June 15 Newsletter

Okay, I am a little behind on posting my newsletters. But it is time to catch up...

Farm Happenings
The flood waters are rising, and with it, there has been an influx of wildlife, as well as confirmation of wildlife already residing here. We have confirmed that there is a bobcat and raccoon stealing our broilers and laying hens so egg production is at an all time low. We are planning on increasing the flock but have to wait until we get the predator situation under control. We foresee this problem getting worse as the flood waters are pushing wildlife out of their normal habitat into our timber.
We love birds at Old Nelly Farms but have never dabbled with pea fowl. However, it looks as though some pea fowl found us. There were several pea fowl wandering around the farm yesterday, up and down the hill. They were not afraid of the vehicles, but a little shy of people. I am sure they were displaced from their home and only imagine they feel our love and are hanging around until they can make their way back home.
The garden is growing, as are the weeds, which is always a constant battle on the farm. We are in the process of pulling out some spent plants, using them as mulch, and then replanting. We are also patiently awaiting the arrival of our heirloom tomatoes and red peppers, but until they arrive we will continue eating greens. Next week we should also have some beets, Chinese cabbage, and more peas.




What’s in the Bag…

Green Garlic: This is a mild garlic (think green onions) and can be used just like regular garlic.
Shell Peas: These are the first shell peas of the season and are wonderful. The pods are a bit on the small side but our larger podded variety has not quite filled out the pod. We should have some of the larger podded variety next week.
Snow Peas: Most of these snow peas are the variety Melting Sugar Mammoth. As the name implies, they are a large snow pea. There are also snow peas of a smaller variety that look like small unripe shell peas. The pod is very tender and the taste is exceptionally sweet.
Rainbow Chard: Swiss Chard is a wonderful braising green. The stalks come in a variety of colors and look great on the plate. This will keep turning up in your bag so learn to love the Chard.
Rhubarb: This will probably be the last of the rhubarb as it is time to let the plants regrow for next spring.
Lettuce: This is our mild lettuce mix made up of different varieties of romaine type lettuces.

Old Nelly Farms Wild Kingdom

Pardon the second post of the day (and its graphic nature), but I had to share what we caught on the trail cam...

We are losing chickens right and left. During the day and at night, the hens and the broilers are disappearing. Not quite vanishing, as we are left with evidence if their disappearance in the form of feathers, and various other chicken parts. It reached a boiling point when the predator managed to steal three chickens during the day, while dad was nearby working in the vineyard. Let's just say the scene was so gruesome and heartbreaking dad skipped dinner that night because he just couldn't stomach eating.

Although we know we have been losing chickens, our attempt at live trapping has only resulted in catching all three of our cats, one of them twice. Our trapping attempt was a failure once again, but we had all of our suspicions confirmed this morning when we checked our trail cam footage. (Never mind the date on the picture, it is not set correctly) We are clearly dealing with more than one predator. The first three pictures are of our resident bobcat, who we assume is our daytime (and perhaps nighttime) predator. The final picture is of our nighttime predator, the raccoon.

While it is fascinating to catch them on tape, the fact remains that they are eating our livestock. This is sad for two major reasons. The first of course, is the plight of our animals. I know bobcats and raccoons need to eat also, but I wish they would eat something we were less attached to, like wild rabbits or even wild turkeys. In recent weeks they have halved our hen and broiler population, gotten two of our pet turkeys, and a guinea. I must admit, I take it a little harder when my laying hens and pet birds get eaten.

I know it seems strange that I would be sad about the animals eating some of the poultry we raise to slaughter and eat, which brings me to the second issue I take with this predation. And that is the fact that I am raising these animals for my family and customers, and not so much for the wildlife that we share this land with. It is labor intensive and costly to raise these birds and getting them swiped by something that will survive just as well on wild game makes it hard not to take personally.

However, we have to take action. I will confess we threw around the more inhumane ways of taking care of this problem. We of course, dismissed these as they are not only illegal, but also go against what we believe in. But we must figure out a plan to save the chickens we have, especially before we get replacements. So far we have decided to lock in our laying hens at the house immediately after they go in at night. As for our broilers, they will have to give up life in the vineyard for a chicken run with a roof and a predator-proof nighttime shelter. We are also in the market for a bobcat chasing, chicken loving dog. Lucy, may she rest in peace, loved the chickens to death more than once, and Kasha is a little too old to snap at anything but flies. I would consider a llama if I didn't think it would eat everything in sight.

Between the cabbage moths systematically eating our brassicas, and the bobcat and raccoons doing the same to our chickens, it is hard living the organic lifestyle. The up side is that we got free Chipotle after market on Saturday...I am glad someone recognizes the hard work we put in...even if it is not the bobcat.

