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.

Artisan Organics is Expanding!

In 2009, we will be adding a new pick up site at our farm in Hillsboro. Plus, we will have eggs, and a limited quantity of pastured poultry.

For 2009, our pick up sites will be in North Portland at Emanuel Hospital, in Northeast Portland near Good Samaritan Hospital and at the farm in Hillsboro near 234^th and Tualatin Valley Highway.

We are currently accepting new shareholders.  For more information and Registration Forms, please see www.ArtisanOrganics.net

I look forward to being your farmer.

Florence Jessup

CSA Newsletter, Week 22

This Weeks Veggies

Chard or Kale – Sweet Chard or Red Russian Kale

Beets, Turnips or Rutabaga – These mixed bunches of beets would be great micro-waved and added to your salad.  Learn about Rutabagas in the “Featured Veggie of the Week” section below.

Fennel

Spinach

Broccoli Raab

Leeks

Winter Squash

Green Onions

Farm Life

Winter is here.  The rain season has started.  The change in the season is apparent in my activities.  I am spending more time indoors catching up on all the paper work that has stacked up in my “in” box during the season.  The first thing to work on is the bookkeeping.

Though the harvest is ending, there are still a lot of things happening on the farm. In fact, we are going to have a busy winter.  The first item of business is to work with our landlords and the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District to develop a 10 year Conservation Plan for the entire property.  This plan will include everything from acquiring a herd of goats to help control blackberries, to planting native trees and shrubs along the creek.  If you would like to be involved in this project, please let us know.

Other projects for the winter include building a packing house and installing a walk-in cooler, building portable “egg mobiles” to house several new flocks of chickens, installing a green house, and fencing pastures for sheep.  This in addition to the usual winter activities of developing detailed cropping plans, ordering seeds and supplies, routine maintenance of our tools and equipment and attending farm workshops and training programs.

And, sometime during the winter, I will take a vacation.  You can bet I will go somewhere with a hot spring.  I hope you will also find some time do something restful and relaxing during the winter season.

Featured Veggie of the Week

As a Child, when  I asked my Mother what was for dinner, she always answered “Rutabaga Pie”.  Since there were no cans labeled “rutabagas” in the pantry (we never ate fresh vegetables) and we certainly weren’t having pie, I concluded that “rutabaga” was a word my mother made up to get rid of annoying little girls.  I was an adult before I realized that a rutabaga was truly a vegetable and a mother myself before I ever saw one.

Rutabagas, known as “Swedes” in Europe, require a cool growing climate.  The following web site gives a good history of this root vegetable.

http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch4.html

You’ll notice that this web site recommends purchasing Rutabagas in the early Autumn.  In our climate however, we do not plant them until late summer so that they do not mature when it is still warm.  This means that they are in season in early winter here.  In fact, if it is a mild winter, we can grow them all winter long.

Ratabagas are great oven roasted.   Or, try this recipe for Rutabaga Puree with Cardamon and Thyme from Epicurious.com

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Rutabaga-Puree-with-Cardamom-and-Thyme-236250

CSA Newsletter, Week 21

Our new grandson, Neilan Gregory, born on Halloween

The biggest news of the week is the birth of our new grandson, Neilan Gregory  born on Halloween to proud parents Margaret and Trevor of Bellingham, WA. He was 8lbs, 6oz and 21 inches long. Sandy is with them now and assures me all is well. I will go up and see for myself after the season wraps up next week.

This Weeks Veggies

Fresh Onions

Spinach

Turnips or Beets – We are just about at the end of the beets and turnips. But don’t worry. There will be other root vegetables next week.

Lettuce – A lovely blushed Romaine. For reasons unknown to me, the Romaine lettuces seem to be less attractive to the slugs than the butter lettuces. That doesn’t mean these don’t have slug damage, just less of it than the other varieties.

Winter Squash – Choose between Delicata or Dumpling Squash. Both of these squashes are excellent for stuffing.

Leeks – More mild and delicious leeks. Do you see Potato Leek Soup in your future? I had hoped to provide you with potatoes but the gophers and voles devoured them. I planted enough to yield several hundred pounds but actually got eight. That’s right, eight pound of potatoes out of 600 bed feet and many hours of work!

Braising Greens – I have been mixing my braising greens in with my salad greens for a more flavorful fall salad. However, these are also great sautéed until just wilted then dressed with sesame oil and rice vinegar.

Broccoli Raab – As I was staffing the Good Sam pick up site one day, I looked up to the sound of screeching brakes. A woman hoped out of her BMW and exclaimed, “You’ve got broccoli raab!” “How ever much it costs, I’ll buy all you’ve got.” She went on to explain that she had just moved to Portland from New Jersey. Her husband had convinced her to move here by telling her the food was “sooooo gooood” in Portland. But when she arrived she was disappointed to find no broccoli raab. She was ready to move back to New Jersey because she had been to three farmers markets and no one had her favorite vegetable. One of the farmers she spoke with didn’t even know what she was talking about.

Her favorite recipe is a Broccoli Raab sandwich on Foccacia Bread. She sautés the Broccoli Raab with onion and a little garlic. Then she slices the Foccacia Bread , spreads it with her favorite condiments (horseradish!), adds the broccoli raab, puts the top on, and digs in. She was adamant that “Portlanders know nothing about food if they don’t eat broccoli raab sandwiches”. “Every one in New Jersey eats Broccoli Raab sandwiches”.

Surely, we are not going to be outdone by New Jersey?! So, have a Broccoli Raab sandwich, please.

The tale does have a happy ending. While she was extolling the virtues of broccoli raab, I got a call from a shareholder saying they weren’t going to make it to pick up their shares. So, I gave her their bunch of broccoli raab. She drove away smiling and clutching her broccoli raab. Portland had been redeemed.

Farm Life

This week has seen more “seat time”. As I’ve mentioned in a previous newsletter, my rental includes a 2.5 acre field that I did not use this year. Because it is adjacent to the forest and unfenced, it is prime deer grazing ground. Previous farmers have used it to grow veggies that deer don’t care for like onions, potatoes and pumpkins. In fact pumpkins have been grown on it so often it has become known as “The Pumpkin Patch” even though it has only grown weeds for the last three years.

Since I would like to use it as some point in the future, I need to begin tackling the Canadian Thistle now. That means ripping the soil to break up the roots, then disking them in to small pieces. To do that takes many hours on the tractor over very uneven terrain. I did a small section of it two weeks ago and finished the remainder of it this week.

Are you old enough to remember the bucking bronco machines that were so popular in bars about 20 years ago? Imagine trying to drive one of those across a field. Then imagine having to look over your shoulder the entire time to be sure your shanks aren’t clogged with debris. If it makes your back hurt just thinking about it, you can imagine what it felt like spending 8 hours doing it.

Fortunately, I finished it just before the rains started. And, the rains gave me an excuse to take some time off to rest my back. In fact, I took the whole weekend off. That is the first time I have taken off two days in a row since mid-May. I must admit I spent most of it sleeping.