Vegetable Feature: Parsley Root

by Andrea Yoder

Parsley Root

Parsley root is an interesting vegetable that we rarely have the opportunity to include in CSA boxes.  We were introduced to parsley root years ago upon request of Chef Odessa Piper who recognized the subtle, yet striking, role parsley root can play in fall and winter meals.  While used more widely throughout Europe, it is not as well-known in the US.  Parsley root is the root of the parsley plant.  While both of these crops have similar plants, there are varieties grown specifically for the root versus the herb.  Parsley root is a challenging crop to grow with a limited market for selling, thus we only plant it every couple of years.  In order to get a nice, straight root, parsley root must be direct-seeded versus herb parsley which is started in the greenhouse as a transplant.  Parsley root seed is very hard to germinate & has a long growing season.  These two factors are what make this crop hard to manage and require an investment in time to cultivate and hand weed several times throughout the season.

Just harvested parsley root, still with green tops

While parsley root resembles parsnips, they are very different in flavor.  Parsley root has a mild parsley flavor and provides a sweet, subtle background flavor to dishes prepared with it.  It can be eaten raw or cooked.  In its raw form, you can grate it on top of a greens salad, or make it the center ingredient in a salad.  Combine shredded parsley root with carrots, diced shallots and toss with fresh parsley and a lemon vinaigrette.  Parsley root pairs well with other root vegetables and makes a delicious addition to soups and root mashes along with potatoes, celeriac, parsnips, etc.  If you enjoy making your own homemade stock, I encourage you to consider investing all of your parsley root into a pot of stock this week.  Chicken stock in particular is elevated to the next level with the addition of parsley root along with carrots, celery and onions—all included in this week’s box!  We have often heard that parsley root is the secret ingredient in Grandma’s chicken soup…which starts with a good stock.

Savor and appreciate this little taste of something special.  It will be a few years before we grow it again!

Red Lentils with Winter Squash & Greens

Servings:  4

1 cup red lentils

3 Tbsp olive oil

¼ cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 inch fresh ginger, minced

¼ tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp salt, plus more as needed to taste

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds (optional, but highly recommended)

2 Tbsp fresh lemongrass bulb, minced

1 handful fresh curry leaves (optional—the recipe is great even without them)

1 fresh red chili (such as a guajillo or red fresno pepper), sliced thinly (may substitute a pinch or two of dried pepper flakes)

5-6 cups water

1 cup diced kabocha or butternut squash

1 bunch mustard greens OR 4 cups raw spinach

Fresh lime & Cilantro, to garnish

Cooked Basmati Rice or Potatoes 

1. Rinse the lentils well using a mesh strainer.
2. Heat a skillet to medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the olive oil is shimmering, add the onions & garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes, then add the lentils, ginger, turmeric, salt, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, lemongrass, curry leaves (if using), and the red chili.  Stir to combine, then add 3-4 cups of water, or enough water to bring the level of liquid over the lentils by about ½-1 inch.
3. Cover and bring to a simmer.  Once the lentils are simmering, remove the cover and add the squash.  Add an additional 1-2 cups of water and continue to simmer until the squash is tender, the lentils are soft, and the mixture looks smoother. 
4. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the greens.  If you are using mustard greens, wash the leaves and then tear or cut into bite sized pieces before adding them to the lentils.  Simmer for just a few minutes more until all the greens have wilted into the lentils.
5. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.  Serve alongside cooked basmati rice or boiled potatoes. Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lime and chopped cilantro.  

