VOLUME 5, ISSUE 13
WWW.BURROAKGARDENS.COM
BURR OAK GARDENS, LLC
To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves- Mohondas Gandhi
This Week on the Farm
We have already sold half of our honey! So if you are interested in
purchasing some honey from our farm, now is the time to do so! Contact
me at [email protected] with your name, pick-up location, and
the number of one pound jars you are interested in purchasing and I will
get back to you ASAP with availability and delivery information. Don’t
miss out!
Tyler and Shelbi spent a good deal of Friday prepping the high tunnel for a
fall planting of spinach. Our spring planting did not do very well and we
think a large part of that was due to poor soil fertility. So, after Tyler tilled
the tunnel they broadcast several fifty pound bags of chickity doo doo.
That was one job I was glad I didn’t have to do! After they had spread the
composted manure they had to rake the ground to get rid of any
remaining grass trash on the surface. Since they used our special lettuce
seeder, they had to make sure that there was nothing on the ground that
could jam up the seeder. It is a very sensitive piece of equipment and the
smallest piece of grass will gum up the works.
After the ground was totally prepped Shelbi seeded the tunnel not once,
but twice to make sure that the seed was on thick enough. She then watered everything in by hand. We have
watered every day since Friday. It will be another couple of days before we see how good the germination rate is
this time around. We decided to plant the spinach in the high tunnel because it can overwinter well if kept
protected. We are going to experiment with a frost blanket this winter and see how far into the winter we can
keep harvesting. Our long term goal is to extend our CSA season into the winter, but we need to expand our
knowledge/experience base before we are able to do that.
Speaking of frost… The weather stations forecast temperatures in the upper 30s this coming Friday night. Tyler
had a minor freakout when he saw the forecast because that means it is time to get all of our frost protection
equipment in place. A lot of crops won’t be bothered by temperatures in the upper 30s, but it does signal colder
weather and we want to make sure that the tomatoes in particular are protected. So that means it is time to haul
out the hoses and sprinklers and time to fill our bulk tanks with water in preparation for frost. I am not too
worried about Friday as of tonight, but if that forecast dips any lower Tyler and I will start worrying pretty
quickly. Keep your fingers crossed that they raise the forecast up to at least 40.
We hope you have enjoyed the couple of bean free weeks and are ready to start eating green beans again. This
week we have yellow wax beans which are actually the second flush of fruit and Italian flat beans, which are
from a new planting. Next week our dragon beans should be ready. The dragon beans are very similar to the
Italian flat beans in flavor and texture, but they are a white bean with purple stripes. As with the purple beans
you received earlier this season, the purple color goes away when cooked, but if you eat them raw in a pasta
salad you are still able to enjoy the color.
The winter squash are almost ready to be harvested. Another week and we should be able to start harvesting the
delicata squash. We took a walk through the field on Sunday and the powdery mildew isn’t spreading as rapidly
as it has in past years. I think the wider plant spacing is really working to our advantage.
Interested in Honey from our bees?!
1 pound jars available for $9 or 2 pounds for $16
Contact [email protected] to check for availability.
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VOLUME 5, ISSUE 13
WWW.BURROAKGARDENS.COM
The onions are done curing in the greenhouse and I am hoping to get a chance on
Wednesday to move them up to the barn to get them out of the sun. My plan is to put
them in five pound bags and hang them so that they are still able to have good air
circulation and be protected from the elements. We may have to adjust the weight
once we start bagging them to find the optimal amount for our mesh bags.
The tomatoes this season have been producing really well. I have been particularly
pleased with the Esterina tomatoes (the yellow cherry tomatoes). We have some fruit
clusters with 15 tomatoes on them!! Every week when we harvest them I think to
myself “I really like this variety.” It doesn’t split when it matures like the red cherry
we have and it is easier to pick since it is a little larger, but yet it is still sweet. I like it
so much that I have actually been thinking of writing to our seed company to ask
them to make sure they supply it next year.
If you are wondering what the larger yellow, round veggie that feels like a peach is
that you might get in your box, it is actually a tomato! The variety name is
Wapsipinicon Peach and the description that was given in the seed catalog is that it
has a “fruity bite of sweet and balanced flavors.” Let us know what you think. This
was one of our novelty tomatoes this year and we always like feedback on whether or
not we should grow it again.
We are getting really excited
for Bike the Barns which is
this coming Sunday,
September 14. We have
heard that there are still
tickets available, so if you
like to bike and would like to
help make CSA shares
available to low income
families you should sign-up.
My sister and her family
came down this past
weekend to help us prep for
Bike the Barns. We had
painting to finish up on the
outside of the packing shed, a mulch pile to spread out, a greenhouse frame to move
into the barn, and, as always, mowing to do. They got almost all of our to do list
completed this past weekend and we just have repair work on the one doorway to
finish. I am also hoping that we will have time to get our farm sign up. Tyler’s mom
painted a sign for us last fall, but we haven’t had time to put it up yet. She did a really
nice job and I am excited to see it go up.
Your Box This
Week
!Tomatillos-Remove
from container and
store unwashed on
the counter until
ready to use.
!Slicer TomatoesSame as tomatillos.
!Roma TomatoesSame as tomatillos.
!Cherry TomatoesSame as tomatillos.
!Bell Pepper- Store
peppers in the fridge
in a paper bag.
!Specialty PepperSame as bell pepper.
!Walla Walla
Onions- Store in a
cool, dry place.
!Italian Flat BeansStore unwashed in
the bag until ready to
use. Store in the
fridge.
!Yellow Wax
Beans- Same as
Italian Flat Beans.
!Parsley- Place in a
jar with the bottom of
the stems covered by
water. Place a plastic
bag over the top.
!Watermelon,
!
Recipe Drawing
For every recipe you send us that utilizes the veggies in your box, you will be
entered into a drawing to win one of two free storage boxes this fall. Send
recipes to us via email, on our Facebook page, or by snail mail.
Melon, or
Cabbage- Store in
the fridge until ready
to use.
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VOLUME 5, ISSUE 13
Black Bean & Roasted Corn Salad
Roasted corn and black beans:
1/2 cup grapeseed oil, divided
1 large red onion, diced
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 pound frozen corn kernels or about 4 ears fresh (do not
use canned corn - it becomes gummy)
1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh scallions, (about 2 to 4 scallions) white and
tender green parts only, sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
Mango salsa:
1 mango, diced small
2 teaspoons diced red onion
2 teaspoons diced red bell pepper
2 teaspoons diced green bell pepper
1 teaspoon chopped chives
1 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Red wine vinaigrette:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 shallot, quartered
2 teaspoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup canola oil
Tomato salsa:
1 large ripe tomato, diced small
2 tomatillos, diced small
1 garlic cloves, lightly crushed with the side of a knife
blade to release oils, then finely minced
2 tablespoons chiffonnade fresh flat-leaf parsley (1 small
handful, about 1-ounce, rinsed and dried
2 stalks celery, small diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the roasted corn and black beans:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.!
In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, add 1/4 cup of oil and!
get the pan warm on the stovetop. Add the diced onion, garlic!
and corn kernels. Sauté together until the corn feels cooked to!
the bite. Place in the oven until roasted (but not dried out)!
about 20 to 30 minutes.!
For the mango salsa:!
Combine the mango, onion, bell peppers, chives, lemon juice,!
honey, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a non-reactive bowl and!
chill.!
For the vinaigrette:!
Add, 1 at a time through the feed opening of a running!
blender, the vinegar, shallot, chives, salt and pepper. Leaving!
the blender running, add the oil in a slow thin stream and!
allow to emulsify. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and!
pepper.!
To make the tomato salsa:!
Combine the tomato, tomatillos, garlic, parsley, and celery.!
Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and set aside.!
Fold together corn mixture and black beans. Season with salt!
and pepper. Add enough red wine vinaigrette to coat. (Do not!
feel compelled to use all of the dressing.) Transfer to a serving!
dish, and top with a spoonful of mango salsa in the center!
surrounded by a ring of tomato salsa. Garnish with scallions!
WWW.BURROAKGARDENS.COM
and cilantro leaves. Serve with any extra dressing on the side.!
(From www.foodnetwork.com)!
Green Beans & Cherry Tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 pound green beans, ends trimmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over a medium-high heat in a!
large skillet. Add the garlic and sauté until golden. !
Add the tomato halves and reduce the heat to medium-low,!
stir well, and cover with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes, until the!
tomatoes are melted into the oil. !
Add the green beans and season with salt and pepper. Stir!
well, lower the heat to a low heat and stir from time to time.!
The green beans will be ready in 10 minutes. (From:!
www.cookingchanneltv.com)!
Quick Cabbage w/ Tomatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small green cabbage, halved, cored, and cut lengthwise
into 1/2-inch wedges
1/2 cup water
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add cabbage!
and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften and!
brown around edges, 4 minutes. Add water, cover, and cook!
until cabbage is crisp-tender, 5 minutes. Uncover and season!
with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and cook, uncovered, until!
they soften, 3 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Season to taste with!
salt and pepper and top with parsley.!
(From: www.marthastewart.com)
Bell Pepper, Tomato, Cucumber, and
Grilled Bread Salad
4 (1-ounce) slices day-old country-style bread
4 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds) $
1 cup finely chopped red onion
3/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper $
3/4 cup chopped orange bell pepper $
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1 English cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Prepare grill to medium-high heat.!
Place bread slices on grill rack; grill 1 minute on each side or!
until golden brown with grill marks. Remove from grill; tear!
bread into 1-inch pieces.!
Combine tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, basil, and cucumber!
in a large bowl. Add bread; toss gently.!
Combine vinegar, black pepper, salt, and garlic in a small!
bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil, stirring!
constantly with a whisk. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss!
gently to coat. Cover and chill 20 minutes before serving. !
(From www.myrecipes.com)
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