Your box 8-29-14

Posted on August 29, 2014 by patty

Week 8, August 29

Both boxes have: Leeks, garlic, carrots, green kale, cucumber
The Small box also has: Red beets
The Standard box also has: Corn, spinach, red cabbage, curly parsley, purple beans

Nash’s Green Kale

Like the red kale in your box two weeks ago, Nash’s green Kale was selected over many years of classical breeding work on the farm. Nash wanted a winter-hardy kale that had good stature and sweet taste, and this curly green kale certainly fits the bill! It makes great kale chips (see nashsorganicproduce.com, Recipe Blog), and holds its flavor and texture well in soups and stews.

The health benefits are over the top:

Kale is low in calories (only 33 in a one-cup serving) but brimming with stuff your body requires for health—134% of the RDA for vitamin C, 206% of vitamin A, and 684% of vitamin K. It’s also a good source of calcium, copper, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus.
It has lots of those hard-to-pronounce but vital phytonutrients and antioxidants that help your body fight cancer.
Its fiber content helps lower blood cholesterol levels. It binds to bile
acids, reducing the risk of heart disease, especially when eaten lightly steamed. Kale also helps combat inflammation and prevents arterial plaque formation.
It’s a great source of alpha-linoeic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that enhances brain health.

Many of kale’s excellent phytonutrients require some fat to become readily available to the body. Eat kale in combination with olive oil, avocado, cheeses, legumes like kidney or fava beans, or lean meats.

Spicy Kale/Purple Bean Parmesan

Red Cabbage—Hearty and Versatile

Lock in the red color by adding a teaspoon of vinegar to any cooking liquid. Please don’t overcook! It will lose lots of its health benefits, let alone its rich flavor.

Red cabbage can stand up to many other strong flavors:

Try it sautéed with ginger, garlic, and onions in sesame oil. Garnish with sesame seeds and finely chopped green onion. Add some chili flakes, if you like a bit of a kick.
It is a perfect partner with apples, raw in a salad, or braised with onions, cinnamon, star anise and bay leaves.
It goes well with anything pork! Finely slice and cook with pork chops. Add a little rosemary and thyme. Apples would be good here, too, or sauté lightly in bacon grease and serve with crumbled bacon, bleu cheese and raisins.
Toss ½ red cabbage, thinly sliced, ½ cup chopped curly parsley, 2 shredded carrots, ⅓ cup rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp. honey, 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper in a bowl and chill one hour before serving.

Connecting to history

Posted on August 29, 2014 by patty

This weekend, Farmer Nash and his friend Norm Nelson (at left, below) made old-fashioned liverwurst with a hand-cranked sausage press that Nash’s grandfather bought early in the last century. There are two dates molded into the cast-iron—July 11, 1876, and “Patented April 10, 1888.” When Nash’s dad passed away a couple of years ago, Nash had it sent to Sequim from Illinois where he grew up, and where both sets of grandparents farmed. His extended family used to do communal hog slaughters early in the fall and his grandmothers would use this same equipment to make sausages for the entire family.

It was hard for Nash to conceal his joy at using that old sausage press again. The last time he remembered seeing it in use was back in the early 1950s. His family used all parts of the pig, including the skin, head, fat, hooves and internal organs. Nothing went to waste. The fat was turned into soap, including laundry detergent. The skin was fried and salted for cracklins. They made bacon, hams, head cheese and lots of sausages. It took several days, but in the end they all had plenty of high quality protein for the entire year.

Farewell and thank you to Dr. John Navazio

The green kale in your box was developed through years of work by Nash and his team. While they have lots of farming experience, effective plant selection sometimes requires someone with training in classical seed breeding. For us, that person was Dr. John Navazio, former senior scientist with Organic Seed Alliance (OSA). John is leaving the Northwest to take a position with Johnny’s Selected Seeds in Maine. We will miss his vast knowledge, and his great rock ‘n roll guitar playing! Above, John receives an artist’s rendition of his Abundant Bloomsdale spinach from Micaela Colley, director of OSA (www.seedalliance.org) as a farewell present.

Weed control at Nash’s

Posted on August 22, 2014 by patty

Get those weeds!

Nature abhors bare ground and will cover it whenever possible with vegetation, but if soil has been left bare, or damaged, the plants that move in first are usually what we consider weeds. If left alone, they will be eventually shaded out by larger and leafier plants, but their job is prevent erosion and to fix nitrogen in the soil.

Organic farmers deal with weeds mechanically or manually throughout the growing season and do their best to put down cover crops right after harvest in the fall to prevent weeds from getting a foothold in the fields. Sometimes they deal with a weed by changing their attitude towards it, like with chickweed. It may be a “weed,” but it is edible, and it holds moisture in the soil for all the plants. If the crop can get a decent head start, the chickweed will not have too much of a negative impact, and will die off during the summer, adding organic material to the soil.

Other weeds, like smartweed, aka knotweed, can take over a field and choke out the crop. We were having a problem in the South Wilson field with smartweed, but thanks to a group of intrepid volunteers who came to our farm on Saturday, August 16, as part of the “All in for Farms” event organized by PCC Farmland Trust, we think we got a pretty good handle on it. They came from Seattle and the Kitsap Peninsula and worked for half a day. We are very grateful for their help! In the photo, Stephanie Mosher of Kitsap holds up a giant smartweed she pulled out of the ground.