Beautiful Red Mustard Greens

I adapted this recipe from one originally written by McKel Hill for her blog—NutritionStripped.com.  The mustard greens are delicious in this recipe which is quite easy to prepare.-Chef Andrea

Potato & Parsley Soup with Parsley Root

Serves 4 to 6

1 ½ pounds potatoes, peeled

2 medium parsley roots, scrubbed

1 ½ Tbsp butter or olive oil

1 medium to large onion, finely chopped

2 bay leaves

½ cup dry white wine

2 cups chopped parsley

1 ½ tsp sea salt

6 cups water or vegetable stock

⅓ cup cream, or additional water

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Quarter the potatoes lengthwise and thinly slice.  Grate the parsley roots. 
2. Melt the butter in a soup pot and add the potatoes, parsley roots, onions and bay leaves.  Cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Raise the heat, add the wine, and let it reduce until syrupy. 
3. Add 1 ½ cups of the parsley, the salt and the water; bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes have broken apart, about 30 minutes.  
4. Stir in the cream and remaining ½ cup parsley and heat through.  Taste for salt and season with pepper.  Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Recipe borrowed from Deborah Madison’s cookbook, The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

Winter Squash 101- Everything you need to know!

This week, we’re honing in on all things winter squash because, let’s face it, fall is here and that means it’s time to embrace winter squash. Before we get into the specifics of each of the winter squash varieties that we grow, we’ll take a step back and give you a little background about the planning and strategy that goes into getting these squash into your kitchen.

Long before the planting season begins, Farmers Richard and Andrea begin the process of selecting which winter squash varieties to grow in the coming year. For the most part, these decisions are based on a few simple factors: appearance & size, taste & sweetness, and how well it stores. The squash you’ve seen this fall in your boxes or at our market stand all possess this trifecta of ideal characteristics—albeit, to varying degrees.  We also try to select squash that will span the season with some being best shortly after harvest and others that get better with time in storage. 

Winter Sweet Squash

 Once planting season arrives, squash transplants are nestled in along row after row of silver—or reflective—mulch. This practice largely serves as a deterrent to common pests like cucumber beetles and squash bugs. Based on the thickness of each particular squash variety’s shell, their vulnerability to these pests and their razor sharp mouthparts varies somewhat. Typically, however, any bacteria that makes its way into one of these hardly noticeable nibbles inflicted by a cucumber beetle produces a spot. This tiny spot will affect the shelf life of the squash.

Knowing this, we take great care to ‘baby’ each and every one of our winter squash as we handle them during harvest & packing. Using large portable tanks, our crew washes each squash in the field during harvest, a process that removes both dirt and bacteria. This allows us to minimize the amount of handling, which in turn limits opportunities for puncture wounds. From the field, our crew moves the day’s harvest to our warm and toasty greenhouse where they undergo a process of curing and then are held in storage.

Orange Kuri

Whether it be in the field or on the packing line, we keep an eye out for those spots I mentioned before. Any afflicted squash are culled immediately. But alas, the Harmony Valley family can only consume so much squash!  While we deliver squash with nearly every box once fall sets in, you don’t necessarily have to eat it right away.  It’s much easier for you to keep your eye on a few squash than it is for us to monitor thousands of squash nestled into bins.  Once you receive your squash, your job is to keep an eye out for any signs of aging, spots forming, etc. Even if a spot appears on the surface, it is still perfectly edible. Simply cut out the spot and eat that squash or cook it and freeze the cooked flesh. Overall, store your squash in a warm, dry place—like your kitchen table for seasonal décor or your countertop. Do not store squash in the refrigerator or in an uninsulated garage.  They could get chill injury from being in a cold environment less than 45 degrees. It also helps to be aware that the sweeter the squash and the more thin the rind, the poorer its storage ability.  These varieties should be eaten first.

And now, let’s take a look at Harmony Valley’s 2015 winter squash varieties!

 Orange Kabocha 

Orange Kabocha and Orange Kuri: These squash are similar in appearance and use.  Kabocha is rather squat in shape and features a bright orange, dull and slightly bumpy skin. Orange kuri has a similar appearance except it is pointier on top.  Both have a sweet, rich, nutty flavor profile and a chestnut-like texture that is quite similar to a sweet potato, with pumpkin influences. Highly versatile, these can be steamed or baked. If opting for the latter, cut your squash in half and remove the seeds first.  Bake in the oven in a pan with a small amount of water, cut side down.  Thanks to their dense flesh, this squash is ideal for curries, but may just as easily be pureed for your next batch of squash soup.  It’s also a good selection to use in baked goods.

