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Monday August 15, 2011
Greetings Purchase CSA Members,
Much needed rain is falling heavily. The crew is armored with their raingear and boots, looking not unlike an army of yellow ducks headed out to the fields. Ruby (our Australian Shepherd/Sheltie) is soaked within the first two minutes and has just come in to the office to shake off! Wish I had had my raingear on!
Jeannine Laverty has written a wonderful piece about the Onion Harvest this past weekend. This time I too participated and could not have told the tale better! Hope you enjoy it.
Have a great week and enjoy your share - Justine
This week in your share, you will most likely receive:
Lettuce, Thyme, Augusta Potatoes (White Skin and Flesh), Large Eggplant, Fairytale Eggplant, Melon(s), Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Sweet Onions, and Summer Squash/Zucchini
"Last week a great gypsy band played at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs. Many of their tunes gathered speed and then stopped suddenly, evoking instant cheers from the audience. That’s an onion harvest, one of the most exhilarating of our jobs at Denison Farm.
Thursday morning dawned clear, bright, dry. We wore long sleeves again. Fall is in the mind, if not quite the air. The tops of the onions had wilted pretty suddenly, the forecast was for a couple of days of similar weather, we were a big crew: perfect conditions for going through the 15-18, 300’ longbeds of onions, pulling up the crop and laying them to dry with wilted tops shading the large healthy bulbs. Grab a handful, brush with the other hand to tidy the line of withering foliage, move along, breaking the rhythm only to yank out any annoying galinsoga weed wanting to add too much living green to this study in browns and grays.
When Brian noted calmly that it was time to stop for lunch but some wanted to finish the last two beds, we all wondered how he could have considered any alternative but immediate completion. The energy of an onion harvest feeds on itself; it’s rough and fast. It’s fun, partly because we’re not striving for the usual and impossible perfection of skill and speed.
But there’s another reason. Onions are a pain to plant. They come as six-inch plants, tangled together in boxes of 4,000. We spread them out in trays on the transplanter and then have to separate them into twos and threes to go in the ground. The first time I did that planting, the metaphor of rolling fingers over pencils to give two to each student while walking down the classroom aisle kept me amused; but limp pencils tangle and stick together. Not only that, but the classroom grows to stadium size before those boxes and boxes and boxes are empty, their contents tamed, untwisted, securely standing in rows. We plant onions for days, but are too limp ourselves to cheer at the end.
So the harvest is sweet revenge, and celebration. “Look how big they are!” Hardly any rotten ones!” “Remember that terrible year..?”
Onion harvest Part 2 comes two days later. They are dry enough, ready to be picked up into totes and poured into storage crates with wire cages placed in the center to allow continued drying. Rain is forecast, so we work with urgency. Some, like this writer, only show up for the last two hours, others have been working since 5 am with only tiny breaks. We are sweaty and happy as Walter sings, “Who will get the last one? Who will get the last one?” The field is dotted with huge full crates, waiting for the tractor’s forked strength to take them from the field and stack them in the barn. We cheer, and stand straight, stretching our backs.
I drive home listening to Fishtank Exchange, that great gypsy band, and this story starts writing itself."
(And for the record, I (Justine) grabbed the last 3 onions - fighting my daughter Maggie back from the taking!)
Thyme
Store fresh thyme in a plastic bag in the vegetable crisper drawer of your refrigerator or stand sprigs in a glass of water on the refrigerator shelf.
When cooking with thyme, be aware that one fresh sprig equals the flavoring power of one-half teaspoon of dried thyme.
As with most leafy dried herbs, be sure to crush the leaves between your hands before adding them to your recipe. To dry your own, hang bundles of sprigs upside-down in a warm, dry, airy location for about ten days.
Dried thyme should be stored in a cool, dark place, in an airtight container for no more than 6 months.
It is preferable to strip the leaves from the stems for your recipes when using either dry or fresh thyme because sometimes the stems can be woody. This is easily accomplished by placing the stem between the tines of a fork and pulling the stem in the opposite direction of the leaf growth. Of course, you can also use your fingers instead of a fork.
Cheddar-Thyme Flaky Biscuits
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cream of tartar. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or a fork until it is the size of peas. Make a well in the center of the mixture and measure the milk, cheese and thyme into the bowl. Gently mix until a soft dough forms.
Roll or pat out on a floured surface to 3/4 inch thick. Cut into circles and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bottoms of the biscuits are golden brown.
Roasted New Potatoes With Thyme and Garlic
2 pounds small potatoes, white or red
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon (scant) dried leaf thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Heat oven to 450°. Scrub potatoes and halve or quarter, depending on size.
In a large bowl, toss potatoes with the oil, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Transfer potatoes to a baking pan and arrange in a single layer. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until potatoes are tender and browned.
Zucchini with Thyme
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 lb zucchini, cut into 3-by-1/2-inch sticks
1 vegetable bouillon cube, crumbled
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter on medium heat. Add the onion and parsley and cook until soft, but not browned.
Add the zucchini sticks, crumbled bouillon cube, thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper. Gently stir to coat the zucchini. Cover and cook until tender, from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how tender the raw zucchini is to begin with, and how small you have sliced the pieces. Check and stir every few minutes. Be careful not to overcook.
Mint, Watermelon and Queso Fresco Salad
Watermelon
Mint
Queso fresco or Feta
Honey
Dice the watermelon into large, but bite-able chunks. Finely chop the mint and sprinkle over the watermelon. Crumble the queso fresco or Feta over the melon and then drizzle with a bit of honey. Serve at room temperature for the best flavor.
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