Doorstep Harvest Newsletter 6-1-13
As always, try new foods with caution, and in small amounts. Also, please note that some herbs-foods may interact with pharmaceuticals so, if you use meds, please go to http://www.drugs.com/ to check them out.
News from the garden: Jolly June! School is out and there is more time to expand production! Transplanted pepper and winter squash are happy in the ground just before the rain. Whew. 3 varieties of Potatoes, 3 varieties of sweet potatoes, and three varieties of onions are growing bigger! The sunchokes are also doing well. Yellow snow peas have set (sample amount is in pesto bag this week). Tender Sugar snap pea vines are three feet tall and have set. Three varieties of beans are up. Black berries are blooming and setting, if it stays cool this summer, it may be a super black berry year. Just like last year, it won’t be a bumper fruit year. However, there will be small amounts in coming deliveries: Crandal currents, gooseberries, service berries, and bush cherries survived the freezes and set (in small amounts); mulberries are already starting to ripen; a few pears made it, and autumn olive berries have set, black caps haven’t bloomed yet, all other fruit (peach, Asian pear, plum, cherry) has been lost this year due to frost. On the bright side, this means that my little four year old pear and plum trees can concentrate energy into growing larger this year and have a larger area upon which to place even more fruit next year. Two of four kiwi plants survived but are still too young to produce fruit. I transplanted Oregon grape recently and hope to harvest tasting quantities of berries from them next year. Some of the salad is bolting so this delivery is likely to be the peak of the season. Spinach is finished for the spring. I hope to plant a “heat loving” spinach variety in time for summer-fall harvest. My tomatoes at Grandmas are growing quickly but the heirloom varieties that I started from seed here in town have been transplanted and still are struggling… we will see how they do as the summer kicks in. The parsnip did not germinate, so, I re-planted with a different variety last week, just before the rain came, and I hope this time the seeds will germinate!
This week, you will find in the Doorstep Harvest delivery:
Fruit Pie bag: strawberries, gooseberries, and rhubarb. The attached recipe can be modified into a torte.
Pesto veggie bag: “Golden Sweet” snow pea from India, baby carrot, baby beet, asparagus, and garlic scapes! See garlic scape recipe. These veggies can be lightly steamed, covered in garlic-scape pesto, and added to your favorite rice, pasta, or tuna salad. Or, try them in the “braised chicken and spring vegetable” recipe.
Green Onion
Salad Mix: blend of red orach, encore lettuce mix, oak leaf lettuce, rose petals, tatsoi flowers, and carrot top.
Lettuce Head bag: heads are starting to bolt. I hope they aren’t too bitter. They tasted fine to me this morning. You can add this to your salad mix.
Beet tops: I thinned the beet rows last night and these tender young greens can be cooked as a green or chopped and added into salad mix. In this bag are also licorice mint sprigs that are wonderful in salads.
Baby beets and tops: Boil, run under cold water to loosen skin, peel, and grate or slice. Tops can be diced and added to ground beef or boiled and prepared as greens.
Arugula: Enjoy it added to your salad or try the attached recipes. ½ pound bag. Arugula is also known as “Rocket.”
Radish: roots can be sliced and added to sandwiches or salad. Greens are fantastic chopped and added to ground beef in hamburger patties or meat loaf. They also are nice prepared in sauté as any of the other greens are.
Mustard greens: Excellent in curries or seasoned with spices such as nutmeg, cumin, coriander… See attached recipes. ½ pound bag.
Red and Green Chard: ½ pound bag.
Kale: blend of three kale varieties… red Russian, dino, and white kale.
Tea herb bag: Just put the tea herbs (separately, not together) into a jar or mug, and pour boiling water onto them, and let steep till cool. Add honey or stevia to taste. Consult drugs.com if taking medications to check interactions. Also, if trying herb for first time, drink small amount over period of days to test for any adverse reactions.
Bee balm (monarda didyma) otherwise known as “Oswego tea.” Provides the bergamot flavor of Earl Grey Tea. Use the leaves for refreshing beverage.
Lemon Balm: can try this cheese spread recipe… 2 oz softened butter, 8 oz softened cream cheese, 2 tbsp orange marmalade, 1 tsp orange zest, 1 tbsp fresh orange juice, 3 tbsp chopped fresh lemon balm. Blend butter and cream cheese until smooth, mix in remainder ingredients, chill overnight, serve at room temp.
Comfrey is super for building healthy bones and teeth. 1 leaf is about 5-10 grams. “Excessive” amounts over long periods of time can harm kidney however two leaves per person once weekly is very low dose and is considered to be safe and healthy.
Culinary Herb bag: bergamot sage, thyme, chives, oregano, Japanese parsley.
Flowers: Salvia, Catnip, and Rose. Kind of stinky but it is pretty.
JJ= organically grown in my garden in town J=organically grown in my garden in the country J/J= parts are in both