Butternut Squash

Butternut: This winter squash variety has a long and somewhat slender neck and a more bulbous, rounded bottom. We intentionally grow smaller varieties so they can be used in entirety once cut.  Butternut features a mild flavor and a silky texture. Its smooth skin makes it easy to peel using either a vegetable peeler or paring knife. The seeds can either be discarded or roasted and eaten as a fall snack. Butternut can be used in both savory and sweet dishes, from soups and pastas to breads and mashes. Stored properly, butternut will keep for several months.

Honeynut Butternut

Honeynut Butternut: The product of crossing a butternut and a buttercup, honeynut butternut squash are adorable. They more closely resemble their butternut parent, though they’re much smaller in size and feature a rust-colored skin. Honeynut butternut’s flesh is very sweet, with a smooth, non-stringy texture. Their high sugar content makes them ideal for sweeter preparations, though they can also be substituted for regular butternut in any recipe. These little squash are challenging to grow and are not the best keepers.  We delivered them in some boxes over the past two weeks.  If you have one on your counter, we’d recommend you use it soon.

Sugar Dumpling Squash

Sugar Dumpling: Whitish-yellow and green in color, sugar dumplings are small and compact, with ridges that run vertically. Their flesh is sweet and flavorful. Sugar dumplings can be used in sweet or savory preparations and are ideally suited to recipes that call for sweet potatoes or pumpkins. In general, you can halve, quarter or even whole-roast and stuff these little squash. Like honeynut butternut, sugar dumplings aren’t the best keepers. We delivered these several weeks ago.  If you still have some, keep your eye on them and use them within the next few weeks.

Festival Squash

Festival: Festival squash—often called carnival squash—are the product of an acorn-sweet dumpling cross. Yellow or cream in color with green and orange striping, festival squash feature a mild, nutty flesh and a firm texture. This variety is an excellent choice for baking or stuffing. Typically, preparation doesn’t require peeling, but do note that festival’s skin is not typically eaten. This squash will keep for up to one month.

Delicata Squash Tacos, find the recipe here:
Delicata Squash and Black Bean Tacos
 With Salsa Verde and Lime Sour Cream

Delicata: Delicata squash are oblong in shape, with yellowish skin and green striping that runs top to bottom. Their flesh is sweet and creamy—similar to a sweet potato but on the earthier side. Delicata’s thin skin is edible, so there is no need to spend time and energy on peeling. Halve this squash before roasting—or slice it into rings for even faster cooking, taking care to remove the seeds. Partly due to their thin skin, delicata are very poor keepers. These were among the first squash we sent your way.

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti: Spaghetti squash are oval-shaped and light yellow to gold in color. After cooking, one scrape of its mild flesh will tell you how this squash got its name. Spaghetti squash’s long, noodle-like strands are similar to angel hair pasta—they’re tender and somewhat chewy, but still on the delicate side. In terms of preparation, there’s no need to peel this squash—simply roast and scrape. Due to its very mellow flavor, spaghetti squash are best incorporated into bold, savory dishes where it won’t have to compete for attention—it’ll simply blend in. This squash can also step in as a healthy alternative to pasta. Spaghetti squash will store for about one month.

Cha-Cha Squash

We have a few other varieties you might see in some of the latter boxes.  We have been trialing a few new varieties including a dark green kabocha called Cha-Cha.  The past two years we’ve also grown a squash called Winter Sweet.  This is a unique one in that it is actually better after it has been in storage for several months.  We selected this one specifically because it is one we can store and then deliver in January. 

The Asa Lift & Its Operator

by Lisa Garvalia

Parsnips being harvested with the Asa-Lift

Living on a farm myself, I have a deep appreciation for the use of good, efficient equipment. One example is the round baler which has taken the place, on many farms, of the need for a square baler. The square baler requires someone to pull the tractor over the windrows, while the baler makes the squares, then the bales are thrown onto the wagon that is attached to the square baler. If the square baler does not have a “kicker” to throw the bales onto the wagon then someone has to manually pick the bales off the field and throw them into the wagon. There is usually someone on the wagon to stack the square bales up neatly in order to get a maximum load on the wagon. When the wagon is full, it is pulled back to the barn by another tractor and the bales are manually loaded on an elevator and dropped in the haymow. There is also someone in the haymow to stack the square bales neatly for maximum storage with less waste. I am tired just writing about the whole process.

