Youth Farm Collage

Youth Farm Collage

Youth Farm Collage

Youth Farm Collage

Final Week of Farm Camp

Saturday is the last day for Youth Farm and Market Project's summer camp here at Philadelphia Community Farm. Pictured above is a group of students cultivating the pea bed in barn field. They were proud to finish weeding the bed after two groups had started the project earlier in the day. To celebrate, we gathered the harvested weeds and fed them to the sheep.

Garlic Turnips with Greens

There are many ways to eat a turnip and their greens, but this is my easy favorite. It involves blanching the greens and then sauteing the roots and greens together in butter. Tasty!

Ingredients:
1 bunch turnips with greens
2 tablespoon of butter
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper

Procedure:
1. Heat a pot of water (large enough to submerge all the greens) to boiling.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the turnips by separating the greens and root, slicing the root into thin half-moon slices and roughly chopping the greens before soaking them in water and draining, repeat until they are free of dirt. Mince the garlic.
3. When the water is boiling, add a couple pinches of salt then the turnip roots. Boil for 1-2 minutes until they turn bright green in color and become tender. Strain immediately and rinse in cold water to prevent further cooking.
4. Heat a saute pan on medium heat. Add butter and garlic, and then the turnip slices. Cook until almost tender and then add another tablespoon of butter and the greens.
5. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Zuppa Toscana, Italian Tuscan Sausage Soup

Yield: About 6 servings

This recipe comes recommended from garden member Brenda who found it on allrecipes.com
It is a good way to use some of the kale that is so abundant from the farm. Potatoes, onions and garlic will be coming your way soon!

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package smoked sausage
2 potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
3/4 cup chopped onion
6 slices bacon
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups kale - washed, dried, and shredded
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
1 quart water
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. Layer the sausage links onto a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until done. Cut in half length-wise, then cut at an angle into 1/2 inch slices.
3. Place onions and bacon in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear.
4. Remove bacon and crumble. Set aside.
5. Add garlic to the onions and cook an additional 1 minute. Add chicken base or bouillon, water, and potatoes, simmer 15 minutes.
6. Add crumbled bacon, sausage, kale, and cream. Simmer 4 minutes and serve.

Sunflower Coleslaw

This recipe is from Vegetariana and comes highly recommended from Connie, a garden member.

Ingredients
3 cups thinly shredded white or red cabbage
2 medium carrots, coarsely grated
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup toasted sunflower seeds
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup parsley dressing

Procedure
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Chill before serving.

Parsley Dressing

Yield: About 1 cup

Ingredients
½ cup firmly packed fresh parsley
¼ cup oil (half safflower, half olive recommended)
¼ cup peeled, seeded, and chopped cucumber
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon dried dill
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Procedure
Place all ingredients in the container of a food processor. Process until all that remains of parsley is tiny flakes. Refrigerate the unused portion in an airtight container and use within 2 days.

Cheesy Turnips and Carrots

This recipe comes from CSA garden member Wendy Manganiello. It is a great recipe for vegetables that will be coming into season soon.

Ingredients
3 cups diced peeled turnips
2 cups sliced carrots
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced celery
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Procedure
In a saucepan, combine turnips, carrots, ginger, water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender; drain and reserve liquid. Set vegetables aside. In a skillet, saute onion and celery in butter until tender; stir in flour, pepper and remaining salt. Add milk and the vegetable liquid; bring to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese until melted; stir in the vegetables and heat through.

Rainy Day Harvest

A strong rain fell during this Tuesday's harvest. Most of us were wet and cold, including the vegetables that seemed to thrive in the cool conditions. While we received a heavy rainfall, we still continued running the sprinkler irrigation for the remainder of the day because the fields have been so thirsty for water this year.

While we're working in the fields this week, another crew has been busy relocating the new barn that will be our Sustainable Skills Education Center. It now rests in its final destination next to our main vegetable fields.

