We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. – Chief Seattle
Week 3 crop list
- Broccoli – all
- Kohlrabi – all
- Collard greens – all
- Romaine lettuce – all
- Pac Choy – all
- Cabbage – all
- Swiss Chard – all
- Cilantro – all
- Radishes – all
- Kale – full/single
- Raspberries – full
- Scallions – full
Farmer notes
- We are trying to find enough room in the boxes for the vegetables
- Cruciferous family is out in force – broccoli, cabbage, and kohlrabi. These are high in vitamins and fiber and are the ‘vegetable of the week’
- Raspberries are only for the full shares this week, but all will receive some over the next couple of weeks
- Choy is past peak and is finished now until late in the fall
- Kohlrabi can be eaten like a carrot, or baked like French fries
- Melons, cucumbers, summer squashes, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers are all loving this heat and looking great in the field
- Please return all our ice packs, boxes and egg cartons for reuse
- Plan a trip down our way to visit your farmers/farm
- Our first member work day opportunity is Friday July 14th
- Wash all the produce before you eat it
Fields of Dreams
I started dreaming about sweet corn over the winter. It reminded me of the heat of summer and grilled dinners. This season, my second at Earth Dance Farm, I made three different garden plots with corn. Doing errands for the farm I took a moment at the Albert Lea Seed House to explore their corn seeds. The sweet corn had fun names: Luscious, Serendipity, Peaches and Cream and my choice: Bodacious. The urban dictionary informed me that the word “bodacious” developed in the 80s as a combination between bold and audacious. How ever this corn turns out, I am bodacious about growing it.
Nathan Stowell developed one of the standard garden varieties of sweet corn. He grew a corn that can hold flavor in the field longer, earning it the nickname Evergreen. Not the sweetest corn, most folks describe the flavor as old-fashioned. Indeed, this corn started being sold for seed around 150 years ago.
A type of corn tracing back to the First Americans has become popular recently for its photogenic properties: Glass Gem Corn. Carl Barnes, a half-Cherokee Oklahoma farmer, started looking for corn his ancestors grew. Greg Schoen, an Arizona farmer, helped develop these rainbow-colored seeds for seed banks and other farmers. These plots are still under a foot high in growth and vulnerable to my rookie mistakes. However, I have bodacious dreams and a big appetite for the harvest.
-Samson
Vegetable of the Week:
Kohlrabi Information and Recipes
Kohlrabi is a heavy, round vegetable with a crisp texture similar to that of broccoli stem. Kohlrabi is slightly sweet and very juicy. Surprisingly, it is the same species as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collard greens, and cabbage (Brassica oleracea), but has been bred to produce a thick, tasty stem. Not only is the stem edible, but the leaves are as well. The kohlrabi stem can be eaten raw or cooked, and the leaves can be prepared similarly to kale or collard greens.
Kohlrabi Slaw
Ingredients:
- Kohlrabi, grated or cut into matchstick-size pieces
- Apple, grated or cut into matchstick-size pieces
- Olive oil
- Fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
Preparation:
- Mix kohlrabi and apple, peeled or unpeeled.
- Stir in olive oil and lemon juice separately.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Brown-Butter Glazed Radishes and Kohlrabi
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 large bunch of radishes (about 12)
- 1 large or 2 small kohlrabi globes
- Salt and pepper
Preparation:
- Peel and cut kohlrabi into ½-inch wedges. Cut radishes in halves or fourths, depending on size.
- Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and let simmer until foamy.
- Stir butter occasionally and scrape bottom of pan until foam subsides and butter turns golden brown. Milk solids should separate into brown specks and sink to bottom.
- Remove butter from heat.
- Add radishes, kohlrabi, and ¾ cup of water.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Let vegetables boil in butter, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and evenly coated in glaze (about 15 minutes).
- Eat by itself, as a side dish, or mixed with greens.
Meet the Farmer
In this week’s edition of Meet the Farmer, read about our intern Piper!
Hello everyone! My name is Piper Stone and I am one of the 2017 interns here at Earth Dance Farm. I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and am currently a rising senior at the University of Alabama, where I am studying Environmental Science and Public Policy. I have a passion for the outdoors and love camping and hiking. My studies have led to a deep interest in sustainable agriculture and food production systems. This interest, along with a desire to spend my summer outside, is what led me to Earth Dance Farm. The knowledge that I am helping to sustainably produce nutritious food for local people makes the hard work truly rewarding. I am extremely appreciative for this opportunity to learn, and for all the people, on and off the farm, that made it possible.
Enjoy your produce!
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