Soaked in sweat from flipping the compost pile this hot and humid Monday, Tyler announced that July was officially here. You’ll see it in the veggie pick-up this evening too, where we suddenly have more to share than greens and spring onions. Carrots, beets and peas are finally in. We’ll enjoy the first zucchini of the year during the farm dinner, we hope to have enough for the share next week. That said, the greens are still coming in. After hearing that my grandmother picked all of the baby kale leaves out of our salad last week, convinced that they were weeds, I thought I may need to fill people in on just what all of those things are in the mesclun mix. In addition to several varieties of lettuce, there will be some or all of the following: red mustard, mizuna, tatsoi, (all spicy asian greens) and baby kale (a nutrient-packed micro green with a crunchy texture). I went a bit overboard this week on the add-ins, you may want to take an extra head of lettuce to mix in if you desire a less spicy mix. In general if you take both mix and heads from the farm you might want to eat the mix first. Since the leaves are already cut in the mix it will start to turn before the intact lettuce heads. Consider storing your lettuce in a salad spinner or placing a towel in a plastic bag with your lettuce. Both will keep the leaves moist with humidity, but not sitting in water which will cause rot.

We’re in prep mode for the dinner and tour tonight. Cleaning up, cooking and doling out dozens of eggs to anyone who will devil them. Tyler has been judged the best cook among us and is on kitchen and grilling duty, while Emily and I concentrate on getting the share ready and setting up the “lawn” for dinner. James plans to be out all day with Lightning and Abby mowing the final field of first cut hay. He’ll be out at 4 pm for a demo on horse-powered mowing. Around 5 he’ll bring the horses in to their hitching post and lead a walking tour of some of the farm’s highlights. People can jump on and off the tour as they arrive and pick-up food. There is a lot of poison ivy around the field edges, so if you are touring you may want to plan ahead and wear closed shoes and pants. We’ll aim to have dinner ready just after 6 pm. We’re expecting a lot more people tonight than anticipated, so please be patient with us (we are farmers after all, not restaurateurs). Don’t forget your place setting, dessert and drinks for sharing.

In the veggie share: carrots, beets, turnips, peas, pac choi (chinese cabbage), basil, lettuce, mesclun mix, kale, chard, garlic scapes, bunching onions, celeriac, black and white beans. The carrots, beets and turnips all have tops on, all of which can be cooked. Research some different methods for including the healthy leaves in your meals this week.

In the meat share: chicken, pork and ground beef.

See you all tonight at 4,
Sara Kurak
Full and By Farm

Related articles

• Full and By Farm, June 30, 2011 (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
• Full and By Farm, June 23, 2011 (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
• Haying with Draft Horses at Full and By Farm (rosslynredux.com)
• Farm to Table Dinner (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
• Lovely Lettuces (threetenthsofanacre.wordpress.com)