Sundog CSA June 6th, 2022

Another soggy morning greeted us today (Sunday) and it looks like the entire coming week’s forecast has several chances of moisture falling and filling our gauge. It is a test of patience building to sit back and watch the weeds grow in ground that is too wet for us to walk on. It is a good time to catch up on some of the things listed on the “to-do” list. As we sit making lists of things that we need to do and the supplies we need to finish those projects, it is fairly obvious from the dripping sounds on the floor and splats on the paper and the occasional drip on our heads, that the leaks in the barn roof might be at the top of the priority list! This project has been on our “thinking we need to do” list for a long time and moved to the bottom in dry times! 😊 We were able to get another long bed of onions planted last weekend and some bean seeds in the ground. Transplanting of the last of the eggplants was successfully done to the delight of the resident rabbits who promptly ate them off – right down the line without any preference as to the variety or size. Zach and Jen have been struggling with rabbits eating their tomato transplants but these are our first losses to the four-footed critters this year. Mark’s tree saw activities in the timber seemed to have had an effect on the deer eating our beginning plantings so now we will have to concentrate on some strategies to deter becoming a snack stop for the rabbits. Hank, Izzy’s pup, might have to start taking some evening strolls around the perimeters. He loves chasing anything that moves right now while our old dog, Tic, likes to nap while she is on guard duty, barely lifting an eyelid if there is a commotion.

As we pulled weeds last Monday, we noticed a definite increase in the potato bug population and there were still a few cutworms here and there in the top layers of soil. The potatoes are blooming and there are tiny tubers forming underneath. They are one of the crops that enjoy this chillier weather. The greens are definitely enjoying the chilly mornings with the moisture although we lost the entire spinach crop to an overabundance of water. Next planting, we are going to try a raised bed for this picky crop. It definitely wants water but only when it wants it - sort of like me! 😊 Okra is up about 2 inches and struggling with the lack of hot weather and sunshine. Cucumbers and squash are up and going, along with the first and second plantings of beans. So, we have lots of hope - now we just need sunshine and a few days of dry weather!

YOUR BAG THIS WEEK –

• Rhubarb

• Asparagus

• Peas

• Turnips (use your Turnip Greens!)

• Lettuce

• Green Onions

RECIPE SHARE from Nikol – THANK YOU!

This was a fast and easy recipe we tried with Monday’s greens. It was delicious!

Skillet Greens with Eggs and Peas

Cook Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 30 min Servings: 3-4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 ounces pancetta or 2 thick-cut slices bacon, diced, optional

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 bunch green onions thinly sliced, whites and greens separated

• 2 bunches any greens stems thinly sliced and leaves coarsely chopped

• 2 -4 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

• Salt

• Pinch of red-pepper flakes

• 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth, or water

• 2/3 cup fresh or frozen peas (you don’t have to thaw them if frozen)

• 6-9 large eggs (we like 3 eggs per person)

• Toasted country bread or baguette, for serving (optional),

• Parmesan or other hard cheese for grating (optional)

FROM NIKOL – We served it over a bed of polenta

Directions

If using bacon/pancetta (optional—we skipped because we didn’t have any): Add pancetta and 1 tablespoon oil to a 10-inch skillet and turn the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fat has rendered and the pancetta is golden brown and crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pancetta to a plate.

To the same skillet (add the oil first), add remaining 2 tablespoon oil, ramp or scallion whites, and chard stems, and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, salt and red pepper and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add the chard leaves, ramp or scallion greens, and broth, set the heat to medium-low, and cook partly covered, until tender (about 7 minutes) or very soft and silky (20 minutes), according to your preference, stirring occasionally. If using fresh peas, add them during the last 5 minutes of cooking; if using frozen peas, stir them in when the greens are cooked.

Crack eggs into the greens. Season eggs with salt and pepper, then cover pan completely and turn down the heat and cook until eggs are cooked to taste, 5 minutes for very runny, 7 minutes for jammy (my favorite!). Serve over a bed of polenta or with crusty bread. Sprinkle with pancetta and parmesan if you like.

