midnightsunorganics

NICK’S FARM REPORT

Happy Fathers’ Day!

June 18, 2010

Well, June has certainly been a wet month so far! It seems like not a day goes by without some kind of precipitation forecast. We get all the breaking weather news from my dad, an avid follower of Tom Skilling and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (two sources that I highly recommend if you are interested in getting more in touch with local weather this summer). This year I have been especially struck with how strongly we are affected by the weather, both as farmers, and in general. While rain might mean a day of harvesting in jackets for us, it could mean flooding in Oklahoma or in farms in southern Illinois. As a small farm, growing a variety of crops helps us to combat uncertainties in the weather by ensuring that at least a few of the vegetables we are growing like the forecast – whatever it may be!

In other news, we attended our first farmers’ market of the season last Sunday! We will be selling vegetables at the Glenwood Sunday Market in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood every Sunday through mid-October. The market went very well, and we were so excited to meet so many local residents who were enthusiastic about buying local, organic vegetables. We fell especially lucky to have had such strong support from our CSA community early in the season, which allowed us to make many of the purchases necessary to get the farm off the ground. It is very special to be able to share what we produce with two such amazing communities.

In the CSA Bag This Week:

Baby Carrots

Cilantro

Bunching Leeks

Kohlrabi

Mixed Mustard

Baby Swiss Chard

Lettuce

Reminder

When you pick up your share next week, please remember to bring your red bags back so we can re-use them!

Tips and Suggestions from our kitchen:

This week’s share features a few exotic types of vegetables – some that you may know, and others that you may have never seen before:

Leeks

I like to think of the leek as a sophisticated onion. Leeks have a more subdued and subtle flavor than onions do, and go well in egg dishes, especially quiches. Leeks are also lovely sautéed with greens like chard or mustard, as in the basic greens recipe from our first newsletter.

Cilantro

Appearing in everything from Mexican to Indian to Russian cuisine, cilantro is a versatile herb. If you taste closely, you can tell it is related to celery and parsley. Cilantro often appears as an accompaniment to spicy dishes like curries and tacos, either simply chopped or as an ingredient in condiments like guacamole, salsa, or chutney.

Kohlrabi

Although it looks like something from outer space, kohlrabi is related to broccoli. The entire plant is edible, and the leaves can be eaten as with other greens, but are tough and require a longer cooking time. To eat the bulb, simply peel it, slice it, and enjoy the crunchy texture and refreshing flavor! We love kohlrabi slices with salt and lime juice or in salads. Remove the leaves, and store the kohlrabi whole until you plan to eat it, as I have noticed that it can develop somewhat of a bitter aftertaste if eaten several days after it is cut.

In addition to the suggestions below, kohlrabi and carrots will bring crunch and color to a tossed salad. Here are a few dressing recipes that we enjoy:

Cilantro Dressing

(from recipes.epicurean.com)

¼ c lime juice

¼ c olive oil

1 clove garlic (if desired)

½ tsp red pepper or chili powder

½ tsp ground cumin

3 tbs chopped cilantro

Chopped jalapeno (to taste, if you like spicy things)

Mix all ingredients and shake well!

Goddess Dressing

(similar to Annie’s Goddess Dressing; from www.recipezaar.com)

2 tsp olive oil

¼ c toasted sesame oil

½ c tahini

1 tbs red wine vinegar

¼ c water

3 small leeks

1 tbs lemon juice

1 tbs plus 1 tsp soy sauce

3 garlic cloves

2 tsp sesame seeds

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Combine in food processor and blend until mixed Add water to adjust consistency, and increase soy sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.