Chinese Cabbage

One of the most rewarding things about growing your own food is the ability to experiment with other countries' food staples. For a few years now we have been growing Pak Choi, a close relative of Bok Choi, also known as Chinese cabbage. This is an amazing plant to watch grow, it's glossy large leaves seemingly grow as you stand there watching it. They are loaded with water, giving this plant  crisp thick leaves that hold up well to the wok pan.This is an ancient plant with a light sweet flavor that blends well in most stir fry dishes and Asian soups. It's high in both vitamins A and C, so when one of our farm share families whipped up this dish below for her seven year old, it was a proud moment for me, the grower.

Any way you look at it, this dish is simply beautiful. The choi was simply cut into bite sized pieces and added to the shrimp after they were almost cooked through. As you can see, toasted sesame oil was the base of the fry, along with sesame seeds. Served over rice and quinoa, this dish was super healthy. Both the leaves and stems are edible of choi, and I can't wait to expand this crop next year. If you haven't yet received a Pak Choi let me know!

New Leaves

There's nothing more satisfying than newly picked lettuces. This year's mix is a combination of nine different leaf lettuces and kale. Colors range from light green Black Seeded Simpson, deep green Romaine picked as an early leaf, mottled shades of green and red in Rossa di Trento,  the deep deep burgundies of New Red Fire, to the blues of the Dwarf Scotch Curled Kale.  Leaves picked between 3 and 6 inches offer the cleanest purest flavor. Left much longer than that and leaves begin to taste bitter. Picking lettuces often and early also prevents the plants from bolting. Once that happens, pack it up, and begin again because the flavor is lost once the plant sets seed. Throughout Spring and Summer and right into to Autumn, I could eat a fresh salad bowl every day and never tire of the experience. Store bought greens are just not the same. You'll find that your salads when picked fresh need very little dressing- less is more in these salads as you don't want to obscure their flavors. I am always looking for new lettuces so let me know your favorites on the Facebook pages.

The Herb Garden

Oregano spreading in the new herb garden

Herbs truly make the kitchen go from average to excellent. I have grown herbs for years and much prefer them fresh for cooking than the dried varieties found on my spice rack. The herb situation here at the farm was less than organized. They were here, there, and everywhere. Some in pots, some in plots, some in the garden- it was a scavenger hunt every time I needed something. My Mother in Law has an amazingly beautiful herb garden. It is all in one place and just a place I love to walk around and take it all in. So I dreamed of having something similar here that we could all share. The idea was to have it near the driveway so that last minute as everyone leaves with their fresh produce and meals on their minds, they could stop and cut fresh herbs to take home. It also meant everything would be in one place. As luck would have it, providence moved when I lost my favorite ornamental pear tree in a violent storm last year. What was once a very shaded garden was suddenly open to the sky. It had many flowering bulbs which naturally divided it into sections but there was still a lot of open space once the weeds were cleared. Most of the weeds were violets, which we have in abundance, so I had no issue removing them here. After many many weeks of clearing violets, the herb garden is about ninety percent complete. Most has been started with thickly planted seed, but some has been transplanted from around the farm.

Here is what we have planted so far:

Basil

Borage

Chamomile

Chives

Cilantro/ Coriander

Cumin

Dill

Lemon Balm
Mints

Oregano

Parsley

Rosemary

Sage

Tarragon

Thyme

I have yet to find time to consult my herb books and see what I'm missing- so if you have any further suggestions for what you would like to see planted tell me soon! I have about forty lavender plants started from parent plants that will also be transferred into this plot. Herbs are one of those things you can never have too much or too many of so I plan on packing this plot full to capacity. 

Heirlooms Abound

As Mother's Day approaches I am taking a deep breath. The work ahead is mind boggling, but things are beginning to take shape around here. Most seedlings started early are now discernible young plants just finishing off their last days in small containers and getting ready to be planted. The soil this year looks incredible- really, the best it's ever been. We're seeing a lot less clay and a lot more organic matter. It's been six years in the making.
Pictured here are the heirloom tomatoes. Six different varieties ranging in leaf shades of Chartreuse Green to Kelly Green to Deep Purple.When they are watered we can smell that wonderful tomato scent that is so particular to nightshades. The six varieties we are growing this year include Amish Paste, Cherry, Italian Heirloom, Roma, Rose, and Yugoslav.

Speaking of Italian Heirlooms, if you haven't yet read this, I highly recommend that you put it on your summer list of must reads. If you love food, travel, and quirky personalities you'll love to sit back and disappear inside this "Fable of Love, Lust, and Forbidden Fruit".

Planning for the Future

 

One of the more challenging aspects of planning a community farm share program is going from a farm that supports one family to a farm that supports ten in just a few seasons. We have spent the last few years learning what crops are especially suited to our soil here at Twin Creeks. Fortunately, one of the crops that seem to flourish here is asparagus. Besides being such a special crop because there is only a very short season for the delicate green spears, it is a wonderful addition to our farm share because it's a very reliable perennial. Once the beds are established and sprouting they'll do so for up to fifty years. A well supplied asparagus bed should have about 6 to 12 crowning plants per person. With that in mind we are greatly expanding our beds. Each adult plant sends forth tiny seedlings, some easily separated from the host plant- and others not so much. I have been forking loose these offshoots and placing them in paper containers where they'll grow to about six inches in height.
Once it is determined that the plant has successfully rooted, they'll go back into the garden in their permanent home. Then, like so much else with gardening, it's a game of patience. Over the summer the little plant will grow bright green fronds, berrying in the late summer to early fall, die back- and begin the process all over again next spring. Sometime a few years from now the crowns will be well formed and all these plants will provide the spears we just cannot get enough of beginning in early May. If those future years bring the right conditions, the asparagus are ready for cutting at the same time that the morel mushroom pop up literally over night. If you have not experienced a hand tossed pizza topped with asparagus and morels, you are going to be in for a real treat.