The Asa-Lift

Now that I have given you an example of the efficiency that certain farm equipment can bring, let me tell you a bit about the Asa-Lift, our single row root crop harvester. I had the pleasure of hearing about the workings of the Asa-Lift from the main operator, Rafael. One of the most important things that was stressed in my discussion is that the settings on the Asa-Lift must be precise in order for it to operate at its best.  That being said, there are a lot of things to pay attention to so the precision is there. The front of the Asa-Lift has a leaf row cutter that separates the leaves from one row to the next.

Leaf row cutter, plow & torpedo bars

 There is a plow that lifts the plants out of the ground and 2 torpedo shaped bars that rotate and pick up all of the leaves from the plant. A belt grabs the leaves and moves the plant upward out of the ground and toward the topping bar. The dirt is cleaned off the plants from below by rubber fingers, and metal topping bars cut the leaves off the plant. After the leaves are cut off, the produce then travels farther up the conveyer and drops into wood bins. The bins are waiting on a flat rack, or wagon, that is being pulled by another tractor alongside Rafael with the Asa-lift.

Rubber fingers to clean dirt

Asa-Lift harvesting with the 2nd tractor pulling flat rack

In total it takes two tractors, and 4-5 people to make this operation work. Both tractors must travel in synchrony to make this work. One or two people ride on the flat rack to “catch” the produce with the pad and one to pick out the leaves and culls. One person also walks behind the Asa-Lift to watch the operation and pick up any leftover roots from the field. Rafael has many different things to pay attention to when he is operating the Asa-Lift.
He has to make sure that everything is working correctly because if there is one setting even a few inches off, it can either do damage to the crop, plug up the conveyer, or the dirt may not all get cleaned off. Another thing that is always on his mind is the safety of everyone around the Asa-Lift when it is in operation. He likes to work with the same crew as they are familiar with how it should be running when it is working properly and also the things that should be watched for safety reasons. On the tractor with the Asa-Lift is a small square box of controls that is right at the fingertips of Rafael and it runs all of the different components of the Asa-Lift, from the PTO to the pumps to moving the conveyer. Rafael is very keen to listen when the machine is running as he can tell by the sounds if something needs to be adjusted or looked at.  Rafael has a very important job running the machine and he takes it very seriously. If one small thing is overlooked it can cause something big and unpleasant to happen.

Topping Bars

Rafael running the Asa-Lift

Now that I have given you a brief summary on how this machine works, let’s look at what kind of efficiency it brings to Harmony Valley Farm.  When it comes to purchasing tractors and equipment, farmers must take into consideration many different things to justify the expense. Besides looking at the cost, they also look at how the equipment may improve quality of life and time saved.


With the Asa-Lift they can harvest approximately 9 different root crops and they can fill up to 40 – 50 bins per day depending on the produce being harvested. Now if this were to be done manually, it would take 10 people 4 hours to fill 6-8 bins with produce. We still have many crops that involve lifting crates and hand harvest, but whenever possible we use pallet jacks, machinery, and forklifts to harvest and move heavy roots.

The Asa-Lift was purchased from Denmark because no machines are made in this country for small vegetable farms like ours.  Another important benefit of the Asa-Lift is that it can be used at any time, even if there has been a stretch of rain, where manual harvest would be affected. This should give you an idea of why the Asa-Lift is such an important piece of machinery. Besides the time factor, it also saves on back strain that could be caused by all of the manual work that would need to be done.

Bins of celeriac being harvested by the Asa-Lift.
Vicente is on the flat rack catching celeriac and
pulling off extra leaves. Each bin holds 600-800 pounds of roots!

There are many other pieces of equipment that are used on the farm, all of which help to make the job easier and more efficient. The time that is being saved along with the health of the workers is taken very seriously. My hope is that you have enjoyed reading about the awesome Asa-Lift, its operator Rafael, and understand our appreciation of its usefulness!

