy crop, which makes the plant put its energy into making nice bulbs beneath the soil for harvest in late August.
~Asparagus is finished for the 2019 season.
~We give lettuce in most of our summer CSA shares. Everyone loves a salad – you can make one in so many ways. During the heat of summer we turn to a different variety.
~Russian Red Kale can be eaten raw in a salad, or sautéed. Usually you chop up the stems and put them in the pan for several minutes before adding the leaves.
~Next week you can expect shelling peas, green cabbage and possibly raspberries!
~We have been having rain almost daily. This affects all of our crops, some more than others. I will address this in more detail in this week’s farm article.
~Please wash all of the produce before you eat it
~HAPPY 4TH EVERYONE!
Farm Article
Well, to be blunt, we have been getting way too much rain this Spring (April/May/June). I heard that it has been the 4th wettest Spring for the state of MN. We have been lucky not to get 4+ inches at any one time, nor have we had any hail or devastating storms. What we have had is several rain events every week all of June and now into July, and very little sunshine. Our fields have been saturated for weeks since there is nowhere for the water to run. This results in some erosion (runoff of topsoil), and some of our plants living in water or muck. These crops are stagnating, slow to growth and vigor – an invitation for weeds and pests to prey. This pattern has also kept us out of the field so timely cultivation is not taking place and several crops are unable to be planted into the wet soils. Unfortunately the 10- day forecast calls for a continued pattern of potential showers/storms almost every day … we’ll see.
On a brighter note, we have not had to irrigate anything, and the crops, all in all, are hanging in there just fine! We will continue to harvest and deliver a good selection of quality fresh produce and hope for the sun to come back soon to dry things out.
I hope that you all have a day or two off for the 4th of July holiday and can relax with family and friends – enjoy good food and have some laughs!!!
~Norm
Crop of the week – Swiss Chard
Earth Dance Farm’s colorful crop of the week is Swiss Chard! Chard is a leafy vegetable that can come in a variety of different colors. The leaves are highly nutritious and the plant itself has been used in cooking for centuries. Chard usually grows from June to October and can be harvested and enjoyed while the leaves are still young, or when the stems are grown and mature. Raw chard is extremely perishable, so do not wash chard until you are ready to cook it. Chard should be refrigerated when being stored to keep fresh. The stems and leaves of chard are both edible. Chard is best served sautéed with some sort of acid, such as lemon or salsa, and is a great pop of color to add to any dish! Chard has an earthy flavor, with the leaves resembling beet greens or spinach, and the stems resembling bok choy. I hope you enjoy our crop of the week as much as I do!
Farmer Kari
Some recipes to try:
| Prep Time | 25 minutes |
| Servings |
|
- 1 head napa cabbage Cored and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
- 1/2 cup Coarsly chopped cilantro
- 1-2 kohlrabi Peeled and chopped into small bite-size pieces
- 1 small bunch Chives
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Freshly grated ginger
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
Ingredients
|
|
- Whisk together vinegar, sugar, ginger, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add remaining ingredients and toss well. Let stand, tossing occasionally.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
|
- 2 cups fresh cilantro lightyly packed
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and coarsly chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients
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|
- Place the garlic and cilantro in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. With the processor running, slowly add the oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth. Use this on Pasta, toast, sandwiches, crackers, or as a sauce for tacos! Use over pasta, or as a spread on bread and crackers!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
|
- 1 bunch swiss chard ribs removed and chopped, leaves roughly chopped.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- pinch salt
- splash red wine vinegar
Ingredients
|
|
- Add the oil to a large saute pan with the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat until the garlic turns golden. Remove the garlic and discard. Add the chopped Swiss chard ribs and sautee until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the Swiss chard leaves and season with salt, to taste. Cook until the leaves are wilted. Stir in a splash of red wine vinegar. Serve immediately.
