So where is the garden at this year. Like the majority of the farmers, we had some difficulty getting tractor work started. But as of late, lots of crops are in the ground and coming up. The transplants, broccoli, kohlrabi, onions, leeks, cabbages, and brussels sprouts are in and looking happy. We’ve even transplanted lots of lettuces for early picking. Asparagus is popping up and with the addition of 3 more rows, we’ll have about ½ mile of asparagus rows. Three more rows of strawberries are in and the two rows of raspberries planted last year are multiplying and should bear this fall. Like last year we should have early peas and spinach in the hoop house. Beans, edamames, carrots, beets, and radishes are popping a bit later than last year, but as the days warm and get longer, everything seems to catch up.

This year, we took 24 guinea eggs from our last year’s hens. The guineas are terrible mom’s so we moved them under one of neighbor Luke’s “broody hens”. She finally has eggs to sit on instead of having them always taken from her. Hopefully, in 28 days will have our started keets for the season. Luke has 50 new hens this year and great egg production expected.

Ben has figured out a new cultivator. Hopefully this will reduce some hand weeding. He also found a commercial lettuce spinner for cleaning greens, and a huge sink for more efficient veggie washing. We’re anxious to begin the harvest phase and first pick trainings. It’s still hard to predict the exact day we can begin scheduling. We want to make it a worthwhile trip for everyone.
Please join us again this year. We’re looking forward to another great season of “growing food for friends”.

Ben, Bill, and Jill Beyer

Serves:  4 to 6

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 pound bacon, diced
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 3 shallots, sliced
• 3/4 pound Brussels sprouts, outer leaves peeled,      halved
• 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained or frozen edamames
• 4 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Pinch salt
• Pinch freshly cracked black pepper
• Squeeze fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. Add bacon and render for 4 to 5 minutes until crisp. Stir in the garlic, shallots, and Brussels sprouts and cook for 3 minutes. Add the corn kernels and thyme. Toss well and bake until the Brussels sprouts develop nice color, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the succotash from the oven and put it into a bowl. Add the white beans, tomatoes, and parsley. Toss well to combine. Season the succotash with salt, pepper, and fresh lemon juice, to taste. Transfer the succotash to a serving platter and serve.

This soup if from a CSA member.  It reflects her ethnic heritage.

You can either eat it cold or hot, preparation is the same for both.  If you’re making a hot soup with meat, beef or chicken, it has to be cooked first using the broth to make soup instead of water.  I usually make cold soup in the summer or when it’s warm outside.

The proportion is based on 3 quart pot that I use. Chop 2 medium size potatoes and 1 medium size onion into small pieces  (can shred 1 large carrot too), then put it in the pot with cold water, add salt and whatever other spice that you like and cook it completely until done. Chop sorrel, about 6-8 oz or about 4 cups,  and spinach (a little less spinach than sorrel) and add to the pot. Cook until sorrel and spinach change color from bright green to dark ( for about 5 min) then let it cool off completely before serving( if serving cold).

For cold soup you can chop green onions, radishes, cucumbers, hard boiled eggs and dill and add all these to a soup bowl at the time of serving, ( if you have some extra just put it in separate container and serve next day with the rest of the soup) You can also can add sour cream and some crushed crackers.

For hot soup I don’t add any veggies, just sour cream and crackers since it has meat in there.

Asparagus Quiche

Makes 1 9 ” quiche

1/4 cup sliced green onions

4 ounces bacon

1 cup asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces.

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cup half and half

6 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded

1/4 t. white pepper

salt to taste

1 T chopped parsley

dash nutmeg

Chop the bacon into small pieces and saute with the sliced onions.  Saute until bacon is almost crisp, then add the asparagus.  Cook until the asparagus is just tender.  Remove from heat and drain the fat.

In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and half and half.  Add the cheese, and seasoning and combine.  add the asparagus mixture and combine.  Pour into the unbaked pie shell.  Bake in 350 oven, over a cookie sheet to catch any drippings,  for 50 minutes.   Test with a knife.  If it comes out clean, it’s done.

Turn off oven to keep quiche warm for up to 30  minutes.

• 1 pound asparagus spears
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dried orzo or other tiny pasta
• 3 cups snow or snap pea pods, ends and strings removed
• 6 cups torn fresh spinach
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup purchased basil pesto (optional)
• 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Snap off and discard woody bases from asparagus. If desired, scrape off scales. Bias-slice asparagus into 1-inch-long pieces. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a 4-quart Dutch oven cook onion and garlic in hot oil until tender. Carefully add chicken broth; bring to boiling. Stir in pasta; reduce heat and boil gently for 5 minutes. Stir in asparagus and snow peas. Return soup to boiling; cook 3 minutes more. Stir in spinach and pepper; cook 1 minute more. Remove soup from heat. Ladle soup into bowls. If desired, swirl some pesto into each bowl of soup. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of each serving. Makes 8 servings.

1/3 c sugar

½ T lemon juice                                      2 ½ T cider vinegar

½ t minced onion, fresh or dried        ½ t paprika

1/8 t salt                                                    2 ½ T honey

½ t dry mustard                                      ½ t celery seed

½ c salad oil                                            spinach

Mix and heat all ingredients except oil in a saucepan until sugar is dissolved.    All oil and shake in a jar.     Cool.

Mix spinach or mixed greens and sliced onions, pecans or walnuts, berries or mandarin oranges,  feta cheese and maybe sliced hard boiled eggs.

4 large beets

¼ c water

3 T balsamic vinegar

1 T honey

1 ½ tsp red wine vinegar

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ c chopped onion

1/3 cup crumbled bleu cheese (or feta)

¼ c chopped walnuts

2 T chopped fresh parsley

Salt to taste.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

1.  Arrange beets in a baking dish and pour in water; cover with aluminum foil.  Bake until the

beets are tender, about 1 hour  (less for smaller beets)

2.  Allow beets to cool overnight in refrigerator;  remove outer skin and chop into bite sized

pieces.

3.  Whisk balsamic vinegar, honey, red wine vinegar, and black pepper together in a serving

bowl.   Stir beets, onion, and walnuts into vinegar dressing.  Sprinkle with cheese, parsley and

salt to serve.

This can also be served over  lettuce, spinach or other greens.