What do you leave behind, number 9?

ol' white stuff aka gramma in the field, dust bathin', bug eatin' generally looking for the action

  A couple years ago I dropped a friend off at the Tule race, annual event at clear lake-where tule reeds are bound to make a boat and particicipants will race eachother in the water. The local  pomo tribes keep the tradition alive  We got there after the race occured, but in time to sit in and listen to some local history, gossip and stories. The topic of finding arrowheads came up. I have found a couple pieces of worked obsidian in the fields after making beds in the spring, pocketed a couple and placed on the window sill to admire the fine craft and handwork.
The woman said "you know what you do when you find an arrowhead on the ground? ...
you leave it there."
"see, each thing we make carries our signature, and as a people of the earth we want to leave our signature in the earth. what was given is returned. when you remove that piece, its like removing us. That's what these museums and archeologists want to do. But that's our connection and communication to the earth they're taking out."
(this is totally paraphrased, and to the best of my memory)
I was kind of blown away.  This idea settled in my brain and a slew of questions and associated ideas sprang up.
 what about the idea that tools are made to be used?
what about cultural history and leaving a story for future generations? If I didnt know this was pomo land would I recognize the hand worked rock from an unworked rock?
 Does a close relationship with the local community and environment  quench  society's thirst for museums, hollywood, planes and worldly recognition?
What do I want to leave behind?

Leaving the arrowhead in the earth also seemed like a good metaphor  for the path of ones own life. If living  is only half of the life/death cycle do not get attached to it. what comes from the earth goes back to earth. There is no waste in natural systems.
Also the idea of embodied energy came up. the intrinsic energy of an objects materials plus the energy it takes to manufacture, package, ship, use and dispose of.
Is this like the signature the woman spoke of?

I thought of other items found after spring bed making- namely aluminum cans and chain. hmm. I have a good idea of the story behind those items, and not a story I'd like to continue.
In my own "back to the land movement",( if this is a movement?) I ask myself " what is my signature left on the earth? trash or compost? plastic or wood? chains or feathers? whole heartedness or half assedness?
do my daily choices really matter that much?"


your choice to support our small organic farm is an excellent one. you have proven you care where your food comes from (local), how your food is grown (organic), and by joining the CSA you are embarking on an incredible, edible  journey with me (relationship)and all the organisms on the farm organism. Glad you are here.

rosa bianca eggplant, about a week from harvest. it really looks like an egg at this point.

Box  #9.
hey, speaking of museums, see what the carrot museum has to say about carrot tops: Eat Your Carrot Green Top.   This weeks Carrots come from Ancient Lake Gardens.

Dave and I picked them this morning and marveled at these golden orange roots. they smelled good coming out of the ground. kind of floral. and really try the tops. just a little for me and your health. mix a little into a salad or with basil to cover up the flavor if you dont like. There was a woman at the berkeley farmers market who came every week asking for our carrot tops so she could juice them or cook them. I thought she was a little nutty and possibly keeping cancer away, but I tried them after a while and " hey not bad". Its a taste that grows on ya.

Beets: Ancient Lake Garden. Big Beautiful Beets back again for a bionic burgundy blood replenishing. A lake county specialty. earthy minerals to compliment this weeks full moon. Enjoy those tender greens too! 

Lettuce: Love Farm. What CSA box would be complete without a head of lettuce? 2nd installment of lechuga de hoophouse ala Teale Love. Jericho, Canasta, and Mikola looking fresh and shiny. Moist and tender. One for you.


Cabbage: Full Moon Farm. The little cabbage that could. Totally a month later than I planned, and super small for all the field time. Love that cabbage slaw! salted and squeezed,  nice creamy herby sauce all over it, with some lemon for brightness. or throw some oiled into a stir fry with beets and watch the green edges turn red. 


Basil : Leonardis Organics. Not enough for pesto and too much for garnish?! what to do with basil.
slice thin (julienne) and garnish every meal with it. its so good. keep it around for aroma therapy.
add to curry dishes as a generous topping to balance the spicy.  check the link for other tasty suggestions.


Japanese Eggplant: Full Moon Farm. Young and Tender. picked a little smaller than full grown to ensure the squirrels dont get to them first. try this eggplant salad with miso dressing. or this one from everyone's favorite- Madhur Jaffrey. Or use them as you would an italian eggplant,( look for those coming soon).


