The Weekly Share

It was a gorgeous day to work on the farm on Tuesday.  Lots of sun, but not hot, a little breeze, not so many bugs…  We did a lot of harvesting.  Here’s what we brought home:

Share 18

• .25 oz. arugula
• 1 zucchini/squash
• 5 beets
• 8 oz. carrots or (? another item I can’t remember)
• 3 onions
• 1 garlic
• 5 sprigs basil
• .15 oz. salad mix
• 3 radishes
• 1 hot pepper
• 1 jalepeno pepper
• 1 spaghetti squash, pie pumpkin, or acorn squash
• 1 handful cilantro
• 8 oz. beans
• 1 sweet pepper
• 1.5 lbs. potatoes
• 1 head lettuce
• I took 3 tomatoes from the “help yourself” pile

I will use the carrots, salad mix, head of lettuce, sweet pepper, radishes, and tomatoes for snacking and salads.  I will make sesame green beans with a dinner later this week.  I will probably make french fries out of the potatoes.  I will saute the arugula and zucchini with garlic.  I have never made spaghetti squash before, but there are lots of recipes out there, so that will be a side dish sometime this week.  I have lots of beets (leftovers plus from our garden) so I would like to try pickled beets.  I think that leaves hot peppers and herbs.  Don’t know what I’ll do with those yet – maybe freeze them.

I spent my day at the farm harvesting basil, beets, arugula and beans.  I washed lots of arugula and lettuce heads.  And I chatted with my co-workers about everything from recipes to raising kids to wilderness survival!  The time goes quickly when you are surrounded by good people and good conversation.  Thanks to Jon, Beth,  Christine, Dawn, Emily, Fern, Francie, John, Lisa, Victoria and Vince for helping my day pass quickly and happily!  Here are a few pictures from my day at the farm…

Goldfinch Farm Entrance

Christine and Fern harvesting beans

Share Pick Up at the Farm

I spent Tuesday morning working at Goldfinch Farm as part of our working share.  I forgot to bring my camera, so I don’t have any pictures of the farm, but here is a lovely picture of our huge autumnal share.  As you can see, it’s another large share.  We received:

Share 17

• 1 small handful cilantro
• 6 sprigs of basil
• 1 cabbage
• 1 box tomatoes
• 1 head garlic
• 3 onions
• 1 squash/zucchini
• 1 cucumber
• 5 daicon radishes
• 1 lb. beans
• 1 handful watercress (from the farm pond!)
• 1/2 pint raspberries
• 1 jalepeno pepper
• 1 hot pepper
• .2 lb. arugala
• 2 eggplant
• 1.5 lb. potatoes
• 1 lb. sweet potatoes
• 1 head lettuce
• 1 sweet pepper
• I took a green pepper and a yellow tomato from the “extras-help yourself” pile, too

I helped harvest the basil, arugala, raspberries and beans.  SO MANY BEANS!    We also harvested lots of beans at home this week – I’ve got too many beans!  John, a farm worker, said he makes pickled beans.  I found this recipe, so I’m going to give that a try.  I used some of the potatoes tonight in a corn chowder, mmm-mmm!  I used some of the watercress on sandwiches today – what a great alternative to lettuce!  We will eat the sweet peppers, cucumber and raspberries fresh as snacks.  Probably in salads, too, with the lettuce, arugala, onions, radishes and tomatoes.  I may steam some of the radishes (we have some from our garden, too).  I understand they become sweet when cooked that way.  I’m thinking mashed sweet potatoes will be a nice change this week.  For the cabbage…I didn’t make this recipe when we received cabbage before, so I think this is the week to try it!  Maybe I’ll make zucchini bread this weekend.  Yum – now I’m getting hungry!

I work at the farm again next Tuesday and I WILL remember to take my camera!  It is a great experience to know where this delicious food comes from and how it gets to our shares.  If you have a chance to work on the farm, do yourself a favor and go!  The setting is beautiful, the work is gratifying and the people are delightful !