Farm Share Begins! We’ve gone from winter to summer and then back to spring this May, and I am ready for a month of steady warm growing weather, please! I did my first even facebook live on Saturday, which you can check out here (there are 2 videos to see the whole tour)
As you can see by the tour, we have just recently planted most items. We lost the first 2 greenhouses of cucumbers due to the extreme cold (even in a greenhouse, cucumbers do not tolerate heavy frosts). Thankfully, the third one survived and is already flowering. Once they get going, they will be producing new cucumbers every day! There is thankfully always good ‘ol asparagus. The first spears came up a little early and were quickly frozen, but when the weather heated up again they got back to work and now there is plenty! Don’t fear the thicker stalks of our asparagus- they are actually quite tender. I don’t want to waste any of the goodness by breaking off the ends, I just trim the ends, and if it is easy to cut, it is tender. If it feels a little woody, cut off a little more. I think my favourite way to enjoy asparagus is simply tossed in olive oil, salted and roasted at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until tender. The roasted spears make an amazing appetizer on a cracker with creamy goat cheese and fresh herbs (like your chives).
I’m going to let the pictures do most of the talking here:
Simply 6 Shares
Bunch of asparagus, bunch of radish, bunch of spinach, bunch of rhubarb, bunch of turnip greens (light green leafy green), potted grape tomato plant (perfect for growing in a container)
Half Shares:
2 bunches asparagus, bunch of radish, bunch of spinach, bunch of rhubarb, bunch of turnip greens, 1lb baby bokchoy, bunch of parsley, potted grape tomato plant, 1.5lbs red potatoes (Ontario Organic)
Whole Shares:
2 bunches asparagus, bunch of radish, 2 bunches of spinach, bunch of rhubarb, bunch of turnip greens, 1lb baby bokchoy, bunch of parsley, potted grape tomato plant, bunch dandelion greens, bunch onion chives, 1lb bok choy, 1.5lbs red potatoes (Ontario Organic), 1 cucumber (Ontario organic greenhouse)
Fruit Shares:
1 cantaloupe, 8 oranges, 3 mangos, 6 peaches, 1/2 pint blueberries
All are certified organic of course! We had to buy in potatoes and cucumbers with the limited options with this cold spring. I can’t remember a time when we had to do that before but these are extraordinary times. Rest assured they are still Ontario and organic.
*The leafy greens and herbs are best kept washed and then dried in Ziploc bags (or put a paper towel in with it if it’s still too wet)
*Radishes should be separated from their greens (also very tasty with a mildly spicy flavour) and kept washed and in a container in the fridge. Asparagus also should be kept in a Ziploc or container. Veggies get wilty as they dry out or get too warm. If you can trap the moisture in with them and keep them in the crisper drawer, they will last you much longer.
*Since it’s planting season, and your potatoes have not been sprayed with anything to prevent sprouting, they are best kept in the fridge
*You do not need a yard or garden to grow your grape tomato plant. They can be transplanted to a larger container with potting soil and grown indoors in a sunny spot. Don’t forget to keep the soil moist, but not sopping wet. Happy growing! If you and plants don’t have a good track record, it could also make a great gift to cheer up a neighbour.
Recipe Ideas:
Turnip Greens Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
After a looong first day harvesting and packing your Farm Shares, my cooking ambitions were limited. We love having a nice light salad with burgers but alas the lettuce has just recently been planted and I am not even tempted to harvest it yet (way too tiny!). Turnip greens, despite their spicy sounding name, are actually quite a nice, mild and crunchy leafy green that make a lovely salad. I just called it “salad” and the kids ate it readily with their favourite salad dressing (raspberry vinaigrette- store bought sugar junk)…but hey, they are eating turnip greens here so I’ll call that a win. I went for a more sophisticated and much healthier Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing. I sliced up some radishes and cut up a mango for some extra texture, colour and flavour.
Need a new idea for spinach? My whole family loves Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast . You can modify the type of cheese to your dietary needs and taste preference, or add mushroom or fresh herbs. Enjoy!
