Drought stress

Sweating as we work today, it certainly doesn’t feel like fall is around the corner. The trees around the farm are starting to turn for lack of rain, not the impending autumn season. Our poor crops need some serious water, our creek is almost dry and we obsessively check the weather for any sign of rain. Our rudimentary irrigation system will keep our newest transplants from dying but to keep up with the entire farm 5 beds at time is a near impossible task. Nothing can replace a good rainstorm. We long for the relief that comes from a hard rain after a dry spell; the stress of drought comes through in certain ways. We’re a little more tired and a little more sluggish while trying to stay up beat the heat. We’re lucky that we live in a part of the world where this type of drought doesn’t happen very often; we’re blessed with an abundant watershed. We know that we can dig wells and find water and the spring from the woods will always flow – though significantly less these days. We will survive these humid hot days and so will our plants but when the rain comes we will be able to relax just a little bit more.

The share!

Salad mix

Kale

Swiss chard

Summer squash

Cucumbers

Tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes

Beets

Carrots

Leeks

Potatoes

Garlic

Onions

Melon

Beans

Parsley

Dill

Cilantro

onion geometry

Ridin the transplanter.

Tie dye tomatoes.

Recipes!

Creamy Polenta-Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes

• 1 Tbs. butter
• 1 Tbs. diced shallot
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 3 cups lower-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup polenta (such as Bob's Red Mill brand)
• 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 large Roma-style heirloom tomatoes
• 2 Tbs. chopped parsley

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the cream and then whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Add the thyme and rosemary and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is tender, creamy, and thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in 1/4 cup of the cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400° F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and hollow them out. Cut a very thin slice off the bottom of each tomato half so the filled tomato can lie flat without rolling. Arrange the tomatoes on the baking sheet and season them lightly with salt. Fill each tomato half with some of the polenta, mounding just slightly (depending on the size of your tomatoes, you may or may not use all the polenta). Sprinkle the remaining 2 Tbs. of cheese and the parsley over each. Bake until the tomatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Nicoise Salad

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad

• 2 grilled or otherwise cooked tuna steaks* (8 oz each) or 2-3 cans of tuna
• 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and either halved or quartered
• 10 small new red potatoes (each about 2 inches in diameter, about 1 1/4 pounds total), each potato scrubbed and quartered
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium heads Boston lettuce or butter lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 3 small ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
• 1 small red onion, sliced very thin
• 8 ounces green beans, stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise
• 1/4 cup niçoise olives
• 2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and/or several anchovies (optional)

Method

*Marinate tuna steaks in a little olive oil for an hour. Heat a large skillet on medium high heat, or place on a hot grill. Cook the steaks 2 to 3 minutes on each side until cooked through.

1 In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

2 Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with 4 quarts of cold water. Bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and cook until potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain. Toss warm potatoes with 1/4 cup vinaigrette; set aside.

3 While the potatoes are cooking, in a separate pot, add a quart of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil. Add the green beans to the pot. Blanch until tender but still a little firm, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the beans from the pot and place in ice water to stop the cooking. After about 30 seconds, drain the beans. Toss the beans in 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and add salt and pepper to taste.

4 While potatoes and green beans are cooking, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated. Arrange bed of lettuce on a serving platter (I used two serving platters, shown in the photos). Cut tuna into 1/2-inch thick slices, coat with vinaigrette. Mound tuna in center of lettuce. Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in bowl; arrange tomato-onion mixture on the lettuce bed. Arrange the  potatoes and green beans in mounds at edge of lettuce bed.

5 Arrange hard boiled eggs, olives, and anchovies (if using) in mounds on the lettuce bed. Drizzle eggs with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers (if using), and serve immediately.

Grilled Cucumbers with Creamy Pickled Feta Dip

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Recipe type: Appetizer, Gluten Free

Ingredients

Grilled Cucumbers:

• About 10 baby or kirby cucumbers
• ⅓ Cup red wine vinegar
• ⅓ Cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 pinch of salt

Pickled Feta Dip:

• 6 oz plain greek non-fat yogurt, or 1 small container
• ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill
• ⅓ cup distilled white vinegar, or white wine vinegar
• ⅓ cup water
• 1½ teaspoon sugar
• A little less than 1 tablespoon salt

Instructions

Pickled Feta Dip:

1. In a jar or small bowl, combine the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar. Mix until salt and sugar are dissolved.
2. Add the feta in and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Once feta is finished pickling, drain the juice and set the feta aside.
3. In a food processor or blender, add the yogurt, dill, garlic, and feta cheese. Blend until mixture is creamy.

Grilled Cucumbers:

1. Cut the cucumbers in half, lengthwise, and then in half again.
2. In a large bowl add the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and salt and stir. Add in the cucumbers and toss to coat. Let marinate for about 10 - 15 minutes.
3. Turn the grill on medium heat and place cucumbers on. Grill for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
4. Dip grilled cucumbers into the pickled feta dip and enjoy!

Notes

*Grilled Cucumber recipe adapted from Food & Wine Magazine.
*Pickling mixture for pickled feta adapted from Smitten Kitchen.