“Education is the best weapon for peace.” ~ Maria Montessori
Week 5 crop list
- Summer squash
- Mint
- Cabbage
- Kohlrabi
- Raspberries
- Head lettuce
- Leaf lettuce
- Collard greens
- Peas – single
- Swiss chard – full/single
- Broccoli – full
- Red kale – full
Farmer notes
- Free raspberry picking today or tomorrow – one gallon maximum per, bring your own containers and let us know when to expect you (please disregard road closure signs when coming in from the north)
- Sorry for wet raspberries last week. There is so much moisture inside of the box that they absorb and loose their structure
- With kale, chard, braising mix, collards etc., it works best to slice stems finely and sauté first for 10 minutes before adding the leaves
- Kohlrabi can be sliced and used cold like a radish or like a French fry in the oven – also in a salad, stir fry, soup … or as a table centerpiece
- Shelling peas and broccoli are on their last leg and show the wear of summer heat – broccoli will be back in the late fall
- Head lettuce was trapped under 2 layers of row cover to protect from deer
- We are stringing up the sugar snap peas today
- Read about the wonders of Kohlrabi in our newsletter
- It has been a wet June and July – see our farm article in the newsletter
- Wash all of your produce before you eat it
- Please return our ice packs and boxes for reuse
Veggie of the Week
Kohlrabi is a member of the brassica family, like broccoli or cabbage. Interestingly, these three crops as well as cauliflower, kale, collard greens, and brussel sprouts are all members of the same species, Brassica oleracea, that humans have selectively bred and cultivated for several thousands years. Kale developed around the 5th century BC, and in Germany around the 1st century AD, preference for fatter-stemmed kale led to the cultivation of kohlrabi. Kohlrabi means “cabbage turnip” in German. Das ist ja so kühl!
Kohlrabi can be eaten cooked or raw, and both the leaves and the stem are edible. The leaves can be used just like kale (it’s just kale with a fat stem!). The bulb, which actually grows above ground and is thus a stem, not a root, has a thick skin that must be peeled before eating. Sliced up it’s a great addition to a salad. It’s also tasty added to soups or julienned and fried up like potatoes. It tastes like broccoli stem but slightly sweeter. When harvested, kohlrabi is simply pulled out of the ground and the roots and extra leaves are trimmed off, but if you like to go Homo Erectus style, feel free to eat it all.
Brassicas are known for their high antioxidant content, so your immune system will certainly thank you for this treat. More than that, they activate both phase I and phase II detoxification cycles (your liver knows what I’m talking about), so brassicas are super heroes when it comes to keeping your body clean. Kohlrabi is so dang cool that the Russians even modeled Sputnik after it! (Not really, but the similarities are striking.)
We hope you enjoy kohlrabi and the rest of your produce as much as we enjoy preparing it for you 🙂
Chamberlain and Madeline
The benefits and challenges of wet soils
We have had a considerable amount of rain to start off this season. Thankfully, there has been no hail or serious floods to speak of. We have had some very strong winds and some washing of field soils from heavy downpours that have each done some minimal damage to some crops. A greater challenge, though, has been dealing with soils that do not ever get a chance to dry out. Here is a snapshot:
- Lower area crops remain stunted and yellowed from access moisture
- Timing for plantings and cultivation gets disrupted resulting in greater weed/grass pressure and less than ideal planting conditions
- Soils more readily compact or clod when worked with too high of moisture
- Pests like grasshoppers and pathogens like molds and mildews thrive
- Some crops, like raspberries and tomatoes, take in too much water which dilutes their intense flavor – other crops like cabbage and kohlrabi can burst
- More rain means more clouds which translates into less sun for hot summer crops like sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and melons
But I am not complaining here, just passing on interesting information. We have only had to irrigate during one stretch in early July for several crops. Rain is far more efficient and compatible for growing produce than irrigation and the vegetables respond in kind. It is also a psychological opiate for the farmer who breathes deep and long to the sound of the dancing raindrops. When all is looked at in perspective, I would take a little too much rain than not enough, as long as it not too severe.
Kohlrabi Fritter
1 grated Kohlrabi
1 egg
3 Tbsp flour/ bread crumbs
Mix all ingredients into a dough. Heat some oil or butter in a skillet and drop a ball of dough then flatten with a spatula. Flip once crispy and serve once both sides are crispy.
Baked Summer Squash
1 squash
¼ cup olive oil
1/3 cup bread crumbs
½ cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Remove ends of squash and slice squash cross-wise. Toss with olive oil and arrange in a regular baking dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs, parmesan, salt, and pepper over mixture. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until crispy on top.