Beet Information

Beets belong to the same family as chard and spinach, but the entire plant is edible...leaves, stems, and root.

Health Benefits
The root of the beet has long been used for medicinal purposes, primarily for disorders of the liver, given their stimulating effects on the liver's detoxification processes. Beets have also traditionally been valued as a blood tonic, good for anemia, the heart, and circulation. They purify the blood, alleviate constipation, and aid the liver. Beets have also been reported for their anti-cancer properties.
Beet roots are high in natural sugar, fiber, and folic acid. The greens have notable amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamins A and C.

Uses
When boiling beet roots, leave the peel on, as well as the root tips and 1 inch of the stem to prevent the beets from "bleeding". The beets will easily peel after boiling. Also, cooking with acidic ingredients such as lemon juice or vinegar will brighten the beet color, while cooking with alkaline substances, such as salt, blunts their color. If possible, add salt to the dish at the end of cooking.

Beet Greens

• Sauteed, steamed
• Raw, as an additional green in a lettuce salad
  

Beet Roots

• Raw and grated in salads or as garnishes for soups
• Roasted or grilled with olive oil, salt and pepper
• Juiced! Tastes great combined with carrot and apple juice.
  
• Pickled
• Boiled
• Cooked in the popular Russian soup, borscht
• Combines well with the flavor of ground coriander

Storage
Fresh beets with the greens attached can be stored for three to five days in the refrigerator, but beets with the greens removed can be stored for two to four weeks. If you will be storing beets for longer than a couple of days, cut the majority of the greens and stems from the roots so they do not pull moisture away from the root. Leave about 1-2 inches of stem attached to the root. Store the unwashed greens in a separate perforated plastic bag, where they will keep fresh for about four days.

Special Note
Beet eaters may experience beeturia, a red or pink color in the urine or stool. It is a totally harmless condition. According to nutritionist Jeffrey Bland, pink urine might indicate an iron deficiency while magenta stool indicates adequate iron.

Cauliflower Information

Cauliflower is in the brassica family which also includes broccoli, kale, and cabbage. The head of the cauliflower is called a "curd", and it consists of underdeveloped flower buds. It is white because the leaves of the plant protect it from sunlight and prevent photosynthesis.

Health Benefits
Cauliflower is considered a good brain food according to the Doctrine of Signature, but it is not as nutrient dense as many other brassicas. It is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C, and it is a very good source of fiber, potassium, phosphorus, and B vitamins. It is also a good source of boron.

Uses
In addition to the florets, the stem and leaves are edible and are especially good in soup stocks. Cauliflower contains phytochemicals that release odorous sulfur when heated. To minimize odor and retain texture, cook the cauliflower for only a short time. Uses include:

• Raw in salads or served on vegetables platters with dip
• Sauteed briefly with olive oil, garlic, and your choice of seasoning
• Sliced thin, tossed with oil, and grilled
• As an ingredient in soup, or pureed in creamy cauliflower soup
• Steamed and served with pasta

Storage
Refridgerate cauliflower, stem side up, loosely wrapped in a perforated paper or plastic bag. This prevents moisture from collecting on the floret clusters and delays deterioration. It will generally keep for a week. Cooked cauliflower spoils quickly, so consume cooked leftovers within a day or two.

July on the Farm with Youth Farm

We've seen many early mornings this month, including this foggy morning pictured above. The farm crew is frequently out harvesting vegetables at 6 am before the vegetables get too warm. We're also working the fields diligently in the early mornings and late afternoons so that we can devote quality educational time with the Youth Farmers from the Youth Farm and Market Project who are enjoying a summer camp on the farm. So far we have run three summer camp sessions with approximately 25 participants each. The students range in age between 8-14 years old with varying degrees of farm experience before coming to camp. So far it has been a wonderful experience, and we have 6 sessions remaining.

