Week 5

The weather this week has been amazing and the plants are loving every minute of it.  It has been really enjoyable to be out harvesting all of the veggies this week and I have had a lot of great help from Lynette and Jenn while Bryan has been in the Boundary Waters.  Writing the blog post is usually Bryan's area of expertise so I'll just get right into what is in your box and a few ideas for what to do with it. 

What's in your box this week:

YaYa Carrots or Early Wonder Tall Top Beets
Summer Squash
Bronco Green Beans
Cilantro
Basil
Kohlrabi
Kale and Swiss Chard
Fresh Garlic

If you received carrots this week you will get beets next week and vice versa.  This will be our last week with the kohlrabi and Bronco green beans but our next succession of green beans is just starting to flower so they shouldn't be too far behind.  We pulled the first round of garlic and are going to pull everything else in the next week and start curing it all.  In the next few weeks we are expecting broccoli, cabbage, onions, peppers, carrots, etc.  If you feel like you are getting overwhelmed with veggies, now is a good time to start preserving some for the winter!  Cooking greens (chard, kale, kohlrabi greens) are one of the easiest things to put up-blanch them for a few minutes in boiling water, shock them in cold water, remove excess moisture and throw them in freezer bags. 
  When you are picking up your boxes please make sure to check that you are grabbing your box.  We have had a few people not receive their box because it was accidentally taken by someone else.  If you do happen to take a box that is not yours, please contact Bryan or I so that we can make sure everyone gets a box with the add-ons they are supposed to get.  Thanks!

RECIPES WE THOUGHT YOU'D ENJOY

Kohlrabi Hash Browns
Farmer John's Cookbook

4 medium kohlrabi bulbs, peeled
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons dried bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
plain yogurt or sour cream

Grate the kohlrabi and wrap it up in a dish towel.  Squeeze out excess moisture.
Combine eggs, onion, bread crumbs, salt, ginger, red pepper in a large mixing bowl.  Add the black pepper to taste. Stir until well blended.
Heat the oil and butter in a large, heavy bottomed skillet.  Add the kohlrabi and press down firmly with a sturdy spatula.  Do not stir.  Let the kohlrabi cook until brown, 5-7 minutes.  Carefully flip the kohlrabi with the spatula, press down firmly and brown for another 5-7 minutes.  Serve with yogurt or sour cream.

Simplest Summer Soup
Minnesota's Bounty

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 sprigs thyme
1 small leek, white and green parts chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1 medium summer squash or zucchini, diced
1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced
4 cups vegetable stock
8 ounces green beans, but into 1 inch peices

Heat the oil in a large soup pot.  Saute the onion, carrot, celery and thyme until the onion is transparent, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the leek, tomato, squash, potato and stock.  Bring the stock to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer the soup until the potatoes are soft but not falling apart, about 15 minutes.  Add the green beans and cook until they are tender, about 5 more minutes.

You can also check out this website about how to use your carrot greens!
http://www.thekitchn.com/5-ways-to-eat-carrot-tops-183415

Your Farmers,

Bryan and Kate