July 30th, 2015

What’s in this week’s box??

*Leopard frogs

broccoli zucchini Summer squash Kale

cabbage? Thyme onion Cilantro

Fennel green beans Carrots potatoes

It’s been a beautiful week on the farm. The rain today (Tuesday) certainly slowed our field work down, but the heat and sun of the other days have sped up the growing most other days. Our summer squash and zucchini patch gets picked every single day and it’s amazing the growth we see each time we pick. When we find a zucchini that is the size of a baseball bat we can’t help but giggle at the ridiculous size and wonder how we could have walked past that thing day after day! The pigs and chickens don’t mind the big ones, they enjoy them often!

Our cucumbers are still plugging along, slowly. We were hoping to have lots of them in the box this week, but it’s again going to be a lottery win if you get one. Next week… Next week… On the other hand, I feel very confident saying that next week we will be having sweet corn!!

The beans are a fun mix that include mostly green beans. We also have some yellow wax beans thrown in as well as an heirloom variety called Dragon’s Tongue. Enjoy the splash of color!

Our tomatoes are starting to show a bit of color on one of the early varieties. I’ll walk the patch tomorrow and see if I can round up enough to put in the box. You might find one…

It’s a bit of a surprise box this week!

Our pigs are growing so fast! If you’ve gotten the chance to visit them you’ve probably seen them rooting in the mud, sleeping cuddled up with one another or scratching against a tree. It is so much fun watching them be pigs, and enjoying nature the way they were intended to. The pigs belong to our neighbor Dave Jensen. He is taking orders for ½ and whole hogs. The pigs will be butchered in fall. If you would like to purchase some, please call him at

612-685-0155. He also has beef to sell. If you are interested in purchasing some local beef, give him a call about that too.

Maple Syrup

We still have syrup available-

Quarts: $15

Pints: $8

Make checks payable to Mike Lenz

And mail them to us at:

2249 150^th St.

Star Prairie, WI 54026

Or leave in the red barn cookie jar at the farm.

In your box:

*Leopard frogs- Ruth Hilfiker is a farm member with a lot of knowledge about the soil, insects and plants that make up a healthy farm. She is often seen walking through our fields, looking at what is going on and evaluating what is going well and where things are struggling. She noted this on her last visit, “ I saw lots of leopard frogs hopping around your “organic” farm in the cabbages!  They do not tolerate pesticide contaminated soil so yeah you.”

We couldn’t agree more… Yeah us!! Yeah Leopard Frogs!!

Savoy Cabbage: Keep in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer. We’re again sending cabbages as we have them. The wet conditions continue to be a struggle for them. The red cabbage, still to come, will hopefully fare better.

Kale: Store in crisper drawer, preferably in plastic bag or container.

Broccoli: Store in your crisper drawer or in a covered container. Summer broccoli has a stronger flavor than the fall or earlier broccoli. If it’s too strong for you plain, enjoy it smothered in cheese or in your favorite salad.

Fennel: Store in crisper drawer

Zucchini/Summer Squash: Store in refrigerator, crisper drawer is best.

Carrots: Store in plastic bag in crisper drawer. Remove the tops for best storage results.

Onion: This is a fresh onion, one that hasn’t cured. Store in your refrigerator until you need it.

Potatoes: These potatoes have not cured either, they are new, with tender skins.

They will not store as long as cured potatoes. Store at room temperature. NEVER put potatoes in the refrigerator. It will turn them starchy.

Beans: Store in plastic bag in crisper drawer.

Cilantro: Place stems in glass of water and place in refrigerator or on the counter.

Thyme: Leave on the counter. It can be used fresh or when it has dried.

Recipes

CSA Salad

I wanted to share this recipe with you I found in a cookbook from our local grocery store.  It has evolved in our household with family and friends as the “CSA Salad” and is a popular request.  I will be making it tonight with my broccoli from our last CSA box!  I add some cubed mozzarella and pepperoni to make the salad an entree.- Jessica Rennich, Member

• 1 pt. Grape Tomatoes, halved

• 2 cups broccoli florets

• 1 cup diced yellow bell pepper

• 1 cup diced green bell pepper

• 1/2 English cucumber, sliced

• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

• 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles

• 1/3 cup prepared Greek vinaigrette

• 1 tbsp. thinly sliced fresh basil

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Refrigerate, covered, or serve immediately.

 

Fennel, potato and thyme gratin

Serves 6-8 as a side dish

• 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, sliced thin

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 2lb potatoes

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 2 1/2 cups grated cheese

• 1 Tblsp. fresh thyme leaves

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup crumbled raw walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the inside of a 10-cup baking dish, then set aside.

Thoroughly wash your fennel to remove any soil or grit. With a sharp knife, remove the stalks, woody base and fronds (retain the feathery fronds for garnish and discard the rest). Divide the fennel bulb in half; thinly slice the bulbs crosswise.

Melt the butter in a large pan or pot with the splash of olive oil (the oil helps to prevent the butter from burning).  Add in your sliced onion and fennel, then sauté on medium heat for approximately 15 minutes (or until tender). Set aside to cool slightly.

Wash and peel your potatoes. Thinly slice them (about 3mm thick) by hand or with a mandoline. In a large bowl, mix your sliced potatoes with the cream, 2 cups of cheese,  the fresh thyme leaves, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add in the sautéed fennel and onion. Mix well until the cheese and fennel mixture are thoroughly incorporated

Pour the potato mixture into your prepared baking dish. if necessary, then press down lightly to immerse the top layer under the cream. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for one hour before removing the foil and sprinkling over the walnuts. Bake for another 30-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender and the top is browned and bubbling. Set aside for ten minutes to rest before serving.

Kale Salad

Kale is a superfood: an antioxidant, a powerful anti-inflammatory and an exceptional source of vitamins K and A which are necessary for blood clotting and healthy vision. So eat it up!

6-7 cups kale, thick stems removed and leaves torn

1 T. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. olive oil

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

1 small avocado, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

3 tbsp pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

¼ cup fresh blueberries

¼ cup feta cheese

Dressing

¼ cup fresh blueberries

3 T. olive oil

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. honey

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

In a large bowl, combine kale, lime juice, 1 tsp oil and salt and pepper. Massage mixture into kale with your hands until leaves are slightly wilty. Transfer to serving platter.

Sprinkle rest of salad ingredients on to the kale.

Prepare dressing by placing all dressing ingredients in a blender. Add 3 T. water. Blend until smooth and drizzle over salad.

Enjoy!

Cheesy Chicken and Kale Quesadillas

• 10 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders

• 1/2 tsp olive oil

• 3 cups kale, finely chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 15-oz BPA-free can unsalted pinto beans, drained and rinsed

• 1/2 cup diced vine tomato

• 1/4 cup diced yellow onion

• 2 tbsp seeded and minced jalapeño chile pepper

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 3 tbsp shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

• 3 tbsp minced fresh cilantro

• Olive oil cooking spray

• 8 6- or 7-inch whole-grain tortillas

         GUACAMOLE:

• 1 small avocado, peeled and pitted

• 1/2 cup reduced-fat (1% or 2%) plain Greek yogurt

• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 1/4 cup diced red onion, divided

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced, divided

• 2 tbsp seeded and minced jalapeño chile pepper, divided

• Pinch coarse sea salt, or to taste

• 1/2 cup diced vine tomato

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add chicken and bring to a simmer; cook until opaque throughout, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly, then dice into 1⁄4-inch pieces.

2. Meanwhile, prepare guacamole: In a medium bowl, combine avocado, yogurt and lime juice; use a fork to mash mixture until smooth. On a cutting board, pile 2 tbsp each red onion and cilantro, 1 tbsp jalapeño and pinch salt; mince mixture finely, then use flat side of knife to scrape mixture against cutting board into a paste. Stir paste into avocado mixture. Fold in remaining 2 tbsp each red onion and cilantro, 1 tbsp jalapeño and 1⁄2 cup tomato. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

3. In a medium pot, heat oil on medium-high. Add kale and sauté, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Reduce heat to medium and add beans, 1⁄2 cup tomato, yellow onion, 2 tbsp jalapeño and cumin. Sauté for 5 minutes, until onion softens and mixture is heated through. Stir in chicken and cheese and cook until cheese melts; stir in 3 tbsp cilantro.

4. Mist a large skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Stack 2 tortillas and add to skillet; heat for 30 seconds. Turn and cook for 30 more seconds, until soft and heated; remove from skillet. Transfer 1 tortilla to a clean cutting board and spread 1⁄2 cup chicken mixture evenly over top, leaving 1/8-inch border along edges. Brush edges with water and place second warmed tortilla over top, pressing edges to seal. Carefully transfer to skillet and heat, turning once, for 2 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture.

5. Cut each quesadilla into 4 pieces and serve with guacamole.

Have a great week and happy eating!!

Jody, Mike, Claudia, Malcolm and Jonas

July 23, 2015

What’s in this week’s box??

2 ½ more inches of rain!

broccoli zucchini Summer squash Lettuce

Savoy cabbage kohlrabi onion cilantro

Fennel green beans dill potatoes

Fair week is now a happy memory. The kids showed their projects, learned a lot and met new friends while reconnecting with old ones. Mike and I had pretty much the same experience. We came home each evening tired, sticky and happy. We love the opportunities that 4-H offers kids in our community. If you would like information on 4-H, please let me know!

Despite our love of the fair, it highlights the struggle that July is for us as farmers. July is always the hardest month. We’re still planting crops for fall harvest, weeding and harvesting daily. It’s a lot to get done. The days are long, but we’re still up before the sun and going to bed after it has set. I am often asked, “How do you do it all?’ The answer is: I don’t. I have lost the battle of a functionally clean house, some weeds have won in the field and my kids are a bit more free range than I’d like. At times it seems overwhelming. Then- I ask myself- “Is it worth it?” and the answer is yes. We love what we do and I am proud of the beautiful food, the inspiring community of people we feed and my work worn hands. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. The late summer crops- tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, etc. are looking really good. The new transplants are weed free (well… almost) and some of our weediest stuff is getting mowed down as we are finished with them. I am in no rush to have summer leave, but I know it will go fast and I will savor every exhausting moment of July!

Maple Syrup

**Awarded an “Honorable Mention” ribbon at the St. Croix County Fair!

Each spring, while I am manning the greenhouse and the baby plants, Mike spends his free time at our cabin in Winter, WI. With the help of family and friends, they tap over 400 trees, attach buckets and wait for the drip, drip, drip of spring. This year was a great sap run. They cooked 100’s of gallons of sap over a wood fire, resulting in beautiful, tasty Maple syrup.

If you would like some, we have the following for sale:

Quarts: $15

Pints: $8

Make checks payable to Mike Lenz

And mail them to us at:

2249 150^th St.

Star Prairie, WI 54026

Or leave in the red barn cookie jar at the farm.

In your box:

More rain! This has been a very wet summer. We’re enjoying this much needed, drier week.

Savoy Cabbage: Keep in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer. At the time of this writing, I am not sure if we will have enough cabbages for each of you. This planting is not liking the wet conditions. We’ll do our best.

Kohlrabi: Crisper drawer. We love to eat them sliced and raw.

Broccoli: Store in your crisper drawer or in a covered container. There may be some cabbage worms in your broccoli. Sorry- it’s just that time of year. We’re working at moving them out. Until then just keep an eye out for them when chopping up your broccoli. Or you can soak your broccoli in a gallon of ice water with ¼ cup of salt for half an hour. This will kill any worms that made it home with you.

Fennel: Store in crisper drawer

Zucchini/Summer Squash: Store in refrigerator, crisper drawer is best.

Lettuce: Store in plastic bag in crisper drawer

Onion: This is a fresh onion, one that hasn’t cured. Store in your refrigerator until you need it.

Potatoes: These potatoes have not cured either, they are new, with tender skins.

