Sundog CSA June 24th, 2024
This was another week of rainfall here on the hill. The gauge settled at 1.33 and most of it was those semi-slow rains that you dream about when your crops are thirsty and the pasture has been cropped down. The difference between this season and last year is looking at us as we gather beans and pick squash and pull onions and kohlrabi. Our okra rows are healthy and tall even though they need thinning. The potatoes are going to be ok which is good news as they are one of the crops needing those early rains that did not come this spring. We are battling bugs like bean beetles and true bugs which Katy says are commonly called stink bugs and we do have to wade into some of the areas of our gardens due to the height of the grass and weeds and yet it is a good growing season because we have moisture!!
And yes, there is the matter of the temperature and humidity being a little high for the first few days of SUMMER. The old farmers will tell you though that it is the best of combinations for plants and that you can almost hear things grow. The combination may not be as welcome for people!
Our weekend was spent pulling weeds and filling up the compost piles as well as tossing some “goodies” to the chickens. Mowing, tilling some dirt and sticking in basil plants among beans and eggplant in what was probably a futile effort to trick the beetles into thinking we had moved their food supply was how we spent some sweat filled hours. We did manage to repair the window screen and our little building project is almost completed – cross one thing off the “to-do” list! Izzy carried the treasure filled bags that Zach sent - leaves and lots and lots of them. It mulched all of our outside tomatoes. The smell of those baking leaves filled the garden area and we are hopeful for two things – better dirt and less weeds as well as moisture “holders” if we need them. We also enjoyed having visitors check in – Judy and Gary bringing Izzy some more bee treasures in the way of a “super” and a thick book and Roger and Shawn checking in to see how Izzy was doing with the bees. Exchanging gardening and cow stories underneath the shade trees is one of those summer things – and by the way, the bees seem to be doing well with all the attention they have gotten lately! And we are doing well with them since they are now allowing safe passage to the gardens and high tunnels. For awhile it seemed as though one or the other of us would have to relocate!!
And last but definitely not least, Izzy made black raspberry (from our lone bush which usually does not produce well) ice cream and it was so good not one word was said about seeds! 😊
SURPRISE! So, a long time ago our friends Judy and Gary were generously loading and going to haul to the sale barn some goats Katy was selling and before they could get down the driveway, one goat came back off the trailer because Izzy would not part with her, Honeybee. Honeybee had a baby and at the time we were reading the “Junie B Jones” series of books so we then had a “Junie B”. Wednesday, June 19th, Honeybee proudly displayed “Baby B” who was a definite surprise since Honeybee had already had babies this season. Baby B is a real cutie!
YOUR BAG THIS WEEK –
- Kohlrabi
- Cucumber
- Onion
- Green beans
- Squash
- Potatoes
RECIPE SHARE
STIR -FRIED Beef ‘n’ Beans From Taste of Home’s Garden – Fresh Recipes
This recipe was shared by Kristine Lowry of Kentucky.
¼ cup cornstarch ½ cup soy sauce (or tamari) 2 tablespoons water
4 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot 4 garlic cloves, minced 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, DIVIDED
1-pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into ¼ inch stripes
½ pound fresh green beans, cut in half lengthwise
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
Hot cooked rice
In a bowl, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce, water, ginger and 2 tablespoons oil until smooth. Set aside ½ cup. Pour into remaining marinade into a large resealable plastic bag: add the beef. Seal the bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 25-30 minutes.
Drain and discard marinade from beef. In a wok or skillet, stir-fry beef in remaining oil for 4-6 minutes until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.
In the same skillet, stir-fry the beans, sugar and salt for 15 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Stir in the beef and reserved marinade. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over rice. YIELD: 4 servings.
ROASTED GREEN BEAN SALAD From Taste of Home’s Garden – Fresh Recipes
This recipe was shared by Kathy Shell of California.
2 pounds fresh green beans 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dill weed
1 ½ teaspoons sugar ¼ teaspoon pepper
In a bowl, toss the beans with 1 tablespoon oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Spread beans in a single later in an ungreased 15-in. x 1-in baking pan. Roast, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes OR until the beans are tender and lightly browned, stirring twice.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, mustard, dill, sugar, pepper and remaining salt. Slowly whisk in remaining oil. Transfer beans to a large serving bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss to coat. YIELD: 4-6 servings.
I also found a couple more recipes for Kohlrabi if you are struggling to use it –
From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce
This recipe was shared by Oak Ridge Farm, adapted from the Cook’s Garden Cookbook
SAUTEED Kohlrabi
2 kohlrabi (3 if small) 4 tablespoons butter or light oil
1 medium onion, diced 1 tablespoon fresh herbs (thyme, chives, sage, etc. )
1 teaspoon salt
Grate kohlrabi, place in colander and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes to drain. Heat butter over medium heat, ad onions and sauté onions a few minutes. Stir in kohlrabi, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh herbs. Makes 2-4 servings.
And from One United Harvest shared by Kay Fernholz
FRUITY KOHL-SLAW
1-2 medium kohlrabies, peeled and grated ½ cup raisins or currants
1 cup cabbage, shredded ½ cup seedless grapes
1 small apple, cored and sliced 2 tsp. olive oil
½ cup apple cider
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Lightly drizzle oil and cider over the top. Gentlt toss and refrigerate for several hours to let the flavors mellow. Toss and serve.
This was the pretty side of the weekend – pasture walking to find the cows.
Above, our beautifully mulched tomatoes with all those good smelling leaves. The middle picture is bean beetle damage – YUCK! And the last picture is of a bug commonly called a “stilt bug” or “thread bug”. It is kind of a toss of the dice as to whether they are good or bad for the garden as they can be both. We are hoping for good!
Bringing the cows up at nights in the summer is part of the chore routine. Sometimes the cows come willingly and sometimes, if there are no gates or other barriers, they are waiting at the barn for you. Sometimes they like to make that trip home a little more adventuresome. Izzy has been going to get the cows at night and they like to split off, jump into the pond and then stay there until bored of that game, then finally head towards the barn. It is a little more than frustrating if you are on a time schedule so it has become a three -man job these days. One person is in the back herding, one person is blocking off the pond and the other person is standing at the other end of the pasture, calling them home. Tonight, I was the caller, Katy was the pond blocker and Seth was working the back herding. They trotted up without incident as though to say, why all the extra crew?
Blessings from the farm - Teresa, Zach, Jen. Dan, Katy, Seth and Izzy