Got Bugs?……..
Bugs, bugs, bugs…it’s a bugs life. All this wet weather with lots of stagnant water seems to make perfect conditions for hatching lots and lots of bugs! I even heard earwigs (they are about 3/4″ long with pinchers on their tails) mentioned in the news on my way to market Wednesday. Many people have also mentioned that garlic was a good deterrent for mosquitoes, but I haven’t tried it yet 🙂
Speaking of garlic…the harvest has begun. This is always a big job involving pulling, cleaning and hanging, and when things are wet we also trim the roots to aid in the drying process.
As we work in the gardens, we are always on the lookout for pest and disease problems and once again we are on the lookout for signs of “late blight”. This is the disease that was responsible for the Irish potato famine of the 1840’s and was responsible for a poor tomato crop across the Midwest last year. It is a major problem that thrives in wet conditions and it travels on the wind via spores. We received word this week that it has appeared in Ohio – an early appearance for “late blight” – and we are doing our best to be proactive and save our crop. Oh yeah…tomatoes and potatoes are from the same family and that is why they are both affected by this blight.
In your share this week……
Beans – yum. Wet weather also affects the beans. We wait for the plants to dry before picking to prevent the spread of fungus that can make the beans look “rusty”. There may be a few tips that have a little rust on them anyway from where they touch the ground – just snap it off.
Zucchini – to some of us this is a real sign that summer is here. When Adrienne was a baby I used to steam and mash it for her – she couldn’t get enough of it. As adults, we like it grilled, in soups, cakes…….
Purple carrots – these are “purple haze” carrots. Very pretty to look at and delicious to eat. They will lose some color if you cook them.
Broccoli – good in soup – try some cheesy potato broccoli soup this week.
Mini cabbage – we love cole slaw, but also love it cut in wedges, steamed and drizzled with a little butter.
Onion – they are really sizing up beautifully. Perfect right now for raw eating on burgers and in salads. They will keep great in the fridge – if the tops start to look “iffy”, just cut them off. If you have more than you can handle, chop it up and freeze it to use later in cooked dishes.
Red Gold Potatoes – a pretty light red potato with a lovely golden flesh. The catalog says “excellent steamed, boiled, baked, fried, mashed, roasted or scalloped”. Take your pick!
Whole shares also include….. Swiss Chard, Fresh Garlic and Sweet Thai Basil. Jessica chopped up some chard and added it to our omlet on Monday – it was great! Basil is best stored NOT in the refrigerator. Just keep it loosely wrapped in the bag on your counter and try to use it within a few days. Use your basil to spice up tomato sauces, or serve with fresh mozzarella and a little olive oil. Use fresh garlic just like dried garlic. If you are going to use it in the next week, cut off the stem and store in a bag in the fridge. If you’d like to dry it, just hang it up in a well ventilated spot out of direct sunlight. This can take 2-3 weeks depending on humidity levels.
Have a great week!
Here is a recipe for carrot cake from cooks.com
| BEST EVER CARROT CAKE | |
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2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil Cream these together well. Add
4 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add:
2 cups grated carrots
Combine:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup of ground walnuts Add to the egg mixture and mix well. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or a 13×9-inch baking pan. Pour batter into pan and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. CREAM CHEESE ICING:
4 ounces of cream cheese
1/2 cup butter 1 1/2 cup icing sugar 1 tsp. vanilla pinch of salt Cream butter and cheese; add icing sugar, vanilla and salt.
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Here is a new twist on Broccoli
Herbed Broccoli Sandwich – from the cook book Simply in Season
2 cups broccoli – finely chopped
1/2 cup onion – finely chopped
Saute broccoli and onion in a large frypan with 2 Tbsp. oil until the broccoli is bright green.
Mix in: a few dashes each of dried basil, thyme, pepper, and 1/2 tsp. salt
4-6 slices of French bread – top with the veggies.
3/4 cup shredded cheese. Sprinkle on top and broil until melted. Serve immediately.