They will not store as long as cured potatoes. Store at room temperature. NEVER put potatoes in the refrigerator. It will turn them starchy.

Green Beans: Store in plastic bag in crisper drawer.

Cilantro and Dill: Place stems in glass of water and place in refrigerator or on the counter.

Recipes

Roasted Fennel with Parmesan

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 fennel bulbs, cut horizontally into 1/3-inch thick slices, fronds reserved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the fennel in the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with the Parmesan. Drizzle with the oil. Bake until the fennel is fork-tender and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Chop enough fennel fronds to equal 2 teaspoons, then sprinkle over the roasted fennel and serve.

Pizza Dippers (Thanks to member Mindy Connelly for sharing this one!)

• 3-4 small zucchini, sliced long into quartered spears, and then I like to halve each spear so they are easier for little ones to dip (smaller/skinnier zucchini work better than the big fat ones)

• 1 TB avocado oil (or melted butter or coconut oil)

• ½ tsp sea salt

• 2 tsp Italian seasoning

• ¼ cup (or more/less) grated Parmesan cheese

• Spaghetti sauce

Instructions

1. Place the zucchini on a baking sheet and toss them with the oil, seasonings, and cheese.

2. Line up the zucchini so the flesh is facing up.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, and then under the broiler on high for another 3-5 minutes. Watch the dippers under the broiler after a few minutes so they don’t get too brown.

Cilantro Pesto

(This is an all-time favorite of mine! I freeze this pesto in mini muffin tins, and then store the “muffins” in a bag in the freezer. I pop one out and thaw to eat with avocados in the winter or spread on a sandwich. YUM!)

½ cup walnuts

1-2 garlic cloves

½ c. olive oil

juice from ½ lemon

½ tsp. sea salt

1 large bunch cilantro, stems removed

Blend all in food processor and enjoy!

Chicken Salad Pesto

Very good… and the leftovers are excellent sauted for breakfast with potatoes and zucchini!

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

In food processor:

½ cup finely chopped dill

¼ cup raw walnuts

1 garlic clove

Pulse. Slowly add ¼ cup olive oil.

Toss chicken with pesto, ¼ cup chopped onion and juice of 1 lemon. Salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar. Toss and enjoy!

Have a great week and happy eating!!

Jody, Mike, Claudia, Malcolm and Jonas

July 16, 2015

What’s in this week’s box??

* Monarch caterpillars

broccoli zucchini Summer squash beets

Swiss Chard kohlrabi onion

Basil green beans dill potatoes

What do you call a baby potato? A small fry! A little farm humor there…

It’s another beautiful week on the farm! We’ve again been blessed with plenty of rain and more rain and lots of sunshine. The produce is coming on strong! We have a few new arrivals this week, including potatoes! There is something so wonderful about the first new potatoes! The humble, beautiful, potato that makes amazing potato salad, golden breakfast hash or drizzled with oil, chopped dill and roasted on the grill. I should not write these newsletters on an empty stomach! 

We have been blessed with a little too much rain . We are battling mud in the fields which is making it hard to harvest and weed (yet again!), causing the beans to get rust spots and generally making things soggy. Many unwanted pests seem to thrive in this wet weather as well. We’re looking forward to some dry and sunny days. We enjoy the weekly rains. Mike hasn’t had to irrigate once this summer. However, we wish it would rain ½ an inch instead of 3+. Farming… Mother nature is our greatest partner but she doesn’t much care what we have to say. We realized a long time ago that this is not an equal partnership.

Here are updates on some other yummy opportunities:

Strawberries

The berries are done for the season, this last rain hurried that up a bit. We sure appreciate all the work Demullings did to provide us with great berries and we look forward to their return next year!

Raspberries

Will be coming very soon! Maybe as soon as next week. We’ll keep you posted!

Maple Syrup

Each spring, while I am manning the greenhouse and the baby plants, Mike spends his free time at our cabin in Winter, WI. With the help of family and friends, they tap over 400 trees, attach buckets and wait for the drip, drip, drip of spring. This year was a great sap run. They cooked 100’s of gallons of sap over a wood fire, resulting in beautiful, tasty Maple syrup.

