July has arrived. It did not creep in slowly or dilly dawdle its way. Its heat and humidity leave us with no doubt that summer is here. On days like this one we start earlier in the morning to catch the cool time of dawn and harvest veggies with the dew still clinging to their leaves. We move a bit slower by the middle of the day, drink more water and try not to concentrate too hard on the heat emanating from the soil as we weed along the rows. These are popsicle days.

We’d like to do more planting, but young plants to not enjoy being transferred to ground in heat like this. We’ll just have to wait for a slightly cooler afternoon, hopefully after a passing thunderstorm takes the edge off. Weeding works well in this weather; once pulled, the weeds shrivel up in the sun instead of re-rooting themselves like they would in a rainier situation.

We have a farm tour for our fellow local farmers and their interns this week. It’s always nerve racking to have your colleagues over to look at how things are going, to judge with an expert’s eye. At the very least it gets us to weed wack between the beds and clean up the barn. And in the end everyone will leave happy that we have just as many weeds and bugs as they do on their farms. Wish us luck!

We have a July-worthy share for you this week!

Sugar snap peas

beets

carrots

summer squash

cucumbers

kale

collards

swiss chard

escarole

radicchio

cabbage

kohlrabi

hakurei turnips

arugula

asian greens

salad mix

head lettuce

fennel

parsley, dill, cilantro, basil

spring onions!

They may look weird, but these asian cucumbers are seriously the most delicious and least bitter of them all!

Kidogo just wants a cold beer at the end of the day too.

RECIPES!

Blue Hill at Stone Barns’ Greenhouse Salad with Hakurei Turnips

Serves: 4 Blue Hill

Ingredients

DRESSING
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
SALAD
16 small Hakurei turnips (or red radishes), thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 sweet-tangy apple, such as Gala, cored and cut into 16 slices
4 Seckel pears (or 1 small Bosc pear), cored and cut into bite-size wedges
4 cups mixed baby greens
1⁄4 cup diced dried apricots
1⁄4 cup shelled pistachios

Directions
To make the dressing, whisk together lemon juice, sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and mustard in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in oil until the dressing thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
Place turnips and fennel in a medium bowl along with apple slices and pear wedges. Toss with half of the vinaigrette. Place baby greens in a large salad bowl. Toss with remaining half of vinaigrette. Add dressed turnip mixture, apricots, and pistachios. Gently toss to mix, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Roasted Beets and Sauteed Beet Greens

Super simple and always delicious.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-beets-and-sauteed-beet-greens/

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 servings Change Servings

1 bunch beets with
greens
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped onion (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C). Wash the beets thoroughly, leaving the skins on, and remove the greens. Rinse greens, removing any large stems, and set aside. Place the beets in a small baking dish or roasting pan, and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. If you wish to peel the beets, it is easier to do so once they have been roasted.
Cover, and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a knife can slide easily through the largest beet.
When the roasted beets are almost done, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onion, and cook for a minute. Tear the beet greens into 2 to 3 inch pieces, and add them to the skillet. Cook and stir until greens are wilted and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the greens as is, and the roasted beets sliced with either red-wine vinegar, or butter and salt and pepper.

Cabbage in Mild Yogurt and Mustard Seed Curry

In North America, cabbage is associated with coleslaw and lunch. In India, cabbage is one of the most popular vegetables and is used in a variety of vegetarian dishes. At Vij's, we serve this curried cabbage as a side to any of our meat dishes. The size of the cabbage pieces doesn't matter — if you prefer chunkier pieces, then cut them that way — but be careful not to overcook them, as the cabbage will become sweet and lose its crunch. We recommend that you use 4% milkfat yogurt, and nothing less. Actually, if you aren't watching your weight, it's best to use 10% milkfat Mediterranean-style yogurt. If you are lactose intolerant, substitute 1 1/2 cups stirred coconut milk for the yogurt.

Serves 6.

1 head green cabbage, in 1 inch x 1 inch x 3 inch pieces
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp asafoetida
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt, stirred
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 Tbsp ground coriander

Place cabbage pieces in a colander and rinse well. Drain cabbage of any excess water. Heat oil in a large frying pan on medium-high for 1 minute. Add asafetida and allow it to sizzle for 10 seconds. Add mustard seeds and cook until you hear the first popping sound, about 1 minute. Immediately turn off the heat. (The popping sound means that the seeds have cooked and are beginning to burn.)

After 5 minutes, stir in yogurt and turn on the heat to medium, stirring continuously for 1 minute. Add salt, cumin, turmeric and coriander. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the oil glistens. Add cabbage and stir well. Make sure the masala and cabbage are completely combined. If you are ready to serve the cabbage, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking it for 5 minutes. Otherwise turn o¤ the heat and reheat on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes just before serving. Can be used right away. Will keep refrigerated for up to 1 day in a sealed container, but this dish loses its texture after a day in the fridge.

Best,

Your farmers.

July!