What would a farm newsletter be without some weather talk?
Sure I could write about the spring of 90-degree desert climate followed by a cold rain that lasted 10 days, but my memory is only so good. Those stretches both caused problems, but I only remember they were back in the past. May sometime?
Instead, let’s talk the last week – that I remember. We are again in a rain pattern, but with all the heat and humidity in the air, it’s a more dangerous weather. The big story here with recent rains is we’re lucking out.
Just Saturday night we were running around closing up the greenhouse, battening down the hatches, getting ready for some high winds with some hail. I typically hide in the basement when hail comes because I just can’t listen to it and picture those hailstones ripping the greens to shreds. But on Saturday I didn’t have to because the purple on the radar just vanished when it hit Lakes Lida, Crystal, and Franklin to the West. Incredible.
Well, maybe the Lord is looking out for us. There have been a few times recently when we were ready for the worst, and luckily only ended up with (another) heavy rain. These heavy rains do cause problems with disease and beating up small plants, but it’s better than a heavy rain with a tornado or heavy rain with a 100 mph wind with hail. We did have a light hail about two weeks ago – you may see evidence in the outer leaves of the Napa – but, all told, I’m simply thankful for the good weather we have had. Although, honestly, it could stop raining at this point.
In the box:
- Salad mix
- Zucchini: I’m a huge fan of morning zucchini fritters – grate zucchini and add an egg and a little flour (less than 1/4 cup for a few fritters) and saute on frying pan, flipping when bottom gets firm. Fritters lend themselves to lot of variation – saute the chard with a scape or two and put on top of the fritter, melt cheese on top, put sauteed kale on top. You get the idea.
- Radishes
- Dino Kale: Dark green bunch with a blue band. Unlike standard curly kale which works in a salad, dino kale needs to be cooked.
- Swiss Chard: Colorful bunch that may think is rhubarb..has great mild flavor here at the beginning of the season.
- Garlic Scapes: Small bunch of curly green things. Mince and use anywhere you’d typically use garlic.
- A couple of big beets: I got this recipe when googling “Beet Recipe for people who don’t like beets.” I’ve done a similar recipe in the past and the mix of nuts, goat cheese, and beets totally works: https://alphamom.com/family-fun/best-beet-recipe-with-onions-goat-cheese-pecans/
- Napa Cabbage: Don’t get intimidated by the size of this thing. It could keep in the crisper in your fridge for a month easy. This is the main ingredient in kimchi if you’re a fan and a very versatile crop for both Asian stir fry recipes and some salads like this favorite – https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18517/napa-cabbage-salad/
- Fresh Mint
- Fresh Basil
Lida Farm 