Week #2, 2026

• Arugula 

• Lettuce

• Chard

• Beets

• Spinach

• Herb

• Shallots

• Radishes or daikon

Thanks for joining us last weekend for the Pizza potluck season opener. We had a great time meeting new members and seeing old friends. We hope you got to tour around the farm on a self guided exploration. We were busy at the pizza oven the whole time.

We are busy planting like crazy. Broccoli, cabbage, collards and lettuce are in the ground. Unlike gardeners we do not just plant these crops once or twice and call it good. We seed, transplant and weed crops multiple times in a season of 28 weeks of vegetables. Broccoli and cabbage we plant spring and mid summer for fall harvest. Lettuce we seed and transplant every 1-2 weeks for 20 weeks. Beets we seed and transplant every 3 weeks and so on. For tomatoes and peppers we plant in the hoop house to get an early crop and then we plant them in the field for the whole season until frost.

This week Juvencio gets a new toy. After watching videos for over a year we invested in a compost bedder. The machine is pulled behind the tractor and spreads an even layer of compost over the top of each bed, saving Juvencio from shoveling each wheel barrow full on over 100 beds.We can’t wait to transform the field and prep for onion transplanting season. I have over 20 flats of onions to get in the ground in the next 2 weeks. It is like transplanting blades of grass over 150 feet X 7. We will plant our field zucchini, tomatoes, peppers and more in the next weeks. 

I have been busy at the Beaverton Farmers Market https://www.beavertonfarmersmarket.com/ for the past month. It is really starting to pick up. We have everything for your home garden from tomatoes, to lettuce, tomatillos to winter squash and pumpkins. You can come see us at the market on Saturdays 8:30 to 1:30 or order plants on line through our website with Pumpkin Ridge Gardens: https://pumpkinridgegardens.square.site/s/shop.

Harvesting is fun and time consuming. We harvest on Sundays and Wednesdays starting at 7:30 (7:00 on hot days) and finish by 11:00 (that is the goal and sometimes with fruit and tons of bunched items we go until 12:00). We can use your help starting in mid-May. There is a sign up sheet, but you can always just show up and we will put you to work. Keep in mind if you straggle in we have to stop what we are doing to orient you, so showing up early is helpful. We love for kids to join with the harvest but often they can do the jobs for only short periods so one adult to harvest and one to hang with the kids if they need to be supervised.

This is my secret salad dressing that makes all greens great. I use it on lettuce, arugula and even radicchio:

Lyn’s Salad Dressing

1 cup olive oil

1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic pressed

Add all ingredients to a Mason jar and cover with a lid.  Shake until creamy and well blended.

Radish Greens Soup

·        2 tablespoons of butter

·        2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

·        2 green onions, trimmed and sliced 1/2 inch thick

·        1 heaping teaspoon minced fresh ginger

·        1 bunch radish greens, chopped small (trim ends but include the rest of the stems)

·        1 medium yam or sweet potato, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick

·        2 cups of vegetable broth

·        1/4 cup half-and-half

·        Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat butter in a deep pan over medium heat. Add garlic, green onions and ginger and sauté for 2 minutes. Add radish greens and yam and stir to combine. Add broth and simmer covered for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Put soup in a blender and process for at least 30 seconds to make sure all the stems are puréed (otherwise soup may be stringy). Return to pan, add half-and-half, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and serve. 

Sue’s Greens Guide:

All Greens all the Time!!!!

Now’s the time to eat your greens!!  As well as the obvious (spinach, collards, kale and chard), remember that arugula and watercress are greens, radish tops are greens,  and beet greens are really yummy greens.  The recipes below all are best with a variety of greens and fresh green herbs.

Provencal Greens Soup

This is a house staple—we eat it probably once a week—great with any mix of greens.

 Yield:4 servings

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 leeks, cut in half lengthwise, sliced, rinsed of dirt and drained on paper towels

• 4 garlic cloves, sliced

• Kosher salt

• 6 cups chopped greens (leaves only), such as Swiss chard, dandelion greens, watercress and beet greens

• Black pepper, to taste

• 2 large eggs

• 4 thick slices country bread, toasted and rubbed with a cut clove of garlic

• Grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)

1. Step 1

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat, and add the leeks. Cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ½ teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the greens, and stir until they begin to wilt. Add 1½ quarts water (6 cups) and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the greens are very tender and the broth sweet. Add pepper, and taste and adjust seasoning.

