Gobo and Miso

So here are a couple good links for our more unusual items in the basket this week:

http://www.harmonyvalleyfarm.com/recipes/Burdock%20promo.pdf

and

http://www.chelseagreen.com/content/miso-soup-for-the-soul/

I'll put them on FB as well. The Chelsea Green link has a very nicely explained recipe for miso soup - and a fun piece about harvesting seaweed - something we've never tried to grow on the farm here!

week 2

Red Springs Family Farm
June 2, 2011 week 2

Lettuce Yokatta Na Garlic Scapes
Baby beet greens Green Onions
Sorrel Oregano Mint Miso
Mizuna Gobo (Burdock) Green Coriander

What a week! The stormy weather pattern broke and summer came rushing in. The heat has arrived. Paul and Branden have worked pedal to the metal each day, transplanting hundreds of eggplants, peppers and squashes. The corn seed made it into the ground, and another round of beans, too. The peas aren't looking good, so we're taking them out and planting the cucumbers on their trellis. Early spring crops don't like this heat. It wears a body out too. The guys have been coming out of the garden parched and sweaty and we've been spending time in the creek as often as possible.

Our spring broccoli planting may yield us some decent heads and side shoots in the next couple weeks. It won't be the same spread as the Fall broccoli last year (if you missed it – it was an amazing broccoli crop), but spring broccoli is always a gamble.

We're including some basic information about salad greens and herbs this week – care, handling, storage, and enjoyments all included.

Storage and Handling of Lettuce and Tender Greens
This category includes all lettuces, and most of the greens we send.
Store unwashed greens in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. To store lettuce or greens mix that you've washed and dried, roll the leaves loosely in a kitchen towel, put the towel in a plastic bag,a nd place the package in the vegetable crisper bin. Wet greens will spoil quikly, so make sure they are truly dry before refrigerating them. If you have a salad spinner, wash and spin the greens before refrigerating them. It is preferable to eat cut greens withing three or four days, and use lettuce within a week.

Salad greens bruise easily, so be sure to handle them gently. For lettuce, slice the head at its base with a s harp knife and let th leaves fall open. Discard damaged or leather outer leaves and tear large leaves into bite size pieces. Both lettuce and tender greens can be washed by swishing them around in a basin of cold water. If a lot of dirt collects in the water, wash them a second time. Dry in a salad spinner (great investment if you love salads), or place them loosely in a mesh bag or thin towel, then go outside and swing the bundle around your head.

Yokatta Na is back. It's in the bag with the beet greens. Judging by the feedback from your surveys last year, you either loved Yokatta Na or didn't care for it at all. We stand by this plant. Please, give it another try. Though it does not LOOK like spinach, we've found that it acts very much like spinach when cooked. We also have enjoyed it sliced thin in salads.

In your herb bag this week, you'll find more sorrel (bright green arrow shaped leaves) and mizuna (white veins and deeply lobed), which are both green in a salad mix, as well as mint, and oregano. On the side, there are green onions, garlic scapes, and tiny little green corianders, just a taste. They add a flavorfull burst into a pot of chili or soup.

Herb Teas, or Tisanes
For about 6 cups, take a good handful of fresh herbs. Give them a good rinse and pluck any unattractive leaves off the stems. Place them in a teapot and cover with boiling water. Let steep for 5 minutes, or longer if the tea does not seem very aromatic yet, sweeten with honey if desired, then pour into glasses or teacups. For iced tea, make the tisane, then chill well. Pour over ice and add a sprig of fresh herb to the glass.

Native to northern China and Siberia, burdock, or Gobo is more commonly cultivated in Japan where it has been an important vegetable since the 10th century. It is considered a delicacy in Southeast Asia. The root was valued by ancient folk healers as a blood purifier and strengthener, a tonic after sickness, and a relief medicine for arthritis. It is also highly valued for its medicinal uses for skin diseases. Burdock root extracts have been shown to destroy bacteria and fungus cultures, and also show strong cancer fighting properties. Steeping fresh burdock shavings in boiling water produces a tea which is thought to help with indigestion, strengthening and toning the stomach, cleansing the liver and clearing acne.

