After yesterday’s rough storm, our dear farmers went into the fields to assess the damage. Farmer Jamie reports that the hail had a field day in the fields. Many of the crops, new and old, are showing significant hail and wind damage. We will be seeing some bumps and bruises on some of the produce in the weeks to come, but the show must go on! This is where the part of the “CS” of “CSA” come into play! The time has come to support our farmers in our understanding that Mother Nature presents circumstances that are beyond the control of the farm. Sometimes Mother Nature works in our favor, sometimes, not so much. It must be so discouraging to tend to these plants through heat waves, droughts, blights, etc, only to have a storm come through and destroy it in a matter of seconds. Now is the time to let our farmers know that their hard work has not been in vain. Through thick and thin, we support our Farm Family and appreciate everything they do! Be not shy about giving them a pat on the back when you see them next. They certainly deserve it!
On a happier note, we got word that the new alpacas arrived at Springdell Farm, and we can’t wait to get over there to say hello!
This Friday, there is an Open House at the Westford Community Gardens from 4-6pm. It is free and open to the public. Come see what all the hub bub is about!
Here is some more of what Sarah has been up to this week:
I infused some water with thinly sliced green apples, basil, and mint. So good, I drank the whole thing in a day. Great way to get yourself to drink more water.
My highlighted smoothie this week is made with 3 of those delicious peaches, half of the dinosaur kale, 1 frozen banana, and some green tea.
Here is the final product. This green color is beautiful, achieved with the dark leaves of the kale.
I have about 1/4 cup of butter, softened as well as some very finely chopped chives from my garden and basil from the share.
The result is an herb butter to fancy up our corn on the cob! Just a small amount of effort give a huge amount of change to this classic summer veggie!
Jess has been busy as well:
So that army of peaches you saw in the other day’s post? It ended up packed and processed in 14 mason jars and 3 gallon-sized freezer bags. While peeling the peaches, I let them sit in a mixture of water and a little lemon juice to prevent browning while they waited their turn. That mixture ended up being an unexpectedly delicious drink with a couple of mint sprigs thrown in!
I tried those Green Meatless Meatballs mentioned in last week’s honorable mention, and wanted to post the photos. The ebelskiver pan was a nice way to really round them while using very little oil.
I chose carrot tops and basil as my main greens this time, and they were great! They are even better the next day. I’ll be making these again for sure! Thanks again to Jennifer S for turning us onto this recipe!
“One of these things is not like the other!” Much of this week’s produce was enjoyed by my boys as-is. (I can’t take credit for those chicken fingers, though! Even in a CSA365 household there is the occasional junk food sighting.)
Now this is a chicken that’s legit! This was from Saturday’s Springdell chicken harvest. There is nothing quite like fresh chicken. The experience was improved only by a pat of Amish roll butter and some fresh herbs. (The sage leaves on top were divinely crisp and delish.) Don’t forget the giblet gravy!
A golden soup made from the carcass of said chicken. Springdell carrots, kale, heirloom onions and some purple potatoes grown from my Fat Moon seedling brought this soup home.
Basil and oil cubes ready to be frozen. These are a welcome thaw in the winter for spaghetti sauces.
I don’t know what to call this one. Maybe Hodge Podge Pie? I sautéed some chard, radicchio, and kale with the heirloom onions before putting it into a buttered baking pan. Some corn kernels, egg, feta and a splash of milk were mixed together and drizzled on the top of it all. A thin layer of sharp cheddar cheese shavings on top of this mess and it was baked at 375 until set, about 30 minutes.
It was messy but pretty darn tasty, and a reminder that sometimes you just gotta mix it all together and see what happens!
See you tomorrow as we “Tell” the ‘Dell. Sweet and savory dreams, all!