2. Step 2

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Making sure that the soup is not boiling, whisk a ladle of it into the beaten eggs. Take the soup off the heat, and stir in the tempered eggs. Brush the garlic croutons with olive oil, and place one or two in each bowl. Ladle in the soup, sprinkle on some Parmesan if desired and serve.

We like to place the toasted bread in the bowl first,  THEN the cheese,  and then pour the soup over so that the cheese melts and the bread soaks it up.

 Erbazzone: Italian Foraged Greens Pie

Erbazzone is a traditional recipe from Northern Italy for a double crusted pie made with finely chopped wild herbs and greens. Feel free to use any mix of greens—chard, arugula, sorrel,  dandelion, beet greens,  radish leaves, spinach, collards are all great in this.

Prep Time45minutes mins

Cook Time1hour hr

Pastry crust

·        8 ounces (225 g) unsalted butter, chilled

·        2 cups (240 g) flour 

·        ½ teaspoon kosher salt

·        Cold water as needed to bring the dough together

Filling

·        2 ounces (55 g) slab or thick-cut bacon diced in ¼- inch (6 mm) dice

·        3 ounces (85 g) green onions or ramp leaves sliced in ½- inch (1.25 cm) slices

·        1 ½ lbs (680 g) mixed wild greens washed and dried

·        Kosher salt and pepper to taste

·        ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or equivalent

·        ½ cup (50 g) grated Pecorino Romano cheese or parmigiano reggiano cheese 

·        3 egg yolks

·        1 beaten egg, for brushing the top

Instructions

Pastry Crust

1.               Cut the butter into small pieces, then mix with the flour and salt using a pastry blender, until the mixture looks like a coarse meal. Gradually add water until the dough can be gathered into a ball. 

2.               Divide the dough into 2 two equal pieces, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate to firm (at least 20 minutes or overnight). The dough can be made days ahead of time and kept refrigerated.

Filling

1.               Sweat the bacon on medium heat until the fat renders, about 5 minutes. Add the onions to the pan and cook for a minute. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the greens, add to the pan, cover to help steam them, and cook, stirring occasionally, adding a tablespoon or two of water if needed. 

2.               Cook the greens until they’re tender and taste good to you (about 10 minutes for me), then transfer to a mixing bowl and cool for a few minutes. Press on the greens with a towel to remove any remaining liquid, then mix in the cheese, egg yolks, and spices. Taste the seasoning for salt and adjust until it tastes good to you.

Rolling out the dough and cooking

1.               Roll out the bottom pastry crust and use it to line a baking dish or pie pan, —or, roll out the dough into a square about 10 to 11 inches (26 – 28 cm) on a side. If you make a square, line the baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). 

2.               Pack the greens mixture into the crust, pressing down to remove air, then roll out the top crust, lay it over the top, crimp the edges, brush with beaten egg, cut a few slices in the top to let air escape, and bake for 15 minutes.

3.               Then turn down the heat to 350°F (180°C) and bake for about 30 minutes more, or until the top is golden brown.

4.               Cool a bit before slicing into servings. The Erbazzone holds heat, travels well, and is good at room temperature.

Notes

·        Some recipes use ricotta cheese in the filling as well. 

·        Some of the recipe testers recommended making it into hand-pies for more portable portions.

·        Instead of the bacon, you can cook the onions and greens with extra virgin olive oil. 

·        If you don't have wild onion greens, you can add a few chopped garlic cloves, and substitute the weight of the greens in spinach or chard. 

 Jingalov Hats

These greens-filled flatbreads are a great way to use up whatever greens and herbs you have on hand!  They come together quickly and also freeze well!  I’ve made them camping and they were great!  Don’t get too hung up on which herb and greens you have—just get a good mix!

Yield:4 (8-inch) hats

FOR THE DOUGH

• 1½cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• 1teaspoon kosher salt

• ⅔cup lukewarm water

• Sunflower oil or other neutral oil, for greasing

FOR THE FILLING

• 2pounds chard, tough stems discarded

• 4packed cups fresh cilantro, chervil and dill leaves and tender stems

• 4packed cups radish greens and sorrel

• 6spring onions (or 10 scallions), thinly sliced

• 3tablespoons sunflower oil or other neutral oil

• 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 2teaspoons sweet paprika

• 2teaspoons kosher salt

• 2handfuls pomegranate seeds (optional)

·        Step 1

Prepare the dough: In a medium bowl, combine 1½ cups flour and the salt. Pour the lukewarm water into a large bowl, then gradually add the flour mixture, using your hands to incorporate. The dough will be sticky.