Summer squash: Full Moon Farm. I know I said I planned a mini break for ya'll this week from the onslaught of summer squash, but I lied, maybe next week.  A meal with summer squash and eggplant is highly recomended this week. two vegetables I have not been the biggest fan of ,together for a killer combo- unbelievable.
Get some coconut milk and the mae ploy yellow curry paste and you will know what has become my new obsession. over rice with a cucumber salad and its booya village(!) all over your plate. Unh


Amenian Cucumber: Full Moon Farm. A close cousin to the striped armenian cucumber that  graced your box last week. Less sweet and full of crunch. great with cheese slices for a snack, isreali  salad or in a yogurt garlic dill tzatziki sauce. and armenian joojukh   get international with your cuke!

rooster? hen? usually the first to get out of the chicken yard.

the little ones mounching on some overgrown zucchini, purslane and amaranth.

first okra

oregon spring tomato almost changing color. almost.

what it do?

what is this?

july 24, 2012

Hi there again.

In this weeks box:

Asian Eggplant: Full Moon Farm. Only one, but more to come in the near future. Thin skinned, none to minimal seeds and no bitterness, so no salting necessary. The squirrels have gotten to the most westerly plants as they are nearest the creek bank which is home for a seemingly increasing population of ground squirrels. Everyday I walk thru the BFF (back field forever) and repair holey drip tape thanks to the quail and squirrels. Around 4pm when shade is cast at the edge of the field I make another visit and bring some clods or rocks to toss in the quails direction  to chase them beyond my human bounds and hopefully keep them from returning before I make another "security check"  a couple hours later. A very frustrating routine as I have yet to keep them at bay and there are new holes and missing fruits everyday, though I do like the myriad of sounds the quail make. the squirrels on the other hand, I have yet to appreciate. We have tried burying the irrigation tape, but I see the quail dig it up. and now we have placed a pan of water for them  to utilize instead of our precious t-tape. We shall see the results.
Please enjoy.

Cabbage: Full Moon Farm. Remember those cabbage leaves that looked like collards from a couple weeks ago? well, some of  those plants finally decided to head up. Thank goodness, I debated mowing them all down as I did the kale to keep the dreaded harlequin bug away, but did not see any so kept them around. Yay! petit  chous! (Little cabbage in french) A personal sized head great for a salad or the smallest batch of kraut one ever made. tonight I sliced extra fine and made a cucumber/cabbage salad with yogurt dressing. pretty good if I say so myself. for the salad slice cabbage very thin, salt and let sit for 10 minutes. squeeze the cabbage until water or juice begins to express itself and let sit while you add cucumber and whatever veggies you like. yogurt dressing: yogurt with a clove or two of garlic-minced. salt,pepper, basil, olive oil and water for consistency, ume vinegar for that special twang and drizzle over veggies. squeeze and mix  it all together and voila!

Cucumber x 2: Leonardis Organics. Both Striped Armenian and either Satsuki Madori or Suyo Long. the lovely and sweet striped armenian (bagged to keep crisp) and the crisp clean flavor of the asian cuke. All awesome in their own way. (Jim is partial to the asian cukes this week himself) try them in a salad (see above), sliced for a snack, juiced, or however you like 'em. Cucumbers are medicine for the season now. Relieving excess heat and irritation, alkalizing the blood, and tasting great, you cant beat them. Next week we may have armenian cukes from Full Moon, just a handful to pick right now. lots of flowers.

Summer Squash: Full Moon Farm Oh no not again. Please warn me before you get burnt out on squash, unless its too late already. I'm planning a mini break next week. Tonight along with the cucumber/cabbage salad I ate a delicious saute of eggplant and summer squash with coconut milk and yellow thai curry paste. Deelish. I find there are many ways to spice up the seemingly summer squash monotony. I tried a zucchinii fritter ( reminded me of latkes) this week, that could have turned out better.  if I had squeezed out more liquid before frying. Though I enjoyed the new flavors and texture of shredded squash.

Chard / Collards: Ancient Lake Gardens. Another triple digit scorcher of a week here in Lake County and the greens are oh so valuable. chard and collards tend to stand up to the heat better than the kales.

Purple Top Turnips: Ancient Lake Gardens. what? turnips at the end of july? even in our desert like climate, the overhead irrigation and lake influence at Ancient Lake keeps these cooler season crops happy.
Farmer Dave and I were waxing poetic about bugs, weeds, ideals and biodynamics today as we harvested, rinsed and bunched these items. Believe me, with all the physical work that farming demands, I am so grateful for the opportunity to get philosophical and look closely at the energies on the farm with another, and further connect with my intention to feed you. May these turnips fill you with wonder and inspiration for close inspection and earthy goodness.

