Mayhem in the Field

It's a relief, being able to sit here and type a blog post after the power outage we experienced on Thursday. I was worried it would last days, like the ones in the residential neighborhoods where some of our friends live. Fortunately, the first real storm of July 2012 only knocked out the farm's power for about seven hours. That meant we could keep our plants alive through the heat that's continuing over the next several days.

In the meantime, we spent three of those hours hurriedly looking over the storm damage and preparing to be without water - the most important thing our electricity provides us - for a couple of days. We gathered generators, water jugs; evaluated water and air storage tanks, and started to determine where to go to fill them up. One generator was dedicated to the refrigerators so our CSA members' produce would stay fresh for pickup Thursday afternoon.

Of course we also discovered some damage in the fields as we slogged ankle-deep in mud in some of the freshly tilled areas. The market garden and sweet corn field sustained the worst of the wind damage. The 15x150ft shade tent that we built over the pepper plants on Tuesday didn't make it through the storm. Of course a lot of the fabric landed on plants, but most of the plants had been laid down by the wind already. Thank goodness the shade cloth isn't terribly heavy - as we moved it off the plants, we realized that not many of them appear to be severely damaged.

It's been very interesting to watch the vegetable plants return from their wind damage. I wish I'd gotten some photos of the "before" to show how they were leaning over. But now the green beans, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, as well as the tallest sweet corn are all standing back up again, with just a few exceptions. Only time will tell how this affects all these beautiful plants that we've worked so hard to nurture. The one category that doesn't seem to have been much affected is the cucurbits: the cucumbers, watermelons, cantaloupes and squashes all seemed to be standing tall or if they're vines, lying in a healthy-looking pose on their rows.

So we've pushed on, watering where it's needed (because the storm didn't end our drought by any means) and trellising and pruning those plants that are long and leggy like tomatoes and cucumbers. Now all that's left to clean up from the storm are a few sections of plastic mulch in the zucchini field that were torn, and finish re-erecting that pepper tent...just as soon as enough of us are in one place at the same time. And we're grateful that our storm damage was truly minimal, compared to what others have experienced!

Zucchini (Thanks to the Dinner Diva, Leanne Ely)

While Leanne's article is about zucchini, I bet any of the summer squashes would be great with both this trick and the recipe!

From Tips, Tricks and a Recipe
Today's focus is on Zucchini
I am lucky enough to have some planted in my garden and it's going crazy. I've had about 4 zucchini so far and YUM, delish! Here are some things you need to know about zucchini:

Massively low in calories--one large zucchini is only 16 calories!

Plenty of phyto nutrients including beta-carotene, B vitamins, a little vitamin C and plenty o' potassium!

Here's Today's TRICK:
To change things up, I grate my zucchini, sautéing it in garlic and olive oil, topping it with a little freshly grated Romano cheese and fresh ground pepper. Nice side dish and almost rice-like or pasta-like in texture.

Here's a TIP:
Small to medium sized zucchinis are most tasty. Look for a smooth, unblemished skin and nice dark green color. Tasty zucchs skin should feel soft, but the zucchini itself should be hard and not squishy (that means its past its prime, yuck!)

And your RECIPE:
(from Saving Dinner the Vegetarian Way)

Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Serves 6

2 1/4 cups orzo
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
15 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, seeded and cubed
1 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded, deribbed and chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Prepare orzo according to package directions; Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again very thoroughly. Place in a large bowl.

Stir in the zucchini, olives, green onions, celery, tomato, and green bell pepper.

In a small bowl, beat together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, dill, salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss to coat well. Sprinkle on the feta cheese and toss again. Add the mayonnaise and toss gently. Chill at least for 2 hours and bring to room temperature before serving.

Per Serving: 575 Calories; 34g Fat; 14g Protein; 57g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 28mg Cholesterol; 528mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 5 1/2 Fat.

SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve with a simple caprese salad: sliced ripe tomatoes, layered with fresh basil leaves, sliced mozzarella and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Fresh ground pepper over the top finishes it beautifully.
Copyright (C) 2010 www.savingdinner.com Leanne Ely, CNC All rights reserved.

Dinner Diva: Pickles

Here's an excerpt from one of my favorite nutrition/cooking newsletters. I thought it timely, as we have a great supply of squashes and cucumbers coming up at the farmstand. Great for pickling, as well as fresh eating. Enjoy!

Dinner Diva
Pickles
By Leanne Ely, C.N.C.

Dear Friends,

Way back in the days before refrigeration, the number one way to preserve food was with the pickling process. All pickling is, is putting your food (usually veggies, but sometimes eggs or meat) in salt or vinegar, or both for a long time. These tandem ingredients stop the growth of bad bacteria that make food spoil.

If you've been lucky enough to end up with a bounty of cucumbers from either your own garden, a friend's or picked them up at the farmer's market, making your own pickles is a tasty way to get your cucs dealt with before you burn out on too many cucumber salads. Making pickles is fun and easy. To get started, you'll need some simple canning supplies, some recipes, and of course, cucumbers!

Here's a list of supplies (a few of which you probably already have) to make pickle making a breeze: candy thermometer, a stone crock, a weight, jars, lids, bands, canning salt, white or cider vinegar, boiling water canner. You should be able to buy most of these items at your local super center, and sometimes you can even find these items used at thrift stores. Ask your grandma or some neighbors for some of this stuff; you might be surprised at who has canning jars in their attic!

I like the Ball Blue Book of Canning; pick up a current copy to make sure you're canning safely and away you go.

Here are some great recipes for pickles, enjoy!

Grandma's Famous Bread and Butter Pickles

6 pounds cucumbers, washed, sliced
2 pounds onions, peeled, sliced
1/2 cup canning salt (make sure it's called "canning salt", table salt won't do)
4 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons mustard seed
2 tablespoons celery seed
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 quart apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1 teaspoon ginger

In a large bowl or container place sliced onion and cucumbers, sprinkle with canning salt, cover with ice. Refrigerate for three hours. In a large pot, bring to boil, the sugar, mustard seed, celery, turmeric vinegar, peppercorns, and ginger. Sugar should be dissolved and boiling, then drain the pickles and onions well, add to boiling mixture. Immediately fill pint and quart jars with cucumbers, onion and juice mixture. Leave 1/2 inch head space for expansion. (follow instructions with your canner) Process for 30 minutes keeping the temperature at 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grandma's Famous Dill Pickles

10 small pickling cucumbers, thin slice cut from each end
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
2 tablespoons canning salt
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
4 teaspoons dill seeds
4 small cloves garlic, peeled, smashed

Process jars in canner according to canner instructions. In a sauce pan combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar; bring to a boil. Place 1 teaspoon dill seeds and 1 clove of garlic into each jar, then pack in cucumbers. Pour boiling mixture over cucumbers leaving 1/2 inch head space for expansion. Process 30 minutes keeping the temperature at 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tips: Always put on labels and dates so that you know when you made them. Avoid allowing to freeze but do store in a cool, dry, dark place.

Remember to follow your canner instructions, as well as recipes to the T -- jars should be in the rack and covered by 1 or 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a full rolling boil, boil for as long as your directions state at the exact temperatures stated. Timing starts after water is boiling.

Always check your seals, they should be lowered in the middle and not move when you press lightly. Once completely cooled remove bands and wash and dry them thoroughly. Some people leave them on, but make extra sure you always check the seal before opening. One reason to leave bands off is so that if something went wrong the lid will pop off and not be artificially held in place by the band.
Copyright (C) 2010 www.savingdinner.com Leanne Ely, CNC All rights reserved