Week #7
Stowed in this week’s basket –
Onions! Siskiyou Sweets and red Torpedo Onions. These onions are harvested as fresh onions, meaning that they haven’t cured their papery layers and won’t store for long periods of time in the pantry. They won’t spoil too quickly however, and they never stick around long enough for me to test their limits. Fresh onions are truly a treat, something you don’t find in stores, where the characteristic of being transportable and storable trump flavor and quality. These are ideal for raw eating in sandwiches & salads and are fantastic grilled then drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar!! Potatoes – Yukon Gold Flowering Cilantro – which I like to call ‘Cilander,’ as in cilantro and coriander, it’s in between both stages. At this time of year I’m usually harvesting herbs, basil, dill and parsley. The herbs however are not doing well this season (I hope to have parsley in next week’s basket). I had to do another sowing of basil in the greenhouse and the dill is just now coming up after a first sowing fail. I love having herbs around, so I through I would give ya’ll more ‘cilander’ to toss into that potato salad, chilled gazpacho or cold pasta dish. Zucchini – It’s here, let the zucchini marathon begin! This is an exercise in pacing folks, don’t over do it, as we’re on week one of what could stretch out into horizon of October. That being said, I won’t over do it with you. Although I have the capacity to give you each 5 lbs. a week I don’t want to have a Violet Beauregarde blueberry/Homeward Bounty Farm zucchini incident. The green zucchini is a lovely open pollinated variety, bred in Humboldt County, called Dark Star and the circular one is a French heirloom, Ronde de Nice. Cabbage – Columbia is the variety. I didn’t have a good showing from spring started brassicas (everything in the broccoli family). I just sowed the fall brassicas in the greenhouse and hope to get some more cabbage to you in the later shares. Strawberry Spinach/Beet Berry – The item everyone is WTFing about! I don’t really intend to grow out these novelty things, but it seems to be the theme of the month, so I’m rolling with it! I got this seed form Don Tipping at Siskiyou Seeds. I continue to be curious about plants and if someone gives me something I’ve never heard of (especially if it’s native to North America), I give it a try! Like the name, this plant is related to spinach and is in the beet family – Chenopodiaceae. Fun fact: this family includes spinach, beets, chard and quinoa! You can eat both the berries and the leaves. I would take it all off the stem and enjoy them together in a salad, or blend them up with other goodies in a smoothie. I know there’s not much there to work with. Although the plant is a cool educational piece, I don’t think it has features (like blow your mind yumminess) that would keep me growing it year after year. What you do think?
It’s been another hot week for the farm, for farmer, for all of you! It was so nice today, when checking the weather projection for the week ahead, to see low 90’s….80’s! Holly goodness, thank you to everything! I see this projections and think, ‘ok weeds, you may have won me out on the battle the last few weeks, but you have not won the war!’ Gosh, I’m just so excited to get all the weeding done, ahhh……
Did you all get to see the super Super Moon!? Here on the farm there’s a lot of food feasting, but we also get to eye feast at times. Munch on some of these yummy, delectable photos. I feel so deeply honored to have this delicacy in my back yard!
Savor with intention and have a beautiful week,
Kate
June 11th Super Moon rising over Mt. Shasta
Thunderhead, out by Sheep Rock, catching the last glow of sunset.
If the camera view was wider you could see the Eddie’s too! I love you Shasta Valley!
Recipes for inspiration – click on highlighted text to go to link
New York Times – Twelve Cold Soups! The Vichyssoise, substitute leeks for sweet onions, is on my menu this week!
This is a refreshing idea – Raw Pad Thai – grated vegetables with Pad Thai flavoring.
Homeward Bounty Farm 