Newsletter, July 30th

NICK’S FARM REPORT

July 30, 2010

Hello to all at the end of one of the longest hot streaks in Illinois history! It seems like the 80-plus temperatures are finally beginning to subside, at least for a short time. Ironically, the end of the hot weather brings with it the first inclusion of some hot-weather crops in the CSA bag… tomatoes and peppers (Woo-hoo!). I hope you are as excited about receiving these first few treats as we are about harvesting them!

We spend a significant amount of time caring for our tomatoes and peppers, from greenhouse to field. Seeds get planted in the early spring, in flats that are often heated in chambers or on top of heat-mats to encourage germination. The seedlings themselves get transplanted several times during their early life, in order to give them room to grow as large as possible before we plant them in the field.

Tomato and pepper planting time comes after the last chance of frost (mid May around here), and is a busy time for all of the farmers at Prairie Crossing. Folks take great care when planting their tomato starts, planting them with supplemental nutrients from calcium meal, earthworm castings, or compost, and irrigating them well right out of the gate. Once the seedlings begin to grow in the field, they must be staked or tied to keep them growing upright and to keep their fruits from resting on the ground. All the time that they are growing, we take care to enter the tomato patch only when the plants are dry (to avoid spreading disease) and try to minimize the plant’s exposure to tobacco smoke or smokers (tobacco mosaic virus is a tomato disease that can be spread via cigarettes!). The pepper plants are slightly more hardy, but still require lots of nutrients to produce those big, tasty fruits! After all this work, we are quite happy to see the tomatoes and peppers begin to ripen.

Tonight, we’re also happy because we got to take the night off to go to the Lake County Fair (which is open through Sunday, if you’re looking for something fun to do this weekend). We had a blast checking out the vegetable entries, flower arrangements, and all of the animals (OK, maybe Nick wasn’t too taken with the flowers, but I was). They have some great looking bunnies and chickens there, as well as at least one very friendly goat, some MASSIVE cows, and some antique tractors. The fair is an important part of Lake County’s agricultural heritage, and we were glad to be able to attend.

In the CSA Bag This Week:

Carrots – To store, cut the remainder of the tops off of the carrots (we’ve trimmed them significantly this week already). Store in a plastic bag in your fridge.

Jalapeno and banana peppers – These first peppers of the season are of the hot variety, and can be used in dips, salsas, and main dishes to add some spice. Store in the fridge, and they should keep for several weeks.

Tatsoi – Like bok choi, tatsoi is a very mild green, and a member of the mustard family. Tatsoi is delicious included in salads as a raw green, and also holds up in a light sauté or stir fry, or in any other dish where bok choi is used. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Arugula – Yum! This planting of arugula really features that awesome, characteristic arugula flavor. Store it in a plastic bag in your fridge – if it looks wilted, dunk it in cold water before refrigeration, and it should perk right up. See below for a recipe for arugula and tomato salad, which you can make using the….

First tomato of the season!!!! – It may be small, but this first tomato brings with it the promise of many more to come. Store this newcomer on your kitchen counter.

Broccoli – See the recipe below for broccoli and potato curry. To store, place in a plastic bag in the fridge.

New potatoes – Store in a cool, dry place, and use within the next week or two.

Slicing cucumbers – I’ve included a few more cucumber ideas below to help incorporate these great summer veggies into your meals. They keep best in the warm part of your fridge.

Summer Squash – These also store best in the warmer parts of your fridge.

Arugula and Tomato Salad
(Adapted from the website “Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska” by Laurie Constantino)

2 cups or more shredded arugula
Salt
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
8 - 16 anchovy fillets (if desired)

Sliced or cubed tomato

1. Whisk the olive oil into the red wine vinegar and season with freshly ground black pepper.

2. Mince the anchovy fillets (if desired) and mix them into the dressing.

3. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper or salt as needed.

4. Toss the dressing and arugula, and mound the tomatoes on top of the greens (there may be leftover dressing). Serve immediately.

Potato and Broccoli Curry

1 can of coconut milk
3-4 tbsp. of yellow curry paste (you can find this at imported foods stores) or 2 tbsp. or more of curry powder (to taste)

1 head broccoli, cut into florets and stem peeled and cubed
3 large potatoes
½ c. sliced or cubed carrots
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooked rice

1. Chop the potatoes into small pieces and place into a large pot of boiling water.

2. Heat 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet.

3. Add the curry paste or powder to the pan, and fry for about a minute while mixing with a spatula.

4. Pour the coconut milk into pan with the curry paste and stir.

5. When the potatoes are tender, drain them and add the broccoli and carrots to the potato pan.

6. Pour the curry/coconut milk sauce into the larger pot over the vegetables.

7. Cook at a lower temperature until the carrots and broccoli are tender.

8. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve hot over rice.

More Cucumber Recipes

Yogurt-Cucumber Salad

Mix thinly sliced cucumbers with yogurt, salt, pepper, a small amount of honey, and fresh dill, mint, basil, in any other herbs. Refrigerate and serve cold.

Quick Refrigerator Pickles

(From Edible Chicago Magazine. For more details, see http://www.ediblecommunities.com/chicago/summer-2010/cooking-fresh.htm)

Vegetables to pickle: beet, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, corn, fennel bulb, okra, onion, pepper, string bean, turnip

Basic Pickling Brine

1½ cups white wine vinegar
1¾ cups water
2½ tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt

Optional seasonings: bay leaf, celery seed, cilantro, dill, garlic (sliced cloves), mustard seed, peppercorn, red pepper flakes, rosemary, thyme

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Place the vegetables, sliced thinly and uniformly, into jars or plastic containers, pour the pickling brine over the top, and refrigerate. The pickles will be ready to use in 3 to 6 hours, but they are best if given a night to absorb all the flavors.