February 14, 2023

 

What’s in this Week’s VEGGIE BOX: Carrots, Oranges, Oro Blanco Grapefruit, Broccoli, Kale, Cabbage

 

Bread this week: Round Lavain OR Sourdough Baguette your choice of one

 

!!NEW QUARTER!!!

 

Spring Quarter payment is due February 13

 

The new quarter begins February 21/25 and ends May 16/20

 

~Please let us know if you DO OR DO NOT plan on continuing

 

~Please do not leave payments at drop sites

 

~Please let me know if you would like a PayPal invoice

 

 

 

!!Special order!!!

Oranges ~ 5# for $8                 or         10# for $16

 

If you would like some citrus please let us know by 5pm Friday February 17th for a February 21st delivery

 

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HAPPY VALENTINES  DAY FROM ALL OF US AT THE FARM

 

This week on the farm

Spring is in the air, bud on the apricots are fattening up with pink sepals and a tiny bit of white peeking out ready to burst. The almond blossoms have exploded on the seedling trees, our blooming quince are lovely salmon and whites down the center lane. Tulips are just beginning to swell and color up and the anemones with arched heads are starting to stand tall and welcome the world to their beautiful cheerfulness that they are. It is hard to not get excited to see, smell and feel the changes in the air and want to go out into the garden and start helping it come back to life. I am itching to mow the pathways, prune the rose arbor, trim and cut back last years old dead heads on the coreopsis, yarrow and sages. I feel for the first time in awhile satisfied with our winter hibernation, I have had down time, sleep time, rest and now feel the readiness of coming out of my cocoon to face this new season….

               I turned 70 this last November, and have been thinking about how I want to navigate the next 30 years (optimistic I am). I know that my energy is not what it used to be and get reminded from the younger ones around here to take more rests, but the garden is still there wanting my attention. I have talked to other friends that too are my age that live in town and they are now retired and wondering what to do with their time. I don’t have that question, my time is still here

Taken up by the farm, and all that encompasses keeping a small farm running, and shifting the transition to our kids. So I invited my two older friends who live in Oakland (both my age, and that is not really older) to come to the farm and help me plant this seasons eggplant and peppers in the greenhouse. AND THEY CAME last week and worked all day planting 30 flats (230 seeds per flat) for this year’s summer harvest. They felt accomplished, and at the end of the day we went out into the fields and harvested produce for them to take home. So this got me to thinking, I certainly need help,  and that possibly others would be interested in coming out to help me in the garden weeding or propagating plants, or the greenhouse work and taking home produce for the day’s work. So I am putting it out there to the universe that every Thursday morning from 9 to noon-or to whenever that I am open for 2 to 3 folks coming out and being in the country, having the opportunity to be at them farm doing work that will make them feel accomplished and taking home armloads of produce for their efforts. You don’t have to be old like me; you could be interested in getting out of town, out of your own world, want to see something different and like to do something too. You would bring your own lunch and we could sit outside, in the blooming orchard and have deep conversations about life the universe and everything, or not…It doesn’t mean you are committing to every Thursday, maybe once a month or maybe just once, or just maybe every week.  If you have any interest, have questions to my proposal, you can send me an email to: anniehmain52@gmail.com.

Have a wonderful week, enjoy the beauty surrounding you, and above all know that “you are the one that loves you the most” so make sure to give yourself a Valentine’s treat. ~Annie Main

 

Asian Kale Slaw with Ginger Peanut Dressing

 Source:onceuponachef

 

4 cups chopped curly kale, thick stems removed

3 cups shredded cabbage

2 cups shredded carrots

1 red bell pepper, sliced into bite-sized pieces

¾ cup slivered almonds

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

FOR THE DRESSING

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from one lime

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon sugar

1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped

1-inch square piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

¾ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sriracha

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake the almonds until lightly golden and fragrant, 5-10 minutes. (Keep a close eye on them; nuts burn quickly.) Transfer the nuts to a small plate to cool. Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor or blender; process until smooth and creamy. Combine the ingredients for the salad in a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow the kale to soften. Toss again, and then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. (As the salad sits, the flavors may dull; a squeeze of lime juice will wake things up.)

 

Roasted spiced carrot dip

 Source: delicious

 

1kg carrots, peeled, cut into 3cm pieces

1 onion, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, bruised

5cm piece ginger, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tbs apple cider vinegar

1 long red chilli, thinly sliced

1 tsp each ground cinnamon and ground coriander

2 star anise, coarsely crushed

250g sour cream

Nigella seeds, dill sprigs, baby amaranth leaves (optional) and corn chips, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a baking tray and line with baking paper. To make the dip, place carrot, onion, garlic, ginger, oil, sugar, vinegar, chilli, cinnamon, coriander and star anise in a bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to prepared tray and cover loosely with foil. Roast for 1 hour or until carrot is almost tender. Uncover and roast for a further 45 minutes or until carrot mixture is caramelized and carrot is soft. Transfer hot carrot mixture to a food processor with sour cream and whiz until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover surface directly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or until completely cooled. Spoon dip into a serving bowl, scatter with nigella seeds, dill and amaranth, if using. Serve with corn chips

 

ORO BLANCO GRAPEFRUIT SALAD

Source: Vietworldkitchen

 

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

8 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 medium oro blanco grapefruit

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 ½ tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon water

1 ½ tablespoons sugar

¾ to 1 teaspoon chile garlic sauce

2 to 3 tablespoons coarsely grated carrot

½ to ¾ cup thinly sliced green cabbage

⅓ cup chopped or hand-torn mint leaves

¼ cup chopped unsalted, roasted peanuts

2 tablespoons purchased fried onions or homemade Crispy Caramelized Shallot

Put the salt in a small saucepan and fill ⅔ with water. Bring to a boil and then add the shrimp. As soon as they've curled up, remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

Cut the shrimp in the diagonal into large pieces that will blend well with the grapefruit and other ingredients. Set aside.  Peel the oroblanco, separate in half. Working on one segment at a time, use a paring knife to help you remove the skin to reveal the supreme. When done with the entire grapefruit, separate each supreme into its vesicles (they’ll come apart as singles or small clusters). Let your fingertips do the separation and allow the vesicles drop into a bowl as you work. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours, if not using right away. For the dressing, combine fish sauce, lime juice, water, sugar, garlic and chile in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Right before serving, add the shrimp, carrot, cabbage, mint, peanuts and fried onions (or shallot) to the grapefruit. Gently toss with your fingers. Add the dressing and gently combine. Taste and adjust the flavors, as needed. Transfer to a plate or shallow bowl, leaving any liquid behind and serve.

 

Orange Chicken & Veggie Stir-fry

Source:Tasty

 

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt, to taste

ground pepper, to taste

2 heads broccoli, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

SAUCE

½ cup orange juice

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon ginger, minced

¼ teaspoon orange zest

1 tablespoon cornstarch

In a large nonstick skillet, heat a small amount of cooking oil. Add chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add carrots and broccoli and cook for 1 minute. Add bell pepper and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove ingredients from pan and set aside. Add orange juice, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch. Whisk. Simmer until sauce starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add chicken back into pan. Serve over cooked veggies.