A push for fruit trees

When I first started talking about planting fruit trees, almost everyone I mentioned it to wanted to make very sure I understood that I wouldn’t be getting any fruit for a long time. What does that mean, a long time? A couple years? Ten years? And more to the point, if it was in that 2-10 year window, I just kept mentally shrugging my shoulders when well-meaning people would tell me this thinking, “Well, I just had a baby and we owe a bundle of money to the mortgage company for this house so, we’re not exactly going anywhere.”

And so I carefully picked our first trees, nervous and excited, thinking about root balls, graft unions and last frost dates.  My game and hard-working husband dug out the grass across a 10 foot wide strip in the front of our yard up against the chain link fence that separates us from the sidewalk. One of the reasons why I love him is for his calm conviction that I can do anything. When I told him I wanted to plant fruit trees, he said where do you want them? When I told him I wanted chickens, he said ok, let’s look for a coop. And when I told him that it was silly to just dig up a small part of the front yard and that we should just rototill the whole thing, he said, "Good idea, it will save me from mowing around things." Bless his heart, if he has doubts he checks them and shows up with his shovel and I love that.

In a tall, triangle shaped cardboard box came my first fruit trees: two apples, two sweet cherries and a peach. They come bare-root, which is darn unnerving at first. Imagine a 4-6 foot long sapling, devoid of any leaves or buds whatsoever, with stubby, pre-pruned roots and straggling root hairs. They can’t be exposed to sunlight, so a cloudy day is best, but if it is sunny, the roots have to remain covered right up until the hole is dug and the pile of dirt waits close by to fill the hole back up and cover them up. A wet towel is a good cover while the digging is happening and it’s always best to decide BEFORE you get the trees where you are going to put them. Local nurseries will have trees in large pots, true, but they can’t beat the selection offered by bareroot shipping from places like Stark or Raintree.

So we, and by we I mean my husband, got the holes dug and I carefully put the tree in the hole. Eric backfilled the dirt while I held the tree at the proper height and fretted. Over what, you might ask, besides the fact that it very much appears that a dead stick is being planted. It’s very important that trees are not planted too far below or above where they are meant to be. There will be some vague indications on the trunk of where the dirt-line is, not because there is still dirt clinging, but because the bark looks slightly different on the part that’s been above ground and the part that’s meant to be below ground. 

A word about grafting--Adding to the newbie-orchardist confusion is that almost all the fruit trees you buy will have already been grafted. This means that two different kinds of trees with two different genetic growth directives are spliced together to create something that will have characteristics of both plants. Most applicable to the orchardist, fruit trees with the fruit we want are almost always grafted to a root stock that will direct the tree to grow shorter that it would otherwise grow, hence the term dwarf or semi-dwarf tree. They might also graft for increased or decreased vigor, resistance to various diseases or even twisted or weeping branches. 

If the tree is planted so the dirt-line is above the graft point, it could encourage the tree to produce sucker-type growth of the root stocks variety, not what we want to do. So usually, the dirt-line is an inch or a couple inches below the graft point. The graft will look like a scabby or bumpy line that goes all around the tree near the bottom and it gets easy to spot the graft with a little practice. The other thing that will help get the planting depth right is to have a hose on hand to water the soil as it is replaced. The dirt will naturally settle some, and it can lower the tree with it so your tree ends up in a shallow hole. Under certain circumstances you might do this on purpose, but most of the time the tree depth should be the same as the area around it. Watering the dirt as you replace it will keep this from happening and get your tree off to a good start. Don’t compress the dirt around your tree after it is moist as this will compact the soil.

I carefully inspected them each day and my little trees grew leaves in a month or so. I watered them well and fertilized them lightly, and while they didn’t grow any new branches that first year, they grew leaves on the branches they already had, and I knew important things were happening under the surface. The next year, the peach and the cherries each got a couple blossoms and while I picked off most of them to encourage the tree to put it’s energy into growing, I did leave a couple on to ripen. 

And I guess this last part is the point I want to make. The trees were worth something to me as an investment of fruit in the future, true, but they were worth something to me from the time I planted them until the time they regularly started bearing fruit.  Some of them are starting their 5th spring post-planting and I’m very excited to see how much I get this year. Last year my one peach gave me a bushel and a half of juicy, beautiful peaches, some of which I froze and we have been enjoying this winter. Between the two cherries, I got about 12 pounds of peaches and a promise of much more to come this year.

