Turtle Times
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Vol. 12 No. 5, June 5, ‘07 7260 NW 58th St., Johnston 50131 278-4522 (577-9208)
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Rain: 5/29, 0.1”; 5/30, 0.8”; 6/01, 0.4”; 6/03, sprinkles
In the Box . . .
Pac Choi ‘Mei Qing’
Lettuces ‘Outredgous’, ‘Tennis ball’ (RAFT variety)
Edible flowers – pansies
Turnips ‘Hakurei’
Strawberries ‘Northeaster’, ‘Mesabi’, ‘Jewel’
Asparagus (for the last half dozen who haven’t yet gotten 5 lbs)
Herb share availability: French tarragon (order day ahead), mint (regular and chocolate), lovage, marjoram, thyme, sage
Farm Update
At some point, the rain takes a toll, but I’m reluctant to wish for it to stop, because then it does, and then it goes to the other extreme. The immediate concern is that there are some strawberries in standing water, and others in very moist conditions—not what you wish for during strawberry season. The longer term concerns that won’t show up for a while is delayed planting of some crops and inability to weed others. But that’s why we grow more than thirty crops—so that you won’t notice so much when nature throws us curve balls. We lost over 100 plants (peppers, tomatoes and eggplant) in the recent storms--rain, winds, and erosion. We were able to replant most of them with extras we had, and when you consider there were around 1200 peppers, 700 tomatoes, and 300 eggplant, it doesn’t seem so bad.
You all are doing pretty well remembering to pick up your boxes, but there is still room for improvement. As you use your various mnemonic devices—be they technological, sticky notes, or just gray matter--to remind yourselves of the day and time, please do your best to pick up your boxes in a timely manner from your host’s porch to respect their time and space.
Salmon Run Again
I am happy to announce that Danielle Wirth is willing to facilitate the procurement of salmon from her friend Kevin in Alaska again. This is no small task and a great gift Danielle gives us. For those new to the CSA, this is a direct shipment of wonderful frozen Alaskan salmon, generally at a very good price. We don’t always know the size of filets or exactly when they will arrive until a few days ahead of time, but we have many happy customers. If you want to participate this year, you need to plan to buy it by the 50 pound box (go together with friends if it’s too much for you alone) and e-mail Danielle that you want to participate and how many boxes you want. Once Danielle determines the price per pound, she will let us know. Then you can mail her one check for the full amount, which she may need to deposit before the fish comes. You must be willing to be flexible enough to pick up your frozen fish within hours of its arrival, of which we do not get much advance notice. It arrives usually in late summer. Such is the magic of this fishy adventure. Danielle’s email is ehorizon@netins.net. Procrastinators risk being left in the dust.
Recipes
Young Turnip and Apricot Salad with Toasted Walnuts
From Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables
˝ c. walnut pieces 2 shallots, quartered
4-5 young turnips, cut matchsticks size 1-2 jalapenos, quartered
˝ c. finely sliced dried apricots 1 clove garlic, quartered
1 small bunch parsley, chopped 2 tsp. dry mustard
1 bunch young turnip greens, coarsely chopped 1 T. grated horseradish
˝ c. mild-flavored vegetable oil 1 tsp. soy sauce or tamari
˝ c. extra virgin olive oil salt
1/3 c. plain yogurt freshly ground balck pepper
1/3 c. vinegar salad greens of your choice
Toast the walnuts in a dry, heavy skillet over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to a dish to cool.
Combine the turnips, apricots, and walnuts in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Put the parsley, chopped greens, vegetable oil, olive oil, vinegar, and yogurt into a blender; process briefly, until the ingredients are just combined. Add the shallots, chile pepper, garlic, dry mustard, horseradish, and soy sauce or tamari; process until thick and creamy. If necessary, thin the dressing with a little extra yogurt or a tablespoon of cold water.
Pour the dressing over the turnip-apricot-walnut mixture; toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Line individual plates with a generous amount of salad greens; spoon the turnip mixture on top. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.