June 12, 2013

In Your Share

·         Romaine Lettuce

·         Onions

·         Kale

·         Carrots

All of these items are greenhouse grown – except the kale, to get an earlier start.

Recipe

Panfried Kale-makes 6-8 servings

I large bunch kale                                                           3 or 4 garlic cloves

3 tbsp. olive oil                                                                Salt and black pepper to taste

1.      Thoroughly rinse the kale in cold water and tear into pieces

2.      Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and quickly stir it around to avoid burning.

3.      Throw in the kale and use tongs to move it around the skillet.

4.      Sprinkle in plenty of salt and pepper and continue cooking until slightly wilted but still a little crisp, about 2 minutes.

5.      Remove the kale to a plate and serve.

Kale is high in carotene and vitamin K.

What’s Happening on the Farm

Most plants and seeds are in the ground except some herbs.  Just when you think you can take a respite from all the work, it’s time to plant the second round of vegetables!  The cooler weather has been great to get work done outside like weeding and cultivating,  and the gentle rains have kept the ground soft.  Unfortunately the tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and zucchini would love some sun and heat!

Because of the cool, wet spring, many vegetables were put into the ground late, definitely later than last year, but last year was quite an anomaly and not the standard.  This year we took all of the hay  mulch off and used it on the tomatoes and the pathways.  I have created permanent beds and even squared the garden using the Pythagorean Theorem – remember that from geometry?  The permanent beds will make crop rotation a much simpler process (as long as I keep copious notes about what was planted the year before).  It also seems like it makes it easier to maintain the garden and keep the weeds at a minimum, except the pathways.  There are more weeds there than anywhere.  Always a work in progress!  We are also using a tractor pulled cultivator to keep the potatoes and sweet corn nearly free of weeds – which saves a lot of tilling and hoeing!  I admit, I have never spent too much time on the sweet corn, but I HAVE spent loads of time weeding potatoes. 

The early lettuce and spinach grown in the overwintering greenhouse are nearly finished and are being pulled out.  The heat loving crops have taken their place.  The cucumbers and some tomatoes are starting to flower as well as the peas outside.