- Onions!
- Potatoes
- Garlic
- Kale
- Herb(parsley or basil)
- Apples
- Tomatoes
- Cherry tomatoes
- Hot peppers
- Sweet peppers
- Green beans (taking a break, there will be just a few)
- Tomatillo or eggplant
- Zucchini
- Cucumbers
- Asian pears (possibly, we will taste them for sweetness, last week they were quite simple)
This week we have been inundated with tomatoes and the peppers begin to turn red. The cucumbers are struggling with the 100 degree heat and the gophers tunneling below them. We continue to pull out potatoes. One more bed to go in the field and then three more in greenhouse #4. Last night we enjoyed the potatoes that had been damaged in the harvest and they were so buttery, no extra butter needed. We planted the last of the fall broccoli and cauliflower in the rows vacated by the potatoes. I got in a whole bed of winter radicchio in place of spring broccoli. Some of this radicchio will be ready in 145 days (January/ February) and we look forward to it’s frost kissed sweetness. Juve transformed the first greenhouse
from the Chinese broccoli into fall Daikon and Spanish radishes. I threw in more celery and parsley for good measure ensuring the winter shares will have a variety of crops to help winter pass quickly.
We are about half way through the onion harvest. Probably our worst year yet as the onions struggled in the weeds. We will have enough just not the enormous size we are used to giving. I can’t wait to finish harvest this morning and move on to planting the overwintering cauliflower. Some of the cauliflower will be for the winter share and hopefully some will graze your tables in the early spring. It feels like a long time since we enjoyed cauliflower.
I hope this discussion of winter gets some of you thinking about joining our winter share. We can take up to 40 members this winter. We offer 12 weeks of veggies over the course of 5 months, biweekly or weekly depending on weather, our lives and our crops. The winter is filled with greens, Brussels sprouts, radishes, cabbages and so much more. You can contact us for more info and send in a deposit to reserve your spot. The cost is $400.
As we got news that schools in Washington County and likely Multnomah County will be online for the fall and likely winter terms we all seem to be scrambling for how we will adjust our schedules and make sure that our kids get the education that they need. I was frustrated that schools were not prepared and one of my colleagues pointed out that we too in the medical field are not prepared for our staff to be able to educate their kids and come to work. With that we have made adjustments to schedules as we shift to afternoon and evening appointments so that children can get online for school in the mornings. There’s an amazing psychologist, Amy Stoeber, that I have come to know over the years trying to get up to speed on trauma informed care. She has been a leading force in educating teachers, clinicians and more on how childhood trauma affects the brain and development. She is offering a free webinar for parents as they navigate the fall and the changing landscape of what school will look. I am hopeful that the clinical pearls that she offers will be useful for you and your families please share widely she is thoughtful and may offer you continuing resources during the fall. Here is the link to her blog for more details: https://www.doctoramyllc.com/blog/2020/7/25/back-to-school-answers-and-a-new-tool
Time to make your final payment for the CSA. Please check your records and make your final payment by check, cash or Venmo: LynJuve Argueta. If you are unsure of your balance is, please reach out to me and I can let you know.
As we look forward into the fall I am sure that we are all acutely aware of the importance of this election season. With the epic failure of the Trump administration to deal with the pandemic and the glaring racism that has been brought to light by his administration I hope that you will all take time from your busy schedules to stay engaged and make sure that every person that you know can vote does so. Please consider joining The Daily Kos, MoveOn, BlackLIvesMatter or other political action and make your voice known. Silence is Violence and as MLK wrote: In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
Be well, stay safe, do good work and eat your vegetables.
Recipes for this week:
Spicy cukes with yogurt, herbs and lemons
1.5 lbs Persian cukes, ends trimmed and quartered lengthwise wise, then crosswise into 2” pieces
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c grape seed or neutral oil
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp redpepper flakes
2 scallions thinly sliced
2 tsp Apple cider vinegar
1 c Greek yogurt
1/2 c mint leaves, thinly sliced
1/4 c chopped dill
1/4 c parsley chopped
1 lemon
2 Tbs olive oil
Pepper
Toss cukes with salt and set in colander to drain
In a small pot, heat the oil, add coriander and cumin and toast til fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in red pepper flakes and allow to cool.
In a medium bowl toss the salted cukes with scallions, spiced oil and vinegar. Marinate for at least 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, 1/2 the herbs, zest and juice of the lemon and olive oil. Season w/ salt, pepper.
Spread the yogurt mix on a platter. Using a slotted spoon to drain cukes and scallions and arrange on top of yogurt. Finish w/ the rest of the herbs, and if desired, 1/4 c. Toasted pine nuts.
Chilled Cucumber, Cauliflower, and Ginger Soup—he says you can use new potatoes instead!
Ottolenghi Simple
Serves 4
4 fresh mint sprigs
3 1/4 oz. piece ginger, peeled (two-thirds roughly grated, the rest cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices)
Salt
12.33 oz. cauliflower, broken up into 3/4-inch florets
22.88 oz. English or Lebanese cucumbers, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
17.64 oz. Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
White pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2/3 cup sliced almonds (optional)
2 tsp. dried mint
Pour 3 1/3 cups of water into a medium saucepan and add the fresh mint, the sliced ginger and 2 tsp. of salt. Bring to a boil, add the cauliflower and blanch for 2-3 minutes, until just cooked but still retaining a bite. Drain and set aside; discard the mint and ginger.
Put the cucumbers in a blender or food processor with the grated ginger, garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. of white pepper. Blitz smooth, then chill for at least an hour.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan on medium heat and add the almonds. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the nuts are a light golden-brown. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the dried mint. Add a pinch of salt and set aside to cool.
When ready to serve, divide the cauliflower florets between four bowls and pour the cold soup on top. Spoon the almond mix on top and serve.
A really versatile dish: lovely as a dip, with some warm pitta, or spooned on top of spiced rice or plain grilled chicken. Serves six.
3 Lebanese cucumbers (or 1 large regular cucumber), quartered lengthways, seeds removed and cut into 1cm dice
¼ medium onion, peeled and cut into 5mm dice
Salt
250g Greek yoghurt
100g creme fraiche
10g mint leaves, finely shredded
1 tbsp lemon juice
1½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and finely crushed
200g cherry tomatoes, cut into 1cm dice
For the green chilli paste
2 small preserved lemons, skin and flesh chopped
2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2½ tbsp olive oil
Mix the cucumber, onion and half a teaspoon of salt, put in a colander and leave to drain for 15 minutes. While the cucumber is steeping, put all the chilli paste ingredients in a mortar with a quarter-teaspoon of salt, and pound with a pestle until smooth.
Put the yoghurt and creme fraiche in a large bowl and whisk with the mint, lemon juice and cumin. Add the cucumber and onion mix, and the tomatoes, and stir gently. Spread over the base of a large, shallow bowl and spoon chilli paste on top. Swirl lightly on the surface and serv
More chicken recipes: https://pupswithchopsticks.com/oven-roasted-five-spice-peking-chicken/