Another Season Begins!

On The Farm

Well it’s been a cool and confusing spring and to be honest I was having doubts about when our first harvest would be this year, but then I found a trick to make veggies grow: anxiously pacing the fields staring at the lettuce. I started doing that 2 weeks ago and since that time it’s amazing how much things have grown!

With the cold winter a lot of things came together last minute this year. Until just yesterday the underground water lines bringing water to the wash station were frozen. Deciding not to wait any longer for water, my dad came up to the farm this weekend and helped me run a new water line. Sure enough, at the end of the day when we had just finished hooking up the last hose we heard a trickle and looked over to find the water had finally come on! How mean a joke is that! (If anyone’s looking for a really long hose, come talk to me).

Helping on the farm this year are Kendra and Sarah (below) and Nicole again (who was working one of her other 2 jobs when the picture was taken but who you will all see evert week at the market).

This week In your box you will have choices among:

Lettuce, spinach, arugula, mizuna, dill, cilantro, radish, turnip, Pac Choi, alfalfa sprouts, pea shoots, kale and chard. Basically – it’s salad time!

For some recipe ideas try looking at the recipes on the right hand side of the blog. Remember that all the greens – even radish tops can be eaten.

In terms of spiciness, the arugula is more spicy than mizuna, and the radish is more spicy than the turnip.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all this week and looking forward to the Wolseley farmers Market. My goal is to remember everyones name this year, so if after the second time I meet you I don’t remember your name – you get a free radish.

See you soon!

Jonathan, Nicole, Kendra, and Sarah

Orange and Radish Salad with Arugula

Jun18

I found this recipe in a farming journal and it looked good so I thought I’d share it:

For a better orange salad recipe, follow

these rules: for bold flavor, include lime juice in the dressing;

allow the oranges to drain before tossing them with the other

ingredients to eliminate excess juice; use just a small amount

of greens; and toss the salad very gently to prevent the greens

from bruising and the orange pieces from falling apart.

3 medium oranges prepared according to illustrations below

to make 1 1/2 cups

5 teaspoons lime juice from 1 to 2 limes

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, toasted in small dry skillet until fragrant,

about 30 seconds

1/8 teaspoon table salt

Ground black pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

5 radishes, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick

slices (about 1 1/3 cups)

4 ounces baby arugula (about 4 cups)

Instructions

Place orange pieces in nonreactive mesh strainer set over bowl; let

stand to drain excess juice. Meanwhile, whisk lime juice, mustard,

coriander, salt, and pepper to taste in large bowl until combined.

Whisking constantly, gradually add oil.

Add oranges, radishes, and arugula to bowl and toss

gently to combine. Divide arugula among individual plates, place a

portion of oranges and radishes over arugula, and drizzle with any

dressing in bowl; serve immediately.

Technique Tips Cutting Oranges

1. Cut thin slice from top and bottom,

stand on end, and slice away rind and

white pith.

2. Cut in half

from end to end, remove stringy pith,

cut each half into three wedges, and

cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces.

Roasted Radishes with Brown Butter, Lemon & Radish Tops

Oct22

Here is another recipe for radishes sent in by Susan Scott. I didn’t know there were so many ways to eat radishes. I’m learning so much from everyone. Thanks for the recipes!

Roasted Radishes with Brown Butter,
Lemon & Radish Tops

yield: Makes 4 side-dish servings
active time: 15 minutes
total time: 35 minutes

Brief high-heat roasting mellows a radish’s peppery flavor and turns it
into a whole new root vegetable. Using the green radish tops adds color
and amps up the radish flavor. Be sure to rinse the green tops thoroughly
before using them. This would be a great side dish for roasted pork loin or
leg of lamb. hide ›

subscribe to Bon Appetit

ingredients

2 bunches medium radishes (such as red, pink, and purple; about 20)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

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preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush large heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Cut off all
but 1/2 inch of green radish tops; reserve trimmed tops and rinse them well, checking for grit.
Coarsely chop radish tops and set aside. Cut radishes lengthwise in half and place in medium
bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and toss thoroughly to coat. Place radishes, cut side down,
on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Roast until radishes are crisp-tender,
stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Season to taste with more coarse kosher salt, if desired.
medium-high heat. Add pinch of coarse kosher salt to skillet and cook until butter browns, swirling
skillet frequently to keep butter solids from burning, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat
and stir in fresh lemon juice.
Transfer roasted radishes to warmed shallow serving bowl and drizzle brown butter over. Sprinkle
with chopped radish tops and serve.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Radishes-with-Brown-Butter-
Lemon-and-Radish-Tops-364609#ixzz1ywXqoI6V

Farm news week 18

Oct7

This week Csaers will be choosing from:

Lettuce, spinach, kale, turnips, squash, broccoli, cabbage, potatoes, beets, carrots, brussel sprouts, dill, parsley and cilantro.

