North Whidbey CSA
Week 3
July 16, 2015
Fixated…
Last week I discussed pests…this week cover
cropping. Next week I will start the introductions to
our farmers. You have probably heard of the
practice of cover cropping. A cover crop is a crop
that is planted, generally, without the intention of
harvest. The plants are put there to hold the soil in
place, suppress weeds, add organic matter, fix
nitrogen into the soil and more! If you leave a field
empty after you are finished harvesting for the
season the weeds will move in the second you turn
your back (sometimes even before your turn your
back). Every time you till the soil it brings new
weed seeds
to the
surface and
gives them a
lovely place
to thrive.
The seeds
from some
weeds can
remain viable
for decades.
This is why
we try to plant something intentional to out compete
the weeds. If we put in a plant that helps enrich the
soil and block out the weeds, we win…in theory.
There are cover crops that we plant in the fall that
stay in the soil all winter. These include grains and
some legumes. There are also quicker cover crops,
such as buckwheat, that you can plant and till back
in within the summer. The key with all cover crops
is to cut them back into the soil before they go to
seed themselves. A cover crop can become a
weed if let go to seed. Perhaps I have given too
much detail here…perhaps not enough. If you
have questions about cover crops and how you can
use them in your garden please feel free to ask me.
In your share…
from Case Farm
Apples
from Kettle’s Edge
Farm
Beets
Green Beans
Lettuce
from Prairie Bottom
Farm
Kale
Baby SummerSquash
New Potatoes
(enhanced)
from Rosehip Farm
Fava Beans
Flower share
from Willowood Farm
Sweet Red Onions
Radishes
VEGGIE OF THE WEEK: Fava Beans
Don’t let Hannibal Lecter’s mention of fava beans
in Silence of the Lambs disuade you…Fava beans
are the butteriest of beans. They require a bit
more work than some beans but I assure you that
it is well worth your efforts. Peeling them is a
great project to set a young kitchen helper to or to
do while watching a movie (don’t worry, it’s not an
entire movie kind of task). The photo to the left
shows you the beginning and end products. I will
not explain it all here but you can easily find
tutorials online. I generally peal the beans raw but
some folks cook them a little first to loosen the
skins. I have included a recipe but honestly I
usually just through some bacon, onion, and garlic in a pan then add fava beans and chopped
kale (and maybe some butter) and cook until the beans and greens are a rich green color and
through it over pasta with parmegan. So quick (once the beans are peeled) and oh so tasty! I
could go on for several pages about these underappreciated beans but alas, I am out of space.
Sidenote: These beans are used as a cover crop. Being from the legume family they are great
at taking the nitrogen from the air and fixing it into the soil for future plants to use. Some folks
also pick the tender tops of these plants for an interesting addition to fresh salads.
RECIPE
Golden Beets, Fava Beans and Mint adapted from Deborah Madison, Vegetable Literacy p. 351
serves 4
2-3 beets
1-2 pounds fresh fava beans, in their pods
Slivered mint leaves plus a few small whole ones, a heaping tablespoon
Sea Salt
Ricotta salata cut into thin shards
Freshly ground black pepper
Lemon and shallot vinaigrette
Steam the beets until tender. Rinse briefly to cool, then slip off skins and slice the beets into
wedges. Toss them with a little vinaigrette.
Shuck the fava beans. Drop them into boiling water for about a minute, then drain and drop them
into a pan of cold water to cool. Pinch off the skins and moisten the beans with a little of the
vinaigrette.
Toss the beets with the favas and mint leaves. Taste for salt, and, if dry, add a little more
vinaigrette. Heap them onto a platter. Put the cheese in the bowl and toss it with the remaining
vinaigrette and season with pepper and salt, tuck into the vegetables and serve.