Dealing with Weeds, A Fact of Life In Farming

by Andrea Yoder

Cultivating Strawberry Plants using
the Kult cultivator

Weeds are a central theme to our year round conversations on the farm.  During the growing season Richard and Rafael have daily conversations and plans for eliminating and preventing weeds in our fields.  During the winter months they still think about how they can eliminate weeds as they research new implements and machinery to help with mechanical cultivation as well as brainstorming other techniques for decreasing weed pressure, etc.  If all the weed control they both do in their sleep at night could actually take place in our fields, we wouldn’t have a single weed to worry about!  I hope you get the point that weed control is a big deal to the overall success of our crops and we invest a considerable amount of energy, time and resources towards weed control.  In conventional agriculture, chemical herbicides are often the main form of weed control, but in organic farming systems chemicals are a very limited option.  The only herbicide we use on our farm is 30% vinegar that we spray on weeds that may grow in places where we are limited in options for eradicating them, such as around our irrigation headers that stay in place at the end of a field for the duration of the season.  Our use of this type of herbicide is very limited, and over the years we have developed many other ways of battling weeds.  But first, what is a weed?

A thick stand of a diverse cover crop blend
including mammoth clover, vetch & rye grass

I asked Richard how he defines what a weed is and he said “A weed is a plant that interferes with an intentionally planted crop.”  This is an important distinction because in some cases we may consider a plant to be the intentional crop while at other times we may consider that same type of plant to be a weed that needs to be removed.  An example of this is burdock.  We plant whole fields to burdock intentionally because we want to harvest the roots.  We also send our crew members out to dig wild burdock out of the areas surrounding our fields, in pastures, etc. to prevent it from making seed and spreading!  While we often don’t think of them in this way, weeds are actually Mother Nature’s gift to the soil because we know Mother Nature likes to keep the ground covered at all times!  Weed seeds can actually remain viable in the soil for 20-30 years.  They remain dormant until the conditions are right and then they germinate.  This is part of nature’s design to protect the soil and deal with extremes such as droughts or excess moisture.  This collection of seeds in the soil is called the “Seed Bank.”  Our goal in weed control is to deplete the Seed Bank by germinating weeds and then eliminating those plants, but we also want to make sure we are not depositing into the Seed Bank either by letting weeds mature to the point where they produce seeds.

So why do we work so hard to eliminate weeds from our fields?  Well obviously it’s because a weed-free field is much more beautiful than one filled with weeds!  Ok, while that’s a true statement, aesthetics are not the main objective in weed control.  Plants that we consider weeds are competition for the crop for sunlight, nutrients and water.  Many times weeds grow faster than the crop and diminish the crop’s access to sunlight.  Plants that we consider weeds also extract fertility and moisture, thereby depriving the crop of vital nutrients.  The result of this competition is that the crop is not able to achieve its maximum potential, yields may be decreased, efficiency in harvest is diminished, and if nutrients are lacking there may be impact on fruiting, growth and the ability of the plant to defend itself against pests and disease.  

Sunchokes, an excellent weed competitor!

Some crops we grow are pretty aggressive and we don’t worry so much about weed pressure.  A good example of this is sunchokes which can quickly grow a sizeable plant that creates a canopy which shades the ground under them and prevents weeds from growing.  Even though sunchokes have a very long growing season, we seldom ever have to weed them because we’re able to deal with any weeds early on using mechanical cultivation and then once the plant is big enough weeds just aren’t much of an issue.  There are other crops, however, that are very poor weed competitors.  Onions, carrots, beets and parsnips are good examples of crops that can be a challenge.  In many cases, weeds grow faster than these crops which gives the weeds the advantage.  The other reason is that these crops do not produce as much leaf or plant material above ground to overshadow the weeds, or do not produce the leaves fast enough.  One thing a farmer needs to consider is the weed history of a field.  We have a lot of fields, but Richard and Rafael are very familiar with the weeds that are present in the different locations and take this information into consideration when planning where a crop will be planted.  

Utilizing an old-fashioned method of weed
control....hand weeding 

We have many methods of controlling weeds and are always considering what is going to be both most effective as well as cost effective.  The first objective we set is to prevent weeds from going to seed.  This is an underlying goal in all of our efforts because we do not want to contribute to that Seed Bank or we’ll pay for it for the next 20-30 years!  This is why timely weed control is so very important and must be a priority.  In wet years this can be a challenge as many of our weed control efforts are not possible when the field is too wet to take equipment into without getting stuck.  In these cases we can sometimes do hand weeding, however that can be counterproductive at times unless you actually carry the weeds out of the field.  If you just pull the weed and put it on the ground between the beds, it will often have enough moisture to take root and keep growing.  We do a lot of hand weeding, but weeding by hand is not easy work!  It’s hard on the body, very time consuming and consequently very expensive.  So, we try as much to use machinery and other methods which are more cost effective and faster.

Wet, but dry enough to not get stuck!

I consider Richard and Rafael to be masters of mechanical weed control and together they have developed quite an arsenal of machinery and implements to combat weeds on our farm.  If a piece of machinery doesn’t exist on the market, they design it and we build it!  There are many factors they consider when choosing which mechanical cultivation technique they are going to employ.  How big is the crop?  Are the weeds in the row, in between the rows or in the wheel tracks?  How aggressive can we be with a plant?  Is the plant well established and tough enough to take a little impact or is it delicate and cannot be disturbed?  How big are the weeds?  They also do weed control at all stages of the crop.  Before a crop is planted, the ground is prepared and, ideally, we wait at least two weeks to plant the crop.  During this two weeks we can germinate the weed seeds in the top layer of soil and get a nice flush of weeds.  Just before we plant the crop, they can “clean up” the bed using the basket cultivator that passes over the bed and flicks the little weeds out with shallow tillage.  This technique is called “stale bedding” and it’s a noticeable difference when we are able to accomplish this versus planting into freshly prepared soil.  We will do another article to explore the topic of tillage versus no-till farming methods, but I want to make a comment about tillage as it relates to weed control.  We do use tillage in our crop systems, but only when deemed necessary and we try to limit it to shallow tillage because deep tillage stirs up weed seeds and brings them to the surface where they are more likely to germinate.  We have enough weed issues on the surface already, so it behooves us to not create more issues we have to then deal with!  

