ORGANIC FARM NOTES: WEEK 4: July 20 – 26, 2014
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Coordinator: Mike Rabinowitz: House Phone: Before 5:30. 895-2884
Cell: 5:30 – 6:30. 759-2884
Pick ups Time: 6 – 6:30 p.m.
Overview!
Good Job! Getting there on time and on the right day was great, says the Little Red Hen. Lots of feedback! Marie Wadden posted her veggie bag on Facebook calling attention to the farm’s efforts. Krista Quinton, a member sent a recipe for Zucchini Frittata, which I am eager to try. She notes that her three year-old helps. This takes me back to the time when I worked at Daybreak Parent Child Centre. Simple cooking was part of the classroom curriculum. I still have vintage video showing the faces of three year-olds breaking eggs for the first time. The best surprise of all is a link to a Website with Subject: 31 Things To Do with Confusing CSA Vegetables from Kjellrun Hestekin, a present member. This was sent from her former Veggie bag partner, who is now in a veggie co-op in Windsor, Ontario. It is light hearted and has lots of good ideas, whether you are confused or not. For example, the suggestion referring to kohlrabi is “If you don’t know what it is, get out a knife and start peeling!” Find these links in farm notes along with Krista’s recipe which will go into Recipe File on Website after this week.
Swap Box, Tail Gate Sales and Special Orders.
Mike says it was a bit chaotic trying to deal with swapping, along with special orders and extra sales. This week there will be two people. Do your usual line up for Person #1 to be checked off; then go to Mike for swap box, special orders and sales. If you know what you want in advance, for example, a second bag of salad mix (Anne), peas (Alison), kale (Jamie), pea shoots (Rick) etc., E-mail Mike in advance. It will be packaged with your name on it. If you are just interested in having a look to see what is left, you will need to wait after swapping and special orders.
WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM?
DESPERATELY SEEKING VOLUNTEERS. If you are interested in joining our plant rescue team for as little as 3 hours a week, please send us an E-Mail and start the conversation!
Reports of Strangulation and Bullying!
“Help! Help! We’re being strangled. Where are the gentle hands to untangle us?”Calls the onions and leeks from Aunt Esther’s Garden. “But what about me,” complains the beans in Greenhouse #5.”
“Call the weed patrol” screams the herb garden. Farmer Mike understands the situation. He sends a rescue team to the worst situation but there are not enough weeders. At the moment, we need a crew of full time weeders, just like an emergency squad at the Fire Hall, but it would be to costly, even if we could find them.
Welcome, Adrienne, our newest volunteer, who comes three days a week/ 3 hours a day. She lives in B.C. and is visiting family in Newfoundland this summer. She is learning about edible flowers and helps with weeding as well as picking and packing. Adrienne’s help is worth over $100/week, in terms of farm labour costs. She will go home with a bag of lettuce or bundle of kale, depending on what is left over from packing. Today, Monday, she was on emergency squad for Aunt Esther’s Garden.
Never A Dull Moment!
Mike makes up availability list for Monday CSA on Sunday night. Diane comes over on the 8:10 Ferry Crossing, arriving at the farm at 8:30 and picks up Mike’s list. She then organized picking and packing accordingly. Diane lives on Bell Island and is one of the most senior members of the farm team. At least three or four people are assigned to Veggie Coop. Others are replenishing lettuce and herb gardens or weeding. Diane consults with Mike around lunch time and makes adjustment if some of the crops designated for the CSA bags don’t work out. For example, today, we are wondering if there are is enough green garlic or if we will be switching to garlic scapes as part of the bounty this week. Mike makes those calls and sometimes this may be at mid-afternoon. Then, he may make the actual packing slip if he has time; if not, he will print out a copy to take with him to pick up and post it later in the evening. If we are lucky, staff can relax a few minutes in the shade around the picnic table for afternoon break. After break, there may be time to weed awhile in the herb garden before general clean-up, emptying the compost in the wheelbarrows, pressure washing packing shed and sterilizing the picking baskets for the next day. No one relaxes until the vehicle is loaded and headed down the hill, pointed in the direction of St. John’s and the Coop Drop-Off. About that time, the people who pick-up at the farm begin to arrive.
Ladies and Gentleman, when you fill your salad plate tonight, clink your forks together as a toast to Diane and the Organic Farm Team!
Last but not Least. The recipe from Krista.
“Hello,
I see from the farm notes that zucchini is in our future and that you are searching for tried and true recipes. Here is one of our favourites, from “Ella’s Kitchen the Cook Book”. It is delicious warm or cold and is easy enough to prepare that our three year old helps us with it.
Thank you for all that you do!
Krista
Easy Cheesy Zucchini Frittata
6 eggs
2 ¼ cups grated cheddar cheese
2 zucchini, coarsely grated
1/3 cup of raisins (optional)
3 scallions, 1 leek or ½ white onion, finely chopped (or garlic scape)
Small pinch of chili or cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. Olive oil
Preheat the broiler to medium. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat well, using a wire whisk. Add the cheese, zucchini, and raisins (if using), the scallions, leeks or white onion, and the chili powder or cayenne pepper and beat again to combine.
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet, then pour in the egg mixture and cook over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes, until the bottom of the frittata is set. Place the frittata under the broiler and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the top is set and golden.
Slide the frittata out onto a place and cut into eight wedges. Serve warm or cold with salad.”