Lettuce: Love Farm. Alright, the first summer harvest of lettuce from Teales hoophouse for our CSA. With additional help from a 30% shade cloth to keep the burn off,  this lettuce is sure to please.

squash partay pt 2

summer squash medley: Leonardis Organics and Full Moon Farm a wonderful mix of ronde de nice, hurakan, green, and yellow zucchini.
ok. if you havent figured out what to do with summer squash, this is the week to play around and find that special recipe to make use of this early summer bounty.
I brought some to my friend's wedding party this weekend and they were a big hit grilled. Just slice 1/4" thick lengthwise pieces, oil, salt and fire. or soak in a spicy/savory marinade  befor grilling. see last weeks post for more  ideas. the zucchini bread ala heidi swanson is highly recomended, and if you still have corn flour, add that to it too!

striped armenian cucumbers: Leonardis Organics. so delicious. with that refreshing cool cucumber crunch and a melon like sweetness. slice and salt lightly  for a quick hydrating snack in the shade. nothing beats it when working all day in the hot sun. farm approved.

basil: Leonardis Organics. I'm glad Jim offered these this week as our second attempt at basil is getting established and will be ready in a few weeks. Due to extreme temperatures and fungal issues, our first batch never made it out of the greenhouse. As the weeks progress I am ever so grateful to the community of organic farmers here, who have supplemented our box with awesome veggies and excellent friendship. It takes a village to feed a village.
what to do with basil? the obvious choice is pesto . I like to substitute walnuts for pinenuts, but whatever floats your boat. Also basil is medicine for the lungs. Its aromatic oils uplift the spirits and clear the air, and with so much smoke blowing over from the colusa fires, couldnt be more timely.

chard : Ancient Lake Garden. Big leaves and heavy stems sure to cook up into a fantastic meal.
steam and squeeze some lemon juice on these for a bright steamed salad, saute with onion and garlic for a classic taste or create a unique dish all your own.

collards, kale or mustard greens: Ancient Lake Garden. The collards are huge! showing a capacity to absorb a lot of sun and make use of a rich soil, these babies are certainly nutrient dense. Use as you would any green. One of my favorites is simply steamed or braised and topped with olive oil, tamari or ume vinegar.
The mustards are both sweet and spicy, delicious raw or gently cooked, some of the best Ive ever tasted.
Got greens and dont know what to do? we like to use them as "crust"  in our quiche recipe. chop and lay in a pie pan, next add sauted veggies ( squash, carrot, turnip, onion, garlic, herbs), cover with whipped egg batter and a generous layer of cheese. bake at 400 for 30 minutes or so and hitch a ride to your local flavor filling station.

purple top turnip: hitting their stride this month and look - less bug damage. Organic farming is more than marketing terminology. It is about land and environmental stewardship. What makes up a farm eco system?
soil, water, air, weather, rocks, plants, bugs, animals, bacteria, fungi and people too, not necessarily in that order.
If we try to remove one of these elements, take bugs for instance, our system goes out of balance. Bugs are helpful, even the ones that we call "pests". Believe me sometimes they live up to that name, but the pests become food too, for other insects, frogs, lizards, snakes, spiders. sometimes we like to leave a pest population undisturbed to attract "beneficials" like those named above. those pests may cause some damage to our food, but with a wider lens we see this as natural and healthy. Pesticides, even "organically approved" may also kill the beneficials or kill the pests before the beneficials arrive leaving our eco system with an imbalance requiring more pesticides or creating mutations or resistance to these means, furthering a system out of balance. "everything in its right place" by radiohead seems like an appropriate song to reference here.
This may be counter to our "conventional produce wisdom" which tells us that bug damage equals food unfit for human consumption. But this conventional practice of sterilization and killing in the name of  "perfect" vegetables leads us away from the source of life and over emphasizes shallow beauty. One of the great things about our CSA program is the intimate connection between farm and eater. You as the eater are privy to the goings on of the farm and with your support, we may continue to grow our farm eco system including delicious food. I would like to provide more education and begin to shed light on some of the deeper/subtle practices here to give you a fuller perspective and dynamic diet.

squash partay

Oh my gosh, squash. box # 6

eggplant flower.

Ronde De Nice Squash: Leonardis Organics. Heirloom round and light green summer squash. Hailing from the south of France, believe it or not a similar climate and latitude to our lovely Lake County.(correction. don't believe it! i made a mistake. some similar climate but not latitiude) perfect for stuffing, grilling even steaming. or try these interesting  grilled squash hummus ,  farmstand stuffed squash ,     and zuchinni bread ala heidi swanson .

Hurakan Squash: Full Moon Farm. Light green, short and squat squash. the seed catalog said these were the popular squash in mexico so it seems only appropriate that I include a mexican inspired dish: Calabasitas.
Squash Noodles are becoming a big hit on the farm, and a nice alternative for those avoiding gluten, try them with your family and friends.
and because this will not be the last installment of squash here is a page with plenty recipe ideas.