One of the garden projects that we have been doing with students is rounding up our Colorado Potato Beetles before they eat too many leaves. We are finding them in all phases: eggs, larva, and adult, with the photo above showing a potato beetle molting. There have been many "teachable moments" in the potato field!

Tybel and Roland

Roland and Tybel brought biodynamic agriculture to the Philadelphia Community Farm in 2008.

Crispy Kale

Kids and grown-ups love this recipe. When roasted, kale becomes crunchy and brittle, a texture seldom found in the greens world. With a little salt and pepper or seasoning of your choice, it makes an excellent appetizer, side dish, or snack.

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Strip the leaves from the kale stems, roughly chop, wash, and drain. In a bowl, toss the kale leaves with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake until crispy, about 15 minutes, stirring part way through. It is done roasting when it is brittle, almost paper-like and no longer soft or bendable. Serve immediately.

Celery

Monty

Andrew

Robin

Mei

Sarah

Aaron

Jason

Robert

Dan

Oregano Information

Oregano is a hardy perennial herb that is closely related to marjoram. Its name is derived from the Greek words oros (mountain) and ganos (joy), and it was a symbol of happiness in Europe. It was tradition in Greek and Roman marriage ceremonies for the bride and groom to be crowned with laurels of oregano.

Health Benefits
Oregano is very high in antioxidants, and its volatile oil contains thymol and carvacrol, two powerful antimicrobial agents. A clinical study in Mexico compared oregano to tinidazole, a commonly used prescription drug to treat Giardia infections (an amoeba sometimes found in untreated water that can cause severe gastric distress). The researchers found oregano to be more effective against Giardia than the prescription drug. Oregano has also been shown to inhibit the bacteria that are often the cause of impetigo (an infection of the skin).

Uses
Fresh oregano can be stored in the fridge wrapped in a slightly damp towel. It can also be frozen to use later. It is recommended to use oregano toward the end of the cooking process since heat can easily destroy their aromatic oils and delicate flavores. Ideas include:

• As an ingredient in tomato sauce for pizza or pastas or as a garnish for pizza
  
• Combines well with garlic, onion, thyme, and basil
• Sauteed with mushrooms and onions
• Served in omelets and frittatas
• Minced and added to salad dressings

Small Wonders II

Sunflower in Deer Field

The large spider that Joelle found in her bedroom.

Potato Beetle Larva

Crab spider found on the yarrow flower. It looks out of place on the stem of the plant where we teased it to, but is well camoflaged on the white flower head. Some crab spiders are able to change color to match the flower that they hunt from. Other crab spiders stay the same color and are specialized to a certain kind of flower. Note their crab-like legs.

Chard Information

Chard belongs to the same family as beets and spinach. There are several different varieties of chard. The leaves can be smooth or curly, and the stalk comes in three colors: white, red, and yellow. We bunch the different colored stems together and call them rainbow chard.

Health Benefits
It is native to the Mediterranean region, and anciently was honored for its medicinal properties by Greeks and Romans. The juice from the plant was used as a decongestant, and the leaves were said to neutralize acid and have a laxative effect. Because it contains oxalic acid, it is best used moderately by people with a calcium deficiency. It is a powerful anti-cancer food because it is high in chlorophyll and carotenes. It is also high in vitamin K.

Uses
Chard is almost as quick cooking as spinach, and both the stems and the leaves are edible. I usually de-stem the leaves first by running my fingers down the stem. Then I wash the leaves thoroughly in a big bowl of water, changing the water a few times until no dirt or grit remains. I wash the stems separately. This makes it possible to chop the leaves and stems separately since the leaves tend to cook quicker than the stems. Chard can be prepared in many ways:

• Raw in salads...it adds a unique color and taste to green salads
  
• Steamed
• Sauteed, try with garlic, onion, and a pinch of cayenne
  
• Braised
  
• Added to soups, stews, casseroles
• Added to quiches, frittatas, and scrambled eggs
• Cooked in lasagna
• Substituted for spinach in any of your favorite recipes
  

Beet Harvest