Weekly Abundance, Volume 3-09

This Week's Harvest

This Weeks Harvest

Buttercrunch Lettuce

Broccoli

Silverado Chard

Scallions/Green Onions

Garlic Scapes

Mizuna

Farm Life

Now that the season is well under way, the farm is beginning to fall in to a pattern of harvest days, share delivery days, Farm Stand days and Farmer’s Market days, weeding days, and organizing and planning days.  It feels good to have a routine.   Many of these activities really need more days, especially the weeding.  But, that’s the way it is with farming.  One never really feels caught up.

You may remember when you ordered your chicken that I said that the next batch of birds would be available the first week of July.  The birds are putting on weight more slowly than anticipated so they will not be ready until July 21st.  Not to worry though, there are still some chickens left in the freezer.  If you are running out, just let me know how many birds you would like and I will have them available at your preferred pick up site.

Garlic Braids

Our next farm event is coming up soon so mark your calendars.  On July 19 there will be a Potluck Picnic and Garlic Braiding from noon until 4:00pm.

From noon until 2:00, spread out your picnic blanket, mingle with other members of the Artisan Organics community of eaters, and enjoy a fine potluck.  Please bring your own re-usable plates, cups, utensils, etc. and a dish to share.  Artisan Organics will provide fresh drinking water and lemonade.

Beginning at 2:00pm, we will learn to make garlic braids.     If you can braid hair, you can braid garlic!  For CSA shareholders, the first garlic braid is free.  Additional braids are $1.50/head of garlic.  Garlic braids make great, edible gifts so plan ahead for Christmas and birthdays.

In preparation for this event, we will begin harvesting the garlic on July 6.  You are welcome to join us.  People of all ages can participate in this task.

Garlic Scapes

Featured Veggie of the Week

What are those curly green things?  They are garlic scapes, the flower stalk from hard neck garlic.  Cutting them from the garlic plant helps assure a well formed head of garlic and gives you something luscious to eat as well.  Marinate them in balsamic vinegar for about an hour then cook them on the grill.  They are fabulous with grilled chicken and a big green salad.  Or, substitute the scapes for the leeks in your favorite Potato Leek Soup recipe.  As my grand daughter says “it tastes like garlic mashed potatoes with cream added”.

Weekly Abundance, Volume 2

Rainbow Chard

This Week’s Harvest

Rainbow Chard

Mizuna

Kohlrabi

Fennel

Romaine Lettuce

Scallions

Broccoli

Pok Choi

Farm Life

Amber and Tiger

The best thing that happened this week was the arrival of my 13 year old grand daughter, Amber.  I have been looking forward to her visit for months.  Last summer, she spent two weeks helping me out at the farm.  This year, she is my official “intern” and will be here all summer long.  She is a delight to have around.

Along with Amber came our new, high tech, rodent control device named Tiger.  Both are shown in the photo to the left.

Yesterday morning as I was showing Amber all the changes around the farm, we came across a young red tail hawk at the bottom of our deer fence.  The fence is ten feet high and made of bird netting.  The hawk seemed to have caught itself a tasty squirrel, then flown right in to the netting.  Fortunately, it wasn’t injured, nor was it particularly tangled.  It just couldn’t figure out how to get out of the predicament it was in.

We cut the netting all the way around the bird to make a big enough hole for it to pass through.   As soon as we moved a safe distance away, the bird walked through the hole and flew away.  Unfortunately, it forgot its squirrel.

The bird netting already has lots of holographic tape tied to it so that birds can see the fence and avoid it.  We will tie more higher up on the fence to keep this from happening again.

Last week, several of you asked what kohlrabi tastes like.  Generally, when I am asked that  question I quote the description in the seed catalog under the assumption that they are better able to describe their product than I am.  So, I told you that the kohlrabi tasted like a blend of broccoli and pineapple.  But, when I cooked it myself this week I didn’t find that to be the case at all.  I though it tasted like a blend of broccoli and radish.  What did you think?

I remember this same variety of kohlrabi being much sweeter last year.  Perhaps the flavor has changed because it has been warmer this year?  Or, maybe it has something to do with my having increased the nitrogen content of the soil.  Either way, I am going to sow another batch so that we can try it again and compare the flavors.