·        Step 2

Dust the counter with flour, turn dough onto it and knead gently until the surface becomes smooth and the dough stops sticking to your hands and counter, about 5 minutes. Roll the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it to coat, then cover it with a kitchen towel. Let it rest at room temperature for 20 minutes to 1 hour.

·        Step 3

Prepare the filling: Wash the greens, and use a salad spinner to dry them well. Chop the greens finely. Mix with spring onions, oil, lemon juice, paprika, salt and pomegranate seeds (if using), and set aside. Divide the rested dough into 4 portions, about 3 ounces each, and form each into a ball.

·        Step 4

On a lightly floured work surface, roll a ball into a very thin circle, about 8 inches wide, adding more flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. Place about 2 cups of filling in the center, then use your hands to pat it down into a round, leaving about a 1-inch border of dough. Pick up two opposite sides of the dough, and pinch them together over the center of the filling, from top to bottom, so the middle is wide and the ends form points.

·        Step 5

Firmly pinch the seam to make sure it’s sealed, then turn the dough over, and gently flatten it out with the palm of your hand so it resembles a deflated football, sealing any holes in the dough. It should be about ¼- to-½-inch thick. If it’s thicker, use a rolling pin to smooth it out a little. Pinch shut any holes in the dough, then place on parchment or a lightly floured surface. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.

·        Step 6

Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium-high. Working with one dough portion at a time, place the dough seam-side down in the center of the pan. Lower the heat to medium, and cook for about 3 minutes, until cooked and lightly browned in places. Flip, and cook the other side for 2 minutes. If the dough seems raw in places, flip and cook evenly. Repeat for the rest of the jingalov hats, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Chopped Greens with Farro,  Tahini Sauce and Pine Nuts

Another one where you can use whatever greens you have!

• 1.5 cup par-cooked farro, see notes above

• kosher salt to taste

• 3 to 5 ounce greens, such as kale, Swiss chard, arugula

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

• fresh cracked pepper

• 1 lemon, halved, plus more to taste

• 1/4 cup well-stirred tahini paste

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

• 1 clove garlic, minced, optional, see notes above

• 1/2 cup pine nuts

• Step 1

Place a large pot of water over high heat. Bring to a boil. Add the farro and a big pinch of salt (I add 1 tablespoon). Cook according to package instruction but taste before draining — my 10-minute Trader Joe’s farro consistently takes 15 minutes. Drain. Place in a large bowl. 

• Step 2

Meanwhile, remove the greens from the stems (if using kale or chard), then slice very finely — you can chiffonade the leaves (stack leaves on top of each other, roll them into a tight coil, then cut down to make long thin strips) but consider cutting the thin strips into smaller pieces as well. You want small pieces of greens here. Place the greens in the bowl with the farro, add ¼ cup olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and fresh-cracked pepper to taste. Squeeze half of the lemon into the bowl catching the seeds with your hand. Toss, taste, and adjust with more salt or pepper to taste—I usually add another quarter teaspoon of salt and sometimes more. The farro and greens should taste slightly lemony and nicely seasoned, but nothing spectacular—remember that the magic happens when the grains and greens meet the tahini sauce. At this point, you can chill the farro and greens until you are ready to serve. 

• Step 3

Make the tahini sauce: Stir together the tahini, remaining ¼ cup olive oil, juice of remaining half lemon, ¼ teaspoon salt, maple syrup, garlic, if using, and 2 tablespoons water. Add more water by the tablespoon. Dressing should be pourable—I typically add another 2 tablespoons water. Taste and adjust with more salt, lemon, or maple syrup to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl or set directly on the table. 

• Step 4

In a medium skillet over medium (or higher) heat, stir the pine nuts until golden all around. Do not walk away from the skillet—if you stand there the entire time, you can get away with using higher heat for a shorter period of time. 

• Step 5

When ready to serve, spoon the greens and grains into bowls, drizzle the tahini sauce over top, and sprinkle pine nuts over top as well. Pass more sauce and pine nuts on the side.