Even carrots need hugs
Hello Everyone,
You’ll be receiving this earlier than usual since the storm chased me in from the wash station where I was preparing your shares. I decided that standing on wet ground under a tin roof with a metal hose sprayer in my hand while lightening was ripping through the skies might not the best way to ensure the future of the farm (or the farmer).
This Monday I received a visit from a good friend and fellow intern from Rainbow Heritage Garden in Cobden where I worked last summer. Although it was her day off, she insisted on lending a hand to weed carrots, cover the peppers and lay row covers on the newly emerged arugula, Asian greens, pak choy and cress. Thanks Heather! We’re hoping to introduce interns to the Wellspring operation next summer through C.R.A.F.T. and I can already see the advantages. Thanks also to Anne Davies for her weekly visits to weed, stake, transplant, haul chicken tractors or lend a hand with whatever else is on the agenda.
Now that everyone is returning from holidays and getting into fall routines, I’d like to put the farm tour and picnic back on the calendar. I’m looking at Saturday, September 11, with the tour starting at 3:30 p.m. and dinner at 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. If you could check your agendas and get back to me we’ll start preparations.
In addition to the ever-increasing harvests of tomatoes, the garden has begun producing peppers. This week you’ll receive a token Hungarian wax pepper to whet your appetite. We also have mini-apple and pepperoncini peppers getting ready to fruit. My son Napoleon has taken on the task of clearing out the greenhouse to accommodate as many tomato and pepper plants as possible once the weather cools.
Basket #8
1 quart potatoes
Pole beans
1 bunch carrots
1 pint tomatoes
1 Hungarian wax pepper
1 bunch of _ _ _ _ (hint: it’s green or reddish, has curly or dinosaur-like leaves, is chockfull of vitamins and minerals, arrives faithfully in your basket every week and rhymes with hail, as in “oh hail, not more _ _ _ _!)
1 bulb garlic
1 bunch parsley
1 large or 1 pint of zucchinis
Preparation ideas:
Kale, Potato and Onion Fritatta (with baked tomato on the side)
Zucchini-Basil Soup (be sure to read the reviews to see how other cooks have worked their individual magic on the recipe)
Ginger-glazed Carrots
Thinly slice a small bunch of carrots
Sauté in a skillet with half and half butter and oil (olive is great, sesame gives a nice flavour kick)
As carrots become tender-crisp, sprinkle 1 tsp of powdered ginger on top and stir in.
Add the juice of two oranges and 1 tbsp of brown sugar.
Cook a couple of minutes until glaze has thickened.
Depending on the thickness of your slices, this takes ten to twenty minutes. MMMmmm good!
See you at the farm
