Welcome to Week 5 of the Farm Share!
Time to customize your share for next week! You have until Sunday night to do so. Also remember to set your preferences if you haven't done that yet.
On The Farm
We got a ton of weeding done last week while it was raining, and also pruning our peppers and tomatoes. On the dry days we managed to get ahead on bed prep and then finished off a bunch of planting on Friday!
On our field walk today we observed a number of things going well, and a few things going... not well. If you garden, you probably understand what that's like. And this is pretty standard for a farm growing around 30 different crops. Here's a little view into the ups and downs:
Our onions did not grow well this year and we don't know why! They didn't succumb to weeds, they were planted on time. Perhaps it was too wet but some are growing well in the same beds where others are not.
Our tomatoes are beginning to ripen! We have already eaten the first cherry tomatoes and they will be on the list next week.
Our beets are a couple weeks behind.
We have our first harvest of hot peppers this week!
Our cucumbers went from ~200 cukes last week to an estimated 60 this week! This is a new crop for us so we are learning how to navigate it.
Our bell and shepherd pepper plants are loaded with green peppers!
Our second planting of carrots is pretty weedy.
Our first planting of carrots is ready!
We're a week behind in seeding/field planting.
We got a ton of weeding done last week!
Our eggplants are looking sad and we're not sure why.
Our tomatillos and ground cherries are looking so healthy and happy!
....this list could keep on going, but I'll stop there. In the end, everything balances out, with every difficulty there is something to learn and something else to celebrate, and there is always next time.
Tip of the Week
Kale: MASSAGE IT! When you're making a kale salad, this is the trick for removing the bitterness, and making it more tender. Drizzle some oil and a bit of salt and then massage it with your hands till it is softer and reduced in size.
What’s Fresh This Week
CARROTS are back, which we are very excited about! We will likely have them for about two weeks before a slight gap until our next planting is ripe.
Sugarsnap peas are done, and we are almost through with our kohlrabi and cabbage. Broccolini is still producing but the heat slowed them down.
Some fennel is available for the fennel-lovers out there; we will have more next week.
And we have the first of our jalapenos, green chiles and shishitos! You can add these into your shares but they won't go in automatically.
We have a few items in small quantities; mint, parsley, basil, radish - these are crops that are just starting out, or that haven't produced as well as we had hoped. They won't automatically go into your shares but are there for swapping.
Recipes and Cooking Ideas
Summer kale and strawberry salad with avocado dressing:
https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/strawberry-kale-salad/
Chopped Egg Salad On Mini Romaine:
https://www.tiktok.com/@ketorecipes/video/7353343961135615278?lang=en
Recipe from the video:
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You already know by now I love quick, easy, and high protein meals.
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I also feel egg salad gets a bad rap, but its actually one of my favorite things when done right.
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This is a super simple recipe thats low carb, packed with a ton of protein, and it’ll keep you full. Dont like lettuce as the base? Use bell peppers, or your favorite bread - sourdough would be amazing here.
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Here is how to make it:
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1.Of course this would be cleaner in a bowl, but lets get messy and chop everything up on a cutting board. We’ll start with 1 medium avocado. Cut in half, scoop out the middle, and toss the seed away.
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2.I medium-boiled 4 eggs for about 9 mins. I just remove them from the fridge, toss in boiling water for 9 mins and 20 seconds. When time is up, just rinse under cold water, and peel them. They should peel super easily. Cut in half, then add to the board with the avocado.
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3.Toss in 1 dill pickle, sliced (about 1/4 cup), 1 small shallot, 1 to 2 tbsp German or brown mustard, 1 to 2 heaping tablespoon cottage cheese, a small handful of fresh dill, a small handful of cilantro, 1 tablespoon mayo, a pinch of salt, pepper.
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4.Chop everything with a knife. If you like it on the chunkier side, chop less. If you like it on the creamier side of things, keep chopping. Then just give it a taste and adjust as you wish.
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5.Pop these onto romaine lettuce leaves, then top with everything bagel and Chile lime seasoning.
Fried Cabbage and Bacon
https://thestayathomechef.com/fried-cabbage/
We hope you enjoy the veggies! I'm always happy to hear any feedback or answer any questions at all. Our email is mulberrymoonfarm@gmail.com and my cell is 519-719-7253.
Your farmer,
Kim
