Blue Gate Farm News – Volume IV, Number 20 – September
11, 2007
In this week’s box:
Basil: Genovese
Cherry Tomatoes*:
Juliet/Golden Rave Mix (red/yellow oblong mix) or Blondkopfchen (small, round
yellow)
Kale*: Red Russian
Parsley
Potatoes: German Butterball
Shallots
Tomatoes*: asst. heirlooms
* from the upper
garden
For those with the Herb
option: Basil: Lemon, Garlic Chives, Tarragon
Featured Recipes (on back): Herb Butter
White Bean and Bacon Soup with Kale
Rain this week: 0.00”
What’s up on the farm?
The chicks arrived on Thursday (all 72 of them) and
they are healthy and growing fast. I’m
afraid by the Harvest Party on Oct. 14th they will hardly look like
chicks anymore. We will try to get some of
their photos posted on the website soon. This time around we ordered Rhode Island Reds,
Black Astrolorps and Americaunas
and man are they cute! Sean rigged up an
old security camera into the brooder coop so that we can keep an eye on them
from in the office and also monitor their temperature (they require about 90°)
so now we have 24-hour “chick-cam!” Blue
is taking her new responsibility as “chick guardian” very seriously. She spends most of her napping time curled up
next to the brooder coop and likes to peek over the edge any time we open it. Not sure yet if she is really protective of
them or just waiting for the opportunity to see what they taste like.
We’ve been doing serious labor in the south garden
this past week and have gotten all the weeds cut down and the beds tilled and
planted to fall crops. It’s a little
later than we would have liked, but it was too wet to get in there before. We
planted beets, carrots, kohlrabi, chard, spinach, kale, Chinese cabbage, choi, winter
leeks and salad mix. All those good cool
weather crops as well as buckwheat for a cover crop in the unused beds. It’s kind of remarkable to be able to see from
one end of the garden to the other again.
With the recent onset of cooler weather, we thought
some cool-weather recipes might be in order. Kale is a tasty addition to just about any
soup, but the one below sounded particularly good. I think I would try it served with a crusty bread topped with the herb butter. The new item in the boxes this week is
shallots. This is another upper class
member of the onion family. The shallot
has a tapered shape and a fine-textured, coppery skin, which differentiates it
from onions. Shallots have a mild taste
that combines the flavor of a sweet onion with a touch of garlic. Store as onions and garlic,
in a cool, dark dry place.
Winter CSA: some of you signed up for Winter CSA in the very
beginning and others have told us since to add them on. We still have some spots remaining so if you
are interested please let us know ASAP.
Come September 18th we will fill spots from our waiting
list. Please note a change to the winter system
from what was originally published: there will be a total of four deliveries spaced every other Tuesday on the following
dates: 11/6, 11/20, 12/4, 12/18. The volume of each week’s delivery will
be equivalent to two of our standard boxes. The base membership for
produce is $200. Optional shares for honey @ $12 (two deliveries), eggs @
$24 (four deliveries), preserves @ $10 (two deliveries) and cheese @ $30 (four
deliveries) are available. Should you choose to participate a deposit of $50 will
be due October 1st and full payment by November 1st.
Best from the
farm,
Jill & Sean
Herb Butter
“I know that most people
probably have an herb butter recipe, but this is my favorite. It’s from
½ cup unsalted butter,
softened
2 cloves garlic, mashed to a
paste (I like little pieces of garlic, so I just chop fine)
2 tablespoons chopped flat
leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
basil
Kosher salt and black pepper
to taste
Stir all together.
Recipe Source: CSA member Donna M.
White Bean & Bacon Soup with Escarole (or Kale)
2 TBS olive oil
10 oz applewood
smoked slab bacon, cut into ¾” cubes
2 medium onions, finely
chopped
1 large shallot, finely
chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 qts
chicken stock, homemade or low sodium
1 pound dried white beans,
soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
3 large thyme sprigs
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
coarse salt & freshly
ground pepper
1 head escarole or kale, cut
crosswise into strips
- Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium
heat and cook bacon until crisp, with a slotted spoon, transfer to a
plate.
- Add onions and shallot to pan, cook until
translucent and soft, about 8 minutes, add garlic, cook
1 minute more.
- Return bacon to pan. Stir in stock, beans,
cayenne, and 1 tsp salt; season with pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat;
cover and simmer 30 minutes. Uncover and cook until beans are tender,
about 90 minutes more.
- Stir in escarole or kale. Cook 2 minutes. Season
with salt and pepper.
Recipe source: Martha Stewert
Living, March 2007.