Mizuna

Featured Veggie of the Week

This week’s featured vegetable is Mizuna.  Mizuna is a mustard so has a bit of a bite when eaten raw.  It is frequently included in braising mixes.  I prefer to cook it with other greens.  One of my favorite dishes is to sauté a bunch of what ever greens are available and serve them over baked polenta.  For some extra flavor, add a little ham to the greens while they are cooking.

If you prefer to work from a recipe rather than a general description, try the recipe at the link below using a combination of chard and mizuna.

http://www.noblefoodsfarm.com/GreensGuide/mustard.htm

(Note: This recipe is from the web site of “Noble Foods Farm”, a CSA in Boise, Idaho.)

Weekly Harvest

Fennel

This Week’s Harvest

Sugar Snap Peas – Sweet green peas with an edible pod.  So good they don’t need cooking.

Chard – Colorful Rainbow Chard.  Great in a stir fry.

Fennel -  Also known as “Anise”, fennel goes particularly well with salmon.

Lettuce – Simpson Black Seeded Lettuce.  A beautiful curly, light green, loose leaf lettuce.

Kohlrabi – See “Veggie of the Week” below for kohlrabi ideas.

Scallions – Chop them in with your lettuce for a great salad.  Also great in omelets.

Mizuna – Available for CSA shareholders only.

Pok Choi – Available for CSA shareholders only.

Mt. Hood Strawberries – Available at the Farm Stand only.

Farm Life

The remaining meat chickens were taken to the butcher’s yesterday.  They returned today all cleaned up and dressed in neat little packages.  The whole birds are in bags and the cut birds are on Styrofoam trays.  If you have reserved birds, they will be ready and waiting for you at the site you designated when you reserved the birds.

If you have not yet made a reservation but would like some chicken, please let me know via e-mail, Florence@ArtisanOrganics.net.  The birds are $3.75/lb.  There is an additional $1.50 charge for cut birds.

In your e-mail please let me know where you would like to pick up your chicken; the Beaverton Farmers Market on Saturdays, at the farm on Wed. afternoons, or at your CSA pick up site on Thursday.  I also need to know how many birds you want, whether you want them whole or cut up, and an approximate size (small, medium, or large).

The next batch of birds will not be ready until early July so be sure you order enough chicken to get you through until then.

In the last week, we have also been working on the refrigeration unit for the walk in cooler.  We completed installing it on Sunday and it worked great… until today.  It looks like some of the parts have malfunctioned and need to be returned.  Hopefully, we can get that done in the morning.

Meanwhile, I have been grateful for the little bit of rain we had the last few days.  Some of the critical parts for the irrigation system are on back order, which means the plants in the back field are not getting watered.  Every time I get anxious about it, I remind myself that these plants have been in the ground for some time now and have a well developed root system.  I checked on them this morning and was reassured to see that they are indeed fine.  Still, I will be glad when the parts arrive and we can get the irrigation system up and running.

Veggie of the Week

Kohlrabi

Our featured vegetable this week is kohlrabi.  Kohlrabi is a relative of broccoli.  Just peel and eat.  It is great raw as a snack, or in salads.  If you prefer, you may also cook it the same way you enjoy broccoli.  Or, try it on the grill.  Just peel, cut in to strips, coat with a little light oil to keep it from sticking, and put it on the grill.  Enjoy!

Bees and Thunderstorms

Bee Swarm

Nathan Calls the Tualatin Valley Bee Keepers Association

Bee Swarm

A much better, and more interesting, day today.  First, my step-daughter graduated from Medical School at OHSU.  Yea Ashley!

After the graduation ceremony I arrived at the farm to find our volunteer, Sam, staring up in to one of our old apple trees.  I followed his gaze to see a swarm of bees!

According to my co-worker, Nathan,  (See the Nathan’s Bees page) bee colonies sometimes leave their hives to look for a more ameniable home.  When they do, the majority of the hive will congregate in one location while others go in search of a new home.   Once a new home is located, usually in just a few hours, the whole colony will lift off and fly to the new location.

While the colony waits for their new “address”, they must conserve energy for the hive building activities to come.  During this time they are very docile, which make it a good time to catch the hive and move it to a desired location.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have a hive set up and ready for them to move in too.  If only we had known they were coming, we would have been prepared!

After determining that they were indeed Honey Bees, Nathan called the Tualatin Valley Bee Keepers Association who sent some one right away.  The limb that the hive was resting on was cut from the tree and gently lowered to the ground.  From there is was transferred to a waiting box and driven to it’s new home.

