Week 5 Mulching and Agroecology

The food share this week includes spinach, heirloom lettuce mix, sun tea herbs, asian green stir fry bundles, basil, kale and radishes. The heirloom mix is a collection of lettuces we've seed saved over the years. Lettuce makes a stunning display when allowed to flower and we're saving a few more heirloom varieties that are doing well in our variable climate. Seed saving is a interesting art of selection that takes into consideration not only texture and often size but more importantly flavor, adaptability to a broad spectrum of conditions and time to bolting. We emphasize heirloom and open pollinated plants as this is the only true means to a sustainable food future.







We finished our mulching project for the season and already really pleased with the amount of watering we've reduced and the possibility of slowing the grass down. Mulching protects the soil from an incredible amount of water evaporation from the sun and wind on the soil surface. It also creates a new zone for soil microbes and insects to co-exist and build organic matter. It is a vital layer of our Agro-ecosystem and the difference in our garden was immediate.
So with less time water and weeding we have more time for enjoyable summer activities like planting seeds, building garden beds and forest forays! The rivers are swelling and so many unique shades of blue and green from the local sediment flow. Happy Summer Solstice!

 Mariposa Lily

Oregon Grape

Xeromphalina

 Western Larch 

Week 4 CSA Vegan Lasagna

It's another delicious week of specialty stir fry greens, arugula, spinach, radishes, shallots, heirloom lettuce mix, and herbs

Vegan Lasgana

Rice Lasgana Noodles

Soaked Cashews

 Sprigs of Marjoram 

Teaspoon of Thyme

Olives and Capers

Garden Stir Fry Greens

Spinach

Shallots

Tomato Sauce

Prepare your Lasagna by pre-cooking the noodles and chopping the veggies. Add the minced thyme and marjoram to the soaked cashews and puree with a little olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. Begin layering noodles, veggies, sauce and cashew cheese (this is your ricotta). Finish with vegan cheese and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve with heirloom lettuce this week. Enjoy the food share. The garlic is soaring and scapes are just around the bend. 

Week 3 CSA Weather Warmer

Week 3 is filled with specialty spring greens, shallots, herbs, radishes and early garlic clusters. This week's recipes are honey mustard vinaigrette and bok choy with lime dressing. Also, one of my new favorite creations is Russet Mashed Potatoes with Coconut Oil and a hint of dill and raw shallots served with Hungarian Herb Fish and our fresh salad mix.

Week 2 Wild Spinach

Another delicious week of greens, herbs and shallots. Use the wild spinach in any recipe calling for spinach. I really like it in artichoke dip. Just pour marinated artichokes into a baking dish with olive oil, soaked cashews, diced garlic and wild spinach. Bake at 375 till the greens are wilted then puree in a blender adding enough water for a smooth consistency. Sprinkle salt and pepper to serve. We're deep into transplanting season. Up potting hot crops in the greenhouse and adapting others outside and in the tunnel. June is shaping up as wet and wonderful.

Here's a hawk moth we found in the tunnel the morphological mimicker ~ Hemaris diffinis ~ in a suspended state during the snow weather. 

Squash Blossom Farm CSA Food Share 2013

The rain is welcoming in our first food share of the season and after the last few spells it is finally hydrating the dry spring ground. You can see the plants and garlic growing before your eyes.

Besides the enduring nature of garlic I'm always an admirer of spring greens in Montana. Germinating early in spring they taste and feel highly energetic and so fresh after winter in the snow. This weeks share includes an assortment of our garden's greens, spring herbs, flowers and nettles which is highly nutritious in vitamin and minerals. You'll be cart wheeling after eating them. So in honor of jumping around the nettle patches and welcoming them into our lives we have a superfood soup recipe this week. 

Spring in your Step Nettles Soup

grapeseed oil

6-10 shallot greens

1/4 lb nettles

2 cups water
1.5 cups cooked quinoa

2.5 cups hemp milk

salt-pepper-thyme 

Heat oil and gently stir fry chopped shallots for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully add several cup of water. I fill my 3.5 qt about half way. Return to high heat and toss nettle tops in (just tip the bag without touching the greens-the sting is inactivated in boiling water). Bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Add cooked quinoa and milk and reduce heat to simmer. Add 2 tsp thyme and salt and pepper to taste. 

Nettles is a nourishing and replenishing herb loaded with calcium, Vitamin A, C, D, E, F, K, P chlorophyll, b vitamins, selenium, zinc, iron and magnesium. It also makes a great tea or hair rinse. Enjoy Spring!

May Day

We went on a hunt for spring singers of Central America. We found Trillums, a raging creek perfect for otters, Fomitopsis pincola the great forest recycler and last years migrant nest. 

Winter Twist Salad

 Winter Twist Kale Salad

Kale 

Pineapple 

Dijon Mustard

Knudsen Morning Blend Juice or Freshly Juiced Apple, Orange, Pineapple and Pear

An invigorating, mineral and vitamin rich salad as winter approaches. Did you know Kale is super rich in Vitamin C with ample amounts of calcium and iron. One cup offers over 100 mg of Vitamin C ~ can't imagine eating a cup of kale? Surprise yourself with this salad as a winter warmer for your immune system. 

Oil and heat the Kale till lightly wilted. You can also serve the salad raw and rubbed with oil. 

Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with dressing and toss in the pineapple. 

Dressing is easy to make just add twice the amount of juice to mustard and whisk till well blended.