Welcome to week #2! We hope you enjoyed your first box of goodies and are anxiously awaiting some more.
Despite the weather, the veggies are doing alright although a few are showing signs of stress (yellowing at the roots). Luckily the fact we have hilled our rows and plant primarily in mulch or straw bales, means that the plants are not sitting in water! Our animals however, are not as lucky! Everyone's looking for high, dry ground! That being said we are soooo much better off than people along the Assiniboine and other tributaries so we are grateful for that and hope that everyone gets through the next few days safely and with minimal damage.
Today I thought I would talk a little about kale. It is often a leafy green that some people are not familiar with. Kale is a brassica, so in the same family as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. This means that the cabbage moth/worm love kale and we have to grow it under cover to save it from being eaten! After last week, you will know that kale is very good for you and is considered one a powerhouse vegetable. Fresh, tender kale leaves can be used like lettuce in a salad, can be cooked or steamed like spinach or my favorite... can be made into Kale Chips! This healthy but tasty snack is even a hit with our kids.
Rip the kale into bite size pieces, toss with oil until fully coated, lay out on a cookie sheet or dehydrator tray and then season with whatever combination of spices you wish - garlic & salt and pepper are good or add some cayenne pepper for a little more zip! If you want to get creative, try curry! Pop in the oven at 250F for 4-6 hours or until dry and crunchy or in the dehydrator (if you have one). While the dehydrator is the healthier choice as the plant remains "alive" and the nutrients don't degrade, my kids actually enjoy the oven dried version best!
So... What's in the Box this week?
- Radishes
- Swiss Chard
- Lettuce
- Beets
- Turnip
- Kale
- Basil
- Oregano
- Chives
- Parsley (flat and curled)
- Cilantro
As always in the beginning of the growing season you will again enjoy a lot of fresh greens this week. A note about the best way to preserve the life of the greens as if you don't take some care you may find them wilted! As you will have discovered we put everything we can (with their ends) into water to keep it as fresh as possible. When you get home, be sure to put the greens in the crisper or in a plastic bag in the fridge as soon as possible. To freshen up any greens, submerge completely in icy cold water. I find adding some lemon juice to the water also helps. Keep the greens there for a while - 5-10 minutes and it should freshen things considerably. If you can be sure to spin after in a lettuce spinner or dry off as well as you can before putting back in the fridge. The dryer the better if you are storing in a plastic bag.
We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.
Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again.
