Week 7: Summer Solstice

Shannon shows off the good greens to come...a herb salad blend.

Hey howdy, everybody! Supposedly it will be warm this week, today sure feels good. Yes, I type these letters a Monday afternoon, whilst children still at friend's or grandma-grandpa's house. I just can't seem to think, much less type, when they're here. So loud and crazy they are! And sleep early? Oh, no no no, “it's not night time...” “yes it is, it's summertime, the sunshine stays bright late, so it's nighttime even though it's light out. Go to sleep, now.” “But it's mornin'time, not night time.” “it's nighttime, sleepytime, close your eyes then it will be dark!” Happy Summer Solstice!!!

Yaay, we got a comment on our blogspot! A compliment, even, yaay! It said, “those sunflower shoots were awesome!” I agree, they were tasty, and i'm-a-gonna plant some more! The kids like them, too. 

Full share with Cheese and extra fruit options.  Photo by Shannon Gilbert

This week's standard share with extra fruit option.  Photo by Shannon Gilbert

This week's box: the salad is back! We'll have the herb blend next week or the next, lookin' forward to it! A bundle of scapes with either dill or cilantro and a pretty pea shoot (a decorative, edible, savory bundle; perfect for a pretty glass of water on your counter). And an alien from outer space! Just kidding, it's kohlrabi from Yonder Farm! I looked at recipes, but they're all for cooking and you only each get one, and they're yummiest raw, anyways. So, chop tops (can cook and eat them) and bottom, then peel and cut slabs or wedges and eat like a sliced apple-- I can't wait to get mine to eat! Maybe i'll start growing them again next year. I think i'll grow more stuff next year, i'm starting to miss all the cool plants. . . The Chinese/Napa Cabbage is from up Yonder, too. Fruit shares: the strawberries are from 8^th Street, not washed. You have credit for next week, as it's a late fruit year and cherries are ~10 days slow.

For those with a fruit share: the reddest, juiciest strawberries from 8th Street Greens.

Cooking tips for Chinese Cabbage: chop raw into green salads; sub. into traditional coleslaw; make kim chi; chop with grated carrot/green onion/toasted sesame oil/rice vinegar and soy sauce; cooks quickly: Steam for 3-5 minutes or until leaves are wilted down but remain slightly crisp; sub. For common cabbage but reduce cook time by 2 minutes; stir-fry alone with onion, toasted sesame oil and soy sauce or add at end of stir-fry; use leaves for roll-ups; excellent in soups, fried rice, mashed with potatoes, chopped with scrambled eggs. Storage tips: do not remove all of the outer tough leaves before storage. They will help retain moisture, keeping the inside crisp and fresh. Keep in hydrator drawer of fridge for up to 2 weeks. --from Asparagus to Zucchini

Can you believe that just 7 weeks ago, as shown on our first blog post, these big Chinese Cabbages were transplanted to the field?

Cilantro does not keep flavor when dried, however it's delicious in stir-fries and soups but add at end of cooking to preserve flavor. Toss into salad, pasta or potato salad (or use dill), make a vinaigrette with lime, use in Thai-Indian-Mexican or Chinese dishes, or in those roll-ups you're doing with the Napa Cabbage. :)

Fletcher harvests the tasty and decorative buds from a cilantro plant that Shannon let grow tall and flower for this week's herb bundle.

Keep fresh herbs like dill or cilantro in a damp towel or stand upright in a container with an inch of h2o, and refrigerate. Do not wash prior to chilling. Freeze fresh leaves in a zip-lock bag or little yogurt type container. Do not thaw before use. Dill DOES dry nicely. You'll get both these herbs again as the summer rolls along. . . ~~later, Shannon