Salad days

It's finally CSA time! After what seemed like an endless winter, then a chilly spring, we are so ready for the warm, sunny, long days

photo: Sophie Schillue

of June and harvest crates full of fresh veggies! The farm's been kind of quiet without the bustle of CSA pickup twice a week, so we're looking forward to seeing new faces and catching up with last year's members too--welcome and welcome back!

While the farm crew--Sophie, Joe, Casey, and Ariel--and I have been hard at work prepping ground, seeding, transplanting, weeding, and cultivating, the crops have been hard at work growing! The lettuce, arugula, radishes, and mustard greens actually LIKE the cooler weather and it seems like they've been jumping up 2 inches every time I turn my back. And now that the nights look to

be warming up (or so the weatherpeople tell me), these crops are going to be in their prime for the next several weeks. Down at the bottom of the hill, our greenhouse has been bursting at the seams with transplants itching to get outside. Everything--from tomatoes to our fall Brussels sprouts to summer squash--is now queued up for its chance to graduate out into the field.

This week's share has one Pick Your Own item from the herb garden: chives, which happen to have pretty purple (edible!) flowers on them right now.  So some Pick Your Own logistics/reminders are in order. Scissors will be in a small basket at the end of the row, PLEASE return them to the basket after you're done so no one accidentally steps on them! Also, be aware that the ground can be quite uneven in the field with lots of dips and hillocks that aren't easily apparently, so watch your footing. And, of course, nature is full of bugs--bees, mosquitoes, ticks, wasps--that you may be sensitive to, so prepare appropriately. Fortunately, we also have butterflies and dragonflies who love hanging out on the farm, and hopefully their presence outweighs that of some of their less people-friendly brethren.

On the CSA table this week: spinach, radishes, arugula, lettuce, green garlic (mild and tender adolescent garlic plants that looks like

scallions but you use in any recipe that calls for garlic), salad mix, bok choy, mustard greens, a greenhouse cucumber, and a bunch of Pick Your Own chives from the herb garden. 

Recipe of the Week

With all the salad-y items in the CSA this week, I want to share some of my favorite salad dressing recipes.

Toasted Hazelnut Dressing

I found this in Vegetarian Times a few years ago, as part of butterhead salad (that also calls for radishes and chives--full recipe here ). It's one of my favorites now and I usually triple the recipe to make a big batch.

2 Tbs chopped toasted hazelnuts (plus I add more as a salad topping at the end)

3 Tbs apple cider vinegar

1 Tbs honey

1 tsp whole grain mustard (I've used powdered mustard in a pinch, but it doesn't taste as good.)

1/4 c. olive oil

Combine hazelnuts, vinegar, honey, mustard, and 1 Tbs water in a blender (or in a bowl using an immersion blender) and blend until smooth. Slowly drizzle olive oil in while you're blending until the mixture emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Green Garlic Dressing

This one is from the food blog Urbanrecipe.com. I've tried a few variations on it, all yummy. 

1-3 stems green garlic (I've used up to 5, but I like garlic A LOT)
1/3 c. rice vinegar (can substitute lemon juice, or split it 50/50)
1/3 c. olive oil
1-2 Tbs honey
Salt and pepper to taste
(I've tried adding various combinations of the following as well: 1 Tbs Dijon mustard, 2 Tbs fresh dill, 1 Tbs chopped chives, 1 Tbs white wine)

Chop the green garlic roughly, including some of the leaves. Add all ingredients to a blender (or bowl plus immersion blender) and blend until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Enjoy your veggies this week!