Rafael operating the flame weeder

We also utilize pre-emergent flame weeding.  With this technique we use a machine called “The Flamer” which is basically a big propane tank set on a frame with burners that passes over the width of the bed very close to the surface of the soil.  The flames from the burners will kill any plant on the bed.  For this method to be effective, it has to be timed properly.  We want to kill the maximum amount of weeds, but we don’t want to kill our crop.  Thus, we have to time the flaming just ahead of when the crop emerges.  We utilize pre-emergent flame weeding for parsnips, carrots, cilantro and dill.  Luis has been doing most of the flame weeding this year and has been doing an excellent job of tracking the crops that need to be flamed and checking them regularly.  A crop can emerge from the soil literally overnight, so he has to be very timely in his efforts or he’ll miss a critical opportunity and the resultant weed pressure in the crop is noticeable.

Freshly mulched field in preparation
for planting peppers

I mentioned earlier that Mother Nature does not like to have the surface of the soil barren.  With this in mind, we have a few other tactics we can use to stay ahead of the weeds.  One tactic we use for some crops is mulch.  We mostly use rye straw for mulching crops such as strawberries, garlic, peppers and tomatoes.  Having straw mulch in place functions as a cover for the soil to discourage weed growth or smother any weeds that try to emerge.  We also use cover crops extensively, especially in the fall.  As soon as we take the last crop off a field for the year, we plant a diverse mix of cover crop seeds so we can establish a nice blanket of green to cover the soil.  There are some types of weeds that actually germinate and become established in the fall and then become a problem for us the following spring.  If we can get a cover crop growing quickly and shade the ground, we can discourage the growth of these weeds and reap the benefits of our efforts in the spring!

Freshly cultivated, weed-free 
field of potatoes

This is just a very little glimpse into the topic of weed control on a vegetable farm, but if we were to cover all there is to share we would have a book!  I hope you can appreciate the level of mastery of your farmers and have confidence that, while the battle against weeds is never ending, your team of farmers is doing their very best to continue to innovate and learn in an effort to manage weeds on our farm.  The result as it relates to you is that you will continue to receive wholesome, nutrient dense, flavorful and beautiful vegetables!

June 30, 2022 - This Week's Box Contents Featuring Zucchini

 

Cooking With This Week's Box

Zucchini and/or Sunburst Scallop Squash:  

Zucchini, Fennel, Mint & Basil Soup (See Below)

Zucchini Breakfast Pancakes (See Below)

Green Scallions:  

Asian Cucumber Salad

Speedy Scallion Ginger Salmon Cakes

Strawberries:  

Strawberry Shortcake 

Strawberry Pesto Caprese Salad 

Broccoli:  

How To Eat Broccoli Stalks:  7 Ways To Use Them To Make Your Meals More Nutritious

Roasted Broccoli Stalks

What To Do With Broccoli Stalks 

Parmesan Crusted Broccoli Stem Fries 

Green or Silver Slicer Cucumbers:  

Go-To Cucumber Salad 

Cilantro Cucumber Margarita 

Cilantro:  

20-Minute Cilantro Chicken with Rice & Beans 

Tropical Cilantro Pineapple Smoothie 

Lacinato Kale:  

Ina Garten’s Broccoli & Kale Salad 

Healthy Baked Cheesy Zucchini Casserole with Broccoli & Kale

Sugar Snap Peas:  

Orecchiette with Snap Peas, Fennel & Mint 

Chili-Glazed Tofu with Sugar Snap Peas 

Fennel:  

Creamy Broccoli Fennel Slaw 

Cucumber-Fennel Fizz 

Green Top Chioggia Beets:  

Beet Salad with Smashed Sesame Brittle 

Roasted Beet & Fennel Burgers

Beet Greens Pesto with Pistachios 

Tiara Cabbage:  

Indonesian Fried Noodles 

Crispy Coconut Chicken Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette 

Photo of Orecchiette with Snap Peas, Fennel & Mint from Barilla

Good-bye June and Hello July!  The fields are exploding with gorgeous vegetables and there are so many more yet to come!   Lets dive into this week’s box starting with our featured vegetable, Zucchini!  This is one of our staple summer vegetables that is versatile in use and deserves more credit for its contributions to our health than I’ve given it in the past.  If you haven’t read this week’s vegetable feature article, take a moment to do so and you just might appreciate this humble vegetable a little bit more!  As for recipes, the first one is this Zucchini, Fennel, Mint & Basil Soup (See Below).  The flavors of the vegetables in this soup come together in a way that blends nicely.  I wasn’t sure about having mint in the soup, but it provides a nice background flavor and is not overpowering or “minty.”  I also wasn’t sure how the red pepper flakes would factor into this recipe.  That seemed like a bold ingredient to add to such a smooth soup with subtle flavors.  But you know, it all came together in the end so nicely and as I took the first few bites I actually said out loud “This is really good!”  The second recipe is for Zucchini Breakfast Pancakes (See Below) because you know I am an advocate for including vegetables in every meal, including breakfast!

