In your box:
Dill Lettuce Baby potaotes Broccoli
Chives Parsley Summer squash Fennel
Fresh onions Red Mustard Greens Arugula Cucumber

This box packs a punch! There is a lot of flavor and aroma for all your cooking needs. We are really excited to see some newcomers this week. The cucumbers are just starting and the baby potatoes! Yum! We sent parsley, dill and chives because those are our 3 favorite herbs to add to new potatoes. The fennel has sized up beautifully and we’ve been working with new lettuce varieties, (new to us anyway) looking for lettuce that will hold up in the heat of mid-summer. So far, so good.
The peas are on their way out.  It’s always too short of a season in my opinion. There are 2 silver linings though-

1. Though there are not enough peas to pick and put in the boxes, there are still a lot out there. Please come and pick your own peas to your heart’s content! The peas are trellised in the field right next to our driveway. Stop by any time before Sunday and help yourself.
2. Green beans are just around the corner! It looks like we should be seeing those next week. Yeah beans!

Last week I took a quick trip over to Kewaunee for Farm Technology days to promote local foods and CSA farming. It was a fun event that showcased the many aspects of agriculture. It was an intersection of many ag issues and the people who work within them. There is always something to learn as well as teach at these events. I’m grateful for my amazing family and employees that stepped up to make sure that my being gone didn’t slow anything down on the farm!

We are busy getting ready for the fair. We LOVE the county fair. The kids learn so much through their 4-H projects and we all enjoy gathering with friends, old and new. There are always funny stories about what happens as we get the projects ready. This year it involves the cat Luna and the rabbit Comet. During the winter, both Luna and Comet reside in the house. Luna’s favorite place to sleep is on top of Comet’s cage and occasionally, we catch her tormenting Comet by sticking her paw in the cage and poking him. Luna is an extremely talented hunter. Mice, birds, rabbits, squirrels, you name it. So we make sure to keep them apart as much as possible. Sunday night, Jonas went to get Comet from his outdoor cage and bring him into the house to get his nails trimmed. Jonas is taking him to the fair and his nails need to be neat and tidy. It was pretty late and dark by the time he went and got him and brought him in. Grandma was visiting, and she was getting ready to leave after Comet’s nails were done, so she offered to put Comet back in his cage. Without her knowing it, Luna had crawled into Comet’s cage while he was in the house. In the dark, Grandma didn’t see Luna, so she put Comet in the cage and locked it up. The reason that this is a funny story and not a tragic one, is because they both came through the night unscathed. The next morning Mike saw Luna and Comet nose to nose in the cage and as soon as Luna saw him, she meowed pitifully to be let out. I don’t know what made her not eat that rabbit, but we are so glad she didn’t!! Comet couldn’t have slept a wink the whole night! If you would like to see Comet at the fair, come on out to Glenwood City Friday-Sunday and find him in the rabbit and poultry barn. Claudia will have her calf, Hopscotch at the fair also. Look for Riverside 4-H Club in the dairy barn. Legos, crafts, garden produce and more will be exhibited by the kids too.

If you follow the farm on facebook, you know that we have harvested the garlic. We have NEVER had such bountiful or beautiful garlic. We are excited to share it with you! It will be a few weeks out yet though, as we are drying and curing it first. I checked the bees and they look good too. I like to put 3 deep boxes on for them, (this is their food to feed them in the winter.) when this box is full, I can put on the boxes that are strictly for me to harvest honey from. So far, they look to be doing really well.

Pack Shed Party!!
Friday, August 25th, 6:30-? Delicious Pot luck, Great Music by Gravel Road, lots of fun on the farm. Bring your family and be a part of it! Bring your own beverages and chairs. See you in the Pack Shed!!!! (Or out by the camp fire)

Pork
Pigs from our farm will be ready in September. If you are interested in a whole or half hog, please give David Jensen a call for all the details. Honestly, I am so sad to see them go, but opening my freezer and knowing I have delicious pork to eat from pigs that were loved, raised with grass to eat, trees to scratch on and dirt to dig in, makes me very happy! As I do not choose to be vegetarian, I do choose to eat humanely and sustainably raised meat. It’s worth it!
Dave’s Phone # 612-685-0155
Beef- Check out www.farmsweetfarm.com for grass-fed beef or talk to Dave Jensen about his locally raised beef.

On to the veggies!
Cucumbers- Crisper drawer
Lettuce, Arugula, Mustard Greens- Salad spinner and then keep in a covered container. Mustard Greens have a real kick!
Broccoli- Keep in plastic grocery bag in the refrigerator
Fresh onions- keep in the crisper drawer. You can use the greens as well as the white bulb.
Summer Squash/Zuc: refrigerate.
Dill, Chives, Parsley- in a plastic bag or covered container in the refrigerator
Fennel- Crisper drawer. Try adding a few Tablespoons of trimmed fronds to your meatloaf or other beef dishes.
Potatoes- cool dark space, not the refrigerator. These will not keep long as they are not cured. Use them soon! We send them unwashed, as the skins are very fragile. Wash when you are ready to use them.

 

Mustard Greens- These are the small bunch of purple/green leaves Super spicy when eaten raw, but not so when cooked. Use raw in salads or sandwiches for a kick. Saute for a side dish or in a stir fry or throw them in the crockpot with a roast. Give it a try.
Sauteed Mustard Greens
Mustard Greens Chopped
Arugula, Chopped
1-2 cloves garlic chopped
1 young onion, chopped
1 T. olive oil
¼ cup water
1 T. white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a pan. Add Garlic, onions and some salt. Add greens, water and vinegar.Cover and cook on medium low and cook 10-15 minutes, until greens are cooked to your liking. Check to make sure you have enough liquid when cooking. Serve warm with rice.

Summer Squash salad
Slice up summer squash or zucchini. A combination of colors is always pretty. Add a splash of olive oil and a splash of lemon juice. Toss. Add dill, diced onion and/or chives. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss again. Serve immediately, but best after it’s marinated together for awhile.

 

Fennel, Bean and Pasta Salad
Fennel bulb, leafy tops removed and reserved
1 small onion
Olive oil
1 can kidney beans
2-3 cups cooked pasta
1 tsp. lemon pepper

Thinly slice fennel bulb and onion. Saute in olive oil. Chop reserved fennel tops and add to cooked mixture with remaining ingredients. Serve chilled. Makes 4-6 servings.

 

**Fennel is also great roasted with potatoes or shredded raw on salads.

Happy Eating and have a great week!
Jody, Mike, Claudia Malcolm and Jonas
Hope to see you at the fair!!!