Hello All,
The struggle is getting real the extreme weather shifts certainly do hit home, as best as we try to adapt with irrigation and minimal tillage it does not make it easy! Every rain has successfully averted us, thus far, we are living on irrigation which is good, but limited! In order to be sustainable I really don't think it is moral or ethical to drain an underground aquifer for an inch of water a week, which is the ideal market garden amount. Thankfully our soil is good so it holds moisture! I have left weeds as cover crops a lot this year and just mowed them to keep the ground covered, rather then till them in and reseed a chosen cover crop. Why??? Well if they are established they will probably survive the dry conditions, covered soil is much happier, and if I did till I would simply dry it out and cover crop seeds would not germinate anyhow!?!
So this week a lot of new items are entering the basket: Spaghetti squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, tomatoes, & new potatoes!
Things you may not see & I don't imagine will be abundant this year potatoes ( unless we get rain very soon), sweet corn, peppers & eggplants ( Both of which struggled with the cool nights earlier so I am not sure if we will have a long enough season to have them in the abundance we normally do!)
Bushels of tomatoes will soon be available @ 1.25$/lbs
Bushels of pickling cucumbers are available 2.25$/lbs
Email with title Canning Order if interested!
Furthermore, I have added Callaloo (Also known as Amaranth or Pigweed) , as an availability in your CSA baskets! I simply challenge you not to judge this delicious & nutritious plant! The men that work here commonly eat it in Mexico, it is a staple in Jamaica and I could not resist sharing the beautiful plot we had! In perfect tenderness! Keep an open mind & take an adventure! We often overlook what is good for us because it is regarded as socially unacceptable!
Here is a simple recipe! It is also amazing with beef just some broth & stew meat! Which is how I eat it as I don't really eat much fish! Like we grow beef, pork & chicken! (Which by the way the first batch arrives this weekend!) So use what you grow is my theory!
The recipe is by foragerchef.com
Amaranth Callaloo
Ingredients
- 8 oz amaranth look for plants with lots of thick, tender stems
- 1 oz yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 oz bell pepper, any color but green, sliced
- 1 large clove garlic (5 g) finely chopped
- Pinch Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
- 2 Tablespoons flavorless cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 4 large allspice berries use the largest you can find as you’ll be picking them out
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional, this is mostly cosmetic to mimic the color of the chili oil the chef used)
Instructions
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Wash and dry the amaranth, then cut into ½ inch slices. If your stems are thicker than a pencil, slice them 1/4 inch. Some species or more mature plants may need to have their stems peeled to not be fibrous after cooking.
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Over medium heat, warm the oil in a pot with high sides and a lid (a dutch oven or similar works good) add the paprika, allspice berries and cook for a minute or two.
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Add the garlic, crushed red pepper and cook for a minute more, then add the peppers and onions, along with the thyme and a pinch of salt, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until translucent.
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Add the sliced amaranth, along with ¼ cup of water, bring the mixture to a simmer on medium-high heat, cover, turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the amaranth is tender and tastes good to you, which should take about 15-20 minutes (or longer) depending on your greens. Fish out the allspice and discard, or leave it in and eat around the berries.
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When the amaranth is tender, remove the lid and increase the heat to evaporate most of the excess liquid, then double check the seasoning for salt and heat (it should be mildly spicy) adjust as needed, and serve. It’s great with a piece of flaky white fish and lemon wedges on the side.
See you all soon!
Cheers your farmer, Jess
SMILE!
"Putting the Culture Back in Agriculture!"