Vegetable Feature: Celery

by Beth Brown-Lucas

Harvesting Celery

Celery is considered by most people to be a kitchen “staple”, much like potatoes, onions or garlic. It is often used more like an herb than a vegetable, being used to flavor stocks and soups or added to a pot roast. It’s also used as a snack food, and who doesn’t love pairing celery with peanut butter and raisins for the classic Ants on a Log?

Celery can be a difficult vegetable to grow. We estimate that we have 40-50% good, harvestable celery out of what we plant. Celery is very susceptible to aster yellows disease. Even with these challenges, we choose to continue to grow a small amount of celery for our CSA and market members. We prefer growing celeriac as it is much more resistant to aster yellows disease.

Celery Bin

Nonetheless, the celery we grow is delicious and has great flavor. We trialed many varieties, and there are not many available. Our celery is grown from seed gifted to us from our friends at Seedway. We are growing two varieties-Tango and Merengo. The Tango is not as disease resistant, while the Merengo has a better success rate. Richard estimates we are able to harvest 60-65% of the Merengo variety.

Fresvindo shows off his celery harvest

When it comes to preparing your celery, you may find it to be a little different than the California celery found at the store. Wisconsin-grown celery has much more flavor! The outer stalks are best used to flavor stocks and soups or roasted with other vegetables. They can also be sliced thinly and stir-fried or tossed with a light vinaigrette in a salad. The inner stalks are suitable for eating raw-try pairing with cheese or, of course, peanut butter! Celery leaves can also be used to add flavor to stocks, stews or a green salad. You could also dry the leaves and make your own celery salt. It’s a very simple process, and there are several tutorials available online to guide you through it. Celery also has a strong enough flavor that it can be the main flavor in a pureed soup, especially with a little cream and bacon! Check out the recipes below for more cooking ideas.

Curried Celery Soup

Servings:  4-6
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, sliced
5 ½ cups chopped celery
1 Tbsp medium or hot curry powder
1 ½ cups washed and diced unpeeled potatoes
3 ¾ cups vegetable stock
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mixed herbs (parsley, thyme, etc)
Salt, to taste
Celery seeds and leaves, to garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, leek and celery.  Cover, and cook slowly for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  
2. Add the curry powder and continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
3. Add the potatoes and stock.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, but not too soft.  
4. Remove the soup from the heat and cool slightly before processing it.
5. Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and process in batches until smooth.
6. Add the mixed herbs, season to taste with salt and process briefly again.  Return to the saucepan and reheat slowly until piping hot.  Ladle into warm bowls and garnish each one with a sprinkling of celery seeds and a few celery leaves before serving.

Recipe sourced from The Soup Bible edited by Debra Mayhew.

Mushroom & Celery Salad with Parmesan Cheese

Servings:  6
6 ounces fresh white or cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly
3 ounces fresh oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced
3-4 stalks celery
3 ½ Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 ½ Tbsp finely chopped shallot
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 ounces baby spinach, baby kale or salad mix
3 ounces Parmesan cheese

1. Lay the mushrooms on sheets of paper towel;  cover with clean, damp kitchen towels.  Thinly slice the celery, and transfer it to a bowl; cover with plastic.  Refrigerate both until you’re ready to assemble the salad.
2. Stir together the lemon juice and shallot.  Let stand at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours.  Whisk in the oil until emulsified, and season with salt and pepper.  Toss the mushrooms and celery with the dressing;  let stand 10 minutes.  Divide the greens among plates, and top with the mushroom mixture. Shave the cheese with a vegetable peeler over the top of the salad.

Recipe adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook:  The New Classics.

Harvest Party Recap!

by Beth Brown-Lucas

Captain Jack loved meeting everyone

We could not have asked for better weather for our Harvest Party this past Sunday! It was a beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the upper 70s and there was not even a chance of rain. Our party kicked off at noon with a Mix & Mingle and snacks.

