Breathing Room

People always ask what farmers do in the winter. I'll tell you: we breathe a little. In between website design, crop planning, newsletter writing, accounting and catching up with friends and family, I love the couple hours a day when I have to take the dog for a walk or vent the tunnels at the farm. It's such a wonderful chance to truly appreciate the beauty that is the place where I live and work. A chance to slow down, breath and look around. I have time to notice the tree that has fallen in the woods since I was last there or that the grass is a different variety on the top of the hill than it is on the bottom. In the growing season, when I notice things on the farm, those things go straight on to the to-do list. An automatic categorization of tasks based on how the environment has changed. Now all I have to do is walk and look and breathe and notice with wonder. I'll think about the to-do list when I go back inside. 

The Share:

Choice of collard greens or kale

Salad mix

Spinach

onions

garlic

napa cabbage

winter squash

Choice of canned good: tomato sauce, salsa, puree, ketchup or tomato butter

Choice of roots (6 pounds): potatoes, beets, carrots, turnips, celery root, watermelon radishes, rutabaga

Recipe of the week:

Rosy Beet/ Napa Cabbage Slaw

From Global Cookbook. Serves 4-6.
6 c. Thinly sliced Napa cabbage leaves
1 1/2 c. Minced red onion
2 med Beets, grated
1 c. Minced fresh parsley
1/4 c. Red wine vinegar
1/2 c. Water
2 Tbsp. Brown sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/3 c. Minced fresh dill leaf
3 Tbsp. Minced fresh chives
1/2 c. Low fat lowfat sour cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine vegetables and parsley in a large bowl. In a saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring till sugar is dissolved. Pour over vegetables and toss. Add in dill and chives and fold in well. Cover and let marinate overnight. Stir well once or twice. Just before serving, drain off excess liquid. Stir in lowfat sour cream and add in salt and pepper to taste.