Sundog Farms

Sundog CSA June 23rd, 2025

Whew! It has definitely warmed up the last few days as a welcome to the season of summer, I guess? And then the weather added some Kansas breeze to spread that heat around Saturday and Sunday. I see rain chances on the weather forecast by midweek and I am sure that we are going to need some by then! It doesn’t take too many days of warm winds to pull the .48 we received this week right back out of the cracks that it seeped down into.

Gardening this week has been doing a lot of hoeing and mulching. We are hauling lots of straw down to the tiny transplants and after watering well, snugging them down to try and hold the moisture and give them a good chance to get established. We are also trying to mulch some of the established crops just in case the rain gauge remains empty for too many days. Today, we moved the mulch back in place after the wind played with it, covering peppers as though we were playing hide and seek! Squash bugs have made an appearance as have bean beetles however so far, most of the plants are holding their own. We are still losing a few transplants here and there – looks like they are being chewed off above their aluminum foil wrap so we either have some really athletic cutworms or a new chewing bug? Bug pictures this week are of a two-lined spittle bug and a bean beetle. We also found a large horned worm that Google thinks is going to grow up and become a beautiful “sphinx moth”. The bean beetle was getting ready for lunch.

YOUR BAG THIS WEEK –

  • Zucchini and summer squash
  • New Potatoes – first ones this season!
  • Onions
  • Kohlrabi and Turnips
  • Green Beans
  • Mixed Greens and Lettuce

Kohlrabi Facts: From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Farm Fresh Seasonal Produce

Kohlrabi is an “old” vegetable, first being mentioned in the 16th century. It is a member of the brassica family and enjoys cool growing weather best of all. It comes in two colors – purple and green. It offers generous amounts of vitamin A and C and emphasizes the minerals potassium and calcium. It is a high fiber vegetable and is worth 40 calories per cup.

TIPS for use: Wash and then peel away any woody or tough portions of skin. Kohlrabi does not have to be peeled after cooking. It is excellent both cooked or raw. Grate kohlrabi raw into salads or make a non-traditional coleslaw with grated kohlrabi and radish, chopped parsley, green onion and dressing of your choice. Raw kohlrabi can be thinly sliced and eaten with a dip or alone. Steam kohlrabi whole, 25 – 30 minutes or thinly sliced, 5-10 minutes. Dress slices simply with oil, lemon juice and fresh dill weed or dip in flour and briefly fry. Sauté grated kohlrabi in butter, add herbs or curry for enhanced flavor. Add sliced or cubed kohlrabi to hearty soups, stews or a mixed vegetable stir-fry. Mash kohlrabi, mix with cooked potato, form into patties and fry in butter. Larger, older kohlrabi are good stuffed. Scoop out center. Fill with chosen stuffing mixture and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

STORING kohlrabi: Remove leaves. The globe will last for one month refrigerated in a plastic bag. If leaves are in good shape and you want to use them for greens, store separately after removing from the globe. Use greens as soon as possible.

RECIPE SHARE –

Crunchy Red Devils – From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Farm Fresh Seasonal Produce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon grainy mustard

2 shallots, minced ½ teaspoon sugar or granulated fructose

¼ cup red hot pepper sauce 3 medium-size kohlrabi bulbs

Whisk together all ingredients except kohlrabi with ½ cup water. Peel and thinly slice kohlrabi; stir into marinade, coating evenly. Cover and refrigerate 2-3 days, stirring occasionally. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Recipe shared by A. Doncsecz, Vegetarian Gourmet, Spring ‘94

Green Bean FACTS: From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Farm Fresh Seasonal Produce

Green beans are among the most widely used garden vegetables in the United States. They enjoy a long harvest season that ends with the first frost. Green beans come with a long history as they were established as a staple in native American diets before the arrival of Europeans. The bean is indigenous to Central America and the Andean regions of South America. Seeds have been found in archaeological sites in Peru and Mexico that go “way back”. Nutritionally speaking, the fresh green bean is not as high in protein as the mature, dry shell bean. It does have genersou amounts of vitamins A, B1, B2, calcium and potassium.

COOKING TIPS: Beans will retain more nutrients if cook uncut. Try steamed snap beans chilled, marinated overnight with onion rings in a dill vinaigrette dressing. Steam or simmer beans in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Watch carefully for beans to brighten in color and become tender, but not soft or mushy. Try steamed snap beans warm tossed with oil or butter.

The Best Green Bean Salad (Compliments of member Laurel Graney) (shared by Elizabeth Keen, Indian Line Farm, Massachusetts

1 – ½ lbs. fresh green beans 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup diced red onion 1 cup toasted walnut pieces

Snap beans into pieces, boil for 4 minutes and plunge into cold water. Drain and set aside.

Dressing:

¾ cup olive oil 1 tsp. salt

¼ cup white wine vinegar ½ teaspoon diced fresh garlic

½ cup finely chopped packed basil freshly ground black pepper

Combine oil, vinegar, basil, salt, garlic and pepper. Shake and refrigerate. Keep all ingredients separate. Just prior to serving, toss beans, onions, cheese and walnuts with dressing.

This weekend, we loaded the last of our cows and sent them to summer pasture. That leaves the milk cows and a couple of heifers and my oldest cow to “hold down the fort” - they are doing a good job! Meet Mimi, milker extraordinaire” who came to us from our friends Roger and Shawn. Besides mentoring people who are doing beginning bee work, Shawn milks and raises other livestock. Della is the bribable cow, leaning to lick food off of Izzy’s hand tonight. Mimi’s shocked expression comes when the cows milk out of turn and she finds herself in position #4 and not second in line.

Snake #4 - and they are not in line. Dan was outside and heard a giant chicken kerfuffle and found the intruder. And Katy was in the pasture and found a snake looking at her along with a coyote watching to see what happened – who was going to run first?

I think that the heat has affected our thinking because we started on our third building repair project this weekend. Each time we start on one of these, I think that it will be a fast repair and so far I have been wrong. This building is one that my husband’s grandpa Bill had brought out here in 1974. It has served a lot of different purposes over the years and now needs some attention. We are ripping off siding and groaning when we fail to remove it in one piece! New siding on the bottom of the building, some new floor boards in one corner, window repairs and a definite paint job is needed. As of tonight, we can see inside from outside on three sides! 😊

During the breezy afternoon hours, the screen came off of the window and so while Katy was doing dishes, in flew this beautiful hummingbird moth! And here is Poppy. She is a beautiful goat that Katy could not resist keeping – a female from our oldest goat, Blue. Zach named her but has not claimed her even though we are pretty sure she would fit in his back yard! 😊

I was reminded of something that happened a long time ago during a conversation this afternoon with Izzy. I was about 12 years old and staying with my grandma and grandpa and for some reason, grandma had left grandpa and me in charge of making biscuits while she went outside to do something. I was trying to measure out what grandma had told me and when it came to the soda or powder, I asked grandpa which and he said that it did not matter. Izzy was making zucchini bread for two of her favorite guys, Zach and Seth, this afternoon and in reading the recipe which called for both soda and powder, she “changed them up” and doubled one instead of the other. When we were talking, she, like my grandpa, said that it did not matter. Baking powder – baking soda – take your pick! Katy joined the conversation then and the recipe was doubled to accommodate the doubled rising agent which worked out well as you can see in the picture below. As for me and grandpa, well not so good. Supper conversation was fairly quiet and no one took seconds on our “hardtack” offering. Grandma blamed both of us!

Blessings from the farm - Izzy, Seth, Katy, Dan, Jen, Zach and Teresa