Doorstep Harvest Newsletter 7-6-13
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: The early blackberries are red with a few hidden ripe ones for tasting. Planning to load them up with water this week for a Doorstep Harvest next week of Blackberries for you! The thornless variety (later season) is already red as well and may possibly be ready next week too. The beets are filling out. Mid-spring planted carrots are being thinned… some of those were large enough to include this week and hoop house planted carrots in late winter are included for you this week. Finally flowers again. Green tomatoes are hanging on the vines. Half of the sweet potatoes didn’t make it but those that did are thriving. Peas are done. Cucumbers will be ready next week. The squash bug battle has begun… I hope to experiment with worm compost tea this week from my worm box. The tea is supposed to be an excellent insecticide. I also plan to try “Diatomaceous Earth” on the squash plants in my garden here in town. Potatoes are still not ready. Hardy Kiwi (female) is growing well with all of the spring rain and appears to be setting buds for next year fruiting. The male kiwi died during the winter though so I have to buy another or even if the female blooms next year, the fruit won’t set… The Crenshaw melon plants are thriving and blossoming now. Okra is coming along. ½ of the parsnips are lost (probably not watered frequently enough this last week).
This week you will find in your delivery:
Vegetables
JBeets: The tops are delicious prepared as braising mix green.
J JChard:
J/JJCarrots: remember to freeze the tops until you make broth, just add them to the broth for extra potassium.
JSummer Squash: this is the first of the squash. This squash is from my garden at Grandma’s and we used Sevin on them last week to stop the squash bugs.
JOnion:
JBaby Kale: please wash this again, and use it right away. It may still have caterpillars in it.L I washed one batch 6 times and it turned crumbly from the handling (turns out the green in the water was the juice, not caterpillar poo…) I was against giving it to you, but Mom told me to anyway. You can wash it until you are satisfied. It may be the last of the baby Kale until fall.
JJMature Kale: Larger leaves are more mature and less tender than baby. Chop fine and sauté.
Culinary Herbs: Herbs are not washed. Please wash prior to using.
Herbs are not washed. Please wash prior to using.
JJOregano: If you don’t plan to use it this weekend, remove from plastic bag and let dry on counter.
JJThyme: can be dried on counter in paper bag for winter use.
JJItalian Parsley: try it on chopped in a canned tuna salad or in tomato sauce.
Tea or cooking herbs/flowers: Don’t wash the delicate flowers.
JJLavender flowers: See recipe from last week for flower ice cream!
JJComfry: 12 grams. Add 1 quart boiling water and steep till cool. Sweeten and drink for bone health.
JJBee balm flower (monarda didyma): see recipe from last week for fish, ice cream, and pastries… It also dried nicely in the open air on the counter and can then be crushed/crumbled easily for future seasoning use.
J/JJShisho: (Perillia) dry on counter or use fresh in recipe provided a few weeks ago.
Flower bouquet: Cleome, strawflower, and loosestrife from the farmJ and Rose of Sharon from my garden in town JJ. The Rose of Sharon is a gourmet delicacy. Try the modifying the enclosed recipe. Rose of Sharon should bloom through fall so keep the recipe for future use!
J Grown in my 4-H Gardens at Grandma’s in the country (organic when possible).
J J Organically grown in my 4-H “Forest Garden” on Cedar Street.