CSA Newsletter June 7

Farm Happenings

This week has been a flurry of planting. We finally have the tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, sunflowers, beans, and remaining cabbages in the ground. We are hoping to get the summer and winter squash planted today before it rains. It looks like it is going to be a late season for some of these prized vegetables, but we think it will be worth the wait.

Right on time, the brassicas are being overrun with cabbage moths so I spent a good hour picking off the caterpillars. Holden had a wonderful time feeding them to the chickens, and they loved them. However, it is a daily chore to pick off those caterpillars. That is the price for growing things without chemicals. Really, I don’t mind sharing with the caterpillars, but they always take more than their share and leave me with a decimated crop. So I will continue to pick them off, and they will continue eating. Luckily, the cabbage moths love the arugula and broccoli raab that has flowered so they are a good diversion from the cabbages, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts I am desperately trying to protect.

Another obstacle we are facing in this wet weather is the wilt that inevitably seems to take some of our brassica crop every year. Usually we can get a harvest before it takes the entire crop, but again, we plan on losing a percentage of the crop to pests and diseases when we farm without chemicals.

Finally, we want to extend our thoughts and positive energy towards those people who are losing homes and being displaced due to flooding.

What’s in the Bag…

Leeks: These leeks have overwintered and are now ready to eat. You can use them in stir-fry, with eggs, with pasta, or in soups. They are a very versatile little allium.

Garlic Scapes: Garlic Scapes are the flower of the garlic plant. They need to be removed so the energy goes into forming a bulb, rather than the flower. Commercial garlic farms throw them away, which I think is just sad. They have a wonderful mild garlic flavor and can be eaten raw or cooked.

Bok Choy: I just heard a segment on NPR with the AP food editor that says this vegetable has the most various spellings than any other vegetable, but this is the AP format. It is great stir fried or can be used in the salad recipe provided.

Broccoli Raab: Also known as rapini, this is a favorite of Italian cooks. (Also a favorite of the French Café in Omaha) Once the buds open, it is still tasty, just a little stronger! Great in the authentic Italian preparation: steam Broccoli Raab two to three minutes while still fiercely bright green. Drain and stir-fry with garlic and olive oil. Toss with cooked penne pasta and add freshly grated Parmigiano or Romano.

Turnip Greens: Turnip greens are a staple of southern cuisine. They are best pan steamed or slow braised. We have given you a guide to cooking greens…keep this for future reference as these will not be the last greens you receive. We have left the “turnips” (the roots) on the greens in order to preserve freshness.

Spinach: Another one of our favorite greens. Spinach is wonderful raw or cooked.

Lettuce: This is our mild lettuce mix made up of different varieties of romaine type lettuces.

Flower Bouquet: These were arranged by our very talented neighbor. Thanks Allison.

Radishes: This is the last of the spring radishes. Some of these may be a little woody. However, when trying to find out a way to determine their quality and cutting open some small ones with soft stems that were completely woody, followed by some fairly large ones with hard stems that were perfect, I gave up guessing and just started picking. What I did determine is that the white radishes have more staying power. Note to self—though they take a little longer to mature. Again, These radishes have a little bit of heat.

Recipes

Crunchy Bok Choy Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds

• 1/4 cup sesame seeds

• 2 (3 ounce) packages ramen noodle pasta, crushed

• 1 medium head bok choy

• 3 green onions

Directions

• In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, sugar and soy sauce. Set aside.

• Melt the butter over medium heat in a small skillet. Crush the ramen noodles while still in their packaging, and add to the butter along with the almonds and sesame seeds. Sauté until everything is golden brown. Remove from heat and drain on a paper towel.

• Chop the bok choy and green onions and add to a large bowl. Just before serving, sprinkle with the noodle mixture and dressing, and toss to coat.

I also wanted to share with you what my sister in northern California does with her CSA greens. (And they have an even longer greens season than we do) On CSA day she takes all of her greens—beet greens, turnip greens, spinach… and sautés them, in bacon grease of course, to keep in the fridge all week. When she needs a side for dinner she simply takes out her greens, reheats, and voila…

June 1 Newsletter

Farm Happenings

We decided to have our first CSA pickup a little later this year. Rather, Mother Nature decided for us. We got into the garden early, thanks to a wonderful family that has been a huge help in the garden, so we have a lot planted but it has been a bit of a challenge to get into the garden since. However, we consider ourselves lucky that we are safe from the flooding.

Your first CSA box is chock full of greens. Some may be eaten fresh, but most se best cooked. We have given you a Guide to Cooking Greens from Cook’s Illustrated in order to help you with the best way to prepare them. Keep this for future reference as you are guaranteed to receive more greens this season.

