Welcome to Week 6 of the Farm Share!
Time to customize your share for next week! You have until Sunday night to do so. Please remember to return your green bags as we are running low.
On The Farm
Alex and I and the kids escaped to the family cottage from Saturday - Tuesday. It was truly relaxing because there was no possible way we could do any work. Of course now we have a lot to catch up on - but it was worth it.
We finally got our melons planted! And we also planted our second planting of zucchini and cucumber. Now we just have to get in our bi-weekly planting of salad mix, little gems, spring onions, beets, cilantro, and dill.
This time of year, even though summer is just beginning, we are preparing for fall! This week we seeded all our fall beets and cabbages in the greenhouse.
harvesting carrots
Getting so close!
Tip of the Week
Jam-jar salad dressing. I saw this online and I loved the idea! When you are finished with a jar of jam, fill it with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Shake it up, and you have a delicious fruity vinaigrette.
What’s Fresh This Week
NEW this week is fennel! We also have carrots again, a new crop of beets, the last of the cabbages. Cucumbers are back in abundance and zucchini has dipped a bit, not quite sure why! Our tomatoes are aaaaalmost ready, we have just a handful of cherry tomatoes available this week. We're definitely going to plant more broccolini next year (and this fall, we are going to do 6 beds instead of 2!) because so far we're really happy with it!
This time of year is sort of funny, when spring crops dip a bit before the summer crops are fully ripened. So we are bringing in some exciting crops from other organic growers to diversify our list. This week from Pfenning's Organics in New Hamburg you can add NEW white potatoes, shelling peas (!) and some lovely fresh onions (we want to save ours til they are cured!) to your share. We also are bringing in some fresh organically-grown blueberries from Arrowwood Farm in Melbourne. 'Tis the season to share the local food love!
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Recipes and Cooking Ideas
Fennel is a versatile vegetable known for its mild anise or licorice-like flavor. It has a crisp texture and can be used in a variety of culinary applications.
Fennel:
What is Fennel?
- Appearance: Fennel has a bulbous base, long green stalks, and feathery fronds.
- Flavor: Mildly sweet with a subtle licorice or anise taste.
- Parts to Use: The entire plant is edible - bulb, stalks, and fronds.
How to Use Fennel
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Raw:
- Salads: Thinly slice the bulb and add to salads for a crunchy, fresh flavor.
- Crudité: Serve the stalks with dip as part of a vegetable platter.
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Cooked:
- Roasted: Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roast until caramelized.
- Sautéed: Slice and sauté with garlic and olive oil as a side dish or add to pasta.
- Soups and Stews: Add sliced fennel to soups and stews for added depth of flavor.
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Fronds:
- Garnish: Use the fronds as a garnish for dishes or add to salads for a burst of fresh flavor.
- Herb Substitute: Use in place of dill or parsley in recipes.
Storage Tips
- Refrigeration: Store fennel bulbs in the refrigerator, ideally in a perforated plastic bag to keep them fresh for up to a week.
Try out these recipes:
Roasted Fennel Pasta with Chile and Lemon
Creamy Cucumber and Fennel Salad
That's all for now! Happy eating!
- Farmer Kim
