2022 CSA Farm Update: Week 6
This past week brought a couple of big events to the farm. One being the Sylvia Center’s Annual Farm Event, which brings a multitude of guests from all around to enjoy an evening on the farm and helps raise funds for their educational programs. The other big event in mid-July is the garlic harvest.
This past October over 16,500 bulbs of garlic were planted in our western most field, which equates to about 8,400 liner feet of garlic. One of the first signs of spring on the farm is the garlic pushing through the hay mulch. This brings much joy to this farmer’s heart after many winter hours of imagining what spring will bring. Week by week, the young plants are looked after and we keep an eye out for any leaf discolorations, insects, or overall lack of vigor. Week by week, the young plants also start to unfold new leaves which soak up all of the wonderful sunlight and transform it into sugars that make their way down into soil to feed the life below ground. Not to mention that this process of photosynthesis also gives off oxygen to feed the life above ground. Then comes the time when the plant will start to grow a flower stalk, which is what we call the scape. We remove the scape in order to put more of the plants’ energy in bulb development as well as to enjoy this seasonal treat. The last stage for the garlic is the slow drying of the leaves. When about half of the garlic’s leaves have started to brown, then it is time to bring in the harvest.
All in all it takes us about 35 person-hours to pull the bulbs and another 6 person-hours to stack and bring them all in from the field. That equates to about 8 garlic plants per minute pulled from the ground and shaken clean! Then they go into our greenhouse to cure for about 3-4 weeks, which is a slow process that hardens and dries the skin. This will allow our garlic to keep in good condition for almost 1 year. Oh, what a smell! As I arrive to the farm in the morning, I am greeted by the smell of curing garlic. There is something special about those first few days when a crop that has been growing in the field for months is ready and brought indoors to store. It is like it still carries that untamed glow from living outside and soaking up all of the sun, rain, and stars.
Those first head of garlic will make their way in the CSA bags in the fall once we go through the final cleaning and grading. There will be lots to enjoy in the meantime.
Until next time,
Farmer Jon
WEEKLY HARVEST INCLUDES*
Green Beans
*We try our best to provide the most accurate CSA list in the newsletter! However, there’s always a chance of last minute substitutions in some bags if we don’t harvest enough of a vegetable.
DELICIOUS RECIPES TO TRY
Our summer staples of beautiful, fresh produce from Summer Crips Lettuce to plump, juicy Cherry Tomatoes are sometimes best eaten as a salad. A delicious dressing ties everything together, and we've got some great dressings for you! Chef Georgette Farkas is a master of dressings (among many other things) and she's shared some of her favorites with us. Many can be made from the ingredients in your baskets and pantries. Try her Easy Lemon Vinaigrette, her Sherry Vinegar Vinaigrette, or her Zesty Anchovy Vinaigrette.
In addition to beautiful greens and fresh vegetables, we like to add "texture" to our salads from the soft crunch of seeds or nuts to the crispy crunch of croutons. To make salads more filling, add some grains or pasta - leftover orzo, quinoa, or wheatberries are delicious additions to a salad. For added protein, a poached egg, some cheese, chicken, or shrimp can be delicious and turn your salad from a side dish into a star!
Looking for more inspiration? Check out these recipes below.
Zucchini and mint are a fantastic combination - check out this recipe for Salad of Grilled Zucchini, Avocado, Feta, and Mint
Or keep it simple with this Grilled Zucchini with Chimichurri (this sauce is delicious on all sorts of vegetables!)
Turn your carrots into a deliciously bright and zesty dressing with our recipe for Carrot and Ginger Dressing - perfect for adding to your salads!
Try this recipe for Garlicky Green Beans with Cashews from GP Embrace - and check out the other health supportive recipes we have there
Use your onions in place of scallions in this bright and Crunchy Cucumber Salad, also from GP Embrace
FIND US ON INSTAGRAM
Share your recipes and dishes with us via email or on Instagram! Make sure to tag @katchkiefarm and use the hashtag #KatchkieFarmCSA - we can't wait to see and share what you've made!