First Harvest of 2011
Welcome to our first harvest of the 2011 Growing Season. We are expecting to harvest the following items. Of course, this list might change when we get out in to the fields.
Green Garlic
Red Mustard Greens
Baby Red Pac Choi
Tokyo Bekana
Arugula
Spinach
Farm Life
As you’ve undoubtedly heard, generally speaking, the 2011 vegetable growing season is getting off to a slow start. Just as happened last year, we have had a wet, cool spring and early summer. Consequently, seeds are slow to germinate. Once they do sprout, they grow very slowly. The good news is that Artisan Organics is not as far behind this year.. In fact, our first harvest is coming in several weeks earlier than last.
What has changed to get 2011 off to a better start? Our new field! Those of you that have been following this blog for some time know that we spent all of last year preparing a former horse pasture for use this year. Though the pasture presented many problems to overcome, it has two great advantages. First, the soil type has a little less silt so is more suitable for growing vegetables. Second, the field was tiled back in the 1950’s. The combination of the two means that the field dries out much, much faster in the spring. In fact, this year we were able to get in to our field two months sooner than we would have had we still been in our old field.
(Of course, the new field does have the major drawback that we must begin the three year organic certification process all over again. So… though the business name remains Artisan Organics and we continue to use all organic growing practices, we will not be eligible for organic certification until Nov. 2012.)
Using Your Veggies
Most of the items on the harvest list are coming from our High Tunnel. The only exception is the Green Garlic which was planted in our new field on Halloween Day of 2010.
What does one do with Green Garlic? The same sorts of things one does with any garlic. In fact, you may substitute it in any recipe that calls for garlic cloves. I particularly like to use it in a rich and garlic-y Alfredo sauce. Just follow the instructions of your favorite Alfredo Sauce recipe then add finely chopped Green Garlic at the end. If you are a serious garlic lover, you’ll also enjoy adding thinly sliced Green Garlic to your salad.
Are you wondering about all those greens in the harvest list? Though, our spinach is harvested as full size leaves it is still sweet and tender enough for salads. It’s also much cleaner than typical bunched spinach. Do remember though, that you should always re-wash your salad ingredients, no matter where you purchased them.
Have you never heard of Tokyo Bekana? Neither had I until I found it in a seed catalog. It is a lovely member of the mustard family with a very, very mild flavor. Its light green color and crisp/tender texture make it a lovely addition to a salad. In fact, I’ll include it in our Bunched Mesculan Mix as well as having it for sale individually.
We will also have arugula at the market this week. Arugula is also a member of the mustard family. It has a peppery flavor that is a great addition to salads. It’s also good in sandwiches, think roast pork and Arugala on a crusty Italian bread.
I look forward to seeing you at the market!
