In your box
- Beans
- Beets
- Cauliflower
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Head Lettuce
- Red onion
- Summer squash or eggplant
- Sweet Pepper
- Tomatoes
Farm News
One new purchase I made last year was for a flail mower to attach to my walk-behind tractor. Also called a brush hog, this mower runs down anything in its path, chops it up, and lays down the chips as it continues its way. It can take down 2” wide trees, corn stalks, leftover Broccoli stalks, or weeds that are 8’ high. I’ve learned the hard way that it also chops up garden hose and metal row markers. But whatever it runs into, it chops it down to pulp without a hiccup. I’ve come to think of it as a vacuum cleaner attached to the digestive system of a goat.
This is an incredible way to erase anything on the farm I don’t want to see any more. A new planting of rhubarb that completely disappeared in weeds? Gone. A cucumber patch that never produced anything more than thistles? Mown down. Giant Ragweed growing on the border between my field and the corn to the north? Flailed.
I’ve tried running the flail mower over American foreign policy in the Middle East over the past 20 years, but sadly it hasn’t made a dent in it. Same with climate change–some things are just a little too overwhelming for my flail mower, I guess. But if I step on Legos in the middle of the night again, I might just see how it handles the tiny plastic bricks all over our house…
This week’s box
This year is really making a run towards being the greatest tomato harvest we’ve ever had. I used to keep detailed records, weighing everything as I harvested it and writing it all down for posterity. I realized it was a lot of work for information I never really did anything with, and so I stopped keeping weekly harvest notes. Instead, I just go on hunches and vague memories, just like a good statistician. And I have a hunch that I have no memory of ever having so many tomatoes as we’re seeing this year.
We will probably continue to have a surplus tomato yield for the next two weeks, so if you’re interested in purchasing a 10 lb box (or more) of meaty tomatoes for $25, please let me know and I’ll get that your way.
This week finally brings in our first Sweet Peppers of the year. Most of what I grow are elongated Italian heirloom peppers called “Carmen.” I don’t grow any hot peppers, so there’s no need to worry about heat with anything in the box. Our peppers turn either red or orange when they’re fully ripe, but the flavor is nearly as good when they’re still green. Peppers keep well in the fridge for up to two weeks. We plan to deliver peppers weekly until the first frost kills the plants.
Beet Kohlrabi Soup
- 4 small-medium beets peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 2 medium kohlrabi peeled cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 0.5 inch fresh ginger root peeled
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Pinch of ground cardamom
- salt to taste
- Dash of lime juice to taste
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Put beets, kohlrabi, ginger, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until beets are fork tender.
- Transfer soup to a blender. Add spices and lime juice. Purée on high until creamy and smooth. Return soup back to the pot. Add more water if soup is too thick.
- Add olive oil and stir. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt to taste.
- Serve hot or cold topped with some chia seeds, and chopped toasted peanuts.
Serves 4
Coming up
Next week we are expecting beans, onion, potatoes, head lettuce, chard, summer squash, sweet pepper, garlic and tomatoes.
Fox & Fawn Farm 