Beet Salad photo from food52.com

Now that we’re finished with lettuce, salad mix, baby spinach and baby arugula (until fall), it’s time to start focusing more on vegetable salads made from other vegetables.  In the summer, I often prepare salads as the main dish such as this Crispy Coconut Chicken Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette which is a great use for this week’s Tiara salad cabbage!  I am also looking forward to try this interesting Beet Salad with Smashed Sesame Brittle and Ina Garten’s Broccoli & Kale Salad.  If you’re looking for something new to try, check out this recipe for Indonesian Fried Noodles utilizing this week’s cabbage and scallions.  You could certainly add more vegetables to this dish too, such as some broccoli and/or kale.  I also thought this recipe for Roasted Beet & Fennel Burgers looked intriguing.  It also happens to be vegan, gluten-free and grain free, which means the full flavor of the vegetables will come through!  

I hope you enjoy more tasty meals over the next week and hopefully you’ll find some inspiration from some of these suggestions.  Perhaps you’ll also be using some of your vegetables in dishes to take to 4th of July celebrations!  If you do, share your recipes and creations in our private Facebook Group.  As always, I love to see what’s happening in your kitchens!  Have a great week and I’ll see you back here next week!  ---Chef Andrea 

Vegetable Feature: Zucchini

by Andrea Yoder

Mexicana and Sunburst Scallopini Squash

Zucchini is a humble vegetable that can sometimes be underappreciated.  So, this week I want to give it a moment to shine and show us all what it has to contribute to our culinary adventures this summer as well as how it can contribute in positive ways to our overall health!  Growing up, my mom grew zucchini in her garden, but we really only had about 3-4 ways she prepared it.  One of those ways was simply sautéing it in butter…until it was smooshy and overcooked.  It just wasn’t appealing, but she served it with the tagline of “Eat it, it’s good for you!”  Well, turns out she was right about it being good for me, but I hope to show you that you can reap all the health benefits from zucchini while also enjoying it in a wide variety of recipes over the course of this summer!  

So lets talk a little bit about why zucchini is good for us.  First of all, while the flesh of zucchini seems kind of dry, it actually has a high moisture content which is more evident when you grate, salt or cook it.  As you do any of these things to zucchini, you’ll see the flesh start to release moisture.  Well, during the heat of the summer hydration is exactly what our bodies need!  Proper hydration is important for many health reasons, including healthy skin and properly functioning kidneys.  Zucchini is also rich in vitamins A, B and C along with potassium, magnesium, folate, and a host of other antioxidants. A lot of these valuable nutrients are in the skin.  Since zucchini has a thin, tender skin I seldom ever peel it and incorporate it whenever possible.  We know these nutrients contribute in many ways in our bodies including maintaining electrolyte balance, calming the nervous system, and dealing with free radicals that may otherwise negatively affect our tissues and cells.  Without going into every potential health benefit, the bottom line is that zucchini really can impact our overall health when incorporated into our diets throughout the summer!  No one food will save or protect us from disease alone, but rather it is the sum total of all the food we eat that contributes to our overall picture of health.  This is why it’s important to eat a variety of vegetables every day as well as over the course of the year!   

Zucchini in the field

We are just getting started with this year’s zucchini harvest and we have two plantings.  We typically harvest three times a week from mid-June through August and sometimes into September.  Sometimes we have a little gap in between plantings one and two but settle in folks…we’re in it for the long haul!  This year we are growing the traditional green zucchini, but we have a few other varieties as well.  In our first planting we have a new variety called Mexicana zucchini which is a little smaller and teardrop shaped.  In our second planting we included Italian zucchini which is lighter green in color and has ribs and stripes on the skin.  This is historically one of the best for flavor and has good texture when cooked.  You may also receive Sunburst Scallopini Squash.  While this is not a zucchini, it’s in the same family of vegetables that we can label as “Summer Squash.”  All these varieties may be used interchangeably in recipes calling for zucchini and/or summer squash.  

Zucchini is a very mild-flavored vegetable which lends to its versatility.  It pairs well with so many different flavors and is easily adaptable to combinations with other vegetables throughout the entire summer.  Zucchini is most often cooked, but it can be eaten raw as well.  I have seen recipes for raw zucchini salads and of course, there’s always smoothies!  I never considered putting zucchini in my morning smoothie, but now I’m going to have to give it a try!

The other nice thing about zucchini is there are ways to preserve it so you can enjoy it throughout the year.  One of the easiest things to do is grate or shred raw zucchini, squeeze out the excess moisture and then put the zucchini in a freezer bag and pop it in the freezer.  In this way, you can use zucchini at a later time in soups and stews, casseroles and baked goods.  When I freeze zucchini, I try to portion it into a quantity that is appropriate for making some of my favorite recipes, or just 1 cup portions so I don’t have to measure it again when I thaw it.  Of course, you can also use zucchini to make pickles, relish, and other preserves.

Zucchini can be sautéed, roasted, grilled and stir-fried.  It may be used to make snack foods, casseroles, and gratins, incorporated into lasagna and meatballs, dips, enchiladas, tacos, egg dishes, smoothies, soups & stews, desserts, baked goods and more.  I mentioned earlier that zucchini does not need to be peeled.  Depending on how you will be using the zucchini, you may choose to remove the fleshy portion in the center where the seeds are.  If you do remove this part, consider saving it to add to vegetable or meat broth or stocks.  

Zucchini is a warm weather vegetable and is best stored at temperatures between 45-55°F.  We have a dedicated cooler for that temperature range but realize you may not have the perfect storage temperature situation in your home.  So, my recommendation is to keep your zucchini at room temperature and use them within a few days of receiving them, or store them in teh refrigerator for no more than 3 - 4 days at most.  

Zucchini Breakfast Pancakes

Yield:  6 servings

Photo from twopeasandtheirpod.com

2 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¾ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup grated zucchini

Maple syrup and butter, for serving

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugars.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract.  Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.  Fold in the zucchini. 
3. Heat a griddle or pan to medium heat.  Spray with cooking spray.  Pour about  ⅓ cup of batter onto heated skillet.  Cook until the pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, about 3 minutes.  Flip carefully with a spatula and cook until browned on the underside.
4. Continue making pancakes until the batter is gone.  Serve pancakes with butter and maple syrup if desired.

Recipe borrowed from www.twopeasandtheirpod.com.

Zucchini, Fennel, Mint & Basil Soup

Yield:  4 Servings

“This flavorsome anti-inflammatory soup is a quick and easy one-pot dish full of nourishing vegetables and broth.  Fennel boasts calming and anti-spasmodic properties and is wonderful for digestive health.  And the herbs aren’t just there to brighten the dish—basil contains powerful plant compound including eugenol, citronellol and linalool that have been shown to help reduce gut inflammation.”

Photo from us.thebeautychef.com

5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided  

1 small or medium fennel bulb with fronds

Zest of one lemon

1-2 pinches dried chili flakes

1 medium onion, finely sliced (may substitute green onions)

1 clove garlic or 1 Tbsp garlic scapes, finely chopped

2- 3 medium zucchini, thickly sliced

1-2 handfuls basil (about 1 cup loosely packed)

1 handful mint (about 20 leaves)

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 ½ Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. First, prepare the fennel by stripping the fronds off the stalks.  Cut the stalks from the bulb and reserve stalks for another use.  Cut the fennel bulb into ¼-½ inch slices.  Finely chop the fronds.  
2. In a small bowl, combine 3 Tbsp olive oil, 2-3 Tbsp of the finely chopped fennel fronds, the zest of one lemon and 1-2 pinches of red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like your food).  Stir to combine and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Sauté the fennel bulb, onion and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the zucchini, broth, 1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and add the basil, mint and the remaining fennel fronds.  Stir to combine.  Cook for about 5 minutes or just until the vegetables are tender.  For the best overall flavor, do not overcook the vegetables!
4. Once the vegetables are tender, remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice.  Using a high-speed or hand-held blender, blend the soup until smooth.  If you have to transfer the soup to a stand blender, do so carefully and blend it in batches if the blender jar is not large enough to safely blend it in one batch.
5. Once the soup is blended, taste it and add additional salt, black pepper and/or lemon juice as needed.
6. At the time of service, portion the hot soup into bowls and add a small spoonful of the fennel frond and oil mixture to each bowl.  As each person stirs their bowl of soup to incorporate the fennel fronds & oil mixture, the flavor of the soup will transform!  

Recipe adapted from https://us.thebeautychef.com/blogs/blog/zucchini-fennel-mint-basil-soup.

June 23, 2022 - This Week's Box Contents Featuring Fennel

 

Cooking With This Week's Box

Fennel:  

Pasta with Golden Fennel (See Below)

Kohlrabi Slaw with Fennel (See Below)

2019 Blog Post Featuring Fennel 

Green Top Baby Red Beets:

Sautéed Beet Greens & Chard 

Omelette with Beet Greens

Caramelized Fennel & Beet Pizza 

Kohlrabi:  

Kohlrabi Vegetable Feature 

Lemon Dill Kohlrabi Fritters

Kohlrabi Custard 

Kohlrabi & Chickpea Salad

Rainbow Chard:  

Swiss Chard Salad with Lemon, Parmesan & Breadcrumbs

Zucchini, Swiss Chard & Chickpea Stew

Purple or Green Scallions: 

Simple Sautéed Peas & Scallions 

Charred Scallion Butter

Garlic Scapes:  

Garlic Scape and Cilantro Pesto 

Pickled Garlic Scapes

Spicy Garlic Scapes

Strawberries:  

Double Strawberry Pretzel Pie

Marinated Goat Cheese & Strawberry Crostini 

Broccoli:   

Green Broccoli Sandwich Spread 

Broccoli Melts 

Green Zucchini and/or Mexican Zucchini and/or Yellow Scallop Squash:  

Zucchini Potato Frittata 

Summer Squash & Basil Pasta 

Red Oak and/or Mini Green Boston Lettuce:  

Salad with Salt-Roasted Beets, Goat Cheese & Toasted Walnuts

Green Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Sugar Snap Peas:  

Quinoa Bowls with Snap Peas, Beets, Feta & Mint

Snap Pea and Kohlrabi Green Curry 

Summer is officially here and what better way to celebrate than with strawberries!  This is likely our peak week of strawberry harvest, so indulge yourself in all things strawberry such as this recipe for Double Strawberry Pretzel Pie!  If you want to balance out the sweetness, you could also enjoy a Green Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette.  

We are also celebrating summer with some new early summer vegetable selections including this week’s featured vegetable, Fennel!  This week I included two simple recipes for fennel.  The first is a popular one that we featured back in 2013.  Since we have quite a few new members I wanted to revisit this recipe for Pasta with Golden Fennel (See Below).  Personally, I enjoy fennel in raw salads, so this recipe for Kohlrabi Slaw with Fennel (See Below) caught my eye.  If you are looking for some different or unique recipes using fennel, I encourage you to check out our blog post from 2019 where I included an extensive list of fennel recipe ideas!  

We also started harvesting more zucchini this week, and hopefully cucumbers by the end of this week!  It’s time to pull out your favorite zucchini recipes.  One thing I like about zucchini is that it is very versatile and since it is mild-flavored, it can be used in a lot of different ways such as this recipe for Zucchini Potato Frittata and this Summer Squash & Basil Pasta.