We have a batch of chickens in the freezer and some new chicks and turkey poults in the brooder, so if you ever need some poultry for dinner, just let us know ahead of time and we can save one for you. We have 20 turkey poults so if you think you would like a pasture raised, antibiotic and hormone free turkey this Thanksgiving, we will be taking orders.

I just want to say thank you to all of our CSA members for supporting local farmers and Old Nelly Farms. I also want give a special thank you to the Bessmers who tirelessly help us in the garden. Thank you!

What’s in the Bag…

Broccoli Raab: Also known as rapini, this is a favorite of Italian cooks. (Also a favorite of the French Café in Omaha) Once the buds open, it is still tasty, just a little stronger! Great in the authentic Italian preparation: steam Broccoli Raab two to three minutes while still fiercely bright green. Drain and stir-fry with garlic and olive oil. Toss with cooked penne pasta and add freshly grated parmigiano or romano.

Turnip Greens: Turnip greens are a staple of southern cuisine. They are best pan steamed or slow braised. We have given you a guide to cooking greens…keep this for future reference as these will not be the last greens you receive. We have left the “turnips” (the roots) on the greens in order to preserve freshness.

Arugula: Arugula is one of our favorite greens on the farm. It has a peppery flavor and makes a wonderful addition to salads or pasta.

Spinach: Another one of our favorite greens. Spinach is wonderful raw or cooked.

OR

Lettuce: This is our mild lettuce mix made up of different varieties of romaine type lettuces.

Edible “Bouquet”: These are the arugula and broccoli raab plants that have flowered. The leaves are still good, but I included them for the flowers. They are a great addition to salad and I think we all need to eat a little more flower petals.

Flower Bouquet: These were arranged by our very talented neighbor. Thanks Allison.

Radishes: Our “Spring Mix Radishes” come in a variety of colors. These radishes have a little bit of heat.

Recipes

Sauteed Turnip Greens

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 shallot chopped

• 1 clove garlic, chopped

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 1/2 pounds turnip greens, washed, stemmed, and chopped

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions

Heat olive oil in dutch oven over medium heat.

Add shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until tender and fragrant. Add the washed and cleaned turnip greens. Mix together. Cook until they have wilted down, about 3 minutes. Add pepper to taste.

In a small bowl, whisk the Dijon mustard with the chicken stock. Add to the wilted greens and

cook until the liquid has all but evaporated. Add the toasted pecans and serve immediately.

Storage Tips

Greens: Salad greens are best if used within a few days. Wrap in damp towel or place in plastic bag in the hydrator drawer of the refrigerator. Add a paper towel to the plastic bag to keep greens fresh for longer.

Spinach: Store spinach in a damp towel or plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to one week. For longer-term storage, spinach may be frozen. Blanch for 1-2 minutes, rinse in cold water, drain well, and pack into airtight containers.

Farm or Business?

There is a passage in Cook's Country (my completely selfish Mother's Day gift to mom) that is very appropriate. Here is our favorite part...

"On a small farm, agriculture wasn't a business. It was what you did from before breakfast until suppertime. Food was local--store-bought was the exception. You knew where everything came from: the corn, the lettuce, the berries (from bushes down around the abandoned corn crib), the maple syrup, the beef, the green beans, and the potatoes, that last stored in large plastic buckets on an unheated porch. But we didn't study food, or compare it, or set out to find the best this or the best that. It was just our food, the stuff that we cooked and ate.

It's hard to explain that to someone used to the aisles of Whole Foods. Choices give life possibilities but also complications. Sometimes it's nice to know what's for dinner simply be peeking into the root cellar, the garden, or the freezer..."

I love this passage. Not just for the images and feelings it evokes, but also for the way it makes me kind of glad things are different today. The first line is especially appropriate because am currently in the process of finalizing our business plan. Before I took this business course, agriculture was simply what I did from breakfast until suppertime. However, if you want to grow food for other people, it is a business. It is a regulated, market-driven, consumer enterprise. I will admit, business to me used to be a four letter word. But now I have a special appreciation for business, especially small business, especially local business. The people who I am taking this course with are extraordinary people, extraordinary farmers, with extraordinary visions.

Perhaps the most extraordinary is that most of them, as far as I can tell, do not have visions to become huge operations. Profitable, of course, but still local, sustainable, and community oriented. I include ourselves in this group. What I also realize is that if these businesses are not profitable, they will not continue, and we will actually have less choices. The passage is true, choices complicate matters. But if all or most of your choices involve a high-quality product you can truly feel connected to and good about buying, then complication is a blessing. I feel this is especially true when it comes to making choices about the foods we feed ourselves and our family.