We love Gobo best in Miso Soup. If you've never been exposed to miso – here's your chance. Our good friend Crazy Owl made lots of miso and we have become stewards of a portion of his last batch. Store it in the fridge; it only improves with age. One teaspoon stirred into a cup of hot (not boiling) water makes a healthful and tasty soup/tea. Miso can be added to almost any soup as a salt substitute and taste enhancer, but only add it at the end, when the soup is no longer boiling. Gobo is a nutty rooty taste and should be added early on in the soup-making process. I will post a more detailed recipe on our blog soon.

Here's a different recipe for Gobo:
Stir Fried Carrots and Burdock with Sesame Seeds
1-2 Gobo roots 3 carrots (sorry they're not quite ready)
2 Tbsp mirin 2 Tbsp soy sauce
3 tsp white sesame seeds 2 tsp light oil
2 tsp roasted sesame oil
1.Scrub the burdock roots with a stiff brush under running water to wash away the soil. Thinly slice them on the diagonal then slice into matchsticks. Put them in a bowl of cold water until they're all sliced, then parboil for 1 minute. Drain.
2.Peel carrots and slice into matchsticks. Combine the mirin and soy sauce. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet until golden, then immediately pour them onto a plate to stop the cooking.
3.Heat a wok or skillet, add the oils and swirl around the pan. When the pan is hot, add the burdock and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add ¼ cup water, cover, and steam for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and stir fry 2-3 minutes longer. Pour in soy sauce and mirin and continue to stir-fry until the vegetables are nicley glazed, af ew more minutes. Toss with sesame seeds and serve hot or at room temp.

Next week, we look forward to bringing you broccoli and chard. Get your anchovies ready – it's time for Romaine lettuce. Have a great week and enjoy your greens!

~with love from Red Springs Family Farm

“Friendship is a basket of bread from which to eat for years to come. Good loaves fragrant and warm miraculously multiplied; the basket never empty and the bread never stale.” - Catherine de Vinck

week 1

Red Springs Family Farm
May 26, 2011 week 1

Lettuce Spinach Garlic Scapes
Baby beet greens Flowering Cilantro
Sorrel Oregano Green Onions
Dandelion Lacinato Kale Myrtle cowpeas

photo this week: Paul's view from the tractor as he mowed down the lush tall cover crop.

Welcome to the new season! Thank you for joining us.
We're so glad to get started. It was a long winter, but we were grateful for some down time to get to know our new boy Levon (LEE-von) and adjust to being a family of four.

Warning: There is quite a quantity of soil on your veggies this week. If you had been in our garden during last night’s storm, you’d be wet and muddy too. We’ve dashed off the worst of it, and hope you will use your rinse water to keep some houseplants alive – there are some wonderful organic soil nutrients in that dirt!

It's been hard NOT to talk about the weather this spring. We're certainly living in the drama of it all. We're grateful that the floods haven't been quite as bad as they could have been. The spinach has stayed alive and green long enough for a delivery. The jury is still out on whether the peas will be worth their row space, but everything else is holding up amazing well, all things considered. As it is each year in a garden, we can promise you there will be both some bumper crops, and some bumper flops (sorry, I'm a sucker for an easy rhyme). We just do our best to keep our hand on that plow and hold on. It’s pouring as I finish this newsletter – we’re grateful that there was a break in the rain while the harvest was happening.

Good news on the farm this season is that we have help. Branden is joining us to work and learn how we do things for the season. We’re excited to work with him, and hope you will enjoy his company at the market.

In your basket: Everything this week can be eaten raw! Black-Seeded Simpson and Deertongue lettuces. In the small herb bag you’ll find baby beet greens, a few sorrel leaves (bright green and lemony tasting) and some fresh oregano(actually wonderful in a salad, or chopped fresh into a dressing). The larger bag of greens can either be cooked or eaten in salad - spinach (rinse it twice cause it grows so close to the ground), kale (rainbow lacinato – thick meaty leaves, some have purple veins), and dandelion greens (parboil these if you want to cook them, they’re VERY bitter, and VERY good for you). Alongside, you have garlic scapes, green onions, and flowering cilantro.

