Season Update and Garlic Recipe from John!

Garlic Review:  The Harvest Breakdown

Since garlic is planted in the fall, the first harvest is actually in early spring, the green scallion-like leaves.  The second harvest is late June when the scapes are ready. The third harvest may be in the form of “baby garlic” or “spring garlic.”  Yesterday, we harvested the mature, full size bulbs.  They still retain quite a bit of moisture, so eat them in the next couple of weeks (we recommend).  This weekend we also harvested bulbs that you will see later in the season, bulbs that you can store over winter if you like.  Because they will have been cured. 

Curing is the drying process that allows the outer layers of the garlic bulb to dry out and form a protective covering (protection from mold mostly).  Fully cured garlic bulbs will last an average of 6 months in your pantry. We cure ours/yours for about 3 weeks in our handy corn crib where there is plenty of ventilation.  If you don’t happen to have a gigantic corn crib in your backyard and are interested in curing your fresh garlic, just put the fresh garlic from today in a brown paper sack in a relatively cool, well-ventilated place. But we recommend eating it right away because fresh garlic is a juicy treat.  Someone from Tuesday has already reported a religious experience.! 

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Adapted from Bon Appétit

Total time: 15 minutes                        Makes: 4 servings

A classic QUICK southern Italian pasta dish.  The name refers to the Working Women who would need to prepare a quick meal between … well … clients.

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4-6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 28.2-ounce can peeled tomatoes in pure
• ½ cup Kalamata olives, halved, pitted
• 3-4 anchovy fillets, chopped
• 1 ½ tablespoons drained capers
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced; reserve the smallest leaves whole
• ¾ pound spaghetti
• Grated Parmesan cheese

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add garlic and sauté gently until fragrant, about 1 minute

2. Add tomatoes with puree, olives, anchovies, capers, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Simmer sauce over medium-low heat until thickened, breaking up tomatoes with spoon, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta; return to same pot. Add sauce and parsley. Toss over low heat until sauce coats pasta, about 3 minutes

4. Sprinkle the small basil leaves over the top just before serving.  Serve with grated Parmesan.

For CSA member:  IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT

We will not be harvesting CSA shares next week.

We are anticipating a season extending late into the fall and want to save you any bumper crop of winter squash and other fall delights, so with the constraint of “twenty weeks” in mind, we made this decision.  We will see you again on Thursday, the 28^th.

Please note that you will still get twenty weeks of vegetables as promised with your last pick-up date being either October 25^th or 27^th.

Carrot Update

Coming along, coming along.

Cucumber/Summer Squash Update

Both these plants are cucurbits, susceptible to the cucumber beetle.  Peasants’ Plot and our other organic farmer friends in the area have had more problems than usual with cucumber beetles.  We were not expecting such destruction but promptly planted a new bed of seeds directly into the field.  We will have cucumbers and zucchini, but they will be later than usual.

Tomato Update

We have an immaculate high tunnel full of healthy heirloom plants.  This morning, a storm lifted the tunnel from the ground but Todd re-anchored it and all is well.  Tomatoes look beautiful and will ripen soon we think.

Winter Squash and Broccoli Update

These healthy seedlings will be planted next week.  They are hardening off in a hoophouse as I write this, toughening up for the greater outdoors. 

Thank you for playing a vital role in reorganizing the agriculture system.  This model of farming gives you a voice in creating a stable organic food supply.

-Julia and Todd