2022 Extended Season Week 6
I know you're all wondering if I was out sick for leek planting. But I knew I would have to answer to this newsletter, and that was what kept me going on Thursday and Friday! (Otherwise I might have faked sick after all...)
Laina and Eric planted shallots in the morning, and then Randy and I jumped in with Laina in the afternoon. Leek planting continued into Friday, and we still need to wrap it up this week.
Here's a snap of one of the 512-cell trays that we grow the leeks in. Can you see why this task becomes so time-consuming? At least the ground was wet, which made it easier to make them stick.
And speaking of tedious tasks and perseverance, these wonderful crew members worked on Memorial Day to ensure that the shares were packed and store would be stocked for Tuesday. They sure know how to hustle, and honestly, we had so much fun and were finished by lunchtime!
This week we welcome 2 new crew members, and we'll introduce you to everyone soon!
Last Tuesday, we were invited to the most special event at Jones Family Farms, and it left us on cloud nine for days. Rather than give you a recap and try to put into words how special this was, I'll copy the photo caption we shared on social media.
Sometimes the best accomplishments are the dreams you didn’t know you had. If you had asked Randy what he wanted to be when he grew up, he would’ve said farmer. As for me, I’ve changed my mind so many times. But when the farmers you’ve looked up to your whole lives ask to source your produce at their special event, you kind of feel like you’ve made it. Last night was a “pinch us” moment as we celebrated agriculture with a special dinner at Jones Family Farms. Rosa DeLauro said it best when she called the Jones family “iconic” - this family has certainly shaped us both along our farming journeys. Some kids dream of being a professional athlete or movie star when they grow up. Now that we can say our produce was eaten by the president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Zippy Duvall, that’s enough for us. Thank you to the Jones family for having us and making us feel so special!
One of our major projects this past week was also weeding the beets. I texted Randy this photo of some bugs I came across. He wrote me back and said, "Those are ladybugs." I wrote him back and said, "No, no, what about the black and orange one on the bottom?!" Unbeknownst to me, that is a ladybug in the larva stage! Who would have known?
I'm always kind of amazed by how much Randy knows. For two people who share their whole lives together, he's a man of few words, and I can't even begin to comprehend how much he knows about agriculture. This operation would be lost without his direction.
FYI, ladybugs are beneficial insects that will prey on pests, so we love to have them around!
Other tasks this week included replacing lettuce, escarole, and romaine that didn't live through being transplanted last week; seeding the next succession of squash, zucchini, and cucumbers (here is a picture of Randy drawing us a map of where to seed which varieties); weeding and harvesting the first of the peas (fingers crossed for an abundance soon!); and Randy stuck to his plan for plowing for pumpkins.
This is the final week of the Extended Season portion! Our Main Season friends join in next week. We have lots of new members, so it would be so awesome to see our veteran members sharing photos of their dishes in the Facebook group!
Don't forget - we're having a little contest in honor of our first time harvesting cress. Share a photo of what you made with it by Saturday, June 11th. You can either email us, share it in the Facebook group, or tag us @laurelglenfarmllc. We'll choose a submission at random to win a prize! We love to show off on our social media all the ways you make our veggies look good.
In Your Share (Listed approximately from shortest shelf life to longest)
Large:
1 bunch of spinach
1 bunch of Asian greens mix
1 head of lettuce
1 bunch of Swiss chard
1 bunch of hakurei salad turnips
1 bunch of kale
1 bunch of collard greens
Small:
1 bunch of spinach
1 bunch of Asian greens mix
1 head of lettuce
1 bunch of Swiss chard
1 bunch of kale
Caring For Your Share (All of this information, plus long-term storage info, can also be found in our Vegetable Library of Resources
Store spinach, Asian greens mix, lettuce, Swiss chard, kale, and collard greens in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the fridge. Wash when ready to use.
Remove the greens from the turnips and store them in separate plastic bags in the fridge. The roots will last longer than the greens, but you can eat them both.
The LGF Cooking Club
30 Minutes or Less:
Hot Spinach Dip (If anyone makes this, I would like an invite!)
Large Share Additional Ingredients: