Week Four, 2009

Hello Friends and Members,
 
Welcome to Week 4 of our season.  We hope everyone had a great Fourth of July celebration.  We took a quick trip down to the Cape for a Quickel family re-union and enjoyed a really nice weekend which even included a little bit of time on the beach.  It was a quickie but it sure helps just to step away for a day or two now and again.  We were only able to do so because our star employee Sylvia agreed to watch things around here, and we sure do appreciate her.  She is a most thoughtful and diligent worker and really helps us take care of the zillions of things to do day to day on the farm with a smile on her face regardless of the task.  If you see her stocking the pick-up stand we'd appreciate if you gave her a quick "hello" and "thanks".
 
Out in the fields things are a little sloppy still.  We do a lot of listening to the weather and watching it on the computer, but honestly lately there hasn't been much reason to tune in.  It's like a broken record.  On the plus side the rains we're getting don't last a real long time and have tended to come after good sunny and warm spells so that things get a good portion of day to grow before getting back to saturated. Surely we'll turn the corner on this pattern sooner of later, and hopefully for all of us it will be sooner.  Heck, summer is short enough around here so we better get down to business already!
 
This week's share will include more luscious lettuce, greens, the first squash, zucchini and patty pans(squash that look like flying saucers), scallions and scapes, beets and kohlrabi, bok choy, radish. 
 
U-pick looks to be a few more strawberries, snow peas and herbs, including basil, parsley, oregano, thyme and savory.  The snap peas aren't quite there yet.  They need to fatten up in order to get sweet, so please don't pick the skinny ones.  The flowers aren't far off either. 
 
Take care,
D, E and e
 
Recipes
This recipe was sent to us from a creative member.  It is based on a Rachel Ray creation, but has had an extensive Stony Loam make-over.  Seems like a good way to get some kids to eat their beets, too.  Enjoy!
 
One bunch beets
6 TBS olive oil
1 lb rigatoni with ridges or gemelli pasta (or what you have at home)
One bunch green onions, chopped
Handful of garlic scapes, chopped
One pint peas (out of the pod) and/or 1-2 squashes cut into rounds (or whatever other Loam veggies you want to add)
salt and pepper
1.5 cups ricotta cheese
zest and juice of one lemon
Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
.5 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
 
Heat the oven to 375F.  Peel and quarter beets.  Coat the beets in a drizzle of olive oil and place in a roasting pan.  Cover the pan with foil and place in oven.  Roast the beets for about 30 minutes (test with a fork for softness), then remove and let cool for 15 minutes.
 
Just before the beets come out, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.  Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook al dente.  Heads up: you will need to reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking water before you drain the pasta.
 
While the beets cool, heat 3 tbs of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the green onions and scapes for a few minutes until they start to soften, then add remaining vegetables.  Gently cook until everything softens (3-5 minutes).  Season with salt and pepper. 
 
Add beets to food processor/blender with the ricotta cheese.  Process until it becomes a smooth mixture.  Transfer to large pasta bowl and season it with 2 tsp zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper,  the parsley, and Parmigiano.  Add the starchy water, the hot pasta, and sauteed vegetables.  Serve immediately.
 
Grilled Summer Squash- A great idea for your next backyard barbecue.

2 medium summer squash 
olive oil, salt 
Dill or lemon pepper 

Slice squash lengthwise (into long strips). Brush each side of squash strips with olive oil and then salt. 
Place slices directly onto warmed grill. Remove from grill when squash is tender but still firm.  Place squash in serving dish and sprinkle with dill and/or lemon pepper.  Grilled summer squash are also good sprinkled with lemon juice, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes.