FARM July 2 - July 4 Gorman Farm CSA 10151 Gorman Rd. Laurel, Md.20723 www.gormanproducefarm.com “To forget how to dig the earth and tend the soil is to forget ourselves” -Gandhi FARMERS NOTES Alliums Alliums Alliums… They are many Alliums in your share this week. Alliums are crops in the onion family. Sometimes neglected on farms as other species like tomatoes, peppers, melons, cucumbers & squash require so much space and attention. I focus hard on alliums every year but for one triage reason or another they end up taking the back burner. They don't get the fertility necessary, they get low priority in the best beds, bugs take them out and are usually almost microscopic rending you too late for action once damage has occurred. This year things are different. I am so proud of the leeks, they are phenomenal in size, quality and quantity. I expect leeks next week again and have two more plantings in the ground for late summer and fall, hopefully to accompany potatoes. The garlic is amazing! It is fresh garlic and not dried or cured like your onions. You don't have to use it tomorrow but like this weeks large Alisa Craig Yellow Sweet onion, not to be put in the basket in the back of the pantry for extended use over time. We grow a hard neck garlic only on this farm. It is mild and the cloves are big, making them easy to use and you can use a lot of it before overpowering flavor. We have a lot more garlic to come and will be digging it over the next few weeks, offering it fresh in your shares, then once cured hopefully able to give it out for many weeks to come. The large Onions you are all receiving are also bountiful and grown to perfection, I'm proud. Cucumbers are abundant this year. We have a second planting that is coming on now and looking better than the first planting which you have been receiving fruits from. I'm fairly confident that we will see many more. If you like canning or making pickles notice we offer both the pickles and the slicers in your share you can mix or match. The pickles are the short stubby ones. I actual prefer these as eating or slicing cucumbers they don't need to be soaked in brine and turned into pickles, eat em up. Summer squash is just not performing the way it usually does, I'm baffled by it this year. The plants are healthy no indicators but maybe variety as they just aren't throwing the amount of fruits we should yield in the linear row feet planted. This is where taking good field notes is key, so next year I will try different varieties. My notes indicate the same varieties as previous years. A lot happens from crop charts, to seed orders, to green house plans to transplanting, to crop maintenance all the way to harvest. Something could be out of sync. It won't be until January that I'll have the patience to be a zucchini squash detective. I may let the crime just go unsolved. I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July and stay cool in this heat wave. Harvesting, holding and distributing produce is painful as the heat sucks the life right out of them. Get this stuff in the fridge or your climate controlled house asap. [1] The winner of our Zyliss Giveaway is Tyler Coyle! In this weeks recipe section you will find out what other CSA’ers are cooking up in there kitchen. Thanks to all who contributed a recipe, I know I’m inspired! Harvest carrots Garlic Leeks Red leaf lettuce Cabbage Onions Beets zucchini & yellow squash Cucumbers Kale Chard Baby Hakurei Salad Turnips Last year when I first joined CSA I was slightly overwhelmed by all of the new asian greens I was getting. I decided that the best way to use them would be to make kimchi! I am an indiscriminate kimchi maker. Bok Choi, Napa Cabbage, Pak Choi I'll turn them all into kimchi. I like to use David Chang’s recipe. http:// www.gourmettraveller.co m.au/recipes/recipesearch/chefs-recipes/ 2010/5/momofuku%27snapa-cabbage-kimchi/ I just double the recipe and make sure that whatever vegetable I am curing has ample time to release its juice and soften before applying the spicy sauce. Doubling the recipe is enough to make two heads of Cabbage or 1 cabbage and two bok choi worth of kimchi. I buy the Korean pepper flakes from H-Mart in Catonsville and omit the shrimp (without shrimp the kimchi can sit for much longer in your fridge) - Janet RAW VEGETABLE “PASTA” WITH Creamy Cucumber Salad 4 cups sliced cucumbers TOMATOES AND HERBS 2 zucchini squash, shaved thinly lengthwise with a vegetable peeler 2 yellow summer squash, shaved thinly lengthwise with a vegetable peeler Sea salt and pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved 5 oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced 1/2 shallot, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil 1 teaspoon finely chopped oregano 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 1/2 cup whole buttermilk 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper In a medium bowl layer cucumbers, onion, and dill. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over cucumber mixture stirring to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes up to 4 hours. -Karen In a large bowl, gently toss together all ingredients. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately. -Brandi 2 Eggs, Scrambled with a spoonful of water on very high heat Vegetables: I like Pac Choi, Snow Peas, Julienned Carrots, Spring Onion and Red Bell Pepper. You'll want to sauté the veggies until they are al dente. The carrots will cook the longest. Kimchi 1/4 cup or more to taste. Toss all of the above ingredients together in your wok, and serve hot. If you have sprouts, add them once the rice is plated. Be adventurous and add tofu or meats if you'd like. Generally, I find the kimchi to provide all of the salt and seasoning I need, but if you have a saltier palate, add some low sodium kimchi fried rice Kimchi fried rice,is a favorite in my house hold and last year I even made Kimchi and Stilton Croissants (see the recipe link below) soy sauce. Kimchi Fried Rice (2 Servings) 1/2 Cup Jasmine Rice (WASHED until the water runs clear, seriously this is very important otherwise it will be sticky; and cooked ) Kimchi and Stilton Croissant Recipe http:// spikesandstardust.com/2014/01/08/kimchi-and-blue-cheesecroissants/ [2] TERATOR Cold Bulgarian Soup - Jackie Ingredients 1 large container of plain yogurt 2-3 cucumbers diced 2-3 cloves of garlic 3TBSP dill (could be reduced to 2 if fresh) 2 TBSP EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) Salt to taste 1/2 cup chopped walnuts METHOD In a large bowl, combine yogurt with enough water to make a soupy consistency of your liking. Add cucumbers, garlic, salt, EVOO, and walnuts. You can serve it immediately however letting it sit for an hour or so refrigerated allows the flavors to come out. GREENS AND BACON EGG ROLLS Ingredients - Adri 1 bunch mizuna 1 head tatsoi 10 Pieces of bacon 10 egg roll wrappers Cream cheese Oil for frying Pennsylvania Dutch Pickled Eggs Simple recipe suggestion that takes my taste buds home to my Pennsylvania Dutch roots - Pickled red beets and eggs (or as we from PA shorten - "pickled red beet eggs"). This is sooo easy and nice for when we start receiving lots of beets in our CSA shares. They also make a great a great late night snack of sliced on a salad. - Brie Below is our favorite salad dressing - We love its simplicity and bright flavor - Tyler Ingredients 1/2 cup EVOO 1/4 cup champagne vinegar Juice from half a lemon (optional; some may find this too acidic) 1TBSP dijon mustard 1 TSBSP chopped thyme (basil works great too) 1/2 TBSP honey Salt and pepper to taste METHOD Fry up bacon in a tablespoon of oil, and drain on a plate lined with paper towel. While bacon in cooking, rough chop mizuna and tatsoi and steam for 3-4 minutes. Squeeze excess water from greens and set aside. Prepare egg roll wrappers by spreading a thin layer of cream cheese over the bottom 2/3 of each wrapper, leaving one long edge bare. http://allrecipes.com/ recipe/pennsylvania-dutchpickled-beets-and-eggs/ SUMMER SALAD DRESSING Crumble bacon and place on bottom third of prepared egg roll wrappers, top with greens mixture and roll up, tucking in sides. Wet the long edge to seal. Place egg rolls back into pan used for bacon, and heat for 1-2 minutes over medium heat,. Flip and head another minute or two so that the outside is light brown and crispy. Server warm with soy sauce or sweet chili paste. This recipe is great with any greens -Male I've also done it suada with dandelion greens and spinach.Quis Dolor Set Ipsum [3] METHOD mix well and dress salad; serve immediately DILL SALAD DRESSING Goes great on a salad with romaine, avocado, corn, and smoked salmon - Gita Ingredients 2 1/2 cup Yogurt (I usually use plain kefir as I like mine slightly on the runny side) 1 to 1 1/2 TBSP onion powder 1 TBSP minced garlic or garlic powder (you can use blended garlic scapes if you don’t mind the texture) 3 TBSP Dill chopped finely Salt and pepper to taste This grilled cabbage recipe works well with other greens too, napa cabbage, bok choi even kale. " " " -Julie DANDELION PUMPKIN SEED PESTO Makes about 1 cup! ! -Meredith 3/4 cup unsalted hulled (green) pumpkin seeds 3 garlic gloves, minced 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan 1 bunch dandelion greens (about 2 cups, loosely packed) 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Black pepper, to tasted Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour the pumpkin seeds onto a shallow-rimmed baking sheet and roast until just fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Pulse the garlic and pumpkin seeds together in the bowl of a food processor until very finely chopped. Add parmesan cheese, dandelion greens, and lemon juice and process Allison’s Tip: This is a great tip on how to get rid of those pesky fruit flies in continuously until combined. Stop your kitchen. They appear every summer when I have a plethora of juicy, ripe the processor every now and again tomatoes and peaches sitting out on my counter. to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The pesto will be very Get a shallow dish and fill it with about an inch of Apple cider vinegar. Stir in thick and difficult to process a drop or two of dish soap. Tightly wrap plastic wrap on top of the dish and after awhile — that's ok. secure with a rubber band. Poke small holes in wrap with a pen or push pin. The flies will be attracted to the vinegar but will get stuck by the soap. [4] With the blade running, slowly pour in the olive oil and process until the pesto is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.