Turtle Times
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Vol. 12, No. 3, May 22, ‘07 7260 NW 58th St., Johnston 50131 278-4522 (577-9208)
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Rain: 5/15, 0.2 “
In the Box . . .
Lettuce ‘Grandpa Admire’ (RAFT), ‘Freckles’, and maybe ‘Red Deer Tongue’
Edible flowers – pansies
Cress (small amount in lettuce bag)
Arugula (small amount in lettuce bag)
Radishes ‘Plum Purple’, ‘Cherry Belle’
Broccoli Raab
Green garlic
Asparagus (up to 5 lb.)
Herb share: Lovage (celery flavor), French tarragon, mint, marjoram, thyme, garlic chives
Farm Update
This year the farm is participating in the Renewing America’s Food Traditions (RAFT) Project. Seed Savers Exchange and Native Seed Search are providing the endangered American fruit and vegetable seeds free of charge. Some of them are actually ones I have grown in the past, such as ‘Amish Paste’, ‘Brandywine’, and ‘Cherokee Purple’ tomatoes, ‘Jimmy Nardello’ pepper, ‘Deer Tongue’ and ‘Grandpa Admire’ lettuces, the latter being in this week’s box. Many of them are beans and squash and melons that I have never tried. These plants are one of the features of the Practical Farmer’s of Iowa field day this year that Turtle Farm will be having the morning of July 21. Not all of them will be ripe by then, and some of them, such as the lettuces, will be done, but they will be fun to check out and compare to the other crops. Watch for future RAFT crops in the newsletter “in the box” lists. For more information on the RAFT project, see the Slow Food website (www.slowfoodusa.org/raft/2007_growout.html).
The dry weather has allowed for a lot of planting. Last week we put in most of the tomatoes, some cucumbers, summer squash and green beans, and this week we will plant the peppers and eggplant. It’s also already dry enough to irrigate at the top of the hill, yet I almost got my pickup stuck in mud in a field at the bottom of the hill.
Save the dates: Garlic harvest July 14 and PFI Field Day at the Farm July 21
Farm Crew Update #1
Hello to one and all. My name is Ben Saunders, and I just graduated from Iowa State University with a horticulture degree with a fruit and veggie emphasis. I grew up in Iowa City, Iowa so I am Midwestern by heart, but previous to moving to Ames, I was living in the mountains outside of Asheville, North Carolina. I have traveled throughout the U.S., but found out the Midwest is where I like to call home. Eventually I would like to own and/or run an organic farm with a CSA program very similar to how Turtle Farm is run. I really enjoy learning and implementing techniques to create a productive farm while still having it coexisting with the “natural” environment. The farming environment seems to always be an experiment to find production practices that leave the smallest footprint on the Earth. In my free time, which always seems to be shrinking, I enjoy camping, fishing, hiking and seeing live music; no matter what the genre (of course there are always exceptions to the rule). I really look forward to my experiences at Turtle Farm this summer and hope to meet some of you soon.
Recipes
Asparagus and Lemon Risotto with Shaved Reggiano
(by Maria Helm Sinskey from Kitchen Garden Seeds catalog)
2 lb asparagus 1 c. white wine
1 medium yellow onion 1 lemon, juice and grated zest
3 to 3 ½ qt. chicken stock 1 c. grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese
2 T. unsalted butter 2 T. chopped chervil or Italian parsley
Salt Reggiano Parmesan, shave for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper 2 lb (4 2/3 c.) Carnaroli or Arborio rice
Break off the tough ends of the asparagus by holding the spear at the base of the tip and the root end and bending downward. Allow the asparagus to break naturally at the most tender point. Cut the tips off on the diagonal and slice in half. Slice the remaining stem on the diagonal ¼ inch thick. Reserve with tips.
Peel, trim and diced the onion finely. Bring the chicken stock to boil in a pot large enough to accommodate it. Reduce the heat and keep at a simmer.
Over medium heat, melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed stockpot until it bubbles and starts to turn golden. Add the onions and sauté them until they are translucent and tender, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add the rice and sauté until it is hot. Add the white wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until the rice has absorbed the wine. Start to add the simmering chicken stock to the rice one ladleful at a time. Wait until the rice absorbs the stock before adding more; keep adding the stock and stirring constantly for 14 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and zest then add the asparagus and cook 4-6 minutes more, adding stock as necessary, until the rice is tender but not mushy or soupy. The rice should be creamy and silky with the individual grains holding their shape. Fold in the grated cheese and chervil or parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the risotto into bowls and garnish with shaved Reggiano Parmesan. Serves 8 as a main course or 12 as an appetizer.