When I look back on people telling me it was going to take a super long time to get fruit from my trees I end up having two parallel thought-lines. One is that it didn’t take forever, it took two years. The other is that I loved caring for them even before they gave fruit, just for their own sake. And it didn’t matter to me that I didn’t get the big payoff right away. Maybe it comes down to faith.

So if you want an apple or peach or cherry or whatever, do your research and get planting. Urban orchards are here to stay and I’m so happy I decided to be a part of this movement.

Get dirty & Ciao!

Recipe: What the heck is French Sorrel?

You'll likely only see it this one time because it's fairly unusual, but it is a fun thing to add a little change once in awhile. Is it a green or a spice? Frankly I'm not really sure, but it sure does have a distinctive flavor. It's very lemony, in case you haven't ever nibbled it before.


To store, put French sorrel into a sealed plastic bag and keep in the refrigerator. Sorrel does not dry well, but it can be frozen successfully. Its leaves, rich in potassium and vitamins C and A, will keep its beneficial qualities and great taste for a long time, but they are especially good when fresh.
Slivered sorrel leaves add a tangy accent to fresh salads. Add its spunky taste to scrambled eggs and

omelets. Seafood, chicken, veal, lamb, pheasant dishes welcome its bite. Hearty meat stews like its acidic contribution. Shred into soups with a tomato or fish base. Add its pizzazz to rice and lentils. Make a sorrel based sauce; drizzle over grilled, sautéed or marinated portabella mushrooms. Fold into mayonnaise and creamy sauces. Tuck a shredded leaf or two in sandwiches. Experiment with this herb in savory dishes, adding a little at a time until desired taste is reached.
Use generously when cooking sorrel as it reduces greatly in volume. Pureed sorrel wakes up cooked vegetables. Pair with asparagus, green and yellow string beans, turnips, cauliflower and summer squash. Use less lemon and vinegar in recipes when including sorrel. Do not cook in aluminum or iron pans as sorrel will develop a metallic taste. Use a stainless-steel knife for cutting. Stems are tough and should be removed.




TUNA DIP WITH HERBS AND CAPERS

two 6-ounce cans solid white tuna packed in oil, drained well
a 10 1/4-ounce package soft tofu, drained
3 spring onions, minced
1 carrot, shredded fine
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons drained capers, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice OR leaves of sorrel
Accompaniment: crackers or assorted crudites
In a bowl stir tuna with a fork until finely flaked. In another bowl whisk tofu until smooth. Stir tofu
and remaining ingredients into tuna until combined and season with salt and pepper. Serve dip with
crackers or crudites.

Recipes for Chard, Kale & other greens

Kale


 I know kale isn’t high on everyone’s list of favorite veggies, but I really think it’s hard to find a leaf that’s so good but also good for us. It can be thick and is usually cooked, it’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and, so we read, cancer-fighting chemicals. Plus, frankly, I think is among the prettiest vegetables and it’s nice to have recipes that highlight it’s texture and shape, in addition to the beautiful chartreuse color.
I use greens quick-cooked like this in dozens of ways. Stir a few beaten eggs into a skillet of sautéed kale, and you're on your way to a delicious omelet or frittata. I sometimes chop the leaves a bit finer (pre or post sauté), and add them to all sorts of soups and curries - you get color, flavor, and a nutritious boost. Puree the sautéed greens and you can whisk or blend them into yogurt, hummus, mashed potatoes, and dips. Any ideas from your end?


Keep kale unwashed (moisture speeds its decay) in a plastic bag in the coldest section of the refrigerator, which is usually in the back.
Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium.
Because of its high vitamin K content, patients taking anti-coagulants such as warfarin are encouraged to avoid this food since it increases the vitamin K concentration in the blood.


Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical believed to have potent anti-cancer properties.
Kale Soup
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 links hot Italian or other robust sausage
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch kale, ribs removed, chopped
3 quarts chicken stock or
veggie stock
1/4 cup hot pepper sauce
Whenever using kale, I always remove most of the thick stalk.
I sometimes lightly steam kale and eat it with a splash of good soy sauce or balsamic vinegar.
It can also be lightly cooked and drizzled with sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds and sea salt. Chilled after cooking it makes for a zesty salad.


Garlicky Greens
1 large bunch of kale, chard, or spinach
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt

5 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (opt)

crushed red pepper flakes

To de-stem each leaf of chard/kale, grab the main stalk in one hand and strip the leaf from the stem all the way up with the other. I then tear the big leaves into bite-sized pieces, but you can use a knife for this task if you prefer. Wash the greens in a big bowl (or sink) full of clean water, rinsing and swishing to rinse away any stubborn grit and dirt. Drain, rinse again, and set aside.

Hold off cooking the greens until just before eating. Then, in a large skillet heat the olive oil. Add a couple big pinches of salt and the greens. They should hiss and spit a bit when they hit the pan. Stir continuously until their color gets bright green, and they just barely start to collapse - two, three, maybe four minutes, depending on how hot your pan is and how much structure your greens have. Then, just thirty seconds before you anticipate pulling the skillet off of the heat, stir in the garlic. Sauté a bit, remove the pan from the heat, stir in the Parmesan, and add a big pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Taste, add a bit of salt if needed.

Emjoy! 

Kohlrabi and Green apple slaw

So this is an option for the weird looking round things in your box you will see a couple times this season. Basically, you can treat this healthy vegetable like cabbage, raw or cooked.

Julianne or shred the kohlrabi and green apple (s) until you have about the same amount of each. The dressing is 1/2 c. heavy cream, a blob or two of the mustard you like best, 1 tsp. of lemon juice, 1tsp. of sugar, 2 tbsp. chopped parsley, and salt to taste. Optionally, you could use horseradish in place of the mustard and/or dill in place of the parsley.
Yum!

Another short article about the strange veggie: http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/10/five-ways-to-eat-kohlrabi/

Recipe: Zucchini ribbons with mint

This is a really easy and refreshing salad that pairs well with a heavier meat like pork or beef. Using a veggie peeler. slice 4-6 smaller zucchini lengthwise in ribbons. Yellow and green ones together look really vibrant together. Put the ribbons into a bowl with 1/2 tsp of course salt to draw out some of the moisture-leave for 10 minutes. Pour off the accumulated liquid and blot the ribbons dry on towels. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 c. fresh mint leaves-they can be spearmint, or any of the many mint flavors available today- and 1/4 c. thinly sliced onion. Toss gently, and serve promptly.
Enjoy...

July 6, 2012 News from the farm

The heat has made things pretty challenging the last week or so, along with continued dry weather at our location. Some of the vegetables are doing well with the heat and some have completely stopped producing or skipped out and gone to seed in response to the soaring temps. Winter and summer squashes, tomatoes, peppers, okra, melons and eggplants are all doing pretty well and in the beginning of their production, so that's the upside. You've seen the zucchini and cukes in your boxes and while there are no ripe tomatoes yet, there are lots of tiny green ones and zillions of blooms. The peppers and eggplants are growing well and flowering, too. We are adding more irrigation equipment this week because while some areas have had too much rain, our farm is in an area that has been dry for 2 weeks and it's starting to show. Between the heat and no rain, most of the lettuce, spinach and snap peas are over until cooler weather returns for awhile, but other greens aren't bothered like kale and chard.
Blue skies...

Recipe: Basic Veggie Pie

Or Vegetable Gougere,as the Frenchies say:

This recipe is a really basic baked vegetable dish you could use in so many variations. It could be made to use spring veggies like asparagus, and garlic scapes, or later in summer with zucchini, sweet corn, and tomatoes, or even fall with squash, kale or root vegetables. Cooked ham or bacon is also a nice addition.

For the dough: 1 1/4 cups water, 1/2 cup butter, 1 1/4 cups flour, 4 eggs, 1 cup or so of shredded Gruyere or cheddar cheese, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to taste.

For the filling: 1 can of tomatoes or a couple pounds of fresh. Other veggies as you desire.

To start: Preheat oven to 400-grease a baking dish. Add water and butter to a pan and when the butter is melted, add the flour and remove from the heat. Mix for about 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth. Allow it to cool slightly before adding the eggs, one at a time, and mix until it's smooth and glossy. Add cheese, mustard, salt and pepper and spread it into a baking dish, leaving a hollow in the center for the filling.

In the meantime: Blend or mash the tomatoes into a sauce and add water if necessary until you have 1 1/4 cups. Choose your other veggies and saute them with a little oil until about 1/2 cooked. Always start cooking the denser veggies first and add others according to how fast they will cook. Add the tomatoes and some dried or fresh thyme or basil. Cook only for a few minutes and then carefully spoon the mixture into the hollow of the dough in the baking dish. Cook about 30-40 minutes or until the pastry part is risen and browned nicely. Enjoy!