WEEK 3, JULY 24/25, 2009 While you have been enjoying fresh Lehne produce over the past 2 weeks, our U-Pick customers have had to wait! We started receiving phone calls & emails in the Spring wondering when we would have the garden open for U-Pick. This past Monday we opened, and customers were happy to be able to finally pick fresh Lehne produce again. Most of the items you have received are not available to our U-Pick customers, though sometimes we will have extras of these produce items available for purchase. Now that we are open for U-Pick there will be a lot more activity when you come for your Harvest box, but we will always have someone available to assist you. Here is a brief account of the next Lehne generation. Norm grew up right here on this farm, & remembers many hours hoeing weeds in his parents’ nursery. He continues this chore in our large garden, though he doesn’t complain as he did as a child! Norm & Cinda began the Norm Lehne Garden & Orchards in 1974, selling pro-duce from our large family garden. Over the years we added the peach & nectarine orchard, & eventually took out all the walnut trees, replacing them with hazelnuts. We have three grown children, Glen, Colleen & Beth. They all had to work on the farm too. The job they ‘loved to hate’ was picking off overgrown cucumbers. This was necessary to keep the vines bearing new cucumbers. Once or twice a week they had to trudge out to the cucumber rows & pick off anything that had grown too big. Then they had to pick them up & haul the cucumbers out of the field. It didn’t surprise us to hear them tell us that they hope one day their kids would learn how to work here on the farm! After our children grew up we made several major changes in marketing our fresh Lehne produce. In 2002 we began taking our Lehne produce to various Farmers’ Markets. We now only attend the Wednesday, Coos Bay Farmers’ Market. Last year we started the LEHNE FARM CSA. We continue to learn about new farming techniques & marketing strategies. Each winter we pour over seed catalogues, looking for new garden goodies to try. Over the years we have experimented with many varieties of our standard garden produce...like corn, melons, tomatoes, etc. Each must pass the “Norm Test” to be worthy of joining the other items in the Lehne garden. Next week we will feature more information on our children & their families. Enjoy this week’s harvest! Your Farmers, Norm & Cinda Glen & Wendy
In this week's box:
Kale and Kohlrabi belong to the same species as cabbage, broccoli, & cauliflower. Kale comes in several varieties, including purple & dinosaur (so named for its wrinkly surface). Kale has been cultivated over 2000 years & probably originated from the Mediterranean region of the world. We grow two colors of Kohlrabi, "white" (really light green) & purple. The purple only has colored skin; the interior flesh is white. Kohlrabi’s flavor is similar to that of turnips but milder & sweeter. Kale & Kohlrabi contain high amounts of Vitamins A & C, Folic Acid, Calcium, Iron & Dietary Fiber. Kale pairs nicely with Cayenne, mace, marjoram, nut-meg, sesame seed, tarragon. Kohlrabi is from the German word meaning cabbage (kohl) - turnip (rabi), describing the turnip-like enlargement of the stem above the soil. Storing: Wash kale in a deep bowl of cold water, stirring it a bit to release the grit, then lift it out. Repeat if necessary. Store kale, washed, wrapped in paper towels in a plastic bag. Place in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Kale will stay fresh up to 7 days. Store Kohlrabi in a ziploc bag. It can be cooked or eaten raw. To eat raw, peel to remove fibrous layer just under the skin & especially at the root. Slice thin.
NEXT SATURDAY
Sausage with Kale & White
Beans Serves 4
Ingredients 4 garlic cloves 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausages (about 8 links) 2 tablespoons olive oil Coarse salt & ground pepper 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar 2. Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. With a fork, pierce sausages all over; place on a broiler-proof rimmed baking sheet. Broil, turning occasionally, until browned & cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. 3. While sausages are cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium -high. Add kale, garlic & 1/2 cup water. Season with salt & pepper. Cover skillet & cook, tossing occasionally, until kale is wilted & tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain & rinse beans; add to skillet along with vine-gar. Cook uncovered, tossing gently, until beans are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. (Combine vitamin-packed leafy greens with fiber-rich beans for a nutritional one-two punch. To lighten up the meal, substitute chicken sausages for pork..)
Sautéed Kale
Kale seems to intensify the flavor of the other ingredients in a dish. Just a teaspoon of butter added to a pound of kale makes it taste lavishly buttered. Kale has that effect on salt, garlic, and other seasonings, so you need to add only a pinch. Soy-Sesame Kalewww.myrecipes.com
Ingredients 1-1/2 tablespoons mirin 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar 1/2 tablespoon dark sesame oil 1 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, minced 3/4 pound kale, trimmed & cut into 2-inch pieces. Cooking spray Preparation Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add kale; toss to coat. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sauté 4 minutes or until wilted and tender. Transfer to a bowl. Grilled-Kale Salad
Ingredients Kale with Caramelized Onions Ingredients 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 1/2 cups chopped red onion 2 teaspoons honey 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 5 cups chopped kale, washed & well drained Preparation 1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 7 minutes or until golden. Add honey, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes. 2. Add kale; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 6 minutes or just until kale is tender, stirring after 3 minutes.
Serving Ideas for Kohlrabi
Peel & slice thin for dipping. Grate & used in salads or gratins. Cube & add to soups or stews. It can be puréed, sautéed or steamed. To Barbecue: Slice or chop kohlrabi & toss in a bowl with olive or canola oil. Sprinkle with salt & wrap in aluminum foil (shiny side inside). Place foil packet on grill cook for about 10 to 12 minutes. To Stir-Fry: Slice or chop kohlrabi into bite-size pieces & stir-fry 5 to 7 minutes in a little olive oil with 2 cloves minced garlic. Season with salt & pepper.
|
|
FOR OTHER 2009 CSA NEWSLETTERS - click on links below 7/10-7/11 7/17-7/18 7/24-7/25 7/31-8/1 8/7-8/8 8/14-8/15 8/21-8/22 8/28-8/29 9/4-9/5 9/11-9/12 9/18-9/19 9/25-9/26 |
|
home | about our farm | about our produce | csa harvest boxes | contact us copyright 2009 Norm Lehne |
