This Week’s Share:
- Basil
- Beans
- Carrots
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Dill
- Kale
- Onions
- Summer Squash
- Tomatoes
Basil – Our basil is starting to flower so we will do what we call a “big pinch.” What that means for the plant is we will pinch all major stems fairly low on the plant to prevent it from going to seed when it becomes tough and bitter. The re-growth will be just as tasty as the basil you will receive in this week’s share. What this means for you is more lots of basil. Just pinch the flowers and pesto.
Beans – New to your share this week are Romano beans. Also known as Runner beans or Italian flat beans, Romano Beans are a green flat podded bean. They can be quickly blanched and seasoned with salt or fresh herbs, and are also great in salads, or just by themselves. Check out the green bean and tomato recipe below.
Carrots – A share staple, our carrots are still sweet, crisp, and tasty. Follow the carrot quick pickle recipe below for something different.
Corn – This week we are introducing Brocade. This bi-colored corn is one of the best tasting of the modern hybrids. It is super sweet and tasty straight off the cob, but if you like butter then you’ve got to heat it up. Or try making the summer salsa below.
Cucumbers – Both Marketmore and Lemon cucumbers will once again be included in your share this week. As their production declines with the changing season be sure to savor them while they are still around. Try dicing and mixing them with oil, a splash of lemon juice, some fresh dill, and pinch of salt.
Dill – This fresh summer herb is back this week. Put it in your favorite cool summer salad.
Kale – Red Ursa kale is a cross between Red Russian and True Siberian kale. It is similar in appearance to Red Russian but the leaves are more rounded and curved at the end.
Onions – As our summer Walla Walla onion supply is reaching its end, this week we will be giving out Siskiyou sweet onions. This variety was first brought to Walla Walla Washington from Corsica around 1900. These huge sweet Spanish onions have a light brown skin and a mild white flesh.
Summer Squash – Like most of our early summer crops their production is waning so get them while you can. Now that we have paste tomatoes you can try using your summer squash in the corn and squash salsa below.
Tomatoes – We know summer is not over yet because tomatoes are still coming on strong. Last week everyone got a taste of the San Marzano paste tomato. This week we will start giving out larger portions in rotation so people can make sauce. Paste tomatoes are high in sugars and low in water content making them the ideal sauce tomato.
Recipes
Corn and Squash Salsa
Adapted from The Great Salsa Book
- 2 tablespoons diced onion
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 ears of corn
- 1 1/2 cups summer squash diced the same size as the corn kernels
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon fresh marjoram or oregano
- 5 paste tomatoes diced (can also be oven roasted beforehand)
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
In a sauté pan, cook the onion and water over low heat, covered, for 10 minutes. Cut the corn kernels off the cobs with a sharp knife. Add to the sauté pan together with the squash and butter. Cook 5 minutes longer, until the veggies are cooked and liquid has evaporated. Add tomatoes, marjoram and salt, thoroughly combine. Chill before serving. Serve with eggs or as a side dish. Yields about 2 1/4 cups
Sesame-Pickled Carrots with Ginger Strips
Adapted from Quick Pickles: Easy Recipes with Big Flavor
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- 3 tablespoons peeled, slivered fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons orange marmalade or orange juice concentrate
- grated zest of 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons black and/or white sesame seeds, toasted
- 1 or more dried red chillies to taste
- 1 teaspoon course salt
In a medium sauté pan or wok, heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the carrots and half of the ginger and sauté, stirring frequently, until the carrots are crisp and tender, 3-4 minutes. Remove to a non-reactive bowl.
Add the 2 remaining tablespoons sesame oil and all the remaining ingredients, and toss well to combine. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. The flavor of these pickles does not blossom fully for 24 hours. After that, they will keep for a month, covered and refrigerated. Shake or stir them once in a while to redistribute the oil.
Green Bean and Tomato Salsa
Adapted from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant
- 1 lb Romano beans
- juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
Wash and trim the beans. Cut them diagonally into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Cook the beans in boiling water, or steam, until just tender. Drain the beans and set them aside to cool. Combine the lemon juice, oil, salt, and garlic. In a bowl, combine the cooked beans and tomato wedges. Toss them with the dressing.
On Farm
In addition to writing the farm blog, I also spent my weekend “On-Farm.” Being On-Farm at SIO is when you take your turn as the person who keeps the farm running over the weekend. Duties are mainly comprised of maintaining the irrigation, and keeping an eye on the seedlings in the greenhouse. This weekend I set up and ran some overhead irrigation in our salad mix beds and in a cover-crop of buckwheat in what used to be the broccoli field. I also watered a variety of seedlings as we gear up to plant some fall crops. I am happy to report that by the end of the weekend many vacant trays were sprouting with newly germinated seeds.
Farewell
As September rolls along at the farm we will be saying good-bye to our two second-year interns, Becky and Vanessa. As a first-year intern I will miss their guidance and leadership, and in all aspects of the farm work we will all miss their ever capable helping hands and smiling faces. We wish them luck in their next endeavors, and when they are gone we will certainly have big shoes to fill.
Community Event- Grange Hall Supper
Thursday, October 4 at 7pm Ecotrust (721 NW 9th Avenue) hosts an urban Grange Hall Supper, a family-style meal like Grandma might have served–that is, if she were French. The evening’s chef, Robert Reynolds of The Chef Studio, will showcase local ingredients from that magical moment when seasons overlap. Susan and Kyle Chaney of The Busy Corner Café will pour Owen Roe and O’Reilly’s wines against a background of classical guitar music.
Ecotrust invites you to join them to share food and stories and to live, if only for an evening, in the warmth and community of the Grange Hall.
This five course meal and wine to compliment it is $55. Please feel welcome to bring a bottle of your most special wine to share (no corkage fee). RSVP to lalena@ecotrust.org or by calling 503.467.0764. Payment must be received one week prior to the event. Seating is limited to 80 people.