 Selma with her Sheep and Dalai the Llama
We are lucky to live in a valley where there are still many active farmers. Our neighbors for 25 years, the Fagernes Family, have a beautiful dairy and have been awarded trophies and plaques too numerous to mention for the high quality of their milk, their exceptional animal husbandry and conservation practices. They have partnered with us in the seasonal rotation of our crops, cutting hay from the land that we are fallowing. This has helped to build and maintain healthy vibrant soil over the past 20 years. When grass is cut, the roots of the grass mirror the cutting above and they shed into the soil. Over time and many cuttings, the soil increases its volume and fertility through the natural composting that occurs in the soil. Keith Fagernes, the lead dairyman, will get as many as 4 cuttings a season, between the spring silage and summer haying. This is necessary, as the hay and silage support the herd in the winter when there is less fresh grass to eat. His cows spend their days outside eating fresh grass, as they are rotated from one lush field to the next. They seem very happy and actually run and frolic, which is a comical sight. He tries to avoid feeding them grain as much as possible, as it is an unnecessary added cost and can cause more disease in cows, as their natural diet should consist mostly of grass. Keith is an exceptional farmer, conscientious and thoughtful, with the end result being a model dairy. This cooperation and partnership has emerged naturally and benefits both farms.
We have a new animal addition to our farm, as our local Sheppardess Selma has brought her sheep to graze in some of our fallow fields. Her farm, Bone Dry Ridge, is on the hill above our valley and has little water access in the summer so her grass fields cannot grow fast enough to keep up with the growing lamb’s diet, also exclusively grass. As we have ample irrigation, she is able to have her sheep grazing our lush cover crop and brings the added benefit of manure in our fields, a natural fertilizer. She produces the tastiest Icelandic lamb, which some of our members purchase every year. She has 3 lambs left for sale which will be harvested and delivered to Seattle in early October. You may contact her directly if you are interested in purchasing one. She has wonderful informative website as well: http://bonedryridge.com/. Keith and Selma are working toward creating a small creamery which will produce fresh milk, European style yogurt, and eventually cheeses, which we hope to offer for sale. Their combined knowledge and skills ensure the success of this new endeavor. We like to think that eventually much of what we eat will come from our little valley, the 2 mile diet as it were.
Oakland Bay Farm, which is located in Shelton WA and operated by Todd and Joy Waltermire would like to make their grass fed beef, chicken, pork, turkey and lamb products available through their Community Buying Club program! Oakland Bay Farm is another example of farming excellence. Oakland Bay Farm's methods meet and exceed certified organic production standards for livestock and poultry. Todd Waltermire calls himself a 'grass-farmer', because all of Oakland Bay Farm's animals live a grass based life. Todd's animals are locally pastured, and live as much of their lives as possible outside on the pasture eating the natural foodstuffs they were intended to consume. For example, Oakland Bay Farm's grass-fed beef is just that! Todd's cattle never, under any circumstances consume anything other than green forages. Oakland Bay Farm's Community Buying Club program operates year-round. All products will be delivered frozen on a monthly basis, to our existing CSA drop-sites that can house a chest freezer to keep products safely frozen until being picked up. Oakland Bay Farm has said they are always open to the possibility of establishing new drop-site locations as well! Oakland Bay Farm's online transaction system awaits you at: http://estore.websitepros.com/1598281/StoreFront.bok
For more detailed info go OaklandBayFarm.com/Community_Buying_Clubs.html
Provisions Mushrooms shares have been a welcome addition to our CSA shares. Christian and Ria Kaelin are well versed in the world of mushroom cultivation and are incredibly skilled in compost making. Our USDA grant is going to fund a compost making facility here and Christian’s knowledge will be an asset to this new project. They still have mushroom shares available for anyone interested. Our members who receive this share have been very pleased with the additional recipes and information about just what the world of Fungi have to offer. Contact them directly for more info: http://www.promushrooms.com/
The partnership that provides the social highlight of our summer is the annual K Records/Lazercave/Helsing Junction Sleepover, which will take place August 21st-23rd this year. Scheduled to appear are Kimya Dawson, LAKE, Desolation Wilderness, Tender Forever, Mirah, Karl Blau, Danny Kelly, Calvin Johnson, Arrington de Dionyso, Joey Casio, Christmas, Angelo Spencer, Gary May, Brainstorm, Why I Must Be Careful, Inside Voices, Jeffrey Jerusalem among others. The price is $35 for the whole weekend, including camping. We will have freshly prepared organic meals available for purchase, whose proceeds will go to the Thurston County Gleaners Association. You can buy tickets in advance at K Records’ web store. For updated schedule and information visit http://www.krecs.com/helsing/ or http://www.lasercave.biz/sleepover/
Our partnership with Woogie Bee has proved to be very fruitful for both of us these last few years! Not only do we all get to eat their wonderful honey, but their bees pollinate our plants and increase our yield Significantly. We will have their honey for sale all summer. We now have glass jars available as well as plastic, though they are a bit more expensive.