Carrots: Love Farm. Another installment of awesome carrots out of Teales hoop house. so sweet, long  and delicious. I have heard and experienced that Lake County does not have good carrot soil, but with great improvement Teale has done an outstanding job preparing the soil for these babies to flourish. Grown in between rows of Tomatoes, he is utilizing every precious sq. foot of soil. Yum.

Greens (either Chard, Kale, Mustard or Collards): Ancient Lake Gardens. With triple digit temps forecast the coming weeks and fires raging across the states, moist greens are a precious and  valuable asset. the greens here are leathery and flea beetle bitten, not prime eating quality, thus absent for the last couple weeks.Thanks ALG for providing us with some of the most delicious greens I have ever experienced.
Enjoy them on a bed of your favorite grain (quinoa, cous cous, rice...) steamed, saute'd, or raw. The stems can be chopped into smaller pieces, and cooked for easy enjoyment. I think of them as the back bone of the leaf, full of rich green "marrow" not to be missed.
There was not enough of one type of green to fill each box so we picked a variety and  a pleasant surprise as to which green ended up in your box. Last weeks bunches were holey-er than desired and sparked an important discussion between farmer Mike and I that will appear here soon. agro-ecological philosophy, the benefits of CSA and other food for thought.

Lettuce: Full Moon Farm. Jericho Romaine and Mikola Red Butter. Our final summer lettuce harvest.
A testament to open pollinated breeding and variety selection, these lettuce have made it through weeks of super hot and dry days without bolting and their hearts are full of flavor They kept their cool long enough to get us through the second week of July, Thanks J-ro and Mikola. I passed some seed on to Teale to see what he could do for us in his  hoop house microclimate, those heads coming soon

Onions: Full Moon Farm. Well, the gophers are still at it and I cant bear to watch another bulb go missing.
Not quite green and not fully dry, these onions have a strong flavor a couple paper thin layers of skin and long semi dry tops. Wonderful and pungent, a delicious addition to any meal.

Sunflower: Full Moon Farm. I hope these heads bring the same joy to you as they have to me. I really enjoy seeing a few new heads open up each day and the bounty of bees and flying insects that call them food and home. The chickens have been spending their daytime hours in the shade of these garden giants, not to mention devouring  lettuce that i wish they left alone. Alas, the give and take continues

oregon spring bush tomato.

teale on the combine, harvesting our team effort wheat. (see more pictures in "wheat harvest" post)

wheat harvest 7/7/12

                                                  It was hot, so we harvested the sunshine.

Happy Full Moon

"You made my week special!"- Katy

"Beans and greens and cornbread. I used a bunch of homemade chicken stock and my chickens eggs. It was pretty great!" -Mary

Photos and Feedback from CSA members! Yeah! Please email recipes or photos that I may share here.


4th of July and USAmerica! (#3 is my favorite song of  the year)
Yeah!

Striped Armenian Cucumbers! Leonardis Organics. This is the first harvest of striped armenian's from Jim's farm this year  and we are pleased to bring them to you. A delicious and beautiful specimen of the cucurbit family. Striped light and dark green, sometimes curly sometimes straight these cukes are a treat and a half. one may not find them in the store but they are a big hit at the farmers market and in the kitchen. No peeling required, these babies are delicious thru and thru. Slice and enjoy. Quick Pickles   or

Mexican Style Cucumbersalad


Lambs Quarters! Wild relative of Spinach and Quinoa. Highly Nutritious with a delightfuly mild flavor. I think it tastes a little "spiced" . Check out what the nice folks at Mariqueta farm say about this one, plus recipes.
or check out these recipes too! (I've made a similar pesto and loved it on my sandwiches or salad filled pita)

Lettuce! Romaine, Red Butter and Green Butter. One more week of lettuce after this and we're going out big. Going to a 4th of July potluck? bring a salad.. The fiber, water, vitamins and mineral content of  lettuce make it a complimentary addition to BBQ spreads on a hot day.


Rainbow Chard! From our friends at Ancient Lake Gardens. Tucked into the South Eastern foot of  Mt. Konocti, ALG enjoys a moderate, lake influenced vantage point to grow excellent fruits, nuts and vegetables year round.  This Chard is no exception. Here is a great article with plenty of recipe ideas  from the NY Times on chard to help.


Purple Top Turnip! Also from Ancient Lake Gardens, Gorgeous roots and greens that even the stinkbugs could not resist. (the stinkers!) Thanks to that cool lake influence these roots have matured with the increasing sunshine and heat of summer and still delicious. Try them  grilled,  baked, roasted, grated, mashed. 

lock your doors! zucchini's coming soon.

more heads= more fun.

Jericho in the field.

Painted Mountain Corn, pre milling.

wheat, ready for harvest.