I’m going to wrap up this week’s commentary, but I hope you have a fabulous week with lots of good meals!  Before I go, I also wanted to mention that I would love to have some member input this year with regards to some of your favorite recipes.  So, if you have a favorite summer vegetable recipe, please send it my way.  Perhaps it will be one of our featured recipes this summer!  Take care and have a great week!

Chef Andrea 

Vegetable Feature: Fennel

by Andrea Yoder

Fennel was not in my vegetable repertoire growing up in central Indiana.  I really wasn’t exposed to it until my college years and even then, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it!  Over the years, I have come to appreciate and look forward to fennel every year, and even sometimes miss and crave it in the off season!  Fennel is often one of those vegetables that people either love or are still learning to like.  There are many ways to utilize fennel and every year I encourage those in the latter group to approach fennel with an open mind and consider trying it in a new recipe.  For many of those who have taken me up on this suggestion and ventured outside of their comfort zone, they’ve actually found ways to prepare fennel that they really enjoy!  Back in 2019, I curated an extensive list of recipes to guide members in finding ways to utilize all parts of fennel. If you don’t have a recipe in mind this week, or this is your first time utilizing fennel, I encourage you to refer back to that blog post and take advantage of that list.  So, with that little dose of encouragement, lets take a look at this fragrant, feathery vegetable!  

One of the unique characteristics about fennel is that all parts of the plant above ground are usable, which is why I like to call it “The Three In One Vegetable.”  The white bulb is the most commonly used portion, but the stalks and feathery fronds that extend from the bulb are also edible.  The stalks can be more tough and fibrous, but they have a lot of flavor.  The feathery parts that resemble dill are actually called fronds.  They have a mild flavor and can be used more like an herb.  

Fennel in the Field

Fennel may be eaten raw and cooked.  It pairs well with a variety of ingredients and flavors, so when you’re looking at recipes, you’ll likely see similar ingredients show up time after time.  Fennel pairs well with lemons and oranges as well as herbs such as dill, parsley and basil.  It also plays well with beets, tomatoes, celery, onions, carrots, potatoes, pomegranate, apples, stone fruit and berries.  It is often used in dishes along with Parmesan, cream and white wine which come together to make a delicious sauce.  Lastly, fennel pairs very well with seafood, especially in soups and chowders, and pork products including sausage, pancetta, prosciutto, fresh pork cuts and more.  While most think of fennel as a vegetable to use in savory dishes, it can also be used in sweet preparations paired with honey, citrus, berries, etc.  

The stalks and bulb typically have the strongest flavor.  If you enjoy the flavor of fennel, you’ll likely enjoy it raw.  I have one very important point to make about eating fennel raw.  It must be sliced very thin, like paper thin!  Fennel bulb is very fibrous and dense.  If you slice it thinly it is more tender and enjoyable to eat, plus it mingles better with other flavors in the dish.  In its raw form, fennel bulb is often used in simple raw salads and can also be used in fresh salsas, pickled, or preserved in alcohol to make your own digestif.  When you cook fennel, the essential oils that give it its distinct flavor and aroma volatilize and the flavor and aroma of fennel mellow and become milder and sweeter.  Thus, those who find the flavor of fennel too strong when eaten raw often prefer to prepare fennel by cooking it.  Fennel is delicious when roasted, simmered into sauces and soups, or sautéed and then added to recipes such as meatballs, warm grain salads, compotes, etc.

Photo from wholefoodbellies.com

The stalk may be eaten, but seldom is.  Rather it is often used for flavoring.  I like to save the stalks and add them to vegetable or meat broth or just stick the whole stalk directly into a pot of soup to flavor it while cooking and then pull it out before serving.  It can also be used as a stirring stick for cocktails or use it to flavor water, lemonade, etc.  In a previous year we featured a recipe for Candied Fennel Stalk that is quite tasty.  It’s a great treat to munch on after a meal to help aid with digestion and appeal to that desire for something sweet.  Last but not least, let’s talk about the mild, feathery fronds.  Chop them up and use them as an herb-like garnish on salads, stirred into soups, cooked rice or as a final topping on a pizza.  You can also blend them into smoothies and drinks or use them to make a cocktail.  They may also be used to make Fennel Frond Salt or Fennel Frond Pesto, using only fennel fronds or you could blend in some fresh basil or parsley as well.  Fennel frond pesto would make a lovely sauce for salmon, toss it with pasta, use it as a sandwich spread or mix it with mayonnaise and make a dipping sauce for fish or chicken strips!

Fennel should be stored in a plastic bag or other closed container in the refrigerator to keep it crisp until you are ready to use it.  Take the time to wash the fennel bulb well before using it.  Sometimes a little dirt can get in between the layers of the bulb as it grows.  The layers of the bulb are held together by the core at its base.  You may wish to leave the core intact to hold the layers together, such as when you may cut it into wedges and roast it.  In other recipes where you may want the layers to fall apart, cut the core out of the base of the bulb and you’re ready to go.  Sometimes I cut the fennel bulb first and then put it in a colander to wash it thoroughly.  

In addition to its culinary value, fennel has some health benefits.  It can soothe the stomach and GI tract, thus it’s often used to help with digestion.  It can also freshen breath and has other potential health benefits including being antibacterial and working as an antioxidant to remove free radicals in our bodies.  It is high in fiber and vitamin C in particular.

