Sundog Farms

Sundog CSA June 3rd, 2024

June 3rd and the beginning of the 2024 CSA season. We were worried in March as we re-planted seeds for the second time due to our garden soil being too dry for the seeds to do much more than germinate and die. And then it started raining and although we have had a couple of “gully washers”, most of the water falling has been slow enough to be beneficial. Crops are up and looking fairly decent for the beginning of June. Hoeing potatoes last weekend, we found a few baby potatoes that had strayed out of their hills so the first plantings of spuds seem to be on track. Katy’s college friend, Lenka, who lives in the Czech Republic, mentioned that she was planting potatoes in late April during one of their conversations and explained that they plant for a fall harvest. So, we decided to put in a few potatoes ourselves and see if Kansas weather would support a fall harvest. I remember growing up that my grandparents harvested their potatoes much later than we do – of course, I also remember that we dusted those plants with arsenic. Sometimes the “old ways” weren’t the best ways! Researching arsenic use was interesting as I found that it was used in food as an ingredient (small amounts), as a cloth dye, as an ingredient in patent medicines and the list goes on. It was a by-product of mining that mining companies sold and offered a lovely green hue to the things that it colored! The Sundog crew is content with hand-picking those silly potato bugs!

Besides planting late potatoes, we have just finished putting in another few rows of beans. Our early beans are beginning to bloom so we have hopes of a harvest. Sweet potatoes are standing straight on their hill with no running vines yet and last night, Katy and I transplanted some baby leeks that we had started. Years ago, we had a successful leek harvest and never have been able to duplicate that since - maybe this is the year? We are hoping that these crops make up for the failure of our pea crop which we re-planted two times. We have already returned “fire” so to speak in the squash patch as we have seen squash beetles scurrying around. I feel that they have an unfair advantage and wish that we had more in our arsenal than thumb squishing and soap drowning.

YOUR BAG THIS WEEK –

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  • Golden Beauty Chinese Cabbage - definitely one of the more beautiful cabbages in our garden from Baker Seeds
  • Garlic Scapes - beginning of the season!
  • Rhubarb - I still remember that amazing strawberry rhubarb pie that Izzy and I made last year!
  • Spring Greens
  • Sugar Snap Peas
  • Fresh Lettuce
  • Onion Bulblets to garnish your salad
  • Sweet Fennel and Lemon Balm bundles

Izzy’s hollyhock doll was especially pretty this year! And it definitely looks better than the full-grown produce eating worm that we found in the garden last week. It is amazing how fast they appear in the growing season!

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And I wanted to share a picture of the beautiful anvil cloud that graced our skies one evening in May. Zach and our friend, Sally, knew what it was but I had never seen one of these “flat-topped” beauties! image0308

From the Joy of Cooking –

Greens Sauteed with Bacon and Lemon

Greens have a natural affinity for the flavor of bacon. Even salad greens are tasty prepared this way. Use whatever greens you have growing.

In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté ½ cup diced Canadian bacon and 1 large minced garlic clove for 5 minutes. Add 16 cups roughly chopped greens and toss to coat. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are limp, 3-7 minutes (more for some greens like collards). Season to taste with salt and pepper. SERVES 6.

Oriental Sauté of Greens

Collards may require more than 10 minutes of cooking. Adjust your cooking times so that the vegetables are limp but not mushy.

Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large sauté pan and sauté 1 minced garlic clove until golden. Add ½ cup julienne-sliced water chestnuts. 16 cups roughly chopped greens and 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce. Cover and steam the greens, stirring occasionally, until they are limp. 3-7 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Besides planting seeds and pulling weeds, we have been watching Izzy learn beekeeping with Shawn and Roger, friends who volunteered some time. Seth has been jumping into his bee suit and getting instructions on these small professional honey makers as well. There was one hive sitting out there and now all of a sudden, there are three hives as there were moving-ins and moving outs going on between the boxes. Shawn showed Izzy and guided her through moving queen bee egg cells from the one active hive to the other two and wondrously, they both made new queens out of those eggs. The other project that we have been working on is repairing/remodeling some of the old buildings on the place as they lean towards falling down. One is almost done and even though it was challenging, we learned a lot as we took it apart like a puzzle and put it back together. Like most puzzles, there are some pieces missing here and there but it is standing solidly and even has a new coat of paint, courtesy of brother-in-law, Chris. 😊

I saw lightning bugs for the first-time last week as I was walking in from the evening milking. Chores are late this time of year and the evenings are to be enjoyed as the sun retires and the stars appear. It almost makes me forget the difficulty of milking cows who are fighting flies with a vengeance, making it hard to remain in your seat, dodging kicks and hanging on to your bucket and trying not to worry about being deaf in your old age as you explain to your doctor about the hard knob that just naturally hangs at the bottom of each cow tail and how it connects right about ear height!

Blessings from the hill –

Teresa, Jen, Zach, Izzy, Seth, Katy and Dan