This is the week some people wait all year for and the reason some people join a CSA. The week when we were able to harvest garlic scapes!
If you're not familiar with these lovelies you will be soon. They are the curly top of the garlic plant. You eat the entire part - bloom, stem, and all - everything that we served in the box.
You can saute them, make them into pesto (I just use oil and salt - no cheese or nuts), or pickle them. They are milder than head garlic and sweet for garlic. They're written up in many gourmet cooking articles and highlighted by many chefs. What makes them so sought after is their taste but also the fact that they're only available for a short time every year since almost everyone plants their garlic at the same time (fall) and the plants try to go to seed at this time of year. So, if you miss them now, you'll have to wait another year before you can find them again (at least from local farms).
So, this week's box contains the following:
- Hakurei turnips - we tried to carefully sort these this week to remove wormy bulbs. There is a root worm that likes to live in turnips and it's inevitable that they'll find them. You can cut around them if you find them but hopefully you won't. These are good fresh or sauteed. The greens are good sauteed.
- Lettuce
- Kale - a large bunch. Most of this is Siberian kale
- Chard - a large bunch
- Snap peas - eat the pod and all (Wed members will have another choice)
- Garlic scapes!
- Braising mix - you can use this as a salad mix but you can cook it too. It contains kale, arugula, mustard, and turnip greens
- Nettles - I debated about offering this again because I know many people are hesitant to use these but I had enough members tell me that they like them that we decided to harvest them one final time for everyone. They really are good. One member has been passing them up for 3 years and finally tried them and loved them. If you don't want to get "stung", toss them in a bowl of cold water, pour it into a collander to drain and then throw them into your skillet or boiling water. They make a great pesto (blanche the leaves, drain and process) or are good sauteed or you can make tea. They have many health benefits.
- Cilantro
- Herbs - rosemary, oregano, thyme
- Some spicy peppers
Thanks - please let me know if you have any questions. Also, if you ever find that something's missing when you arrive, please leave me a note on the checkoff sheet and I'll figure out how to make it up to you.
Thanks - hope you're enjoying it all!
Also, thanks to everyone for helping spread the word about our farm. We've added another 11 members over the past few weeks. We still have space for 9 more if you have friends that are still thinking about it.
Jennifer
