Farming seems like such a solitary activity. Early morning coffee. Calling in cows to milk. Corn harvest before the heat of the day.
But, in reality, no man is an island and that’s true with even stubborn and anti-social farm operators. Milking is tough if the milk truck guy doesn’t come to pick up. Weeding is hard alone. Done with another person, not too bad; done with a party of 10, it’s downright swift and easy. Even if you think about the supply chain needs, there are a lot of people who help make any single farm operation successful. Seed dealer, equipment supplier, and local banker and accountant.
I’ve been thinking about the efforts of teams lately and know that things only work when a trust can be built between them. If members of a team have only their own interests in mind, the mission just won’t be missed, but others on the team can get hurt as well. You may have seen this in your own line of work, but it’s certainly been a theme in the farm economy. The salesman who will sell not what you need, but what will line their pocket. A banker pushing farm expansion for a bigger loan, even if risky. Or even a fellow farm operator who turns against others out of spite.
In contrast, others can choose to be partners for the long run. This is what we need to keep growing the food movement.
In the box:
- Mixed Cherry Tomatoes
- A Few Ears of Sweet Corn: This is very
- Broccoli
- Sweet Onions
- Norland Potatoes
- Garlic
- Fresh Thyme
- Zucchini
- Pattypan Summer Squash
Summer Succotash from Land O Lakes:
https://www.landolakes.com/recipe/20001/summer-succotash/
1 Half Stick (1/4 cup) Land O Lakes® Butter
1 medium (1/2 cup) onion, chopped
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic
4 medium ears (2 cups) fresh corn, husks removed, cleaned, kernels cut off cobs
1 small (1 1/4 cups) zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 small (1 1/4 cups) yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, oregano, thyme, etc.)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground or coarse ground pepper
- STEP 1Melt butter in 12-inch skillet until sizzling; add onion, green onions and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat 3-4 minutes or until tender.
- STEP 2Add corn, zucchini and squash; continue cooking, stirring frequently, 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- STEP 3Add tomatoes; continue cooking 2 minutes. Add herbs, salt and pepper; stir.
- STEP 4Serve hot or at room temperature
Lida Farm 