Farm Talk: Putting the Farm (and Farmers) to Bed

Hello Farm Folk,
Farm Update from Farmer Daniel
The garlic is planted and mulched, the fields are fertilized. Most of the plants have withered and died, and our soil is blanketed with cover crops, straw, fallen leaves. One more week of harvesting, and some clean-up to do, before the core of the farming season comes to an end. Of course, there will be some farm tasks to do in November, like organizing the barn, and mulching the strawberries. And, planning and visioning will begin for 2013, with several key questions being addressed: What are our goals for 2013? What will we grow and how much? How will we distribute our veg? Who will the team be? But the pressure is off, and a slower pace can take root. For all of us, there’s a mix of relief, joy, and sadness, knowing that after this week, the farming season is over. Yet, shockingly, I haven’t yet heard a single complaint about the winter hiatus from 5am wake-ups.

Veggie Tip: Massage Your Kale!
Whether it’s for roasting, a salad, or making chips, massaging your kale with a little bit of olive oil is a great way to bring out its flavours. It also makes sure to create a great texture for your finished kale dish: perfectly crispy kale chips or softened, easy-on-the-tummy leaves for a raw kale salad or slaw. Just add a few drops of oil to the leaves and use your fingers to work it in to each leaf evenly. No need for excess oil or dripping, just use enough to reach all of your kale. For a raw salad, let the kale sit for 20 minutes before eating to absorb the oil (and any other dressing) and soften up. Your body will thank you for all the delicious kale-y nutrients!

Produce this week
This week members should expect to see, from The Cutting Veg: Turnips, Arugula, Garlic, Kale. From Zephyr Organics: Potatoes, Spinach, Green Onions, Peppers. From Sharon Mushroom Farm: Mushrooms

Recipe: Potato Kale Pizza with Rosemary & Red Onion (from http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/)
Your favourite pizza dough
2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced, about 1/4 inch thick
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, for seasoning potato slices and onion
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped kale
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon, freshly chopped rosemary

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place potato slices and red onion slices in a bowl and toss with 1/2 tbsp of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a large baking sheet and bake for about 20mins, or until potatoes are soft and tender. Make sure you turn them once during the 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the pizza dough.

2. Turn the oven to 500 degrees F or as high as your oven will go. If you have a pizza stone, place the pizza stone in the oven to get hot. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough, using a rolling pin. Roll it out to about 3/8 of an inch. Place the pizza dough on a pizza peel or pan that has been generously coated with corn meal. Lightly brush the dough with the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil. In a small bowl, toss the kale with balsamic vinegar. Top the pizza dough with mozzarella cheese, potato slices, kale, red onion slices, and fresh rosemary.

3. Place the pizza in the oven-directly on the pizza stone, if using one, or on the oven rack. Bake for 10-15 mins or until pizza crust is golden and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Slice and serve warm.

That’s all the news from the farm for this week. Until next time, Keep Livin’ on the Veg!

The Cutting Veg Farm Team