Farm News June 20, 2023
Our Farmstand is in full swing:
Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday: 2 - 6:30 PM
Saturday: 8 am - 12:30 pm
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Some much need rain fell on the farm on Wednesday, temporarily allowing us to put down the irrigation equipment and focus on trellising up the tomatoes and cucumbers in the high tunnel, planting the next rounds of corn, lettuce, and carrots, and trying to find some time to weed and mow the farm. The farm gets kind of furry this time of year as we tend to prioritize mowing rather low on the list, which can be bad move as things like irrigation pipe like to hide in tall grass. Finding a pipe with a big ol’ bushhog mower is a decidedly unpleasant event.
Dana and Danniella examine the bodacious spinach before a harvest.
Harvest is in full swing. The rather cool spring weather has been great for our lettuce and greens crops and has also helped keep managing the strawberry harvest a bit more manageable. It has been especially great for our snap peas, which are dripping with crisp, sweet pods. For the heat loving crops, our greenhouses have been comfortably warm and brought on some good harvests of tomatoes, basil, and carrots. The first of the summer squash is in, and we have barrel loads of fresh garlic scapes just snapped off the plants.
Harvesting in the high tunnel during a storm …only AFTER the thunder and lightening stopped did the smiles return!
Pick your own Sugar Snap Peas are open and loaded with pods, and we also have plenty of peas pre-picked in the barn. Our late-season strawberry crop is dominated by one variety, “AC Valley Sunset.” The fruit is large, sweet, and fruity, and we will be opening them up this week. Trying to hold back a strawberry from ripening in June is a bit like trying to hold back the tide, so best picking will be early in the week. They are ripe and ready! We’ll update conditions on Thursday and Friday as well on Facebook and Instagram. Strawberries are just one of 40 or so crops we grow at the farm, and each week we look to have something delicious and healthy for you.
We hope you enjoy the farm and the harvest,
Paul, for Rebecca and the Fort Hill Farm crew
Featured veg:
Sugar Snap Peas: This ephemeral crop is here and gone in a flash. We try to extend the season by transplanting the first crop, and after two years of losing out to both the geese and a hard freeze, we’re finally seeing the fruit of our labor. Note, they are also available for Pick Your Own! (These are the shorter growing beds next to the tall, staked beds.) Get your sugar snap peas while the getting is good! I like heating them a bit to amp up the flavor, but most folks just eat raw out of hand.
Fennel: Quite possibly Rebecca’s favorite vegetable, this Mediterranean crop has a sweet anise flavor that is wonderful in salads, and it’s very yummy brushed with olive oil and salt and tossed on the grill. See the recipe below. Stores for at least a few weeks in the fridge crisper.
Also available:
Strawberries, 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, dill, garlic scapes, red and Chioggia beets, heirlooms and cherry tomatoes
Pick Your Own:
Strawberries:
A new variety is open, and it’s an excellent pick of berries out there! Check Facebook and Instagram for updates.
Sugar Snap Peas:
Don’t miss out on this fleeting pick of snap peas!
Recipes
Suggested by Rebecca Batchie
For more recipes, check out the Fort Hill Farm Recipe Database
Seafood, Fennel, and Lime Salad
By: YOTAM OTTOLENGHI
Ingredients
2 small fennel bulbs
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped dill
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 mild chile, seeded and finely chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 tiger prawns
12 ounces cleaned baby squid
1 tablespoon sumac
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Coarse sea salt
Pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)
Directions
Trim the bases and tops of the fennel bulbs, then slice crosswise as thinly as you can. A mandoline would be useful here. In a large bowl, mix the fennel and red onion with the lime zest and juice, garlic, dill, parsley, chile, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
To prepare the prawns, peel the shells away from the bodies, keeping the tail segment of the shell on. Cut a swallow slit along the back of each prawn and use the tip of a small knife to remove the dark vein.
Place a heavy cast-iron pan, preferably a ridged grill pan, over high heat and leave for a few minutes until piping hot. Meanwhile, mix the prawns and squid with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and a pinch of salt. Grill them in small batches, turning them over after 1 minute and continuing until just done (about 1 more minute for the squid and 2 to 3 for the prawns). Transfer to a cutting board and slice the squid into thick rings. You can leave the prawns whole or cut them in half.
Add the seafood to the salad bowl and toss together. You can serve the salad immediately or leave it in the fridge for up to 1 day. To serve, stir in the sumac and cilantro, then taste and adjust the seasoning. When pomegranate seeds are available, they make a beautiful garnish.