Spring Is Here (We Think)

4:09 PM Adrian 2 Comments

....and it has been very, very wet.

Which, all in all, is a good thing.  The rains of the early almost pre-spring/late winter storms were nowhere near enough to break this endless drought, despite of how much actually fell! Most of it just ran off and flowed away down our rivers and creeks, to be taken by the Cedar and Iowa towards the Mississippi.  We all watched out our windows, wincing, as we saw all this much-needed water say "see ya later!" and wash away; and not into our parched aquifers, like we hoped it would.  But with this last round of storm after soppy storm and weather getting somewhat warmer and warmer, the ground has thawed and allowed much of this moisture to get soaked up!  Good news for our wells and watersheds.  It also looks like we'll be receiving even more replenishment in the next couple weeks to come.  What a wet April!

Reminiscing about last year, we find it all too ironic that this spring is exactly the opposite of the one before: it kick started early, around the end of February, and everything started blooming only for the drought and persistent frosts to shrivel up everything while we ran about like madmen to keep everything watered!  This year it seems like that's all getting contradicted.  We have been sneaking in plantings in between each downpour when we can, and then we have no choice but to watch them get soaked from inside.  A lot less hectic, but we've been itching to get outside and into the fields!  While our seeds and transplants are getting plenty of water to start, we are also worried about some of our most important crops, such as garlic and asparagus, hoping they don't get flooded or froze up in the coming late frosts.  We're a bit worried about our latest transplants of onions and leeks.  We have actually been making some attempts at slowing the growth of our asparagus down so they don't all get zapped by this late-coming freeze!

 One week of our Spring CSA 2013 came and went!  For those of you participating, we are excited to be getting you some early treats this year.  We hope you enjoyed your first box and all those goodies, because we are sad to inform you that not all of them will be appearing in your box next week!  We know: sad face. Especially bummed about the early spinach which we overwintered so well, this storm today just beat it up a ton with penny-sized hail so we need to let it grow some new leaves.  So this week's list will be a little bit different. 

No worries though!  We have seedlings in the fields and in our greenhouses that are growing strong and fast for future CSA boxes: radishes, choi, and arugula are in tiny-baby stage, lettuces are rooting and deepening their colors after this last transplant, and much more is in the works out in our fields.  Kales and asian greens are soaking up the rain in the fields as we speak (crossing our fingers they won't get overflooded!)  Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplants are getting big fast, we have already made their first transplants in to larger containers.  We ask you to bear with us through these early spring storms; while they hamper us quite a bit now with what we can plant and harvest, and are even damaging sometimes, in the long run these rains will be a huge help to the growth of our veggies and bring you a bigger helping in the near future!


In other news, our greenhouses/high tunnels are covered with brand new plastic and are serving us well, covering a large variety of our vegetables currently.  We're grateful that we don't need to worry about them much in their shelters, other than some minor floods here and there.

Our year's pigs have arrived!  Four of them, two all pink and two pink and black, one girl and three boys.  They're still a little spooked and uncomfortable with all the rain, but they've been cute as heck and sleeping in a big adorable pig-pile!  We have a sort of "Pig Naming" ceremony to come up for our Pork-Trade CSA members where we'll have a roast of last year's pork and think of names for this year's litter.  A "Piggening," if you will.


We look forward to seeing you Friday at Tim's Kirkwood School for Children, or at Derek's house on Ginter Ave. on Saturday for CSA pickup!  Be sure to bring a rain jacket, and maybe some slicks!




On your plate this week:

• Garlic
• Potatoes
• Fingerling potatoes
• Turnips (Purple Tops/Scarlet/Golden)
• Sprouts (Arugula, Red Choi, Tat Soi, Sunflower, etc.)
• Daikon Radishes
• Black Spanish Radishes

Recipes

 Spicy Turnips (Masala Shalgam)  (www.syvum.com)

Serves: 4
Cooking time (approx.): 21 minutes
Style: North Indian Vegetarian (Punjabi)

• 500  grams (about 20  oz.) turnips peeled chopped and washed
• 2  large onion(s) chopped
• 2  tomato(es) chopped
• 1  teaspoon(s) each of grated garlic and ginger
• 2  green chilli(es) chopped
• 1  teaspoon(s) each of sugar, cumin powder and coriander powder
• ½  teaspoon(s) turmeric powder
• 1  cup(s) water
• 2  tablespoons butter / oil
• salt to taste
• finely chopped coriander leaves to garnish.

1. Heat the butter / oil in a pressure cooker till it is medium hot. Add the chopped green chilli(es), grated ginger and garlic. Fry briefly. Add the chopped onion(s) and saute on medium heat for 3  minute(s) or till the onions are lightly browned.
2. Now, add the chopped tomato(es), salt, and the turmeric, cumin and coriander powders. Stir fry on medium / low heat for 3  minutes or till the fat leaves the sides of the cooker.
3. Add the chopped turnips and mix. Add the water and stir well. Close the cooker and bring to maximum pressure on high heat. Now, reduce the heat and cook on low level for about 15  minutes. Open the cooker after all the steam has escaped. Add the sugar and very lightly mash the cooked turnips. Keep on the flame for a few minutes to dry out excess water if any.
   Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. NOTE: A heavy bottomed vessel could be used in place of the pressure cooker. The quantity of water may be more than doubled and accordingly, the entire cooking process would take a longer time.

Serve immediately with: hot white rice, Indian bread (Roti) or sliced fresh white bread.


Korean-Style Daikon Radish with Chicken (www.food.com)

 

Yay Spring Crocuses!