Pasta with Golden Fennel

Yield:  2-3 servings

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1-2 medium fennel bulbs, quartered and sliced very thinly (about 1 cup)

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Zest from one lemon

½ cup white wine

⅓ cup garlic scapes or 2 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz fettucine

⅓ cup fennel fronds, finely chopped

1-2 oz Parmesan cheese or other hard cheese for grating

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  When the butter sizzles, add the thinly sliced fennel.  Sauté for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the fennel softens and starts to brown a little bit.  Add the lemon juice, lemon zest and white wine.  Allow the fennel mixture to simmer until almost all of the liquid is gone and the fennel is soft and golden in color. 
2. While the fennel is cooking, heat a pot of salted water and cook the fettucine according to package instructions until is is al dente.  Drain in a colander and set aside in a warm place.
3. When the liquid in the fennel mixture is almost gone, add the garlic and cooked fettucine to the pan and stir to combine.  Add the fennel fronds and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for just a few minutes to make sure the pasta is hot.  Grate the cheese into the pasta and toss it so the cheese will start melting.  Serve the pasta hot with more cheese grated on top at the table.  

Note from Chef Andrea:

I originally shared this recipe in our newsletter back in 2013.  Since then, many members have offered positive feedback on this recipe, especially amongst those who are still learning to like fennel and find the flavor of raw fennel to be too strong for their liking.  This recipe was adapted from Deborah Madison’s Local Flavors cookbook.  Way back in 2007 when I first came to the farm as the Summer Farm Chef, I prepared this recipe for our farm crew.  Fennel was not one of their favorite vegetables and most of the dishes I made with fennel ended up in the compost bucket.  I was determined to find a way to prepare fennel that they would enjoy and this is the one dish that won them over!  They loved it and I don’t remember any fennel ending up in the compost that day!

Kohlrabi Slaw with Fennel & Apple

Photo from eatingwell.com

Yield:  5 servings

1 medium fennel bulb with fronds

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp whole-grain mustard

2 tsp minced shallot or green onion

1 tsp honey

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1 medium kohlrabi, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 small apple, cored and cut into matchsticks

1. Chop enough fennel fronds to equal ¼ cup.  Cut the bulb in half and make a V-cut on the bottom to remove the core at the base.  Thinly slice the bulb, as thin as you can using either a knife or a mandolin.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, mustard, shallot (or green onion), honey, salt and pepper.  Add the fennel and fronds, kohlrabi and apple;  gently toss to coat all the components.  
3. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Recipe sourced from www.eatingwell.com.

Alliums – Good for Us and Always in Season!

Garlic Scapes growing from the center
of Hardneck garlic plants

By Richard de Wilde

Alliums encompass a wide variety of species including garlic, green garlic, garlic scapes, fresh garlic, as well as dried garlic for winter use.  This class of vegetables also includes onions and the relatives thereof!  Many years ago we set the lofty goal of including at least one vegetable from the allium family in every CSA box throughout the season!  This year you have already received ramps – which had a typically short season – chives, green garlic, and this week, garlic scapes.  

In what we classify as “onions” we have gone through the ‘potato’ onion and are moving into the green and purple scallions, which are grown from seed in the greenhouse starting in February, then transplanted in the spring as early as possible, this year being transplanted later than usual. We did not harvest and delver our overwintered Egyptian Walking Onions this year because we are trying to find a better way to propagate them.  Heretofore we have been trying to propagate them from the bulbils, which are the tops the plant forms, rather than from the set it produces. The bulbil tops that we harvested and replanted in fall – when we plant garlic and potato onions – have failed to produce a consistent crop for several years. So, in wanting to keep this onion in our seasonal line-up, we dug up all we had from last year’s planting and replanted the bulbs for a harvest next spring.  This is a propagation technique we previously used but tried to replace because of the hassle factor of replanting at a very busy time of year. But we like them so much as an early scallion-type onion that we managed the transplant this week! This gives us all something to look forward to for next year!   We’re always thinking ahead, with your interest in mind, and our own desire to produce seasonal onions throughout the year!

Yellow Onions Drying 
in the Greenhouse

Many of our long-term members understand the very high degree of management of detail that is involved in a long season, local diet. Yes, as farmers, we live and plan around the weather, but as managers of a detailed enterprise you would be challenged to suggest that there is any business that requires more detailed management than our diversified, focused business of feeding people locally, and in season as much as possible. While of course doing it in a manner that builds soil, captures carbon, and protects and enhances wildlife and pollinators. A win-win for our local economy, seasonal eating, and food security!

Sorry, I digress, back to alliums. I am thankful for the advice given by many people about allium production. When we experienced disease problems many years ago, we consulted with experts, and they recommended raised beds to prevent water damage to small plants. We responded, and now almost all our crops are on raised beds to minimize being damaged with flowing or standing water. Onions can experience damage to only one layer of a developing seedling, which does not show up until the onion is mature and develops ‘soft rot’ or neck rock when cured. Considering this, we have taken raised beds to a higher level in covering them with plastic and a thin sheet of aluminum foil that deters the ‘onion thrip,’ an insect that causes most of the onion disease and storage problems. Also, based on a tip from a former Seedway rep, we harvest the mature storage onions with some green in the top, and dry them in our greenhouse with 80% shade coverage to prevent sun scald and excess temperatures. This has resulted in a consistent supply of onions in even the worst weather conditions.

Onions coming in from the field where they 
are laid out on tables to dry, one crate at a time!

With the use of plastic bed covers, if we prepare them two weeks in advance of poking the hole that our transplant goes into then in those two weeks most of the weeds will germinate and die before we plant. However, onions are the exception in that we do not have two weeks of warm weather to germinate weeds as we plant them very early in the spring.  We have tried making the beds in the fall, but there were problems with that, so now we continue to plant into freshly laid plastic in spring and know that we will need to weed the holes which the onions are transplanted into. This year, as most, we have already hand weeded twice!

This whole system, developed over 20+ years and adapted yearly, has produced the most consistent onions and long-term storage onions for many years!