Fresh Coriander (Cilantro) Chutney
1 bunch (¼ lb) fresh coriander leaves and stems ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup grated coconut (dried shredded is fine) ¼ cup water
2 Tbsp. Fresh ginger root, chopped 1 tsp. Honey
1 tsp. Sea salt ¼ tsp. Fresh ground black pepper

Blend lemon juice, water and fresh coriander until coriander is chopped. Add remaining ingredients and blend until it is like a paste. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.


Cowpeas are a good bean. Black eyed peas are the most famous cow pea, but we like these Myrtles. We sampled them from our favorite heirloom seed company several years ago and liked them well enough to save seed. They improve each year and provide us loads of beautiful buff beans. Cowpeas are quick to cook. We soak them and sprout them briefly before cooking, but you don't have to. You can have them for dinner after work if you put them on to soak in the morning before you leave the house. Change the water when you get home and cook them up. Throw in a garlic scape, some cumin, and maybe even a dash of hot pepper. Wait to salt them until the beans are tender. Then, if you want something flavorfull and simple, proceed with the recipe below...

Myrtle “Fool”
(adapted from a favorite Lebanese cookbook, which titles the original recipe: Breakfast Fava Beans)

Cooked recipe Myrtle Cowpeas
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil juice of two lemons
1 clove garlic or one scape, minced salt to taste
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley (cilantro might be ok here)
garnishes: sliced tomato, sliced cucumber, fresh radishes, black olives, mint leaves

Mix olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Drain the beans and pour them into a serving bowl. Pour the olive oil mixture and chopped parsley over them and combine well. Arrange garnishes and enjoy.

Garlic scapes are the flowering heads of garlic plants. Garlic is planted in the Fall. It grows abit before the freezes come, then goes dormant. Come Spring, the plant rejuvenates and sends up this lovely curly-cue swan's head of a seed stalk. We cut it off while it's still tender to send the growing forces back down into the root (to make nicer bulbs under the ground), and these garlicky green tendrils are a result of that harvest. Come the end of June, we'll have nice fresh garlic to share. Until then – scapes are a treat. Use them as you would use fresh garlic, and if that stymies you, try thinking of them as Scallions, like this...

Scallion (or Scape) and Potato Patties (great for using up leftovers)
1 Tbsp. Butter 1 cup chopped scallions or garlic scapes
2 eggs 1 ½ cups cold mashed potatoes
¼ cup dried bread crumbs ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp vegetable oil

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. The the foam subsides, add the scallions; sate until tender, 3-5 minutes.
2. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add sauteed scallions, mashed potatoes, bread crumbs, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Stir until well combined.
3. Place a baking pan in the oven and preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Shape the scallion and potato mixture into manageable patties. Saute the patties in the skillet turning them once, until they are golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked patties to the baking pan in the oven to keep them warm while you saute the next batch. Serve warm.

So fun to be back in the season with you! We’ll see you next week.
Enjoy your greens.

Your gardeners,
Paul, Coree, Lulah,and Levon

waiting for the sun

Hello! We're so glad it's spring. It's been a busy time. We're squeezing garden work between rains, and doing our best to enjoy the rain in between severe weather warnings.

Long days remind us of what summer has in store. The days we've already spent hoeing the garden are like a warm up for the summer work out.

We feel fortunate to have so much already in the ground. We're just waiting for the sun to come help it grow. We do anticipate making the first delivery by the end of this month - May.

April showers they were, yes? We're looking forward to the May flowers. We've seen loads of Mayapples in the woods and field outskirts this year. Such beautiful delicate flowers - such delicious fruit, if you can find them before the deer and other wild thing do!

Enough ferocious storms, we say. Let's get on with greens and beans and squash. The tomato plants are sitting in a sheltered low-tunnel in front of the greenhouse. I havent got a photo of that yet, will have to do so.

Six turkey chicks are gracing the southern side yard with their sweet peeps. What better Easter gift could we have received? They sure are cute. One hen is still setting on a clutch of eggs, so we're hopeful that there might be MORE to come.

In the garden now: chard, kale, broccoli, cabbage (chinese and head cabbage), onions, potatoes, lettuce, sorrel, spinach, peas, beets, carrots, radishes, green beans, parsley, herbs herbs herbs, and what else? Ah, blooming cilantro. Since our kale went to flower, we've been eating cilantro as if it was spinach. So far so good.