Plastic: 1# Jars are $8.00
2½# Jars are $17.00
Glass: .75# jars are $5
1.5# jars are $12.00
3# jars are $22.00
To order, please call the farm at (360) 273-2033 or e-mail us at; helsingfarm@msn.com. Please specify the amount of honey you would like and the date you would like it delivered. You can pay by check or at our web site; www.helsingfarmcsa.com. Go to our payment center, use the “other” payment button and write “honey” in the “for” box.
Really, the amount of partnerships that need to take place in order to farm are probably endless…Necessary and important are the partnerships between the people working together, such as the partnership that exists between Annie and I (Sue) and our families, as well as our partnership with the Apantipan family and the Cerilo family as well as the other families that we have worked with over the years.
Let us not forget our most important partner, you. Unique is the vital and sustaining partnership that exists between our farm and our CSA members. And keeping all of us a float is the complicated and interconnected web of microorganisms, worms, soil building plants, animals, trees, bees and other pollinating insects that we rely on for our food. By joining a CSA and supporting our farm in particular, you help us honor and cultivate a relationship with our partners in the natural world.
This Week's Shares
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Tuesday’s small shares contain:
2 pounds all-purple potatoes
1 bunch carrots
2 fennel bulbs
2 heads little gem lettuce
1 head fresh garlic
1 bunch chives
1 bunch dill
1 bunch flowers (only if your share contains flowers)
Wednesday’s small shares will most likely contain:
New potatoes
2 bulbs fennel
1 bunch carrots
snap peas
shell peas
radicchio
1 head fresh garlic
1 bunch chives
1 bunch dill
Thursday’s small shares will most likely contain:
2 pounds New red potatoes
snap peas
shell peas
summer squash
1 bunch carrots
1 bunch rainbow chard
1 head treviso radicchio
1 head lettuce
1 head fresh garlic
1 bunch chives
1 bunch dill
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Tuesday’s large shares contain:
2 pounds new all-purple potatoes
2 bunches carrots
1 pound summer squash
2 bulbs of fennel
1 bunch of chard
1 pint of sungold cherry tomatoes
2 heads of garlic
1 head of lettuce
1 treviso radicchio
1 bunch basil
1 bunch of dill
1 bunch of chives
1 bunch of flowers (if your share contains flowers)
Wednesday’s large shares will most likely contain:
2 pounds new all-purple potatoes
2 bunches carrots
1 pound summer squash
2 bulbs of fennel
snap peas
shell peas
1 bunch of chard
1 pint of sungold cherry tomatoes
2 heads of garlic
1 head of lettuce
1 treviso radicchio
1 bunch basil
1 bunch of dill
1 bunch of chives
Thursday’s large shares will most likely contain:
2 pounds of red new potatoes
snap peas
shell peas
2 pounds of summer squash
2 bunches carrots
1 bunch golden beets and/or Rainbow chard
tomatoes
1 head lettuce
1 trevsio radicchio
2 heads fresh garlic
1 bunch chives or green onions
1 bunch dill
1 bunch flat leaf parlsey
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Recipes
New potatoes:
New potatoes are actually difficult to come by as most stores are actually selling small potatoes that have been sized out. A true new potato is one that is harvested at small size and before the skins are set. They are hard to come by as the skins are very delicate and they end up looking beat up with too much handling. We have not washed them in order not to disturb their dainty skins. Store them in the paper bag in your fridge until ready to use them. You will be seeing new potatoes in your boxes for the next several weeks. We will have all-purple, red, German butterball and yellow Maris pipers. We have over 3 acres of potatoes planted this year which are all flowering now, a beautiful sight! Potatoes with white flowers generally have white skins, while those of varieties with colored flowers tend to have pinkish skins. Potatoes are cross-pollinated mostly by insects, including bumblebees that carry pollen from other potato plants, but a substantial amount of self-fertilizing occurs as well.
