Celebrating the Little Victories

Last week we ate our first ever dinner made entirely with food we grew here on the farm - to include our organic pasture-raised chicken.  This dinner is a reminder to us that while it has been a long journey to get to this point we need to remember to celebrate the little victories along the way.  Many years of dreaming about farming and farm life are now being realized.  We are so glad to have all our CSA members along with us on this journey of learning to GROW GOOD FOOD!  Enjoy the harvest this week - and don't forget to celebrate!

CSA Basket - Week 5

Your CSA basket this week includes the following:

Romanesco or Black Star Zucchini - Try spiraling them and using as spaghetti - top with garlic scape pesto.  Or slice very thinly and using on a pizza with a basil pesto sauce and top with goat cheese

Flashy Trout's Back Romaine and Buttercrunch Lettuce - enjoy a fresh salad on a hot day - use a simple balsamic vinegar and olive oil with salt and pepper and top with a feta cheese - add fresh sliced peaches for a summery taste

Hakurei Turnips - enjoy sliced or quick pickle them with the radish for a tasty salad topping

Mixed Bunch Kale - blanch and cool quickly in an ice bath then slice into thin ribbons - toss with olive oil and a blackberry balsamic vinegar - add raisins and sunflower seeds

Katrina Cucumbers - a nice size for snacking cucumbers - no need to peel

Carrots - tasty for snacking or grate onto a salad

French Breakfast Radishes - grate into cream cheese for a spicy dip or spread

Spicy Mustard Greens - saute and top with a poached egg - finish with a dash of lemon juice and goat cheese

Radish Microgreens with Bachelor Buttons - add a splash of color to your salad!  Simply snip the flower petals onto your salad as a garnish along with the micro greens

Trailing Blackberries -  terrific made into a quick syrup for pancakes or waffles

Trailing Blackberry

The trailing blackberry is the only native blackberry in these parts.  We have three types of blackberries growing wild here on the farm - Trailing Blackberry, Himalayan Blackberry, and Evergreen Blackberry.  The trailing blackberry is also called a dewberry or Pacific blackberry.  It is my favorite possibly only because it is the first berry to ripen and that makes it so precious.  The taste is unique - not as lucious as a Himalyan - more of a nutty flavor.

Garlic Scape Pesto Pizza

I used the garlic scapes last week to make a pesto.  I then used it as the sauce for a pizza topped with carmelized onions, portabello mushrooms and goat cheese.  It was pretty tasty.  What did you do with your garlic scapes?  Share your recipes on the farm Facebook page!

Sunshine!

A few sunflowers are blooming in the fields.  A reminder that summer sunshine is here.  We are all ready to start enjoying the full bounty of summer's fruits - I know I am!  It is tough to be patient as I wait for all the green tomatoes in the hoop house to start showing some color.  But, farming takes patience - and I am trying to learn.  Have a great week and see you at the market!

Your SVF Farm Team