Levon has three teeth now and can scoot like an inchworm just about anywhere he wants to go. He's making it clear that he'd rather be walking, but this mode of transportation will do for the meantime. Lulah, on the other hand, spends her days in a full out RUN. Every night finds her with a fine patina of mud at least as high as the knees. It's good to be a farm kid as the weather warms up.

We're looking forward to seeing everyone in town again. Enjoy the photos...

Peace be with you all.

week 27

Red Springs Family Farm
December 2, 2010 week 27

Lettuce Broccoli Garlic Kale
Butternut Tatsoi Daikon Radish
Herb bag: Arugula Parsley Cilantro Dill

We have to wait until the veggies thaw to harvest them these days. And we were alarmed to find the broccoli quite frozen this morning. We ate some to see how it was – and wow, was it ever yummy. So, it’s probably best to eat it up quickly. Depending on how the side shoots survive the cold, this could be the last week of broccoli.

The cold weather will begin to change the garden now. Dill plants are still alive, but getting lower to the ground. All the growth is slowing down substantially. We still have some monstrous Chinese cabbages to bring to town, and more beautiful varieties of kale to share. Green is the color of the season!

Daikon radishes… what are they about? Not your average radishes, that’s for sure! The taste is milder, so they can be used as you would any other root vegetable. They’re plenty good sliced into salad, and also stir-fried. Here’s a recipe to give you some basic guidelines – modify as needed:

Stir-Fried Daikon Serves 4
2 tablespoons peanut oil 1/4 cup sliced scallions
1 medium daikon, thinly sliced (about 3 cups) 10–12 red radishes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon hot chili oil to taste (optional)

1. Heat the peanut oil in a wok over high heat. Add the scallions; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the daikon and red radishes; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the water and continue stir-frying until all the water has all evaporated.

The other wonderful thing to do with Daikon is brine it. We like to make a simple radish relish. Grate the daikon, salt it, and pack it into a jar quite tightly. If the juices don’t completely cover the grated radish, then stir up a brine (2 Tbsp salt to one quart of water) and make the water cover the daikon. Leave loosely covered (let it breathe, but keep bugs out) on a room temperature counter for three days. Cover more tightly and refrigerate. Enjoy with hearty bean dishes and spicy meats. It’s got lactobacillus, a healthy living bacteria (like yoghurt) that helps keep digestion healthy (and has been part of the human diet for centuries, if not millenia).

Brining, or fermentation, is also how sauerkraut and kimchi are made. Turnips are also wonderful fermented. We’ll tell you more about that later. You can find fermentation information and resources at Sandor Katz’s website: www.wildfermentation.com. Check it out.

Please forgive the lateness of our newsletter. Levon was having the sort of day that six week old babies have from time to time – one that leaves little room for a mother to do more than tend to a baby. Enjoy your weekend – stay warm – we’ll see you later!

With best regards,
Paul, Coree, Lulah and Levon

Thanksgiving week

Red Springs Family Farm
November 24, 2010 week 26
Happy Thanksgiving!

Lettuce Broccoli Garlic
Sweet Potatoes Red Round Turnips and their greens
Herb bag: Arugula Mizuna Parsley Celery Cilantro

Time for gratitudes…
We’re grateful for such a beautiful, bountiful Autumn, so sweet after the extreme heat and toil of the summer.
For such lovely broccoli, a surprise after such difficult late summer conditions – heat and grasshoppers and numerous broccoli challenges in years past.
For the flavorful celery which sat in the ground since early Spring and is just now worthy of sharing.
For turnips that amaze us with their brilliant color and long full leaves.
For garlic, holding its place in the ground all winter, then holding its bulbs firm for the whole season.

For a quick and trouble free labor and the healthy, happy baby boy who joined our family this year.
For the helpful support of family and friends.
For the dedication of a small group of good eaters who make our work worth the while!
We wish you all a wonderful Thanks-giving.