Crispy Oven Roasted Potatoes and Fennel:
-Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
-Gently clean 7-10 whole unpeeled potatoes and dry them off.
-Cut each potato into ½ inch size slices.
-Wash and cut the foliage off of 2 fennel bulbs.
-Stand 1 fennel bulb on end and cut it in half the short way.
-Then lay the 2 pieces side by side and cut them into ½ inch thick, half-moon shaped pieces, then repeat.
-Toss the potatoes and fennel with 3 TBS olive oil and ¼ tsp salt.
-Coat a baking sheet with olive oil and spread the potatoes out.
-Bake 20 minutes, then remove from oven and add 2 TBS chopped dill and 5 cloves of chopped garlic.
-Return to oven and cook until brown and crispy, about 10-15 more minutes.
-Add more salt and another 2 TBS fresh chopped dill and serve.
Buttered New Potatoes with Chives:
-Place 1-2 pounds baby new potatoes in a sauce pan.
-Cover with water. Sprinkle generously with salt and bring to boil.
-Reduce heat to medium and cook just until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Drain well.
-Return potatoes to saucepan.
-Add ¼ cup (½ stick) butter to pan; stir over medium heat until butter melts and coats potatoes.
-Sprinkle with 3 TBS chopped chives, salt, and pepper.
-Toss gently then transfer potatoes to bowl and serve.
Pan-Fried Potatoes with Olives and Lemon:
-Cut 1 pound of potatoes into ½ inch rounds.
-Smash ¼ cup green olives (such as picholine or arbequina) with the flat side of a large knife and remove pits.
-Chop the olives then toss them with the potatoes in a 10-inch heavy skillet.
-Add 2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil, 2 cloves finely chopped garlic, 2 TBS lemon zest, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground pepper.
-Mix well and then add 1/2 cup stock or water.
-Cover the skillet and boil over medium heat until potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes.
-Remove lid and cook, stirring until water is evaporated and potatoes are browned, about 15 minutes more.
-Serve sprinkled with finely chopped dill and lemon wedges.
Orzo with Peas, Dill, and Pancetta:
-Cook ½ pound of orzo in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain.
-Meanwhile, sauté 3 ounces of pancetta and 1 bunch chopped green onions in large skillet over medium heat until brown, about 4 minutes.
-Shell 1 pound of peas. Add peas and 4 tablespoons chopped dill to the pan; stir to coat.
-Add 1 cup low salt chicken broth and boil until reduced by half, about 4 minutes.
-Add 1 TBS Sherry wine vinegar; boil 1 minute. Add orzo to skillet; stir to coat.
-Season to taste with salt and pepper.
-Transfer to medium bowl; sprinkle with 1 more TBS chopped dill.
-Serve warm or at room temperature.
Pasta with Fennel, Cannellini Beans, Capers and Lemon:
-Boil 1# of pasta, Penne works well.
-Thinly slice 2 fennel bulbs. Sauté in olive oil until tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
-Grate 2 carrots and add to the pan.
-Then chop and add 2-4 cloves of fresh garlic and some chopped chives.
-Sprinkle with sea salt and let cook 2 more minutes.
-Toss the vegetables with the cooked pasta and sprinkle in some capers or pitted Kalamata olives, a can of rinsed and drained cannellini beans and cook until warmed through.
-Add the juice of 1 fresh lemon.
