Farm News, June 14, 2022
Next week will contain the longest days of the year as we approach the summer solstice, and plant growth in our corner of Connecticut has shifted into high gear. It seems like every week we add a new task to an already crowded to-do list. This week’s addition was to snap 16,000 garlic scapes (the flowers of our top setting garlic) off the garlic crop. The scapes are a great garlic green veg for your sautés and stir fries. Also, if we don’t snap them off, the size of the garlic bulbs, which are really the main event, are greatly reduced.
Julie bunches these beauties from the high tunnel.
Strawberry harvest is still going strong. Everyone’s favorite, the first ripening Earliglow variety, still have some fruit, but we will be shifting into the later varieties by mid-week, which have their own unique flavors. Check below for the SALE we’re having on PYO berries this week! I’ve been growing strawberries since the mid 1990’s, but every year we learn something new. This year we have been testing the sap of the leaves to make sure the crops have all the nutrients they need, and so far we are very happy with the results. The crop has great flavor, color, and improved holding ability, and the foliage looks as healthy as I can remember. The crew did a great job keeping the weeds at bay this year. While still going strong, we’ve only got about another week to go in strawberry season.
CJ, Brendan, Mimi, and Kim all join in the carrot harvest. We are so pleased with our winter-grown/spring-harvested crop this year- nice and sweet!
This time of year can be stressful on a diversified, organic veggie farm. The harvest list begins to pick up, and all the tasks that we kicked down the road are starting to yell for attention. Rebecca and Olivia sowed miles of rows of carrots and beets that need to be weeded and thinned. I finally got around to hilling the potatoes, only to find they barely fit under our little cultivating tractor. And we’ve still got our weekly plantings of lettuce and arugula to get in. The good news is that the same warm temperatures and timely rains that are pushing the weed growth are also making for some abundant harvests.
We hope you enjoy the farm and the harvest,
Paul and Rebecca for the Fort Hill Farm crew
It’s not all fun and games… Paul, CJ, and Kim take out the weeds that compete with our chosen crops in the high tunnel: the ginger, cukes, and basil.
Featured veg:
Basil: This is a delightful crop of basil from our high tunnel. Use with the garlic scapes for a great pesto, or pair with the first heirlooms. Basil stores best like a bunch of flowers—put in a vase in indirect light, or wrap in a damp cloth on a shady counter. DO NOT put in the fridge. Before a devastating new disease came along (downy mildew), basil used to be one of our most reliable crops. Now advancements in breeding have infused new life into the crop, at least for some of the summer, before its resistance to DM breaks down. In short, enjoy it while we have it!
Garlic scapes: These are the flowers of our topsetting hard neck garlic. Viewed with suspicion by folks in the past, they have become very popular due to their great garlic flavor and many uses. Cut off an inch or two of the thin ‘whip’ at the end of the flower, and the rest is good to chop. Sauté in oil and then add cooking greens or pasta. Grill or roast whole for a treat. Throw on pizza. Scapes will store for several weeks in your fridge crisper (and can last for months!). They are a unique source of fresh, green garlic flavor and will tide you over until we have fresh garlic available in about three weeks.
Also available:
Head lettuce, salad mix, pea shoots, radishes, scallions, Chinese cabbage, curly and lacinato kale, rainbow chard, kohlrabi, fennel, basil, parsley, dill, escarole, kohlrabi, frozen ginger, red beets, sugar snap peas, and of course, strawberries, and the first summer squash!
Coming Soon:
Purplette onions
Pick Your Own:
Strawberry Season continues! This week is your best chance for an easy pick, and they are ON SALE: 6 or more quarts are $6.50 each!
How Does Strawberry PYO Work?
1. Head to the north of the parking lot and grab some quart containers
2. Pick ripe, red berries only (we'll show you where)
3. Head to the barn to pay and stock up on the week's veggies
PYO Hours: (PYO begins 30 minutes before and goes 30 minutes beyond barn hours.)
Recipes
Suggested by Rebecca Batchie
For more recipes, check out the Fort Hill Farm Recipe Database
Strawberry Arugula Salad
From the Kitchn.com
Fresh basil elevates the strawberry/arugula combo to new heights here.
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 ounces arugula (about 5 packed cups)
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup roasted pistachios
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper together in a large bowl. Add arugula and strawberries and toss to combine. Add the pistachios and basil and toss again lightly. Serves 4 to 6.
Garlic Scape and Basil Pesto
By Farmer Paul and his dearest Rebecca Batchie (We’re pulling out a classic recipe for this classic veggie combo.)
Farmers note: we concocted this on a rainy Sunday afternoon and really liked its fresh, tangy taste. It also freezes really well, just omit the cheese and add it in later. My personal philosophy is as long as you are making a mess, you might as well make a lot of pesto (I guess that works in the field as well as the kitchen).
2 cups garlic scapes, whip removed, chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 cups basil leaves
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (use a high quality grade)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp lemon juice
3 TBSP pine nuts (can sub walnuts)
Combine garlic scapes, basil, olive oil, and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse until well blended. Add Parmesan cheese and pine nuts, blend a bit more.
Mix into pasta (reserve some to put over the top of the pasta), or on top of fresh Italian bread. Top with freshly ground black pepper.