Well, we sure are knee deep in cherry tomatoes. I hope the majority of my supporters are tomato fans.
Here’s a pick ticket for this week
Avocados
Limes
Head Lettuce
Baby Lettuce
Carrots
Chilis (both the medium hot Japapeno which is plump and the long weird Pico de Gallo which isn’t very hot at all)
Peaches
Swiss Chard
Mint
Pok Choy (large head)
Green Beans
Cukes
Leeks in large baskets only
Oranges
Cherry Tomatoes
I can’t believe July is here already! July 15th is the beginning of our seed planting routine for our winter crops. We’ll be starting califlower, brocoli, leek, onion, garlic winter lettuces, asian greens, winter roots crops (beets, potatoes, carrots, etc.)
We’re excited about leasing the neighbor’s flat land so that we have more room to expand our row crop plantings. We’ve also acquired a large shade house to grow lettuce and greens during the dog days of summer.
Pick Ticket for July 1-2, 2008
Item Large Basket/ Small Basket
Avocados-Hass 4 /Half
Baby Lettuce 2 large bags /Half
Mint 1 bunch Same
Limes 10/ Half
Apricots 20 /15
Zukes 3 pounds /2 pounds
Tomatoes, cherries 2 clamshells /Half
Kumquats 1 clamshells/ Same
Oranges, Valencias 6 /4
Carrots 1 bunch /Same
Arugula 1 bunch /Same
Swiss Chard 2 bunches /Half
Radishes 1 bunch /Same
Onion, green, bunch 1 bunch/ Same
Pok Choi 1 /Same
Beets 1 bunch /none
Beans 1 large bag/ Same
Basil 1 bunch /Same
Blackberries 2 clamshells /Half
The well we’ve dug has been at the center of a continuing saga for us, and we are thrilled to say we are stepping this week into a new chapter. Everything is installed, pump, wiring, etc. We’re now ready to ask the County of San Diego for an inspection. Once our installation is approved, we can go to SDGE and get the line connected. Since the heat is here now, and the line isn’t live, we’ll probably still be way over our water use allotment this coming month and will be forced to pay the whopper overuse fine from Metropolitan Water District.
Great news for berry lovers! Just when the meager mulberry crop is coming to an end, blackberries are beginning to arrive to bolster our spirits and remind us that summer has arrived! You’ll see them first, starting next week when there’s enough to pick for every basket. A week early, I might add!
Tomatoes may be in as soon as next week, as well!
Pick-It Ticket for June 3-4, 2008
Item Large Basket Small Basket
New Crop
Valencia
Oranges! 12 half
Juice Limes 8 half
Avos: Hass 4 half
Mulberries 1 clamshell 0
Mint 1 bunch same
Rosemary 1 bunch same
Swiss Chard 2 bunches half
Strawberries 2 baskets half
Radishes 1 bunch same
Carrots 1.5 pounds 1 pound
Lettuce head:
Romaine 2 heads half
Zuchini 3-4 half
Cukes 2 half
Baby Lettuce 1 bag half
Many years ago we bought a mulberry tree whose fruit you’ve seen in baskets recently. Since then we have bought several other trees only to discover their fruit isn’t as fantastic. Last week Farmer Donna searched through invoice archives from 2002 and found the purveyor of the exact trees we are enjoying this season. In horticulture, a cultivar (culivated variety) is always the same. By that I mean an Anna apple from Home Depot and an Anna apple tree from Stark Brothers produces the same, identical fruit. I haven’t found that to be true with the mulberry.
I bought every last mulberry tree he had, with confidence, because the trees are in fruit this month and I was able to identify for certain I was getting the right trees. I’m told it may be 4 or more years before more planting size trees are available from them!
So next year, we can all expect more fruit, and every year after that a little more.
Hey, it’s getting hot out here, and I think as the heat approaches it’s time to change the Temecula drop off to a later time so greens aren’t wilted. We’ve been getting to Temecula on Tuesdays by 1:00, but would like to put it out there we’d like to change it to much later, say after 4:00 to avoid the worst of the day’s heat. That way your baskets haven’t been sitting there waiting for the majority of you who pick up after work anyway. Any comments would be appreicated!
The licorce flavored ferny looking herb that could easily be mistaken for dill, is wild fennel. There are two kinds of fennel; one is grown for the bulb, the other is the one in your basket, grown for the ferny top. I tried something interesting that should definately be tried for St. Patrick’s Day next year:
I followed a standard sugar cookie recipe. I cut maybe a fourth of the fennel bunch tops into the cuisinart with all the sugar required and hit blend. What resulted was a bright (and I do mean shockingly bright) green sugar. I then made those cookies with that sugar. The result was a gently licorce flavored cookie that was so green it looked like it had to be dyed. Try it!
Chef Mark Mcdonald says he’s using the fennel in a pasta dish.
The wierd looking black-berry kind of fruit is Pakastani Mulberries. Enjoy them fresh right out of their little baskets! Many of our avocados that were burned in October will come back in the next couple years. One hundred of them won’t. We plan to replace those 100 with the mulberry tree, which has less water needs. Tell me what you think!
Those little apricot looking fruits in the baskets are loquats. Save the seeds of a particularly good tasting one, and try growing it in a little pot. They do make decent house plants for a few years. they’re as easy to start and grow as corn! Also, if you throw the seeds in your garden, many with sprout and grow without even being buried. They make an amazing fruit pie; follow a standard apricot recipe. Last night I made a tropical stir fried chicken with loquats. Here’s the receipe:
I used Trader Joe’s frozen breast meat. I boiled several pieces in a shallow pan until just cooked through. Drain the water (or save for soup later) and cut into strips. Pour a kumquat reduction (recipe again below) over chicken, seed all loquats and leaving skins on, cut in pieces and add to chicken. Slice a few whole kumquats and scatter the rings. Heat again and serve. Finish with a little wild fennel sprig.
Kumquat Reduction:
Throw all washed kumquats you have in the blender. Add water to top of kumquats. Blend on high. Dump mash into sieve and squish liquid with back of spoon into saucepan. Throw mash in compost pile. Heat liquid in saucepan with added sugar and a little cornstarch until thickened.