Sundog CSA July 25th, 2022

Sunday evening and we have survived another long week of hot and dry weather here on the hill. It has been challenging to try and keep everything alive by watering and mulching and we failed with some crops. Tonight, there is the sound of a few sprinkled rain drops here and there as some tight-fisted clouds pass overhead. The weather man is forecasting widespread heavy rain at times although the amounts on his map do not come close to the definition of heavy rainfall. The weather must be perfect for horseflies. I don’t think that I have ever seen quite as many as I have this year. The cows are being harassed by them unbearably. In my research I learned that only female horseflies bite animals and humans. So, my evening reading material consists of information about horse fly traps and pink-eye remedies which is another thing that the cows are trying to fight off.

Setting up soaker hoses and water sprinklers were on the list of things to do in the garden this week along with spraying for worms. Spying an armyworm on the tomatoes raised an alarm and questions about how many worms can one tomato plant support? We all trooped to the bottom tunnel in the dark of the night on Thursday evening with the magic purple light and could not find one single “light-up” worm. What we did find was that Seth’s sleeping pants light up in the dark under the purple light making him our guide as we walked in the dark! 😊

Besides worms, another find today was an odd hot pepper sitting among the green peppers in the high tunnel. We were taste testing and found ourselves “on fire” and slightly drooling from what was supposed to be a mini lunchbox pepper.

Chores were doubled as we spent extra time refilling water pans and tanks. Even the chickens were lined up and waiting for the afternoon refill. It makes me doubly grateful for the rural water system that allows us to pull up a handle and have water to fill all those pans.

RAIN UPDATE: This Monday morning brought one of those very unexpected gifts. The clouds that I was calling tight-fisted last night let loose and our rain gauge registered 1.71 around six at chore time with the rain continuing while we were milking and feeding. Mud puddles filled to the brim and rain falling on the barn roof and dripping down my collar and feeling good was our week has started!

YOUR BAG THIS WEEK -

• Potatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Large tomatoes
• Green pepper
• Henfruits (eggs)
• Mystery
• Basil

POTATO INFORMATION: Nancy O’Connor, author of the Rolling Prairie Cook Book shared information about this common vegetable. Potatoes are a member of the nightshade family and are a native of South America. The potato found its way to North America in the early 1700s. Nancy gave the following definition of “new potatoes” as being freshly-dug, never been stored and not of a specific variety. New potatoes have a higher moisture content and sugar content and they cook more quickly and have a sweeter taste than storage potatoes. Nancy shared that it is a risk to store onions with potatoes because onions give off a gas that accelerates the decay of potatoes. Do not scrub until you are ready to use them.

Nancy listed a recipe for potato salad called The Simplest Spud Salad. She said that it reminded her of potato salad that her aunt Margaret would bring to family get togethers with the secret ingredient being pickle juice.

2 to 2 ½ pounds waxy potatoes

2 tablespoons minced onion

3 medium carrots, coarsely grated

6 stalks celery, chopped

½ cup salad dressing

2 tablespoons mustard

2 tablespoons pickle juice

1 ½ teaspoons salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook potatoes until just tender but not falling apart. Cut into large chunks. Allow to cool. Toss potatoes with onions, carrots and celery. Mix salad dressing, mustard, and pickle juice together. Pour over potato mixture, sprinkle on salt and pepper and carefully toss until veggies are well coated with dressing. Refrigerate for several hours.

The second share recipe is from One United Harvest which is a collection of recipes from CSA farms. This one is from Marlene Washington of Eatwell Farm in Dixon, California.

SAUTEED CHERRY TOMATOES WITH FETA CHEESE

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil 1 T. chopped basil or parsley

1 medium onion freshly ground black pepper

1 pt. cherry tomatoes 2 oz. crumbled feta cheese

12 large pitted kalamata olives

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add onion and saute until golden, about 5 minutes. Raise heat to medium high and add tomatoes. Cook just until tomatoes are heated through and skins are beginning to brown in spots, about two minutes. Add olives, herbs and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.

Another shared recipe from the above book is from Jeane Duffer of Barklee Farm in Sagle, Idaho.

ITALIAN BREAD SALAD

2 cups sliced fresh vine-ripe tomatoes ¼ cup sliced fresh basil leaves

2 cups garlic Croutons (see notes) olive oil

1 cup sliced fresh whole milk mozzarella cheese fresh minced garlic

Fresh ground pepper

Toss tomatoes, croutons, cheese and basil leaves in a bowl. Sprinkle with vinegar, oil, garlic and pepper.

NOTES: Make your own croutons by slicing sourdough bread, brush with melted garlic butter, cut into cubes and toast on a cookie sheet at 375 degrees, turning occasionally until brown.

I am pulling weeds and sometimes digging weeds because their roots have dug in stubbornly. The temperature was high and sweat was running and finding the dust that covered my arms and making muddy rivulets that trickled downward. I was stacking my “pullings” because the dirt clods stuck to their roots represents valuable soil that can’t be replaced easily on this rock hill so it is all going to the compost pile. And then one of my tall awkwardly stacked piles toppled over to one side and I was feeling that some garden genie or pixie or whichever the evil ones are, was picking on me for some reason. I had pulled and piled and now would have to do it again. I reached down and grabbed an armful, bringing it up and as I reached down for a second armful, my eye was caught by a fairy frond – a delicate design in the coolest shade of green and I realized that it was an asparagus stalk. Since this is not a fairy tale, there were not gold coins attached to the stalk nor did the garden genie give me three wishes. Before the task was finished, there were four more stakes marking stalks. So, the dozen new asparagus roots that were accidentally plowed out last year were not all lost. It just took them a little while to show up and for me to find them 😊

Blessings of this wet Monday morning to you from the farm - Teresa, Jen, Zach, Dan, Katy, Izzy and Seth

Not our favorite kind of worm to find in the garden!

One of our favorite summer pasture beauties!

Sunset after a long hot day this weekend – two of our ladies, Checkers and Susie.