TURNIPS: The turnips in your bag are sweet and good. We sliced some of the big ones and although the texture was a little less crisp than the smaller ones, they were still delicious! They are also amazing when used raw with your favorite vegetable dip and or sliced and a hint of salt. And they are so good for you! If anyone needs the recipe for Lauri’s Pickled Turnips, please send me an email and I will get it to you. It is definitely one of our favorite summer recipes.

From One United Harvest (Creative Recipes from America’s Community Supported Farms) Recipes Collected by Julie Sochacki

Rhubarb Bars

Crust:

• 1 ½ cups flour
• 8 Tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 cup butter

Stir together flour and sugar. Cut in butter. Pat this mixture in a greased 9 by 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until set but NOT brown.

FILLING:

• 3 eggs
• 2 ¼ cups sugar
• ¾ cup flour
• 3 cups finely diced fresh rhubarb

Beat together eggs, sugar and flour. Stir in rhubarb. Pour this mixture over the hot crust and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes until set.

Mary P. Klawitter, Klawitter CSA, Minnesota

TURNIP FRIES (A creative alternative to potato fries!)

Turnips, peeled and chopped into French-fry strips olive oil sea salt

Lightly coat turnip strips with olive oil. Place on a flat baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. If desired, also sprinkle with your favorite herbs and spices. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

RECIPE NOTE: Add any of the following herbs and spices before baking the turnips: ground pepper, cayenne pepper, dried parsley, and or dried basil.

Nancy Vail, Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, UC Santa Cruz Farm and Garden

TURNIPS AND PEARS

• 1 # turnips
• 3 pears
• 2/3 cups walnuts, halves

• salt and pepper to taste

• Unsalted butter
• ½ lemon
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
• fresh chopped parsley

Cut turnips in half, then into ¼ inch thick slices. Cut pears in half, core and cut into ¼ inch thick slices. Saute’ turnips in butter until tender and crisp. Add pears and onions. Cook while stirring mixture for about three minutes. Add walnuts. Cook for two minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon over mixture and sprinkle with parsley.

Eileen Droescher, Ol’ Turtle Farm, Massachusetts

Izzy patiently planting onions.

On the horizon, storm clouds lining up.

The center of this echinacea looks like it hurts to walk on!

The blooms of the sage send a call to the bees adding a constant hum to the garden.

The narrow country road was one of those that had grass growing down the middle in the summers, a sign of the lack of traffic on this graveled path that had two residences on the mile. I was thinking about that road the other day in the middle of a staff training. The hot buzzword these days is “self-care” and agencies are working to educate employees about the importance of taking care of themselves in all kinds of ways as it hopefully leads to retention of workers and those workers being healthy and happy in their employment. That road was part of my grandma’s self-care plan although she would not have ever thought of that word relating to the dirt and gravel that she trod on most summer evenings if the weather was clear. It was about 2/3 of a mile to the fishing pond which was her destination. Bending and twisting through the barb wires to gain access to the cow pasture, she would walk downhill to a water filled hole that most nights yielded bullheads for next night’s supper. I can see her still, cane pole with a cork attached, lying on top of her shoulder with her old brown felt hat tied under her chin and her dress covered with an apron that had multiple pockets filled with things needed at the pond. Most nights, grandma went alone but now and then, if we were lucky, we walked beside her on those silent treks. Silence was demanded when fishing with grandma. It was not a time for socializing. It was a time to sit quietly on the cow hoof dented bank with it rough edges and sharp pointed rocks and watch our corks bobbing gently as the worm on the other end waved enticingly to any passing fish or occasional turtle and let the day settle. The only words ever exchanged on the ends of these summer days were concerning catches of fish or rebaiting of hooks. And then there was the walk home – another silent trek with our catch if there was one, dangling from grandma’s line. Or if it was a snapping turtle, he was following us at the end of her pole. I can’t put into words why they were the best of evenings but somehow they were right up there and remain so in my memories. So maybe fishing should be added under yoga to the self-care plan? Or maybe it was the “quiet”?

Blessings from our soggy hill to you - Seth, Izzy, Dan, Katy, Teresa, Jen and Zach