Threshing Table Farm                        Week 4 B

July 7th, 2016

 

 

What’s in this week’s box?

 

Bok Choi                       Peas                                     Parsley
Beans                           Sunflower Sprouts            Kale                                      Turnips                             Onion                          Baby Red Potatoes                                   Lettuce                

 

Tonight I am writing this letter to the gentle rumbles of thunder and the soothing sounds of rain. I am one happy, relaxed farmer! We have been needing rain really badly. Mike has been moving irrigation non-stop every 12 hours for the past week and then some. Everything has been so dry!  Irrigation is helpful, but nothing beats the rain that nature provides. We hope to see some huge gains in our zucchini, summer squash and cucumber patches as a result.

 

We hope you all had a wonderful 4^th! We got a lot of farming done as well as some visiting and sitting around the camp fire. It’s always good to have a reason to stop working and enjoy the people and land around u s. Hopefully, you got to do the same.  Now that July is here it’s time to get ready for the county fair! The boys’ have been working with grandpa on their woodworking projects, Claudia is sorting through photos she’s taken for the photograpy project and all 3 are working with their show calves.

 

We are excited to be sharing the first of the potatoes with you! They are not washed. Baby red potatoes have a very fragile skin.  They will wash right off if you are not careful. We feel it is best to send the potatoes dirty and allow you to wash them off before you prepare them. You will see them like this for a few weeks, until the skins toughen up and then we will be washing them for you.  The paper bag they come in is an effort to keep the dirt off of the rest of your food.

 

 

Cooking Class

 

Moorish Style Pork with Couscous

One of our CSA members Sue Keskinen and her sister, Katje, will be teaching this cooking class on July 19th from 5:30 to 7:00 pm in our packing shed.  They will show you all the steps to create this meal and also give you the recipes.  You will then enjoy the meal and have the opportunity to ask questions about its preparation.  If you like, you can bring your own wine or beer to have with the meal. Class size is limited to 10 people.

Cost: $10, bring payment to the class.

Please RSVP to Sue at skeskinen@yahoo.com

 

Phil’s Raspberries

Phil’s Raspberries are ready!! If you pick up at the farm, there will be some for sale on Thursday. If you would like to order some to be delivered with your share next week, July 14^th,  please e-mail me with your order. 1 pint of raspberries is $4.  First come, first serve. We will fill orders as they and the berries come. Phil also offers u-pick in beautifully groomed raspberry beds.  Give him a call if you would like to come to Star Prairie for raspberry picking.  715-781-5861

 

 

 

Bok Choi  – Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

 

Peas- store in a covered container in the fridge.

 

Lettuce- Salad Spinner and then store in covered container.

 

Kale- Great for salads or sautéing.  Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

 

Potatoes-  Store in cool, dry place. Because these have not been cured, use soon.

 

Beans: Store in plastic bag left open in the refrigerator.

 

Sunflower sprouts- Store in a plastic bag in fridge.

 

Parsley- Plastic container in the refrigerator

 

Turnips: Remove greens for longer storage. Store greens as you would any salad green, Turnips do best in the crisper drawer.

 

Onion: These are young onions that are being pulled to make room in the onion patch. You can use the greens as well as the bulb. Store in the refrigerator.

 

 

Bok Choi Salad

topping:

• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds

dressing:

• 3 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup grapeseed oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 fresh onion with greens, thinly sliced
• 1½ pounds bok choy

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread slivered almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside.
2. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar in an even layer over the bottom of a saucepan set over medium heat. The moment the sugar is completely liquefied, add almonds, stirring briskly to coat, then sesame seeds, stirring until evenly distributed. Do this quickly, so that the mixture does not burn. Immediately transfer nut mixture to a plate and let cool.
3. In the same saucepan, bring the dressing ingredients to a boil: sugar, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Add sliced green onions and remove from heat. Dressing can be used while warm or cool.
4. Meanwhile, slice the bok choy crosswise into ½-inch pieces. Bits of dirt can lodge themselves in the greens’ numerous crevices, so thoroughly wash and dry the greens after you’ve chopped them. Place bok choy in a large bowl, and toss with dressing. Just before serving, add the nut mixture and toss well.

Potato, Green Bean and Parsley Salad

2lbs  new potatoes
½ lb long green beans, ends removed
olive oil
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted
salt and pepper
small handful of parsley, roughly chopped
150g feta

Halve the spuds if need be and boil in plenty of salted water until they are tender. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Blanch the beans in boiling water for about a minute – you want them to retain their fresh crunch so take care not to overcook them. Run under cold water to cool them down, drain, then add to the potatoes. Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil, followed by all remaining ingredients except for the feta, and toss everything together to combine.

Taste and season accordingly, then transfer to a serving platter or dish. Scatter the feta over the top and serve.

 

Here are some options I found on line for dressings to pair with sunflower sprouts. Add them to lettuce salads and try one of these dressings!

Because sunflower shoots are pretty crunchy, they pair best with something creamy. Here are some topping ideas for a sunflower shoot salad:

• Goat cheese + lemon vinaigrette (Blend 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon warm water, the zest of one lemon, salt, and black pepper.)
• Cannellini beans + creamy vinaigrette (Blend 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons of soft tofu, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1 chopped shallot, salt, and black pepper.)
• Avocado vinaigrette: Blend 1/4 cup of lime juice, 1/2 of an avocado, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
• Yogurt sauce: Blend 1 cup yogurt, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Thin with olive oil and lemon juice. (Variation – Nutty yogurt sauce: Whisk in up to 1/4 cup of your favorite nut butter to the yogurt mixture. Thin with olive oil, rice vinegar, and honey.)

 

 

 

 

Have a great week and happy eating!!

Jody, Mike, Claudia, Malcolm and Jonas