Blue Gate Farm News – Volume IV, Number 19
– September 4, 2007
In this week’s box:
Cherry Tomatoes*:
Juliet/Golden Rave Mix (red/yellow oblong mix) or Blondkopfchen (small, round
yellow)
Carrots: asst. (
Cucumbers: Lemon or Diva (
Garlic: Sandpoint
Leeks: King Richard (asst of
baby and mature leeks)
Sweet Peppers*: Golden Marconi, Mini Bells, White Paprika,
Purple Beauty, Red Knight or La Rouge Royal
Tomatoes*: asst. heirlooms
* from the upper
garden
For those with the Cheese
option: Chive Feta
For those with the Honey
option: choice of comb or liquid honey
For those with the Herb
option: Basil: Genovese, Mint, Sorrel (check
your Herb Book for info)
Featured Recipes (on back): Carrot Relish
Tomato Salad Mix
Tomato Leek Casserole
Rain this week: 0.00”
What’s up on the farm?
It was nice to be
able to dry out a bit this week and try to get to some of those garden chores
that had been looming during the rain. So
we’ve been out there weeding and mowing like mad people. Thanks to big help from the Kavanaugh family
we did finally get all of the potato crops harvested, with only one minor loss,
the fingerling potatoes just couldn’t handle all the rain and rotted in the
ground. You’ll notice a lack of beans in
your box this week; the rain was pretty hard on them as well. We are hoping they will put on another flush
of beans before surrendering for the season.
We had a big new
addition to the farm this week (no, it’s not a pony) but it does have lots of
horsepower. We are the proud new owners
of a not-quite-new John Deere 4020 tractor (circa 1965). We acquired this “little beauty” at a farm
retirement auction about 15 miles north of us. Fifteen miles may not sound very far, but the
drive home, dragging two telephone poles that my Dad bought at the auction, was
interesting…especially after we made a wrong turn. The adventures here never end! We used our new tractor to bale hay over the
weekend. The next “new additions” should
arrive later this week. Did you know
that day-old chicks arrive in the mail? More about them next week!
For those of you who are unfamiliar, the skinny,
onion-looking thing in the box is a leek. They are easy to use, and their delicate,
irreplaceable flavor makes a meal special. The subtle, buttery taste of leeks imparts
elegance to many dishes, including old standbys that call for onions. To store: loosely wrap unwashed leeks in a
plastic bag and store them in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator. They will keep for at least a week. To use: cut the leek where the leaves begin
changing from dark to light green (save the unused greens - they’ll give great
flavor to your next vegetable stock). Fan the leaves under running water to dislodge
any dirt collected there, and then pat thoroughly dry. Use in any recipe calling for onions, or check
out a special recipe that features leeks.
Best from the
farm,
Jill & Sean
Carrot
Relish
2 c. ground or shredded
carrots
Juice of 1 lemon or 3 TBS
lemon juice
2/3 c. sugar
Combine and let set until
sugar dissolves. Will keep in the refrigerator for several days. Delicious as a
sweet, refreshing side dish for meats or fish.
Recipe Source: Jill’s Grandma Henderson
Tomato
Salad Mix
Hot pepper gives this wonderful dish a
little kick! Serve with toasted bread to mop up the sauce.
-Preheat oven to 300 degrees
-Cut 2 pints salad tomatoes into halves
-Season tomatoes with 4 tbs olive oil, 1 clove garlic finely minced, 1 finely
chopped hot chile
pepper, and 2 tbs chopped fresh sage
-Gently toss with 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese, salt and freshly ground pepper
to taste
-Place in a shallow pan and warm in oven for 20 minutes
-Remove from oven when fragrant and hot
Recipe Source: Cook’s Garden