Finally, I also feel it is becoming easier to explain this to someone used to the aisles of any grocery store, and perhaps a little easier to those who shop at Whole Foods. Although we may have to explain to people the principles of eating seasonally, using sustainable methods for the health of our family and planet, and the cost of doing so, people are listening. The fact that I am able to wake up every day, look forward to working in the garden to grow the best food for my family and yours, is a testament to this.

So to you, my customers and community members-I thank you for continuing to demand and support excellence and for perusing the aisles of our garden as well (if not better) as the aisles of the grocery store. And this, coming from your local farmer...and businesswoman.

If I planted seashells....

Figure 1

Figure 2

I am enjoying bit of peace and quiet as both boys are sleeping and instead of cleaning up my mess (see figure 1) I am writing a much needed update on farm happenings. There has been a little excitement these past weeks. We had a turkey get loose and make her way all the way down to the garden. Luckily, my mother in law saw her and was able to watch the boys while I tried to corral her into a dog kennel. After about 3 laps around each garden I finally got her into the little garden, cornered her by Dad's "nursery" vines, and thought the whole ordeal was over. I grabbed her like I would any chicken by holding her wings down and trying to carry her. Unlike a chicken, turkeys have amazingly strong wings. Needless to say, she got away and Lucy (our lovely dog) chased her into the trees. I thought she was gone for good. However, Dan and I were coming home late that night, equipped with a flashlight for checking his calves, when I asked him to just scan the trees and see if she was roosting. Not only did he spot her, but he climbed the tree pile and effortlessly retrieved her. Despite Holden's requests that the turkey ride in the back seat with him, we put her in the dog kennel and returned her to her flock. Dan is officially my hero, and this story illustrates perfectly why I married him.

Holden is also dabbling in poultry farming. After a trip with his dad to the local farm store, they returned with a peeping box full of ten pullet chicks. He makes sure they are checked on every day and very well fed. All of his earnings from egg sales with go straight into his John Deere piggy bank.

Finally, this morning, we got the artichokes repotted. They are doing so well, they have outgrown their Jiffy-7 pellets and needed some more space to grow. So our activity this morning was repotting the artichokes. We successfully repotted almost all of them. Holden had so much fun digging in the dirt, throwing some on Wyatt-despite my threats of taking away his fruit snack privileges, and even helping fill the pots. My proudest moment as a parent also came about as a result of this activity. We have been reading a book called My Garden, by Kevin Henkes. (Wonderful book if you have not read it.) In this book, the little girl helps in her mother's garden but has her own ideas of what a garden should really be. Her ideas include patterned flowers that grow back right after they are picked, jellybean bushes, chocolate bunnies, hundreds of birds and butterflies, and growing seashells--if you plant seashells. I love this book and want Holden to love it too, for obvious reasons. He does ask me to read it often but I didn't understand his appreciation for the book until today. Rather than tell you what happened, I will use a picture to illustrate. (see figure 2) Keep in mind he did this with no prompting from me. I must say, the mess I have to clean up is totally worth it.

This is how Holden helps with cookie making.

Onion seedlings...they smell like onions already.

Artichokes and leeks. Notice the inches of snow on the railing.

Our albino artichoke. Unfortunately, this little guy won't make it due to his inability to photosynthesize.

Well, we have an official snow day today. Roads are icy, snow is blowing, cancellations abound, there is chili on the stove, and Grandma and Holden are making cookies. I figured it was the perfect time to chill a bottle of champagne on the porch, make myself a mimosa (mimosa is the new wine), and update my blog.

Things on the farm are going ...albeit a little slowly. The plants are growing, the hens are laying sporadically, and the garden is still in its winter rest. But we are planning for the busy part of the season by laying out the garden, putting in our seed orders, and organizing equipment. I am also compiling the formal list of mistakes we have made so that we do not repeat them again. On the other hand, I am also going over last year's records to see what great things we did that we need to continue and improve upon this year. That is what we do in the winter on the farm. That...and take time to rejuvenate.

Which brings me to my second order of business. I will warn you, this is about to get sappy. I am sure many of you have been reminded, more than once, as I was this week, of how short and precious life may be. So I just want to say that my garden will probably not be weed free, my house may rarely be clean, and my blog may not be updated every week. However, I can assure you that the time I would be taking to do those things I will instead spend reading to my boys, watching them spend precious time with their grandparents, and enjoying a mid winter blizzard from the warmth of the kitchen. And I must leave on that note to get a warm cookie before Holden and Grandma eat them all.