If you would like some, we have the following for sale:

Quarts: $15

Pints: $8

Make checks payable to Mike Lenz

And mail them to us at:

2249 150^th St.

Star Prairie, WI 54026

Or leave in the red barn cookie jar at the farm.

Fair Food

Roasted Sweet corn, honey lemonade, deep fried cheese curds, chocolate malts…. Mmmm….. The list of summer food just keeps going!

This is it! The biggest week of the year for the Lenz kids! The St. Croix County Fair is in Glenwood City, this Thursday- Sunday. They are each bringing a calf to show. Claudia is also bringing her horse Chumley. There are also some non-animal projects like woodworking, home decorating and legos. I’m getting in on the fun too by entering some home canned items in open class.

Stop by and see us! Some or all of us will be there the entire time. In the dairy and horse barns, look for Riverside 4-H club. The kids’ calves’ names are: Tropicana, Mrs. Gunderson and Instagram.

They’ve been working hard, under the guidance of their project leaders, getting their animals trained, washed and learning how to show the animals. We hope to see you there! There is free admission to the fair. You do pay for parking if you choose to park on the fairgrounds.

In your box:

Monarch butterflies: The plight of the Monarch is important to us. They have lost so much of their habitat to mowing, pesticides and development, that their population has decreased to dangerously low numbers. We are doing what we can by farming with organic methods, saving their most important food, milkweed, whenever possible. We have seen some monarchs flying around the fields and the other day we found a caterpillar. Go Monarchs!

Swiss chard: Keep in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer.

Kohlrabi: Crisper drawer.

Broccoli: Store in your crisper drawer or in a covered container. There may be some cabbage worms in your broccoli. Sorry- it’s just that time of year. We’re working at moving them out. Until then just keep an eye out for them when chopping up your broccoli. Or you can soak your broccoli in a gallon of ice water with ¼ cup of salt for half an hour. This will kill any worms that made it home with you.

Basil: Basil doesn’t like it below 40 degrees. It’s best to place it in a glass of water on your counter. Our basil is a little rough, having been beaten down by the rain. However, the flavor is still amazing!

Zucchini/Summer Squash: Store in refrigerator, crisper drawer is best.

Beets: Remove greens and store separately. Store greens like any other green. Store beets in crisper drawer, in a plastic bag.

Onion: This is a fresh onion, one that hasn’t cured. Store in your refrigerator until you need it.

Potatoes: These potatoes have not cured either, they are new, with tender skins.

They will not store as long as cured potatoes. Store at room temperature. NEVER put potatoes in the refrigerator. It will turn them starchy.

Green Beans: Store in plastic bag in crisper drawer.

Dill: Place stems in glass of water and place in refrigerator or on the counter.

Recipes

Zucchini Patties from member Ginny Rassier

Here is the zucchini patty recipe. It’s a great basic recipe you can adjust to your tastes.  (you’ll notice we like cheese)

Ingredients
2 cups grated zucchini
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt to taste
Garlic to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil —-for frying

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine the zucchini, eggs, onion, flour, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and salt. Stir well enough to distribute ingredients evenly.
2. Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drop zucchini mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls, and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden.

Almost as good reheated!!

I use Almond meal instead of flour.  Delicious!!  Add or subtract ingredients to your taste!

Zucchini Meatloaf

(A favorite in our house!)

**Shred extra zucchini and freeze in 2 cup amounts. Thaw and add to your meatloaf all winter long!

2lb ground beef 1 tsp. salt

2 c. shredded zucchini 1 tsp. oregano

1 c. milk 1 tsp. parsley

1 c. bread crumbs ¼ tsp. pepper

1 onion, finely chopped ½ c. parmesan cheese (optional)

1 egg, beaten

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Bake in a loaf pan at 350 for 1 ¼ hours.

How to freeze green beans:

Wash beans.

Break stems off and break beans into desired size.

Drop 2 handfuls into pot of boiling water.

