Hello week #7! We can’t believe we are already more than half way through July!
In Your Share This Week
- Beets
- Dill
- Kale, lacinato
- Lettuce, romaine
- Onions, walla walla
- Potatoes, mountain rose
- Summer Squash/Cucumbers
Crop Highlights
Dill: Fresh dill is a great companion to new potatoes! We harvest our dill by cutting it at the base of the plant, making nice clean bunches that need minimum washing. Wash just before you use it, and store it wrapped in a damp paper towel inside of a plastic bag to keep it fresh and lovely.
Onions, Walla Walla: These onions are prized for their large size, juiciness, and sweet flavor. They are best when eaten fresh (as opposed to cured onions, which you will be receiving late summer-early fall). Treat yourself to some onion rings this week if you’re feeling ambitious!
Potatoes, Mountain Rose: Mountain Rose is another good variety of early potatoes, and they are extra special because of their pink flesh! They are high in antioxidants and delicious when baked, fried or mashed. Eat them with your dill for a stunningly weird pink and green meal!
Remember to check out Katherine’s recipe blog for new, delicious cooking tips:
http://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com/sauvie-island-organics-recipes-tips/
Farmer Of The Week
Meet Buford! Originally from Akron, Ohio, Buford moved to Portland ten years ago. He is a seasonal man and has worked all over the country, from blueberry farms in Maine to fisheries in Alaska. He has been with SIO for only a year, and we hope to keep him around for as long as possible. Last week Brian trained him in irrigation, which he will be doing one or two days a week (it’s nice to have a few irrigators, so one person isn’t stuck carrying around pipe every day of the week!) He also learned how to ‘flame’ (or “flamethrow,” as he likes to call it), in which he uses a propane-fueled torch to kill weeds. We do this just before or after direct seeding as a method of weed control, giving our veggies a jumpstart when they germinate.
In this picture Buford is adding gas to our weed-whacker, kneeling in front of our lettuce field (which we have an electric fence installed around, because the deer have been un-relentless this spring/summer!) Buford enjoys being around the birds, bunnies and other creatures drawn to this shared ecosystem. One of his favorite farm activities is harvesting carrots (he had a hand in bringing you last week’s Yayas), and on his off days, he and his beloved pitbull Staci like to lounge in parks and by rivers, munching on these carrots together.