Unfortunately, I was working in another field and missed most of the excitement so I am grateful to Sam for these pictures.

Bees and Thunderstorms

Bee Swarm in the Apple Tree

Nathan calls the TV Bee Keepers Association

Bee Swarm after being lowered from the tree

A much better, and more interesting, day.  First, my step-daughter graduated from Medical School at OHSU.  Yea Ashley!

After the graduation ceremony I arrived at the farm to find our volunteer, Sam, staring up in to one of our old apple trees.  I followed his gaze to see a swarm of bees!

According to my co-worker, Nathan, (See the Nathan’s Bees page) bee colonies sometimes leave their hives to look for a more amenable home.  When they do, the majority of the hive will congregate in one location while others go in search of a new home.   Once a new home is located, usually in just a few hours, the whole colony will lift off and fly to the new location.

While the colony waits for their new “address”, they must conserve energy for the hive building activities to come.  During this time they are very docile, which make it a good time to catch the hive and move it to a desired location.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have a hive set up and ready for move in day.  If only we had known they were coming, we would have been prepared!

After determining that they were indeed Honey Bees, Nathan called the Tualatin Valley Bee Keepers Association who sent some one right away.  The limb that the hive was resting on was cut from the tree and gently lowered to the ground.  From there is was transferred to a waiting box and driven to its new home.

Unfortunately, I was working in another field and missed most of the excitement.  I am grateful to Sam for these pictures.

The afternoon brought a major thunderstorm, with an accompanying twister.  I didn’t have a camera with me so couldn’t get pictures.  Fortunately, we didn’t have any significant damage, just a few branches and some of the dear fencing came down.  Still it is amazing, and frightening, to see how much power the wind can have.  I can only imagine what a real tornado is like.

First Harvest of the Season

Sugar Snap Pea Flower

This Week’s Harvest

Fennel

Rainbow Chard

Sweet Peas

Kohlrabi

Baby Spinach

How wonderful it is to be harvesting again!

The peas are fabulous.  I think I eat about half of what I harvest before I even get out of the field house.  The kohlrabi are perfect pale green  globes.  The Rainbow Chard is a burst of color.  The spinach is just right for salad.

Farm News

The farm is quite busy right now.  We are hard at work adding refrigeration to the cooler.  As you may know, we assembled the panels for the walk in cooler  two months ago.  Since then, we have added new circuit breakers to the electrical panel.  Now that there is power, we can install the refrigeration equipment.  This should be completed within the week.

At the same time, we have been working on the irrigation system.  The fields that were farmed last year are mostly done.   The new fields still remain.

Last year, I ordered irrigation equipment from vendors that I worked with when I farmed in CA.   This year I made a commitment to find a local vendor.  This proved to be more difficult than I thought because drip irrigation systems are not as common here.  A chance discussion with a farming colleague at the Farmer’s Market led me to a vendor in St. Paul, OR.  I spoke to the vendor on the phone Monday morning and my equipment began arriving today.  Halleluiah.   Now I can get water to the plants in the new field.

Don’t forget.  The first batch of chickens will go to the butchers early next week.  If you would like to order some, please let me know.

Chicken Losses

A difficult day.  Those of you that have visited the farm and our chickens may recall my saying that the most feared predator is domestic dogs.  Unfortunately, our worst fears have come true.  During the night, a dog got into the chickens and killed more than 70 birds.  Another eight were so badly injured that we had to put them out of their misery.

We lost 50 of our meat birds and more than 30 of the laying hens.  These birds were mature birds ready to begin laying.   In addition to the financial loss… several thousand dollars… it emotionally trying.  It is difficult to arrive at the farm in the morning and find mangled carcasses scattered through out the field.

Finding an appropriate way to dispose of the carcasses is also an issue.  We can not bury them because our water table is too high.  We are hoping that our garbage service will accept them if we bag them up.

After the catastrophe we spent some time fortifying our electric fence to increase the voltage.  It is now running 7,000 volts and gives a nasty shock, even if you are wearing rubber soled shoes.  We also mowed the fields adjacent to the birds to provide less cover to marauding creatures.  Hopefully, this will prevent future problems.  And… my mind will be much relieved on June 8^th when the remaining meat birds go to the butchers.

Fortunately, we still have enough birds for those that have pre-ordered chicken.  We can even take a few more orders.  But, we will not have as many dozen eggs each week as we had hoped.