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MEADOWLARK FARM SUMMER CSA NEWS 6-4-10 Dear friends The first summer harvest and we are actually a little bit grateful for the misty, cloudy, foggy skies today. We harvest so many greens on these first harvest days, that the thought of 90 degrees as usual was overwhelming because we then have to hurry them out of the field and keep them cool and wet until we can process, wash, spin and bag them all in preparation for your share today. We were able to finish harvesting the ripe strawberries before the rain started, which is a big relief. They are early this year and look good and taste even better. We are contemplating the idea of opening the patch up to u-pick because there are so many more than we can possibly manage to pick and because we work really hard to pick them so that they won't turn to mush before you get them home. To really take care of your berries, take them out of their container immediately, and gently place them on a dish towel on your counter. From there, eat and enjoy. These strawberries have never been sprayed with anything, unlike the firm, huge cones from California and so are super perishable and beg you to eat them NOW! That shouldn't be a problem should it? Also in your box today are(from the top of the box to the bottom): washed salad greens, washed spinach(hurray and thank you salad crew for your cold handed work today; no more dirty sink, just open the bag and eat), a bag of braising greens(in a produce bag with green writing,not washed), a little waxed bag of cutting celery(like a cross between Italian parsely and celery), in the big bag(a head of napa Chinese cabbage, a head of bib lettuce and a bunch of rainbow chard also not washed), a mixed bag of scallions/green onions, radishes and hakkurei white turnips and in the very bottom you'll find the first garlic scapes! Fruit shares receive strawberries. This last week found us planting like dervishes. We have a wonderful crew this year and on many days we had 2 teams of planters followed by irrigation folk and in this way we were able to transplant thousands of babies into their summer homes; tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, flowers galore, zucchini, cucumbers all were set out this week. In the afternoons we weed and mulch. The main crop yet to be planted are the melons. We lay black landscape fabric down first, then plant, then cover with metal hoops and reemay, making a little greenhouse structure right over them to protect from wind, bugs and cool nights. We uncovered our first planting of broccoli yesterday and found huge and beautiful plants and we bet we'll have the earliest broccoli ever this year. It seems to be the case; the warm spring and heat of the last couple of weeks have pushed some crops along, while others seem to be moving along at their usual pace. Regardless, the food that will feed you is growing and well. We had a birthday in our house this week and made pizza. Our favorite topping by far was about 10 chopped and sautéed garlic scapes with chopped rainbow chard in olive oil. The scapes, or garlic flowers, are super tender right now and are more like a chive or scallion. This garlic scape/greens combo could be tried with any number of cooking greens; how about the braising greens(which contain kales, mustards and arugula) to top pasta? Try this shredded salad: SHREDDED SALAD OF MANY GREENS -4 c. finely sliced napa cabbage -2 c. finely sliced lettuce -2 c. rainbow chard -2 c. slivered spinach -2 c. of your choice greens l kale, bok choy or radish/turnip greens -1/2 c. slivered celery leaf -1 green onion finely diced -2 tsp fresh lemon juice plus 1 t. zest -4-5 TBL extra virgin olive oil -salt and black pepper to taste Wash and dry all greens and slice really, really thinly(this is called "chiffonade"). Mix onion, lemon juice, zest with ¼ t. salt and whisk in oil. Toss all together with greens and taste for brightness, salt and pepper Enjoy these first shares and remember if you are an every other week share, your next box will be june 18th. Please return your boxes next time and flower shares will start next week too. Love, the meadowlarks
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