“Independence? That’s middle class blasphemy. We are all dependent on one another, every soul of us on earth.”
-George Bernard Shaw
Summer Share Box 3 Crop List
- Kohlrabi (All Shares)
- Chives (Half Shares)
- Red Kale (Full and Single Shares)
- Broccoli (All Shares)
- Basil (All Shares)
- Cilantro (Full and Single Shares)
- Radishes (Full and Half Shares)
- Asparagus (Single Shares)
- Napa (Single and Half Shares)
- Lettuce (All Shares)
- Scapes (All Shares)
- Chard (All Shares)
- Rhubarb (Full Share)
- Raspberries (Local Rochester Shares)
Farmer Notes
*Wash all of your produce and please return our boxes and ice packs each week
My mother died last Thursday at the age of 100 years 8 months. On Tuesday we buried her in the Westphalia, IA. cemetery. We had a wonderful ceremony, and it was a comfort to celebrate with so many of my siblings and their families.
Mom was the eighth of 12 siblings, finished eighth grade, and married Emil Gross when she was 17. They spent their honeymoon picking ear corn by hand. They raised 13 children on a 160 acre farm that all us kids called home. She spent her days, her years, her life, raising children, washing clothes, cooking meals, tending the large garden and the orchard, canning and freezing produce, helping as needed in the fields, and then cooking some more meals. She enjoyed this life, she was very good at it, she was a great mother. She used to bake 4 loaves of bread every other day – that smell, the melting butter, that first bite! She also said the rosary a lot, and would sing songs to the Virgin Mary while she worked.
~ Norm
Crop of the Week: Garlic Scapes!
The crop of the week for summer share #3 here at EDF is garlic scapes. If you are familiar with growing garlic, you will know that you actually get TWO crops from garlic. We planted the garlic for this year last fall and the plants are growing vigorously. At this stage of maturity
they have began to grow their flowers. These “scapes” must be cut off at some point so that the bulb continues to grow and retain its flavor. The plant must have its’ energy output curved towards the prioritization of the bulb so that a harvestable crop is available. Luckily, they have many uses in the kitchen.
Garlic scapes will readily replace garlic and scallions in almost any recipe. Garlic scapes have a texture comparable to asparagus when harvested fresh. They can be sautéed, pureed, roasted, pickled or just eaten raw (although the stems can be tough at parts). They will usually last up to two weeks in your crisper drawer. They can also be cut or diced up and frozen to greatly extend their shelf life. Feel free to slice these up similar to the way you would garlic or scallions and throw them into a dish. They have a flavor that could be described as a cross between sweet onions and garlic. One could also use garlic scapes to replace basil in a pesto recipe, although it is recommended to use a neutral oil so that it doesn’t compete with the stronger flavor of your garlic scapes.
Some recipes to try:
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- Veggies cut into matchsticks or grated in a food processor
- Vermicelli Noodles
- Rice Paper Wrappers
Ingredients
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- I cut up my veggies into match stick shapes and veggies like broccoli just into small bite size pieces. Tip: you want the veggies to be pretty small so it is easier to roll up the rice paper. In a bowl of warm water, wet the rice paper wrapper for a few seconds until it feels a bit slimy and the texture is floppier. You do not want to soak the paper too long or it will turn to mush. Just soak it long enough to be workable. Then place the rice paper wrapper flat, place a small piece of lettuce or napa cabbage to act as the bed and then add the rest of your fixings. Make it as artistic as you desire. Tuck in the sides of the paper and roll it up. Place it on a plate and as it dries it will stick together
- I serve my spring rolls with a peanut sauce that is just peanut butter, Sriracha, soy sauce and a squeeze of lemon to brighten it up. Garnish with some lime wedges.
Ingredients
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- Place scapes in a jar. You could also add in radishes, asparagus and kohlrabi if your heart desires.
- Bring salt and equal parts water and vinegar to a boil.
- Pour brine over scapes in the jar.
- Add 1-2 tbsp of spices into the jar.
- Place pickled scapes in fridge for at least four days and enjoy!
Recommended spice combinations:
- Dill, Red Pepper Flakes, Mustard Seed, Smoked Paprika
- Mustard Seed, Turmeric, Cayenne Pepper, Peppercorns, Red Pepper Flakes
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- 2 bunches green-stemmed Swiss chard about 1½ lb.
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil divided, plus more
- 5 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Tahini
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- kosher salt
- Toasted flatbread and lemon wedges for serving
Ingredients
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- Remove ribs and stems from chard leaves and finely chop. Tear leaves into small pieces. Set both aside separately.
- Heat ⅓ cup oil in a large pot over medium-low. Cook reserved ribs and stems, stirring often and adding a splash of water if they start to brown, until tender, 5–7 minutes. Add garlic; continue to stir for about 1 minute. Add reserved chard leaves by the handful, letting them wilt before adding more; cook, tossing, until all the leaves are wilted and tender, 10–12 minutes total. Let cool. Squeeze excess liquid from mixture into a measuring glass. (You should have about ½ cup liquid.)
- Place Swiss chard mixture and 1 Tbsp. cooking liquid in a food processor and add tahini, lemon juice, and ⅓ cup oil. Season with salt and process, adding more cooking liquid if needed, until dip is creamy and only speckles of chard remain. This could take up to 5 minutes. Season with more salt if needed.
- Transfer dip to a serving bowl and drizzle with more oil. Serve with flatbread and lemon wedges.