2022 Onion Field with Erosion Proof Aisles of 
Cover Crop In Between Raised Beds of Onions

Plastic disposal is still a process. We have had promises of plastic recycling, but the most recent company has suspended pick-up since the pandemic started. We do make extensive use of rye straw that we bale from winter cover crops. However, mulch cools the soil – which is great for garlic and strawberries – but for onions, the reflective mulch with onions planted directly into a black strip has proved far superior to any other system. For onions we plant low growing White Dutch Clover with Red Fescue to provide an erosion-proof aisle between the raised plastic beds. We manage any weeds that come through the Clover and Fescue with a weed trimmer. See photo of a recently trimmed aisle which transports excess water away without causing any soil erosion, while in fact contributing to soil improvement.

Juan Pablo & Alfredo hand weeding onions

With our allium crops, as with all our crops, we employ technology, experience, and observation, while also artfully managing the many hands which do the hard work. This allows us to grow a nutritionally superior crop without the use of any synthetic chemicals which would destroy our health and which would have wreaked unimagined destruction on our bird, bat, and pollinators. Our use of organic methods ensures that the local ecosystem will remain healthy and in balance, and that we will be able to provide delicious produce long into the future.

June 16, 2022 - This Week's Box Contents Featuring Kohlrabi

 

Cooking With This Week's Box

Purple Scallions:

Scallion Vinaigrette 

Chinese Scallion Bread 

Garlic Scapes:  

Garlic Scapes Dip 

Roasted Garlic Scape Hummus 

Baby Spinach or Sauté Mix or Baby Arugula:  

Healthy Spinach Chicken Meatballs 

Strawberry Arugula Salad 

Salad Mix:    

25 Easy Salad Dressing Recipes 

Fresh Spring Rolls with Pork, Mango and Mesclun 

Baby Bok Choi:  

Wonton Soup with Bok Choi 

Spicy Pork Bok Choy Quiche 

Broccoli:  

Broccoli Melts 

Broccoli & Kohlrabi Salad 

Kohlrabi:  

Lemon Dill Kohlrabi Fritters (See Below)

Take a moment to read this week’s vegetable feature article that follows below.  You’ll find links to 17 more recipes at the end!

Green Curly Kale: 

Green Grapefruit Smoothie

Sesame Coconut Kale Salad

Green Top Radishes:  

Kohlrabi & Radish Salad 

Radish Tea Sandwiches with Dill Spread 

Mini Red Romaine or Red Oak Lettuce and Mini Green Boston Lettuce:  

Romaine Salad with a Creamy Dill Dressing 

Red Oak Leaf & Bibb Salad with Gruyere and Garlic Croutons 

Dill:  

Lemon Baked Fish with Dill Panko Topping 

Classic Dill Chicken Salad 

Roasted Garlic Scape Hummus

Welcome back for another week of cooking!  This is our last CSA box of the spring as next week will mark the official start of summer!  This week you may notice a transition in the box contents a bit.  We’re moving into some of our mid-season greens such as kale, while finishing up our spring planted baby greens.  We’re also starting to see more of our more “durable” vegetables such as broccoli and kohlrabi!  With this week’s heat wave, the crops are really starting to take off so get ready as we’ll have more new items coming over the next few weeks including zucchini, beets, fennel and before too long the first crop of carrots!

This week we’re featuring kohlrabi and I’ve given you a lot of options for how to use this unique vegetable!  Read on in the vegetable feature article that follows and you’ll find a long list of kohlrabi recipe ideas.  I’ve also included a simple recipe for Lemon Dill Kohlrabi Fritters as our featured recipe this week.  This is a tasty recipe that you could make for breakfast, lunch or dinner!  These fritters are a great accompaniment to eggs for breakfast or brunch, but would also be a great side dish for grilled pork chops, steak or roasted chicken.  If you are looking for a light lunch or dinner option, they could also serve as a main item for a light meal accompanied by a green salad!

In addition to the extravaganza of kohlrabi recipes, I’ve tried to give you a mix of different recipe inspirations for the other vegetables this week ranging from salads to smoothies, tea sandwiches and quiche, or if you want to get a little more adventurous you can try your hand at wonton soup or spring rolls!

Have a great week and next week we’ll officially transition to summer, complete with strawberries and a few other surprises! 

---Chef Andrea

Vegetable Feature: Kohlrabi

by Andrea Yoder

Kohlrabi in the field

Richard and I re-learned an important lesson this week.  Never underestimate the growth potential of a vegetable!  We had planned to include kohlrabi in this week’s boxes, but last  Saturday we both went to the kohlrabi field and both agreed it was just too small.  The crop needed more time.  So I revised the list of box contents and we set up our harvest schedule for the week.  And then on Monday morning Richard returned to the office just before lunch with three sizeable kohlrabi and a report that most of them were that size and we needed to start harvesting them!  Really?  In less than 48 hours those little kohlrabi took off and grew!  I wish now I had stayed in the field a little longer.  Perhaps I may have actually seen them expanding!  So it’s clear these kohlrabi were determined to keep their place in this week’s box and as such we’ve designated them as our featured vegetable this week! 

While kohlrabi bears resemblance to other vegetables with some of its characteristics, it’s really just uniquely its own thing.  It is a member of the Brassica family, and the name is derived from “khol” meaning stem or cabbage and “rabi” meaning turnip.  But it doesn’t resemble cabbage or turnip in appearance, rather it has its own unique identity.  While many people think kohlrabi is a root vegetable, it is actually a swollen stem that develops above ground!  The stems and leaves shoot up from the bulbous lower portion.  