Because it’s the last week for CSA, you will also be loaded up with tomatoes (in varying degrees of ripeness, but mostly green). They will all ripen over time, so you can enjoy them over the next month or so as they ripen.

We will also be giving out the the winter radishes that we tried this year. These weren’t an intended part of the csa, but I’d like to know what people think of them. We tasted the winter radish again, and they taste nice now – though there is still a bitterish after taste. Whoever comes up with a tasty recipe for the radish will win 1o lbs of radish!

Also, because this is the last week, next week we’d like to invite anyone interested to come out to the farm to pick what leafy greens we have left: you can help yourself to spinach, kale, chard and possibly a few other things. Please call before you come.

This week on the farm:

This week we experienced true Manitoba weather. On Tuesday, we were in shorts and t-shirts battling heat stroke and our biggest challenge was keeping the vegetables cool.

(temperature reading taking at the farm on Tues oct. 2)

Then, on Thursday- just 2 days later – we were in full snow gear, battling hypothermia and our biggest challenge was keeping the vegetables from freezing.

(Nicole harvesting on Thursday Oct 4).

We’re currently adjusting to the sudden shock and have gotten ourselves some insulated rubber boots and rubber gloves to make things more enjoyable. This weekend we pulled out the irrigation pipe and started planting garlic and finished today. Hopefully we will have lots of garlic next year!

It’s the last week of CSA pickups, and I’m a little sad, but also relieved the season is coming to an end. It’s been pretty much non-stop this summer, so a break will be nice! Thank you so much to everyone who supported our CSA and I hope to see you again next year.

We won’t be doing an extension as we did last year as we’ve run out of too many things, but will be doing bulk orders for those interested.

See you Tuesday/Thursday

Jonathan

Sauteed Brussel sprouts, red pepper, paneer and cashews

Oct7

This recipe was sent in by Billy Brodovsky and is from Vijs Indian Cuisine Looks delicious!

11 oz brussels sprouts

2/3 cup raw whole unsalted cashews

1/2 cup canola oil

1 tsp black mustard seeds

3/4 tsp asafoetida

1 Tbsp cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric

2 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

1 cup finely chopped tomatoes

1 lb paneer in 1/2 inch cubes

1 large red bell pepper in 1/2 inch cubes

3/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

lf you clon’t have a full pound of paneer that’s okay-just be sure to adcl extra vegetables or cashews.

Since y0u will use high heat the seeds will cook very quickly in oil.
Therefore, have all your ingredients ready to add to the spices immediately.

Serves 6 to 8

CUT THE STALKS of Brussels sprouts and peel off any outer leaves that
are tough or damaged. Discard these, Wash Brussels sprouts and Cut each
one in quarters, lengthwise. Some leaves will fall off, but be sure to keep
them for cooking.

Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 375OF. Spread cashews on a baking
tray and bake for 3 minutes. Gently stir cashews to roast them evenly.
Return to the oven for another 3 rninutes, or until golden brown, Watch
carefully because cashews can burn quickly. Remove from the oven and
cool for at least 30 minutes.

In a large shallow pan, heat oil for 1 minute on medium-high heat.

Sprinkle in mustard seeds and allow them to Sizzle until you hear the very

ñrst popping sound, about 1 minute. Quickly add asafoetícla and cumin

seeds and allow them to Sizzle for 30 seconds. Add turmeric, salt and
Cayenne, reduce the heat to medium and stir for 1 minute. Be careful not
to burn the seeds. (If the rnasala is about to burn before the 1 minute is
up, turn off the heat and quickly add tomatoes and Brussels sprouts. Then
return the heat to medium.)