Folks started arriving right at noon, excited to tour the farm and meet their fellow CSA members. Captain Jack was ready, making sure he greeted everybody as they arrived. We had delicious light snacks prepared and everyone raved about the Caramelized Poblano Chile & Onion Dip and Roasted Beet & White Bean Dip made by Farmer Andrea. Everybody mingled & chatted while enjoying NessAlla Kombucha and cold press Kickapoo coffee. We had a few activities planned, and kids tried their best to guess the seeds in the “Name that Seed” game or ringing a pumpkin in the Pumpkin Ring Toss.

In the pepper field

At about 1:00 Farmer Richard began loading the wagons for the farm tour. A few families were already on the wagons in anticipation of starting the tour! We loaded up 4 wagons and made our way down the road. Kids & adults were excited to catch a glimpse of the strawberry field and the rhubarb-we had a great view of the fields below. As we continued on our way to the sweet potatoes, we were also able to see the parsley, daikon and leeks.

The sweet potato digging begins

When we arrived at the sweet potatoes, we were all anxious to get off the wagons and into the field! Richard & Andrea led groups of children in digging the first of the sweet potatoes. Before long everyone was pulling sweet potatoes out of the dirt, and there were plenty to go around. Farmer Richard explained how to tell when a sweet potato is ready to harvest, and how the crew has to cut the vines back by hand when harvesting them. Jose Ramon, Alvaro and Rogelio helped cut the vines & dig the potatoes while our guests helped pull up bunches of sweet potatoes. One party attendee found one of the biggest sweet potatoes anyone had ever seen! It was over 2 feet long!

Now that's a giant sweet potato!

After we finished digging sweet potatoes, our wagon caravan made its way to the next stop- peppers, tomatoes, tomatillos and eggplants. Kids were so excited to pick the mini-sweet peppers and eat to their hearts’ content. Everyone wandered through the rows picking Orange Ukraine peppers, tomatillos, eggplant and some tomatoes. We made sure to tell everyone which peppers were the hot peppers, although a few brave souls tried eating raw jalapeños and lived to tell the tale! We were asked lots of great questions, like “How do you know when an eggplant is ready to harvest?”, “Why are the peppers planted on that reflective stuff?”  and “Do you have extra bags?” Our expert farmers and crew were happy to answer questions and help everyone pick and carry lots of great treats back to the wagons.

Picking the perfect pumpkin!

From there we headed to the main attraction-the pumpkin field! Andrea & Richard helped people find the Cinnamon Girl pie pumpkins and we see a lot of pies and pumpkin soup being made soon. Others wanted the big pumpkins for carving and a few took armloads of pumpkins back from the field. Andrea searched high and low for her special pumpkin carved with her name until somebody called out that they found a pumpkin with “AJ” written on it. Captain Jack’s special pumpkin was never found even though Richard made it very easy this year and just carved “Dog” into the pumpkin.  He wasn’t too disappointed that nobody brought his pumpkin back for him though. After everyone had picked their pumpkins, we loaded up the wagons and prepared to head back for the pig roast. A few adventurous partygoers took a tour of the effigy mounds with Richard while the rest of us made our way back to enjoy the food.

The food was plentiful!

Everyone worked up a good appetite with all the field work, and the pig roast was accompanied by an abundance of side dishes, salads and desserts. So many people commented on how wonderful the food was and went back for second and third plates just so they could sample everything! It’s safe to say that nobody went home hungry.
 

Thanks for coming to our party!

At the end of the day, it was a very successful Harvest Party. Many people commented that it was a perfect day to visit the farm and that they loved the chance to see where their food is grown and meet their farmers. It was wonderful to meet so many new people, and see long time friends of the farm. A big thank you to all the Harmony Valley crew who volunteered to help with set-up, drive tractors and clean up after the party ended. Thanks to all who attended the party and made it such a fun day. We were so happy to be able to share the day with you and had so much fun showing you the farm and talking with you. We hope to see you next year!