Blanch (boil) for 3 minutes and immediately immerse them into ice cold water.

Drain and freeze in freezer containers.

Wilted Swiss Chard with Basil

• 2 Tbs. olive oil

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 6 to 7 large Swiss chard leaves, rinsed and coarsely chopped

• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil plus whole leaves for garnish, optional

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Fresh lemon juice to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, chard and basil, and cook just until the chard begins to wilt, for about 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice. Garnish with basil, if using, and serve warm.

Have a great week and happy eating!!

Jody, Mike, Claudia, Malcolm and Jonas

July 9, 2015

What’s in this week’s box??

* Healthy Farm Kids

Radishes Broccoli Summer squash/zucchini

Green Lettuce peas Red Lettuce Arugula

Strawberries beets Green Beans

Hi!

Wow! What a rain. Monday brought us over 3 inches of rain and very little field work could be done. We knew the weather was coming, so we worked as much as we could over the weekend. We took a few hours off to enjoy a campfire and fireworks with friends on the 4^th, but we were back at it early Sunday morning. I was pulling weeds as darkness fell on Sunday night and the mosquitoes were about to carry me away. It’s hard to not be in the fields when it’s pouring rain, but nice to have to stay inside and get some much needed housework done. I spent the day preparing strawberries for our freezer, Mike took Claudia to Fleet Farm and Stockman’s for show gear for the county fair. ( A shopping trip of his dreams!) and Mike’s dad and step-mom came for a visit and to take us to lunch. Not a bad rain day at all!

I got a head start on newsletter writing and started this one on Monday too. I am writing this as I am at St. Croix Therapy in Hudson with Malcolm. He takes PT for foot, leg and core strengthening. Claudia also came here for several years, but has since moved on from therapies. I’m so grateful for everyone who has helped keep my kiddos healthy. I enjoy watching them run around the farm and eating good healthy food that we’ve raised. Don’t get me wrong, my kids like s’mores and chocolate cereal as much as most kids, but I know that with exposure to lots of veggies, fruits and sustainably raised, lean meats- they will be more likely to choose a well rounded diet when they are adults.

It’s not just my own kids that are healthy because of our farm. I spend some time each year talking to students in classrooms about farming and eating well. I also host field trips out to the farm. Next year we will be working with the New Richmond School district to host a Summer School class on our farm. And I love seeing the kids on the farm on Thursdays when their families are picking up their produce. They love throwing the stick for the dog, checking on the pigs and guessing what each produce item is.

So hopefully the kids in your life are healthier because of our farm too!

Strawberries and peas are in this box… nothing says summer like those flavors! We are grateful for Demulling farms and their hard work in growing the strawberries! They did the growing, we did the picking. If you are interested in getting more strawberries, please contact Jen Demulling at 715-417-1791 to see when you can go and pick on their beautiful farm. You can also order pre- picked berries. YOU MUST ORDER TODAY (Wednesday) by 4:00 to have them delivered with your share tomorrow. E-mail or call me with your order and please send us a check as soon as possible- made out to Demulling Farms. Mail it to us at

Threshing Table Farm

2249 150^th St.

Star Prairie, WI 54026

Jen cannot promise that there will still be berries next week. They are in prime picking right now. A 10lb flat, pre-picked is $32.50 and a 5 lb ice cream bucket of berries is $16.75. Please order TODAY (Wednesday) by 4:00 if you would like them. If this is not your week for a share but you would like berries, let us know. We will deliver the berries only this week to your pick up site or you can pick them up on our farm or Jen’s. E-mail me at threshingtablefarm@frontiernet.net or call and leave a message at: 715-248-7205

Thanks!

The rains we have been getting have been plentiful. We’ve also had a nice balance of sunny, humid days. This is the best growing weather! Our plants are growing very well. On the down side, so are the weeds. I can honestly say that we’ve never been this far behind on weeding at this time of the year. The weeds are thriving and the wet has made it more difficult to get in the fields and weed efficiently. We’re hoping to catch up some this weekend.