Add tomatoes and Brussels sprouts and stir Well. Cover and Cook veg-
etables for 5 rninutes. Stir in paneer and cook for another 2 minutes,
uncovered. Add bell peppers and cook 2 to 3 rninutes more7 until vegeta-
bles are Cooked but not mushy.

before serving use your hands to break Cashews in pieces. Stir

Cashew pieces and cilantro into the Curry.

Farm news week 17

Oct1

This week Csaer’s will have a choice from:

lettuce, spinach, kale, turnips, brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, winter squash, carrots, beets, potatoes, onions, celery, dill, parsley, cilantro and scallions

Full shares will also have tomatoes and leeks.

This week on the farm:

It was Kitanas last day last Thursday, and the chickens seem sad and are looking for someone to cuddle them. We had also been talking about whether Butters (the dog who showed up for 2 weeks and then disappeared for the summer) would come say goodbye. Just after discussing this, we went to get into the truck, and to our surprise, the dog was sitting in the truck! I have no idea how he even got in there. Later that day we also found him in Nicole’s car and then later on he was on the tractor.

It’s nice to know the dog hasn’t forgotten us.

Over the weekend I also learned a very natural way to deal with voles. Meadow voles are a huge pest on the farm. They eat 2x their weight a day in vegetables, and reproduce so fast that 2 can turn into 1200 within a year (I forget the actual statistics, so I’m problem wrong). I have trouble bringing myself to stomp on the voles- which is what you’re supposed to do- but if I pull back the foliage the chickens scoop them up instantly. What ensues looks like a game of chicken football, as the chicken with the mouse goes running and every other chicken in the field starts chasing it. The farthest chicken in this picture seems to have got a touch down. I saw the chickens eat 10 mice just out of the squash patch this weekend.

Brussel sprouts cleaning is so much easier this year – which is so nice. Last year Nicole, Kelvin and I had a 2 day and all night marathon cleaning 150 lbs of brussel sprouts. This year they were almost clean when we cut them. Here they are all ready to go:

Other than that, things are winding down a bit. I’ve been tilling in the finished crops and planting rye and the fields are starting to look bare. We plan to plant garlic this weekend (for real this time), and everyone is welcome to come out and join us.

This week at the market

There will be a bread vendor both Tuesdays and Thursdays selling whole wheat bread and Challah. The fish people have finished for the year, and a lot of craftspeople have finished for the year due to the cold weather and lack of daylight. The hours for the market for Oct are from 4-7. There will still be Jonnies Sticky Buns, and a couple other vendors including veggies and pumpkins right to the end of October.

See you soon!

Sauteed Brussel sprouts

Sep24

Though this recipe includes bacon, I like to make it without the bacon. You can also try to just sautee the brussel sprouts withouth boiling them first.

The following recipe is copied from: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/brussels_sprouts_bacon_onions.html

Fresh herbs, onion and bacon pair beautifully with Brussels sprouts. This vegetable loves the cool weather of fall and early winter. If you can find them still attached to the stalk, don’t be intimidated—buy them, as they’re likely more fresh. All you need to do is slice off each sprout with a paring knife. However you find them at the market, this is a delicious way to prepare them. (Recipe adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters.)

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Onions Recipe

10 servings, about 3/4 cup each

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed
4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 sprigs thyme or savory, plus 2 teaspoons leaves, divided
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)

REPARATION

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. If sprouts are very small, cut in half; otherwise cut into quarters. Cook the sprouts until barely tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until brown but not crisp, 3 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel. Pour out all but about 1 tablespoon bacon fat from the pan.
Add oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft but not browned, reducing the heat if necessary, about 4 minutes. Stir in thyme (or savory) sprigs, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high, add the Brussels sprouts, and cook, tossing or stirring occasionally, until tender and warmed through, about 3 minutes. Remove the herb sprigs. Add the bacon, thyme (or savory) leaves and lemon juice, if using, and toss.

TIPS & NOTES

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 1, rinse with cold water; store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Finish with Steps 2-3, 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

NUTRITION

81 calories; 3 g fat ( 1 g sat , 2 g mono ); 4 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein;3 g fiber; 333 mg sodium; 432 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 1/2

Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 fat

Nutrition Note: Vitamin C (130% daily value), Folate & Vitamin A (19% dv).

Jonathan's Farm

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