Hey Folks!
I am happy to say that we had a brief reprieve from the mud this week and, as Ryan would say, “we did some farming!”
Sometimes it is hard to believe that we are planting for fall already. Last week we were seeding fall broccoli and cabbage, this week we planted our no-till colored pumpkins and hard squash. We are hoping to finish harvesting some of the spring broccoli yet this week so that we can get the ground worked and finish planting the remaining pumpkins where the broccoli is currently. Most of the ground we farm sees at least two or three crops per year. The trickiest part about this is that certain vegetables can’t be planted on the same ground year after year. For example, planting broccoli and cabbage in the same spot all of the time can result in a fungus problem. So, it is essential for us to use crop rotations.
Just as the ground in the field requires crop rotation, high tunnels also require a variation of vegetable crops. This tunnel was full at one time, but following the final harvest, after tilling the residue into the ground and letting the heat “cook” the bad stuff out – the smell was wonderful (or horrible, depending on your take). After a week of “cleaning it out” we will come back in with more crops – yet to be determined.
For those of you with the full bag, you are receiving both shelling peas and snow peas. The snow peas are the flat peas. You eat the entire pod. The shelling peas are in everybody’s bags this week. These are the kind of peas you break open and only eat the inside.
We often get asked what is our favorite way to eat certain types of vegetables… our answer is almost exclusively “raw!” But we still come up with many different ways to cook them. For a simple dish, sauté snow peas in sesame oil with minced garlic and an onion to make an easy vegetable side dish.
Also be sure to enjoy the onion this week! After tasting your fresh Pekarek’s Produce onion (you are receiving the Vidalia-type), you will never want to buy another winter storage onion from the store. These onions are so sweet, you can eat them like an apple – although some people prefer to slice their onions with cucumbers and vinegar. I love to sauté these onions to use in fajitas, top a steak/hamburger, on a potato, or as filling in an omelet.
Don’t forget that the 2015 Pekarek’s Produce Farm Tour is being held this on June 28 from 3-5 pm. That’s this Sunday – we hope to see you all then.
Your Farmers,
Ryan, Katie, and Crew
What’s in this week’s bag?
Beets
Shelling Peas
Onions
Cucumber
Snow Peas*
Broccoli Florets*
Purple Kohlrabi*
*indicates items only in the full bag