Vegetable Feature: Jicama

by Sarah Janes Ugoretz

Harvesting Jicama

Before we kick off this week’s vegetable feature, let’s cover one thing right off the bat—pronunciation! Our delicious feature this week is jicama, which you can choose to pronounce one of two ways: HICK-uh-mah or HEE-kuh-mah. Also known as the Mexican yam or Mexican turnip, jicama is native to—you guessed it—Mexico! This vegetable is the edible tuberous root of a vine that can grow to be 20 feet in length. The largest recorded jicama weighed in at a whopping 50 pounds! At Harmony Valley Farm, we deal in much smaller versions of this vegetable, keeping them to less than 5 pounds each—a much more manageable amount to work with in your kitchen.

Apart from its brown papery skin, jicama is entirely edible. The creamy white flesh is firm, sweet and slightly starchy with a very distinct crunch. Thinking of jicama as a savory apple, as TheKitchn describes it, may help in classifying this unique food that many of us may have had limited exposure to.

Jicama is typically enjoyed raw, though it can be sautéed or stir-fried and still retain its crunch. To prepare, begin by peeling the skin. Using a chef’s knife, remove a thin slice from the top and bottom of your jicama in order to create a flat surface on each end. Working from top to bottom and following the curve, carefully slide your knife under the skin to remove it. Once peeled, you don’t need to worry about removing any seeds as the entire interior portion is edible.  Jicama is often served in very simple preparations such as salads, slaws, salsas or just eaten raw on a vegetable tray.  It pairs well with citrus fruits, peppers, avocado and cilantro.

The jicama harvest begins! 

Unlike apples and other fruits, jicama doesn’t oxidize (turn color) once its flesh has been exposed to air. Store half of your jicama in the fridge for later use and all you’ll need to do is remove the thin layer of exposed flesh that has become somewhat dry. In general, store your jicama loose in a cool, dry place at room temperature where it should keep for about 2 to 3 weeks.  The storage for jicama is similar to sweet potatoes.  They are actually subject to chill injury at temperatures less than about 50 degrees.

While it’s challenging to grow jicama in the Midwest, we’re continuing to learn about growing this crop in Wisconsin.  One of our employees, Jose Antonio Cervantes Gutierrrez, introduced us to this crop several years ago with a small handful of seeds he brought from home.  After some experimentation, we’ve finally figured out how to pull off this crop with success.  We use a combination of an early start in the greenhouse and the use of plastic mulch to trap heat and increase the soil temperature to create a microclimate more similar to the ideal growing conditions for this crop.  We hope you enjoy this little taste of the tropics!

Jicama

Jicama Sticks with Chile & Lime 

(Botana de Jicama con Chile y Limon)

Servings: 6

1 pound jicama, peeled

Juice of 2 limes (about ¼ cup)

Juice of ½ bitter orange (about 1 Tbsp), optional

1 Tbsp distilled white vinegar

¼ tsp ground dried chile, cayenne or red pepper flakes

¼ tsp salt

⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp finely chopped cilantro, optional

1 tsp sugar, optional

1. Cut the jicama lengthwise into ½-inch thick slices, then cut the slices into ½-inch wide sticks. 
2. Place the sticks in a medium bowl and toss with the rest of the ingredients.  Arrange in small 2-ounce shot glasses, standing them up like breadsticks, and moisten with the juices of the marinade.

This is a traditional way to enjoy jicama in Mexico and is a common street food offering.  This is Maricel Presilla’s interpretation of this method of preparation that is featured in her cookbook, Gran Cocina Latina.

Cover Crops...Our Allies in Nutrient Management

by Richard de Wilde
Every year we are intrigued by cover crops and find ourselves wondering why more farmers don’t utilize them.  Late summer and fall is an important time of year when we start to wrap things up for the growing season, making our final passes through the fields and putting them to bed for the winter.  We remove the mulch and irrigation lines, take down tomato stakes and chop any remaining plant material (such as broccoli stalks) in the field.  Starting in mid-late summer, as soon as a crop is finished, we start this process with the goal of getting a cover crop planted as soon as possible.  We’ve been planting cover crops since August, so many fields are already covered with a lush blanket of green growth.  Cover crops are a very important part of our production system and are important for maintaining the health of our soil as well as investing in future crops we’ll take off the land.