The summer squash and zucchini are just starting. We should have a plentiful crop and you’ll see them in your box for many weeks. Because they are just starting, we are hoping that each of you will get at least one or the other this week. I write the newsletter the evening before we do the final picking of produce, so I’m not sure. But a quick walk through tonight makes me think there might be enough.

If you are a half share, you have likely noticed that you are receiving the newsletters each week. We want to make sure that you don’t miss out on any farm news, tips or recipes on your “off” weeks. The top of the newsletters will state if it’s an A or B week.

We are sending peas in our cloth “Bean Bags”. We use these bags for beans, peas, cherry tomatoes, anything that is small and may get lost in the box. Feel free to take these bags home and then please return them the following week.

If you are interested in grass-fed beef, Heather from Farm Sweet Farm will be taking monthly trips to the farm to pick up produce for her family. She is happy to bring along beef for anyone who would like some. She has all cuts of meat and packages available. See her website at www.farmsweetfarm.com for more info. She will be here July 9^th. Contact her if you would like some grass-fed beef.

In your box:

** Beet Greens are high in potassium (Which helps lower blood pressure)

and broccoli is high in Vitamin K with studies showing that higher levels of Vitamin K correlates with lower risk of diabetes. Eat those Greens and Broccoli!

Lettuce- Salad Spinner and then store in covered container.

Radishes: Separate the greens from the roots. The greens can be stored like any green. Chop them up and add to your salads. They have lots of nutritional benefits- more than the roots! Store the roots in a dish with a little water in your refrigerator.

Bok Choi: Store whole in your crisper drawer for a day or two. For longer storage, place in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer. Add a paper towel and open the bag to promote air ciriculation.

Broccoli: Store in your crisper drawer or in a covered container

Strawberries: Eat fresh, eat fast- they’re such a treat! (Or store in you refrigerator.)

Peas: Best (in our opinion) eaten raw. Store in refrigerator. These are sugar snap peas, so you can eat the pods as well as the peas.

Summer Squash/zucchini: Store in refrigerator, crisper drawer is best

Arugula: Store like lettuce. This is a peppery green that is nice added to salads with milder greens.

Beets: remove greens from beets, leaving about 1 inch stem attached to the root. Greens are edible, delicious and nutritious! Add raw to salads for great color or cook like swiss chard or spinach. Store leaves like any other greens and store roots in refrigerator in a plastic bag.

How to cook Beets:

No need to peel, just scrub clean.

*Grate raw into salads

* Cube beets into soups or stews

*Steam whole beets, then cool to room temperature. The skins will slide right off. Slice beets and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper.

* To bake: place whole beets in baking dish and bake at 350 for 1-2 hours until easily pierced with a fork. Rub off skins and cut off roots. Serve whole or sliced.

Roasted Beet Salad

5 small beets, scrubbed, tops trimmed to 1 inch

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup pecans

1 T. Dijon mustard

4 T. white wine vinegar

½ c. olive oil

4 cups salad oil

½ small onion, sliced

¼ cup crumbled blue cheese

Heat outdoor or indoor grill. Place beets on heavy foil; drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly and grill until beets are tender. (About 30 minutes.) Meanwhile, toast peacans in a dry pan, tossing frequently. Chop nuts. When beets are cooled a bit, use a paper towel to remove the peel. Quarter beets. Combine mustard and vinegar in a bowl. Whisk in olive oil until thickened. Add salt and pepper. Toss greens with a little dressing. Top with beets, onions, blue cheese and pecans.

Bok choi Salad

1. teaspoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

3/4 teaspoon sugar

5 cups sliced, raw bok choy (any type; about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 tablespoons chopped cashews

Whisk together 4 teaspoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and 3/4 teaspoon sugar in a bowl. Toss in 5 cups sliced, raw bok choy (any type; about 1 1/2 pounds). Top with 2 tablespoons chopped cashews.

Have a safe and wonderful Birthday Party this weekend…

Happy Birthday America!

Have a great week and happy eating!!

Jody, Mike, Claudia, Malcolm and Jonas