So what part of kohlrabi do you eat?  Well, the bulb is the part of the plant most commonly eaten, but the leaves are also edible and should not be overlooked.  The leaves have a thicker texture more similar to kale or collard greens.  They are best eaten cooked and can be substituted for collard greens or kale in many recipes.  I usually strip the leaves off the main stems before using them.  If you are a fan of kale chips, you can do the same thing with kohlrabi leaves.  I tried this concept earlier this week and they were excellent!  The bulb does need to be peeled before eating as the outer skin is fairly tough.  I find it easiest to cut the bulb in half or quarters and then peel the skin away using a vegetable peeler or paring knife as if you’re peeling an apple.  Once the skin is peeled away you’ll find a solid, crispy, juicy, tender flesh inside with a sweet, mild cabbage flavor.  The bottom of the bulb where it is cut from the stem when it is harvested can also sometimes be a bit tough.  I usually just trim the very bottom of the bulb off and use the remainder.  To store kohlrabi, separate the stems and leaves from the bulb and store both in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.  The leaves will keep for about 1 week, and the bulbs will last up to several weeks if stored properly.

Now, kohlrabi has gotten a bad rap at times in the past.  Several years ago, pre pandemic, when I was doing CSA fairs, I had several people complain about kohlrabi.  While they had not yet participated in our CSA, they voiced similar generalizations that kohlrabi is a difficult vegetable that people in CSAs get way too much of.  Contrary to urban myth, kohlrabi is a very cool vegetable!   I can’t speak for other farms, but we plant kohlrabi in two specific places in the season.  In the spring, kohlrabi is ready for harvest before other brassicas such as cabbage and cauliflower.  In the fall we grow a different variety of kohlrabi intended to be stored well into the winter.  So kohlrabi is not a filler vegetable, but rather we grow it intentionally because it’s part of our progression through the seasons and it’s delicious!  What is there to not love about kohlrabi!?!  It’s sweet, mild flavored, crispy, crunchy, versatile and unique.  You can eat it raw, roasted, baked, pan-fried and stir-fried.  You can use it in salads, on pizza, to make risotto and soup as well as a whole host of other dishes from all around the world!  

Over the years we’ve featured a variety of kohlrabi recipes in our newsletters, which are archived on our website.  If you ask Farmer Richard what his favorite way to eat kohlrabi is, I guarantee he’ll always say “Creamy Kohlrabi Slaw!” While we will enjoy kohlrabi in this way, it may be used in more ways beyond creamy slaw!  Even though I’ve been searching for kohlrabi recipes for years, I hit a landmine of some ideas this week!  Maybe it’s just becoming more popular, or maybe I just wasn’t looking in the right place to find the gems of recipes.  Check out the list of recipes below and hopefully you’ll find something intriguing to make week!

As with other vegetables in this family, kohlrabi is rich in nutrients.  It is an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, potassium and antioxidants.  It is low in calories and sodium, and contains indoles, which are believed to be potentially significant anti-cancer compounds. 

Kohlrabi Crisps 

Vegetarian Kohlrabi Gratin with Dill & Mustard 

Spicy Kohlrabi Salad

Simple Kohlrabi Salad 

Chinese Pork and Kohlrabi Fried Rice 

Kohlrabi Stir-Fried with Garlic & Egg 

Stir-Fried Kohlrabi with Bacon & Scallions 

Kohlrabi Noodles with Brown Sage Butter 

Kale & Kohlrabi Gnocchi 

Kohlrabi Salad with Cilantro, Jalapeno & Lime 

Kohlrabi Slaw with Fennel & Apple 

Kohlrabi Lasagna with Cheesy Cream Cheese Layers 

Kohlrabi and Bok Choi pizza (with kale)

Kohlrabi Kale Slaw with Honey Dijon Dressing & Dill 

Kohlrabi & Chickpea Salad 

Kohlrabi in White Sauce 

Grilled Cheese with Apples, Dijon & Kohlrabi 

 

Lemon Dill Kohlrabi Fritters

Yield:  8-10 fritters

2 heaping cups grated kohlrabi

1 cup finely chopped scallions or onions

⅓ to ½ cup all-purpose flour or oat flour

2 Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped 

2 garlic cloves or 2 Tbsp garlic scapes, finely chopped

1 tsp lemon zest

¾ tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 eggs lightly beaten

Olive oil for cooking

1. Remove the skin from the kohlrabi with a paring knife.  Grate the kohlrabi using a hand grater, box grater, or julienne peeler.  Transfer to a clean dish towel and squeeze as much water as possible out of it over the sink.  You may also put the kohlrabi in a colander and press out the liquid.
2. Add the drained, grated kohlrabi to a mixing bowl with the scallions or onion, flour, dill, garlic or garlic scapes, lemon zest, and salt.  Pour in the lightly beaten eggs and mix until the batter comes together.  You may want to start with just one egg to see if that is sufficient to bring the batter together.  The batter will be a little loose, but if it appears too wet, add one or two more tablespoons of flour.
3. Place a medium to large skillet on the stove and heat over medium to medium-high heat.  Add enough oil to generously cover the pan and heat just until it simmers.  Using two serving spoons, take a scoop of batter from the bowl and form a fritter by patting the batter into the bowl of one spoon with the other spoon.  They should be about ½-inch thick and 2 inches wide.  Slide the fritter directly off the spoon and into the hot oil.  
4. Cook the fritters in batches for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown, then flip it over and cook the second side until golden brown.  You may need to adjust the heat so they cook evenly and through to the center.  A bit of patience is helpful here.  If the pan is too hot the fritters will blacken and the centers will not be cooked.
5. Once cooked, either serve them immediately or place them on a sheet tray with a rack and hold them in the oven at low heat until you are ready to serve them.  
6. Serve them warm with a dollop of sour cream, yogurt, a pat of butter and/or applesauce, or just plain!

Recipe sourced from https://itsavegworldafterallcom/kohlrabi-fritters.....with a few minor adaptations by Chef Andrea.