The broccoli is still coming! We’ve sent extra, in lieu of kale this week, because we’re not sure how long it can possibly hold out. If the weather warms up abunch it could easily go to flower. If it freezes too hard, those heads of flower buds could get nipped. Enjoy.

The turnips and their greens are so beautiful, if you don’t want to eat them, you could just put them in a flower arrangement on your table. We know not everyone loves turnips – this recipe is said to help ease the way of the un-turniped (butter, salt and pepper seem to be key ingredients in every turnip recipe):

Au Gratin Turnips and Potatoes (off the line)
4 c Sliced turnips & potatoes (any combination,) peeled and thinly sliced
1 md Onion peeled and finely sliced, 2 tb Melted butter
1/2 c Milk 1/8 ts Grated nutmeg
1/4 ts Ground white pepper 1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Grated Swiss cheese
PREHEAT OVEN TO 375F. TOSS together turnips, potatoes, onion with melted butter and place in a 9-inch square or round baking dish. Cover tightly and place in preheated oven for 30 minutes. In a small pot on top of the stove combine milk, nutmeg, pepper and salt and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from heat. Remove turnip-potato mixture from the oven, remove cover and mix in half the cheese. Pour the milk over the potatoes and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Replace in oven, uncovered, another 20 to 25 minutes. If the gratin is golden brown, it's ready to serve. If not, preheat broiler. Place gratin under broiler about 3 minutes to brown top before serving.

Next week we’ll be back with more East meets West stir fry options. Spread the word to other veggie eaters you know… it’s going to have to get pretty darn cold to make the greens out here quit.

Have a beautiful, safe, fun holiday.
Paul, Coree, Lulah and Levon

Praise the bridge that carried you over. ~George Colman

week #25

Red Springs Family Farm
November 18, 2010 week 25

Lettuce Broccoli Garlic Yokatta Na
Mustard Greens Misato Radishes Paydons Acorn
Herb bag: Arugula Mizuna Parsley Dill Chives

A pleasant rain, though we’ve missed the sun! Levon is one month old and smiling so nicely lately. Lulah is basking in her new five-year-old-ness. The broccoli just keeps looking more beautiful. What a sweet Autumn.

Those of you interested in a basket next week – we’ll come into town on Wednesday. We’ll bring more broccoli, sweet red turnips (and their greens), some more diverse cooking greens, and sweet potatoes. Let us know.

This week – mustards! They smell strong – and they are one of the more potent greens we grow. We’ve heard stories of old timers around here who like to eat them raw with some hot bacon drippings on top. Whew! Here at home we prefer to cook them lightly – softening the taste. They love to be eaten with garlicky olive oil or butter, and some vinegar.

The shiny dark greens are Yokatta Na. We’re appreciating this versatile vegetable this year. You can treat it like spinach, arugula, or bok choy, and it will be delicious. Thin slices add a nice color, texture, and flavor to a salad. Braise it quick and hot for an omelet or stir-fry. Asian flavors work well, but it’s also soft enough to be an agreeable quiche green (substitute for spinach). I suspect that Yokatta Na might even work in place of broccoli in this delicious dish:

Broccoli and Tofu with Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup unsalted cashews 3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1–2 cloves garlic, minced (1/2–1 teaspoon) 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 pound herbed firm tofu, well drained, cubed 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce, divided,
1/2 cup peanut butter (preferably chunky) 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock or water
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
4 cups chopped broccoli, including peeled stalks

1. Toast the cashews in a dry, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat until they start to brown in spots and become fragrant. (Be careful not to overtoast them.) Let cool and then roughly chop.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic to taste, and pepper flakes; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
3. In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and 1 tablespoon of the tamari; sauté until the tofu starts to brown in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the tofu to the bowl with the onion and bell pepper mixture.
4. In the same pan, mix the peanut butter, stock, rice vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons tamari. Heat over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture reaches a gravy-like texture and comes to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat and stir in the tofu mixture and sesame oil. Season to taste with more tamari.
5. Place the broccoli in a steamer basket set over 11/2 inches boiling water and cover. Steam for 5 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to the pan with the peanut butter mixture and mix well. If necessary, heat through before serving. Garnish with toasted cashews.

Have a beautiful weekend…
The Entwistles

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was,” thank you” that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart