Great Bands Once Again

Come to the Sept 3rd Low Down at 5:00 to set up your tent and start grilling.
RAIN OR SHINE
If you bring potluck items, remember a serving utensil! Paper towels are good to have on hand, too, for potluck.
More details in our Events section:
http://www.peasantsplot.com/events.html
Camping or Sleeping-In-Your-Car is encouraged!!!!!!!!
BYOB*

Bands start around 6:00 pm and play 30 minute sets.
In order of appearance:
Lou Shields
Tridge
Lonesome Organist
Via Verso
Organ Wolf
FULL On
Canadian Rifle
Party Downers
Sweet Cobra
--corn run interlude--
Ditches

*band members get free beer and pork

What's an Heirloom?

Yellow = German Striped
Dark purple = Cherokee Purple
Pink = Brandy Wine
Red = Moskvitch

What’s the deal with heirlooms and hybrids?

Heirloom tomatoes are grown from seed that has been passed down from generation to generation for more than 50 years (general rule).  Seeds taken from these tomatoes will produce the exact same type of tomato which, as Miley Cyrus may say, is pretty cool.
In the case of hybrid tomatoes, a human plant breeder cross-pollinates two different tomato varieties to create a new variety.  The new variety has traits from both mom and dad.  If you plant the seeds from this offspring, you will get something you did not expect.  It will grow with the traits of just one of the parent plants, not both.  To get the desired new variety, human intervention is required again.  Hybrids can be nice because they often create plants with traits like resistance to disease or high yields or early production. These hybrids do require the existence of the original open-pollinated parent plants.

We love heirlooms, especially German Striped.

More if you are interested about the state of seeds:  Hybrids are NOT the GMO’s you hear about.  Most GMO controversy is about corn and soybeans and other commodities, but there are a few other vegetables that are being genetically modified in a lab.  One is alfalfa and the other is beets.  The issue for vegetable lovers is that, with the persistence of genetic modification within open-pollinated plant species, there is potential for cross-pollination that endangers those original species. Additionally, not to be a downer but, ‘organic’ status is endangered this same way (ex:  no organic alfalfa = less organic dairies).  And it seems a very slippery slope.   The Center for Food Safety is a good resource that explains the fight against GMO alfalfa and beets: 

http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/campaign/save-our-seeds/

Eat Your Carrots.

Courtesy of Molly...(thanks!)

The Kohl or the Rabi?

Hey:  If a turnip got together with a cabbage and then one of them GOT PREGNANT, what would happen? 

Answer:  Kohlrabi!!!!!!!

“Kohl” means “cabbage” and “rabi” means “turnip.”  Kohlrabi is believed by botanists to be the result of a union between these two vegetables, making its first sudden and scandalous appearance in Europe in the middle of the 16^th century. It is incestuously close to broccoli, too.

The part that’s good to eat is actually the swollen stem.  Eat it raw or cooked.  Peel or don’t peel.

 Some ideas can be found on our recipe page in the kohlrabi section.  People have also added kohlrabi to the veggie burger recipe in the beet section. 

OR 

1.  Grate it into a buttered pan to cook for just a couple of minutes and then season with salt and pepper.  OR

2.  Slice and serve raw or lightly steamed with salt and lime.  

Safe Seed Pledge

Cosmic Purple Carrots from our main organic seed source, High Mowing.  Here is their Safe Seed Pledge:

The Safe Seed Pledge "Agriculture and seeds provide the basis upon which our lives depend. We must protect this foundation as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations. For the benefit of all farmers, gardeners and consumers who want an alternative, we pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants. The mechanical transfer of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods and between genera, families or kingdoms poses great biological risks, as well as economic, political and cultural threats. We feel that genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently tested prior to public release. More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds. Further, we wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically diverse agricultural ecosystems and ultimately healthy people and communities."

We pulled our first batch of carrots!

We pulled up our first batch of carrots!  These are cosmic carrots.  They taste like carrots, they feel like carrots.  If I was a writer for Intelligentsia coffee, I might go on to distinguish the taste as “snappy,” “spicy,” or “clean,” with notes of melon and a caramel finish, but mostly I just describe the taste as slightly purpl-y.  Please put your carrots in a reusable plastic bag in the fridge.   Too much air around them will make them limp.  If you need them to last for a couple of weeks, remove the greens first.  Carrot greens can be mixed in with anything for an extra vitamin dose, used in vegetable stock for example.

Since the squash and cucumbers are still getting to size on The Plot, we decided to supplement the CSA share this week with summer squash and/or cucumbers from Deer Creek Organics. Deer Creek Organics is another Kankakee farm, started the same year as Peasants’ Plot.  It is nice to have another farmer in the area with whom to share ideas or commiserate about the weather and the general struggle of farming.  This is great small farm.  Check them out:  www.deercreekorganics.com

Deer Creek invested time and money in becoming certified Organic because their farm plan involves selling to stores and distributors.  To be able to say "Organic" on signs is important to get the deserved premium in these stores.  

Meanwhile, Peasants' Plot is an organic farm that can't legally call itself organic.  For now our CSA members and market customers have to trust us that we ARE NOT using any synthetic chemicals or anything considered outside of organic practices.  Our land has been free of chemicals for many years.  CSA members are invited to arrange visits throughout the season to witness and inspect our practices.  We take great pains on our farm to be sustainable by using green manure crops and composted horse manure, adding fish fertilizer for foliar spray throughout the season.  We occasionally lose crops to pests. 

So why aren't we certified?  The time/money investment for certification is still a ways down the priority list for us, after a walk-in cooler and other infrastructure improvements.  Another factor to consider is that most certifying agencies take a small percentage of every year's profit from their farmer clients.  

In any case and inarguably, tender summer squash is really yummy sliced lengthwise, oiled and grilled.

Eating a slice right now,

Julia