this week's
HARVEST
1 quart Strawberries
A little bite of summer...These strawberries are ripe and ready to eat immediately! They won't keep long, but be sure to put them in the fridge if they don't get finished off in the car on the way home! ($5)
1 head Romaine Lettuce
Giant! ($1.90)
1 bunch Arugula
This is one of our favorite greens- its peppery, spicy thick leaves are delicious in the spring and add a mild bite to salads & pasta dishes. ($1.90)
1 bunch Toscano Kale
A lovely quilted blue-black Italian kale also known as dinosaur kale. ($1.90)
1/2 lb. Sugar Snap Peas
These are edible podded peas. Snap the stem end and peel back the string. Delicious or lightly steamed with a pat of butter. ($3)
on the
HORIZON
These are the crops that you can look forward to finding in next week's box...
Sugar Snap Peas
Strawberries
Bronze Mignonette Lettuce
Red Romaine
June 14th & 15th, 2005 ~ Issue #3
HAPPENINGS news & musings from the fields
From the fields
An introduction to cover crops...These are non-cash crops planted between vegetable crops to improve the texture of the soil, protect it from harsh rains & sun, and to add green matter to the soil which will eventually turn into decomposed matter.
Legume cover crops are used for their nitrogen-fixing capabilities and one of the most famous of the legumes is hairy vetch!!! Hairy vetch is planted in October, overwinters, and begins to grow rapidly in April. By the end of May & the beginning of June, our fields are covered in beautiful purple flowers.
At this point, the vetch is fixing tremendous amounts of nitrogen, storing it in the nodules on its roots. When the vetch is either tilled in or mowed, this nitrogen becomes available to the next crop. This week we will be mowing the vetch and planting winter squash in a modified no-till system. The remaining straw from the vetch cover crop will keep the soil mulched throughout the life of the squash crop.
Buckwheat is another cover crop which does not fix nitrogen, but is planted as a soil conditioner and to smother weeds. It has relatively large leaves and forms a shade canopy, cutting out the sunlight needed for the weeds below to grow. The buckwheat plant has small white flowers which have just begun to blossom...it's a beautiful time of year!
RECIPES from the farm & from our friends
ARUGULA
Also known as rocket or rucola, arugula has been classified as both a green and an herb. It has a nutty, peppery flavor that is very distinctive, and while the flavor may be bold, the leaves themselves are delicate. Arugula is a rich source of iron as well as vitamins A and C.
Preparing
Trim off any thick stems and wash the leaves thoroughly in cold water. Dry them carefully with a towel or in a salad spinner, and try to avoid bruising the leaves.
Serving Ideas
Use arugula as a salad green, in pasta dishes, or as an ingredient on pizza, adding the arugula to the pizza after it is removed from the oven. Arugula’s peppery flavor marries well with tomatoes, red onions, and roasted red peppers as well as oranges.
Spaghettini with Arugula, Goat Cheese,
and Sun-dried Tomatoes
1 lb. spaghettini
cup thinly sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, plus c oil from tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups thinly sliced arugula leaves and stems
1 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. dried basil
tsp. salt
tsp. pepper
4 oz mild chèvre, crumbled
Cook pasta according to package directions. When pasta is done, ladle out cup of cooking water and set aside. Drain pasta. While pasta is cooking, heat oil from tomatoes. Add garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add arugula and toss until wilted. Add wine and basil, raise heat to high, and boil until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.