In Your Box:

• Bok Choy
• Chard
• Garlic scapes
• Head lettuce: “Pirat”
• Radishes
• Salad Mix
• Scallions

Farm News

After the heat wave last week, the weekend brought us some much needed rain. I’m a little sorry to say that we seem to be hogging all the rain this year. We picked up 2.5 inches earlier in the month and a welcome 3 inches on Saturday night, bringing our monthly total to 6 inches. That’s 8 times as much rain as they’ve received at the official gauge at the airport this June. We are well over the 4” average and requirement for most crops, and I feel guilty that we seem to be uniquely not in drought this year even as everywhere around us is running quite dry. 

Of course, all of the state’s mosquitoes seem to be taking up residence on our farm this year to make up for our blessings in the rain department!

Next Tuesday’s box happens to fall on the 4th of July but we will still be harvesting and making deliveries next week. Check your email for any changes at your delivery site and be sure to let me know if you’re away next week and won’t need a box.

This week’s box

This spring has brought a bumper crop of radishes–the biggest and best harvests I’ve ever had. We have a good deal of radishes still in the field, so expect another couple weeks or these delightful roots coming your way. I enjoy radishes raw, but in case they’re a bit too spicy for your taste I’ve also included a recipe for baking them, below.  We will get some more diversity in the roots department coming up: turnips look to be ready next week, and our beets and carrots are still young but look very promising this season.

This week’s head lettuce is “Pirat,” the German/Dutch word for pirate. They are so named because northern European pirates prized them and would not leave port without their favorite variety of lettuce filling up the cook’s quarters. After enjoying a day of pillaging and plundering, the swashbucklers would gather in the dining room and bang heartily on the table, chanting, “Pirat! Pirat!” until these heads of lettuce would be brought forth.

That might not be true, but it is certain that you’ll have enough energy to raid a village after feasting on this incredible butterhead variety.

The new crop this week is the chard. Chard is a cooking green in the same family as beets and spinach, but used in the same ways as kale. This year we have a planting of red-stemmed chard and a rainbow variety, but marauding deer have been feasting on the rainbow planting and I’m not sure when it will bounce back. Chard can be steamed and eaten on its own but we prefer it baked in an egg casserole or omelet. The stems on these are edible and very healthy, so unlike with kale we recommend eating them as well.

Roasted Radishes

from therealfooddieticians.com

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. fresh radishes, stems removed, ends trimmed, and halved
• 1 tablespoon butter, or your favorite oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley, dried chives, or dried dill or mix
• 2 garlic cloves or scapes, finely minced

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425℉. In a bowl, combine the radishes, butter or oil, dried herbs, salt, and pepper; toss until the radishes are evenly coated. (Note: don’t add the minced garlic until step 3).
2. Spread radishes out in a single layer in a large 9×13 inch baking dish.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. After the first 10 minutes of baking add the minced garlic and toss. Return to oven to bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until radishes are golden brown and easily pierced with a fork.
4. If desired, serve with ranch dressing for dipping or drizzling on top and garnish with fresh parsley, dill, or chives.

Coming up

Next week’s box should have komatsuna, garlic scapes, head lettuce, turnips, radishes, kohlrabi, scallions and salad mix.