-Sprinkle the top of the pasta with lots of freshly grated Parmesan and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Serve warm.
Penne with Summer Squash, Ricotta and Pine Nuts:
-Put salted water on to boil for 1 pound penne pasta.
-Remove 1 cup whole milk ricotta from the fridge and spoon onto a plate so it will warm to room temperature.
-Slice about 1½ pound summer squash into thin strips about the size of the penne.
-Heat 2 TBS olive oil in a sauté pan and add the summer squash. Sauté until golden, about 5 minutes.
-Add 3 cloves of chopped garlic. Remove the pan from the heat.
-Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
-When the water boils, cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and add it to the summer squash.
-Toss together, season with more salt and pepper and then add spoonfuls of the ricotta until all is incorporated.
-Top with some shaved Parmesan or dry jack cheese, 1 TBS finely chopped dill, 2 TBS chopped chives and some toasted pine nuts.
Creamed Rainbow Chard:
Everybody seems to like this old-fashioned dish!
-Heat ¼ cup cream with 3 cloves of finely chopped garlic, 2 TBS chopped chives and 1 TBS dill (herbs optional) until fine bubbles form on the surface and then set it aside.
-Wash a bunch of rainbow chard, roughly chop it up stems and all and cook it over medium heat in a saucepan until it wilts, adding a few drops of water if necessary. Squeeze out excess moisture with the back of a spoon and chop the chard finely.
-Melt 2 TBS butter in a skillet. Add the chard and cook until the pan is dry.
-Pour the cream into the pan and simmer until it thickens slightly.
-Taste for salt and season with some freshly ground nutmeg and black pepper.
Balsamic-Marinated Radicchio:
-Whisk together 2 TBS balsamic vinegar, 5 smashed garlic cloves, 1 TSP fresh lemon juice, ½ cup olive oil and ½ tsp each of salt and some pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.
-Cut 1 large radicchio into thin ribbons and put it on a baking sheet and toss with 2 more TBS olive oil.
-Broil 5 to 6 inches from heat, turning occasionally, until slightly wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.
-Add hot radicchio to balsamic marinade and gently toss to coat.
-Cover bowl (to keep heat in) and marinate, tossing once or twice, at least 1 hour.
-Transfer radicchio to a serving dish, pouring some of marinade over top.
Chopped Salad with Genoa Salami and Artichoke Hearts:
-Slice 1-2 little lettuces into thin strips. Do the same with half a head of radicchio.
-Then dice and add the following; 2 ounces of Genoa salami, 1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts (drained) and ¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives.
-Add a can of rinsed garbanzo beans and ½ cup crumbled feta cheese.
-Toss the salad with 3 TBS olive oil, 1 tsp of dried oregano, 1-2 TBS freshly chopped basil or dill and a pinch of sea salt.
-Add 3 TBS Balsamic vinegar and serve.
Another Salsa Verde:
We make green sauce at least once a week and eat it on everything, though it really shines on stir-fry, fish or eggs. Our friend Kevin calls it farm crack. It’s very simple to make, especially if you have a good micro-planning grater and a decent blender. You can also make this sauce in a food processor, but it doesn’t seem to do as good a job of really finely grinding the herbs. You can make salsa verde out of most any herb and it always seems to taste great. This particular recipe would also be fab with green onions substituted for the chives.
-Wash and shake dry 1 bunch of dill and 1 bunch of chives. You can also wash and shake dry 1 bunch of basil if you have it.
-Take the skins off 3-4 cloves of garlic then add them to the bowl of a blender and process.
-Zest 1-2 limes then juice them.
-Add to the blender along with 3 TBS canola oil, ½ tsp salt and ¼ cup cold water.
-Leaving the rubber band on the herbs, chop them up stems and all until you get to the very end of the bunch.
-Add the herbs to the blender in handfuls, processing in between until all are incorporated.
-Let process until a homogonous sauce develops. Serve fresh.
Helsing Junction Farm
12013 Independence Road, Rochester, WA 98579 | (360)273-2033
helsingfarm@msn.com | www.helsingfarmcsa.com
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