Blue Gate Farm News – Volume IV, Number 10
– July 3, 2007
In this week’s box:
Carrots:
Patty Pan Squash: assorted
Siamese
Dragon Braising Greens
Tapestry Salad Mix
For those with the Herb
option: Thai Magic Basil, Lemon Balm, Parsley
Featured
Recipes (see page 3): Garlicky Patty
Pans with Chevre
Simple Cooked Greens
Rain this week: 0.00
What’s up on the farm?
Here’s a re-cap and some new
info on the chemical problems recently discovered at BGF: In last week’s newsletter we briefly
mentioned our “security” crop of tomatoes and promised more info later – that
was alluding to the ill health of our solanum family of crops (tomatoes,
peppers, eggplant and potatoes) that historically have produced abundantly for
us, hence the security. However, since just before this season’s
solanum crop transplants were put in the ground (or the case of the potatoes when
the plants were in the ground but still very young) they haven’t been looking
well or growing at the pace they normally should. We thought for time they had been stressed
during planting/transplanting (not put in the ground soon enough, not the right
watering, maybe a blight of some kind, etc.).
So on Monday 6/25 Jill visited the Horticulture Lab at ISU with photos
and plant samples. The folks at the lab
tell us from visual inspection that the plants have been exposed to a plant
growth regulating herbicide – ugh! There were two occasions we know of when
nearby fields were being treated with growth regulating herbicides
(specifically 2-4-D and Roundup). We had believed that our crops were far
enough away to be protected from drift – obviously not.
Then, at almost the exact
same time last Monday when Jill was at the ISU Horticulture Lab, the field just
to the east of us was sprayed with a contact herbicide called Ultra
Blazer. Late last week it became evident
that some of that spray drifted into our high tunnel and onto the upper garden in
the hay field – that was what last Friday’s e-mail to CSA members was
about. Ultra Blazer herbicide is intended
for selective post emergence control of certain broadleaf weeds and grasses in
peanuts, soybeans, strawberries, and rice (crops). As we understand it, Ultra Blazer inhibits
the target plant’s (weeds) ability to photosynthesize but does not do the same
for the crop plant.
When an agricultural chemical
is used, intentionally or not, on a crop for which it is not designed, that is referred
to as an “off-label” use, the effects of which are not always known – hence why the situation must be treated
carefully and in our case why we are no longer harvesting from the affected
fields until we learn much more about the food’s safety. A brief definition of systemic versus contact: Systemic herbicides are capable of killing
the entire plant by entering through the leaves and circulating throughout the
plant. Contact herbicides cause the parts of the plant in contact with
the herbicide to die back, leaving the roots alive and capable of
re-growth. Therefore, contact herbicides
are not effective for eradication, but may be used to control target/weed plants
to allow the desired crop more non-competitive time to grow.
The Iowa Department of
Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) inspector came out on Monday 7/2 and
took samples to send to the lab. His
preliminary opinion was that we suffered two separate overspray episodes: the
first that affected primarily the solanum crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
and potatoes) that has severely stunted and/or retarded their growth, and the
second that hit the crops in the high tunnel and hay field garden that damages
plant leaves (kale, cabbage, swiss chard, etc). Currently
we are harvesting all of the immature vegetables in the affected area and
destroying them along with all of the leafy greens that could have come in
contact with the chemicals. Our hope is that
if the plants put on new growth/blooms and their vegetables come on, we can get
testing and reassurances from the experts that these are wholesome. We also still have hopes that the same can be
said for the root crops, namely potatoes, onions and sweet potatoes that were
under ground during the exposure – these too need testing. Everything in your box this week is from our
“main” or south garden, the only one that still shows no symptoms of chemical
exposure, so we are confident of their wholesomeness.
Currently we have many more
questions then answers but are striving to get solid information to help devise
a plan. As always we are available to
our CSA members by phone, e-mail, or in person at the farm, during pick-ups, or
at the Downtown Farmers Market to discuss any of this. We want you to be informed and to feel
confident in the food we provide for you.
We do have one small bright
spot in all this: our good friends at Coyote Run Farm in neighboring Lacona
have donated a section of their tomato patch for our harvesting. They are a chemical-free vegetable farm as
well and thanks to their generosity, we should have some tomatoes to go into
boxes before too long. If you happen to
see their booth at the Downtown Farmers Market, you might stop in and say
hello.
This week marks the end of
the spring salad on our farm. The salad mix
will return when the temperatures cool down again…probably September. You will find carrots in your box for the
first time this season. We hope you
enjoy their festive colors as much as we do. These are not the sweet little carrot
“nibbles” that are so familiar in their plastic bag from the grocery store. These are early summer carrots, full of carrot
flavor. That said, children may not find
these to be their favorite snacking carrots, but you wont find any better for
cooking than these. Roasted, grilled or
added to those cook-out favorites…foil packet dinners, these carrots will
really shine. Just cook until
tender-crisp, and serve at room temperature…maybe with a little dill or mint. For those of you who weren’t big fans of our
first batch of braising greens, give them another try. We harvested this crop at a much younger stage
so they should be much tenderer and not quite as strong. We still like them dressed with a little
seasoned rice vinegar.
Best from the
farm,
Jill & Sean
Garlicky
Patty Pans with Chevre
2 tbs. olive oil
2-3 cups patty pan
or other summer squash
3 cloves garlic,
minced or pressed
1-2 oz chevre
(chive flavored is a favorite in this recipe)
1-2 tbs. dried tomatoes (not in oil) roughly
chopped, optional
1 tbs. basil, finely shredded, optional
Quarter patty pan
squash then slice into ¼” slices. Heat olive oil in sauté pan over medium heat.
Add garlic, summer squash and dried tomato (if desired). Sauté until cooked
through, but still retains some body. Place squash in serving bowl and sprinkle
with chevre. Stir until combined, top with basil (if desired) and serve hot.
Tasty on its own or served with pasta.
Recipe source: Blue Gate Farm
Simple Cooked Greens
Cooking greens in oil or butter over high heat until
they are just wilted is a great way to give them an added richness while
preserving their fresh taste and delicate texture. Wilted greens mix well with
almost anything. They add sophistication to cooked grain or pasta. Topped with
grated cheese, a cream sauce, or toasted nuts, they make a complete side dish;
dressed with vinaigrette they become a delicious warm salad. Wilted greens also
make a great bed for any meat. They are also wonderful served on their own,
simple and elegant, as in this recipe. If you are using greens with hearty
stems, such as Swiss chard, cut out the stems, chop them,
and sauté them before cooking the leaves to give them
enough time to cook. Angelic Organics Kitchen.
Serves 4
3 tablespoons butter or olive
oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
(about 2 medium cloves) (optional)
1 pound greens, rinsed, torn
or chopped into bite-size pieces
salt
freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1. Heat the butter or olive
oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the garlic; sauté for 1
minute.
2. Add the greens immediately
after rinsing them, with the water still clinging to the leaves. Cover; cook
for 1 minute. (If you are using heartier greens, such as kale or collard
greens, add a cup of water to the skillet. Cover;
cook for 5 minutes.)
3. Uncover the skillet, add
salt to taste (this will ensure the greens stay a bright green), and give the
greens a good flip and stir. Cover the skillet again and continue cooking the
greens until they are bright green, tender, and wilted to your taste. (For
spinach this will be only another minute or two, for Swiss chard 3 to 5
minutes, and for kale or collard greens, depending on their maturity, this
could be up to 20 minutes. Be sure to add more water if it boils away.) Season
with pepper and olive oil to taste.
Recipe Source: Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt
on Vegetables