Farm News June 6, 2023
Our Farmstand is in full swing:
Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday: 2 - 6:30 PM
Saturday: 8 am - 12:30 pm
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At some point in June, Rebecca and I usually end up looking at each other and saying, “Is it always this crazy?”. We’ve got a huge to do list: the peppers and eggplants have been waiting to get in the ground, delayed by last week’s shot of hot weather, the weeds are peeping up in all the early crops, and the harvests of lettuce, salad mix, spinach, chard, kale, and everyone’s favorite, kohlrabi!, are really picking up.
The gang “crawls” the carrots, by thinning and carefully weeding the stand of seedlings.
Luckily, we have some experienced farmer folks along to help us cut through the to do list. Elliott McGann is our farm operations manager, keeping everyone moving in the right direction. Dana Scott is back to manage the harvest and sound the alarm with all the trellising and irrigation tasks in the tomato greenhouses. Brendon Coll is keeping the veggie processing station running smoothly, and Matt Gannon is managing our wholesale operation and field drip irrigation. And we have a whole host of enthusiastic and energetic folks helping us plant, water, weed, pick, and pack all the great veggies that the farm produces. As soon as we can get them all in one place, we are going to get a group photo!
Better hurry up and tip up that bed – I’m right behind you, seeding the Edamame!
We know that strawberries are on everyone’s mind, and the good news is that some of the patch is picking up. We have should have good picking through this week. As I write this (Tuesday June 6) our tastiest variety, Earliglow, is peaking with lots of tasty, ripe fruit. They are a little more work to pick because of the small size, but as our regulars know, the effort is worth it. The outlook for the near term is good with the mid-season varieties coming on later in the week. We will post updates on our Facebook page on Thursday and Saturday. Strawberry season is short, and usually only lasts through the third week of June. More importantly, please consider coming to the farm even if the picking isn’t great, because we have something delicious and good for you here every week through Thanksgiving!
We hope you enjoy the harvest,
Paul, for Rebecca and the Fort Hill Farm crew
In Memoriam
Last week we lost a dear friend of the farm, Peggy Kendler. Peggy was super enthusiastic about the farm, about life in general, and seemed to be a walking expression of gratitude. She was an especially big fan of the farm’s flower patch, which she visited often, along with her son and daughter Jesse and Lizzie. One of the crew's favorite memories of her is in late fall, when she would emerge from a frosted over dahlia patch that we had all considered finished, with the last bouquet of the season. We are grateful to have known Peggy, and we will miss her weekly visits.
Peggy Kendler with her daughter Lizzie in the flower patch, as always.
Featured veg:
Kohlrabi: one of the crazier-looking members of the cabbage family, these underrated orbs are the crisp to counter the June heat – similar to broccoli stem, with a mild, sweet flavor. They are great peeled and sliced as a dipping veg, or some folks grate them for slaws or sautéing (see Chicken Salad with Kohlrabi, Fennel, and Scallions recipe from our recipe database for a real treat - or check out the recipes below). The leaves are also yummy sautéed. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. We only grow this one in the spring, so get while the getting is good!
Scallions: I love having fresh scallions on hand to amp up the flavors of spring salads, sautés, frittatas, etc., because scallions seem to intensify the flavors of the surrounding ingredients for minimum effort. Scallions will store for about a week in your fridge.
Also available:
Head lettuce, salad mix, arugula, pea shoots, red and French Breakfast radishes, spinach, curly and lacinato kale, rainbow chard, baby bok choy, escarole, fennel, scallions, kohlrabi, cilantro, parsley, basil, the very first heirlooms and cherry tomatoes
Pick Your Own:
Strawberries:
There’s a good pick of berries out there! Check Facebook and Instagram for updates.
Recipes
Suggested by Rebecca Batchie
For more recipes, check out the Fort Hill Farm Recipe Database
Harissa Kohlrabi Panzanella with Spinach Pesto & Fried Eggs
Recipe by Kayla Howey
A different take on the classic eggs and toast, including harissa spiced toasted bread, sautéed kohlrabi and mushrooms, spinach pesto & a perfectly fried egg.
Ingredients
Spinach Pesto
2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 cup spinach
2 clove garlic, chopped
½ cup toasted almonds
½ cup grated parmesan
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp honey
1 cup olive oil
Panzanella
12 mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 small kohlrabi, peeled and diced
4 tsp ghee
6 thick slices ancient grain bread, cubed
2 tsp harissa powder
4 tbsp smoked almonds, roughly chopped
olive oil
Fried Eggs
4 eggs
canola oil
Garnishes
2 small watermelon radishes, peeled and thinly shaved
sorrel leaves
basil flowers
black Hawaiian salt
Instructions
Spinach Pesto
In a food processor, combine the basil, spinach, garlic, almonds, and parmesan cheese. Pulse until the mixture is finely ground. Add the lemon juice and honey. Slowly blend in the olive oil, drizzling the oil into the processor as it runs. Season with salt to taste. Set aside for serving. Save any pesto you don’t need in the refrigerate for another time.
Panzanella
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and kohlrabi. Sauté until brown and caramelized, about 10 minutes, lowering the heat to medium after a few minutes so the vegetables do not burn. Season with salt and black pepper. At the end, add the ghee and let it coat the vegetables. Keep warm. Heat another pan over medium heat and coat with oil. Add the bread cubes to the pan. Let the bread toast on each side, tossing often. Once toasted, transfer the bread to a bowl. Sprinkle in the sautéed mushrooms and kohlrabi, harissa powder, and smoked almonds. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the bowl and toss everything together until incorporated.
Fried Eggs
Meanwhile, heat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Add enough oil to coat the pan. Break each egg into an individual dish. Fry the eggs one by one (or use multiple pans). Pour each egg into the hot oil. Cook until the whites are set and the yolk has reached your desired doneness. Slide the egg onto a plate, season, and keep warm.
To Serve
Spoon the spinach pesto onto a plate and spread it across. Pile the panzanella on top. Place the fried egg in the center, sitting on a few pieces of bread. Garnish with the watermelon radishes, sorrel leaves, and basil flowers. Sprinkle the black Hawaiian salt on top of the egg and radishes (use sparingly).
Kohlrabi in White Sauce
My German Recipes
Thanks to Eva Pao, who shared this recipe as a new (to me) way to prepare and savor kohlrabi!
SERVINGS
4 servings
INGREDIENTS
2-3 kohlrabi
2-3 tbsp Butter
2-3 tbsp flour
½ to 1 cup milk
some nutmeg
some salt
some pepper, fresh ground
fresh cut parsley (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Cut the top and the bottom of the kohlrabi. Remove the outer skin of the kohlrabi, with a potato peeler. Cut the kohlrabi into bite sized cubes.
Add water to a saucepan, then add the kohlrabi and a little salt. Bring to a boil and let boil until the kohlrabi is soft (about 10 - 15 minutes). Set the kohlrabi aside.
In a different saucepan melt 2 -3 tbsp. of butter. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. of flower on top of the butter and start stirring rigorously. Add another tbsp. of flower, keep stirring. You need to keep the content of the pot somewhat fluid so don't add too much flour.
Carefully add a very small amount of milk and keep stirring. Allow the milk and the flour-mix to merge. Keep adding very small amounts of milk and keep stirring!
When the content of the saucepan is like a thick sauce, start adding some of the kohlrabi cooking water. Keep adding cooking water until the sauce has the consistency that you wish. It should be a little bit like a warm pudding.
Add some salt, nutmeg and fresh ground pepper. Last add the kohlrabi and stir carefully with the sauce.
NOTES
This goes perfectly with Frikadellen or brats!