Week 13 Newsletter

Greetings!

Here's what we had this week from the top: parsley with sage, tomatoes; chard, kale or collards; tomatillos, hot peppers (serranos and jalapenos), carrots, beets, Napa cabbage or broccoli or cauliflower, melon(s), onions.

Next week we will get more peppers and/or eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, beets and/or carrots to you along with leeks, some winter squash, arugula and possibly rhubarb. 

We are hoping to go another four to five weeks.

We did get a frost last week which damaged the summer squash, cucumber and melon plants, effectively ending their runs for the year. The tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant plants were somewhat damaged but are more hardy than the cucurbits mentioned above and should keep going, albeit MUCH more slowly than a month ago. We are losing a lot of daylight every day. I am really hoping that the last crops of cauliflower and cabbage make it before the freeze. When these were planted, I was certain we got them in the ground in plenty of time; I am still optimistic but not as certain. 

One of the more obvious imperfections I'm sure you have noticed are the black spots on the tomatoes. I have never seen this before on fruits throughout the season. There are so many things that can affect tomatoes, biotic (insects, disease) and abiotic (moisture, temperature). NDSU has a good publication on this, Disease Management in Home Grown Tomatoes

(http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/hortcrop/pp659w.htm). After reading through this, it sounds like bacterial spot which causes skin deep, scabby, dark spots that do NOT affect flavor of the fruit. (Cut off or peel the skin.) I do rotate crops, I do try to remove and destroy diseased plants, I do try to eliminate weeds, I do try to make the soil fertile with organic materials; I do not and will not spray conventional fungicides to control diseases, though. Next year, I may use plastic mulch and/or grow them in the high tunnels I hope to have operable by next spring. These should help grow a better fruit.

The tomatillo harvest was a good one; there might be another round if the freeze holds off. Spice up some salsa verde with the hot peppers; the serranos are the skinny ones, jalapenos the large ones. The scarring on these peppers is a sign of maturity; if we had enough time, they would all turn red (there were a few red serranos). There will be more bells on the way.

Thanks to everyone who attended and participated in the Garden Party. I think it was a fun time (despite the relatively frigid conditions) and hope you agree. Special thanks to the Simon Rowe Trio and Ogg Creek String Band for making great music and making us dance. Next year, we should do it earlier in the day and/or year and set the date much earlier. 

Recipes 

Pico De Gallo – 2 cups

2 large tomatoes, cut into ½ inch pieces

½ white onion, finely chopped

½ to 1 serrano chile (or chile of your choice,) minced

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Coarse salt

*Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive bowl, adding 1 tablespoons salt; let stand 5 minutes.  Season with more salt to taste.

Napa Cabbage Salad with Peanuts and Ginger – 4 servings

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

½ head napa cabbage cored and cut into bite size pieces

1 bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced

¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish

¼ cup coarsely chopped roasted unsalted peanuts

*In small bowl, combine cabbage, bell pepper, cilantro and peanuts.  Add dressing to taste, and toss to combine.  Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro sprigs.

Quick Marinated Yellow Squash Salad – 4 servings

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 yellow squash halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 shallot, thinly sliced crosswise

1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or ¼ dried (or herb(s) of your choice)

*Whisk together lemon juice and oil in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add squash, shallot, and thyme.  Toss to combine.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Adapted from Fresh Flavor Fast by Martha Stewart