Richard kneeling in a cover crop planting

Cover crops are an excellent example of how it pays to work in alignment with nature.  While we plant most of our cover crops in the fall, they could be planted at other times of the year in certain scenarios.  We choose cereal grains, grasses and legumes as our plants.  It’s important to understand why we plant them and what purpose they serve.  First, cover crops will out-compete any fall weeds that might germinate in a field….and we hate weeds!  There are actually some weeds that germinate and start their growth cycle in the fall. Once they are established, we have to deal with them in the spring when they start to bloom.   The more weeds we can prevent from getting established in the fall, the better it will be in the spring.   Cover crops also help hold soil in place.  Winter winds and moisture can carry precious topsoil away if there isn’t something to hold onto it.  We try to get cover crops established as soon as possible so we can maximize their growth potential and form a strong root structure to hold the soil in place and prevent erosion.

Field planted with a cover crop mix of annual rye grass,
oats, crimson clover, Japanese millet and Austrian winter peas

Another important reason for planting cover crops is to build soil health and nutrition while building a system for holding nutrients.  Cover crop plants can both synthesize and extract nutrients from their environment and then act like a sponge to take these nutrients up and hold onto them.  Through photosynthesis they are able to take carbon from the air and use it to build nutrients in the plant and soil system.  Some scientists studying climate change have theorized that if all farmers used cover crop systems, we could mitigate the problem of excess carbon and the effects of climate change.  Many nutrients in the soil are water-soluble and can be lost when they wash away with melting snow and moisture over the winter and in the spring.  If you have a plant in the soil, it will take up the nutrients and utilize or hold onto them.

This year we’ve chosen to diversify our cover crop plant mixes.  We have two different mixes.  The first mix is a combination of four different plants that have the ability to overwinter.  This means they will start to grow again in the spring time.  We plant this mix in fields that we do not plan to plant early crops in.  This mix includes hairy vetch and mammoth red clover which are both legumes.  The other two components are annual rye grass and cereal rye.  Each component of the mix has a specific purpose.  The legumes are important because they have the ability to take nitrogen from the air and fix it in the soil.  Annual rye grass is a fast-growing, aggressive plant that can out-compete weeds.  While it’s part of the overwinter mix for this purpose, it’s actually one component that will not come back in the spring.  Cereal rye is important because it takes up the nutrients, including the nitrogen synthesized by the legumes, and acts like the sponge to hold onto them.  They release them into the soil as needed, or at the end of their life cycle when we cut the cover crop and work it back into the soil.

Austrian winter peas, rye and clover in our cover crop mix.

Our second mix contains five components that will winter-kill.  While this means that the plants will die when we get temperatures of 10°F or less, these amazing plants can and will continue to grow (slowly) up until this point.  This is yet another reason that cover crops are so amazing!  We use this mix on fields that we know we’ll need to get into early in the spring to plant some of our early crops such as parsnips, salad greens, early cabbage, kohlrabi, peas, etc.  This mix also contains the annual rye grass for its fast-growing abilities.  The nitrogen-fixing legumes in this mix include winter peas and crimson clover.  The sponges in this mix include two cereal grains, oats & Japanese millet.  While creating these mixes has added a level of complexity to the process, it also has added a higher level of diversity to our cover crop system which in turn will create a wider diversity of microbes in the soil.

Our standard operating procedure when we finish harvesting a crop is to immediately follow with the chopper to break down any remaining plant material, then do a light disking.  Next, we spread compost and then the cover crop seeds are planted.  This happens fast and the whole process can be completed in 24-36 hours!  This is very time-sensitive and every day matters because you really want to maximize the growth of the cover crop while the fall days are still warm.  Of course we need moisture in the soil to germinate the seeds, so sometimes we dance with the weather and try to time the seeding right before or after a rain.

Using cover crops is a very efficient way to hold and add nutrients to the soil.  Once the crop is planted, everything happens in place.  There is no additional need to haul or spread additional fertilizer…the plant does all the work for us!  Management, teamwork and timeliness are key components to making this all come together.