In the share this week:
1.5 lbs broccoli
2 cucumbers
1 bunch dill
1 bag salad mix
1 bunch carrots
2 zucchini or 1 lb fava beans
1 bunch sweet onions
Thoughts from farmer Anna:
It's pouring rain again as I sit down to write this. So far, it seems like the farm has been fortunate - we only had 2.1 inches of rain from Saturday through most of the day Monday, while I heard that neighborhoods closer to downtown had 5+ inches during that time frame. Although we've been getting rains frequently enough, we'd been averaging less than 1 inch per week for the last three weeks or so, which is less than optimal for many of the vegetables. So this heavy rain will at least be a nice recharge for the soil as we head into the heat of the summer. We have certainly been saving our on water bills this season since we've barely had to irrigate at all. Hopefully we won't get too much more rain over the next few days though. Too much makes for muddy and dismal working conditions, lots of slugs, and fungal disease in many crops. Fingers crossed :)
We have a few new crops again this week. Carrots top the list for me since they are a favorite vegetable of mine. I have a sort of love/hate relationship with this crop since it can be a pain to grow in our clay soils. They take a long time to germinate, so weeds can be a particular problem with carrots. They also take a long time to harvest, since we have to use a broadfork to loosen the soil before we can pull the out. But those difficulties just melt away when I pull a perfect carrot from the ground. The smell of a freshly harvested carrot is intoxicating. And then when I bring them down to wash and I hand each of my kids one of the seconds (small or super weird shaped roots) and they happily crunch into them, my head explodes with the simple joys that homegrown food can bring. That joy makes the hard work worth it, and it fills me up to share these joys with you as well.
A one-time only crop this week is fava beans. These are a delicious fresh shelling bean, somewhat similar to a lima bean but much tastier. This was a trial planting for us this year, so we only have enough for our full shares. I was a little disappointed in the yield from our planting, so we may try to get them in even sooner in the spring next year (or possibly overwinter them, as they are hardy down to 12F). Favas don't like warm weather. Let us know what you think about them and if they are worth doing again. They take a little bit of time to prepare, and this website has some good instructions on how to do that: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-pick-clean-and-prepare-84710
The broccoli is peaking this week, so everyone will get about 1.5 pounds in their share. Many of our cooler season crops, like broccoli are looking really nice thanks to the cooler June temperatures we've had this year. It may not be pool season yet, but it's certainly broccoli and lettuce season :) We timed up our dill planting better to coincide with our first cucumber planting, so I'm happy to give these two items together. Maria's dilled cucumber salad recipe sounds like a perfect refreshing way to use these this week!
Recipes from Maria:
Creamy Dilled Cucumber Salad
A cool and creamy cucumber and dill salad that is perfect for hot summer days! This salad could not be easier, just slice up some cucumber and onions and toss them in a creamy mixture of greek yogurt (or sour cream or mayo), lemon juice and garlic and you’re good to go!
Ingredients
2 large cucumbers, sliced
1/4 cup onion, sliced
1/4 cup greek yogurt (or sour cream or mayo or combination)
1 lemon, juice and zest (or 1/4 cup white vinegar)
2 tablespoons dill, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, grated (optional)
Instructions
Mix everything and enjoy!
Option: Let the salad chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the flavours mingle.
Option: Add a teaspoon or so of sugar or honey for a hint of sweetness!.
Spring Green Vegetable Stir Fry With Lemon-Ginger Sauce
Ingredients
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
3 tablespoons coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
1 large broccoli crown chopped into florets
½ large leek or onions chopped
1 bunch of carrots trimmed and chopped
1 cup shelled edamame I used frozen
1 cup sugar snap peas sliced in half
1-2 zucchini, chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
In a small bowl, stir together the first 7 ingredients to make the lemon-ginger sauce and set aside.
Rinse and chop all of your vegetables.
Pour the lemon-ginger sauce into a large wok or sauté pan and heat to medium-high.
Once hot, add all of the vegetables and stir well.
Cover the wok for 2 minutes to allow the vegetables to come to a boil.
Uncover and cook, stirring frequently for 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables have reached desired done-ness. I like to leave mine al dente.
Serve over cooked brown rice
If desired, add your choice of protein to the recipe – chicken, beef, or tofu/egg