Maplewood Organics

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Week 5

We are happy to offer new potatoes, fresh garlic, summer savory, and raspberries this week! We hope you enjoy the new additions. We've also included a surprise crop...one that we didn't plant intentionally but reseeded itself - bok choy. It is small and the flea beetles have had the first taste. I put added some to my other greens last week to try it out. It was delicious and the stems add a nice different texture to the greens. Beans, carrots and beets are coming on strong and will be included in another week or two. I can't wait! We have some baby zucchini too. Our third planting of peas (but first successful one) is in bloom. We'll see how they do in the heat.

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Garden Progress and Farm News

This heat is amazing! The garden is really growing now. We needed the weekend rain so badly, and the garden sucked it right up - all 9/10 of an inch of it! My walk through the tomatoes indicates that it's time to tie them up. That'll be the big project this week. The first broccoli planted is getting quite large. There are no heads forming yet, but I expect there to be some soon. The kale is starting to get big too. We're going to leave it for a couple weeks and really let it grow. Then we'll start to offer it every week as a free extra choice. If you know you want this nutritious green, you can place a standing order with me, and I'll make sure I have it for you. Otherwise it'll just be mixed in the with other trades and extras.

The potato bugs are multiplying and can't really be hand-picked any more. I plan to use an organic-approved spray this week to try to keep them from burrowing into the soil to become another round of adults. I'd like to stop their cycle.

Some of our flowers are starting to bloom. I look forward to being able to offer you bouquets. The sunflowers that the kids planted with their Memere are HUGE and will start blooming very soon.

We've been really lucky to have two extra helpers this last week and this week. Justin, our former intern from the 2007 and 2008 seasons has come back for a two week work visit. It's been great for us all to have him here, not just working but visiting, playing with Maddy and Calvin, helping Eric and Richard (Eric's dad). We're going to miss him when he leaves at the end of the week.

We are also fortunate to have Robert's friend, Yanara, here with us. She has been a wonderful addition to the crew, jumping right in and taking initiative with every task. She also heads out for more travels at the end of this week.

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Recipes of the Week

Black Bean Soup with Garlic and Summer Savory from http://oldfashionedliving.com

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup summer savory leaves

6 cups cooked black beans (if canned-drain well)

2 cups water

4 cups chicken stock

salt and paprika to taste

Heat the olive oil and sauté onions and jalapeno pepper for 3 minutes. Add garlic and half of the summer savory, sauté for another 3 minutes. Add 2 cups black beans and 2 cups water. sauté, mixing constantly, until all the water is absorbed by the beans, and the mixture is thick. Add the chicken stock and boil for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture through a sieve, pressing all the ingredients so they go through the sieve.. Return liquid to pot and add remaining 4 cups of beans, salt and paprika. Boil for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining fresh summer savory leaves. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 6 servings.

Bok Choy Recipe tips

Add Bok choy to your stir fry

Combine bok choy with your other greens and steam

Chop up your bok choy and use it in your salad along with your lettuce

Add it to your own homemade bean dip. Just puree it right along with beans, garlic and oil, and salt to taste.

Swiss Chard from simplyrecipes.com

•1 large bunch of fresh Swiss chard

•1 small clove garlic, sliced

•2 Tbsp olive oil

•2 Tbsp water

•Pinch of dried crushed red pepper

•1 teaspoon butter

•Salt

1 Rinse out the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly. Remove the toughest third of the stalk, discard or save for another recipe (such as this Swiss chard ribs with cream and pasta). Roughly chop the leaves into inch-wide strips.

2 Heat a saucepan on a medium heat setting, add olive oil, a few small slices of garlic and the crushed red pepper. Sauté for about a minute. Add the chopped Swiss chard leaves. Cover. Check after about 5 minutes. If it looks dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Flip the leaves over in the pan, so that what was on the bottom, is now on the top. Cover again. Check for doneness after another 5 minutes (remove a piece and taste it). Add salt to taste, and a small amount of butter. Remove the swiss chard to a serving dish.