The rain the preceding week had the mixed effect of making the weeds grow faster, but the soil was softer and the weeds were easier to pull out of the ground.

If you have friends or family who would like to get some fresh organic veggies, we have a new program where we exchange one box of produce for 3 hours weeding, or other farm work. We offer an orientation and the exchanger can come when they want and work as long or as short as they are comfortable. Call 360-681-7458 for more information.

Your box 8-22-14

Posted on August 22, 2014 by patty

Week 7, August 22

Both boxes have: Walla Walla onion, baby bok choi, Romaine, Russet potatoes, Nash’s soft white flour
The Small box also has: Lemon cucumber, red chard
The Standard box also has: Red beets with greens, tomatoes, scarlet runner beans, basil

Nash’s Soft White Flour

The flour in your box this week is pretty unique in that it was grown and milled in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley. Sequim used to grow wheat and other grain for shipping to Seattle and beyond, and the grain elevator that still stands in town was a bustling enterprise. Built next to the railway line in the early 1940s, it fell out of use as agriculture ceased to be the major economy.

But some farmers continued to grow barley, oats and some varieties of wheat here. The team at Nash’s started raising grain almost 15 years ago, initially to grow our own cover crop seed, and then for animal feed. Grain manager Sam McCullough and Nash have worked hard to find varieties that thrive here, and in that effort they have gotten lots of help from the Washington State Research Station in Mount Vernon.

About 7 years ago, Nash bought an old stone mill (below) in Olympia. Dave Roberts refurbished it and it milled your flour in a special milling room adjacent to the Farm Store. Please note that it is WHOLE grain. We did not remove the bran or the germ, where all the good protein is. It is wonderful for all kinds of baking. Don’t forget Nash’s Hard Red flour, too, perfect for making bread.

Kia’s Buttermilk Pancakes

Scarlett Runner/Purple Beans

Long, tender scarlet runner beans are beautiful to grow, as the plants get over 10′ tall and have brilliant red and coral-colored flowers. The fresh, young beans are delicious raw, and great for veggie platters, lunch boxes, or quick, satisfying snacking. Trim the tips of the beans, and eat them as you would a traditional green bean: raw, steamed, stir-fried, roasted or even grilled. The purple beans can be prepared in the same ways. They will turn bright green when cooked. Please don’t overcook either kind to enjoy their great flavor and nutritional benefits.

Baby Bok Choi

Bok choi, also known as leafy Chinese cabbage, is popular in Southeast Asia. This humble brassica has become well‐known in the West for its sweet, succulent, nutritious leaves and stalks.

Not only is baby bok choi a good source of phytonutrients and antioxidants, it also is rich in vitamin K for healthy bones, B‐complex vitamins, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorous, potassium, manganese, iron and magnesium.

Your crispy-crunchy baby bok was planted in June in the 24-Carrot Field, adjacent to the Delta Farm. It suffered significant flea beetle damage early in its tender life, but has out-grown the worst of it and is sooo tasty right now. We suggest preparing baby bok choi raw as a salad green or similarly to scarlet runner beans (see the tips above).

Bok Choi Sauté

Your box 8-15-14

Posted on August 15, 2014 by patty

Week 6, August 15

Both boxes have: Leeks, Nash’s red kale, bulk cylinder or golden beets, basil
The Small box also has: Diana fava beans, curly parsley, juice carrots
The Standard box also has: Lemon cucumbers, red chard, sugar snap peas, globe artichokes, broccoli

Quick note—

Small box members should check last week’s newsletter for tips on how to clean, soak and prepare Diana fava beans. These beans are nutritional powerhouses and one of the best sources of vegetable protein you can find. If you don’t still have last week’s newsletter, check out our new Farm Share Blog or nashsorganicproduce.com.

Weed Exchange

Do you have a friend or neighbor who might be interested in exchanging their time weeding for farm fresh veggies? Please pass the word about our Weeding Work Exchange Program. The details are online at Nash’s website. After a brief orientation, weeders can come and go on their own time.

How to Clean Leeks

Leeks are related to garlic and onions, but have a unique flavor all their own. Don’t believe recipes that claim you can only use the white part of the leek. Nash’s organic leeks are sweet and tender from white root to green tip. If you find cutting the upper part of the green leaves difficult, discard just the outer ones and use the tender inner ones.

Because of the way leeks grow, dirt sometimes gets in between the layers. Slice the leek lengthwise and pull it open under running water. Let the water get into all the layers to flush out any dirt particles.

Leeks go incredibly well with chicken, veggies and eggs (think quiche!), and also partner beautifully with mushrooms. Potato-leek soup is a classic, but how about roasted cauliflower-leek soup? Check our Recipe Blog for more leek recipes.

Cylinder Beets

Bred for restaurant and canning kitchens, cylinder beets are ideal grated raw on salads, in juices, as quick refrigerator pickles, roasted, and in soups. You can also cut them lengthwise and steam until al dente, and finish them on the grill.

Lemon Cucumbers

These fist-sized cukes don’t have a lemon taste, but their outside lemony color might fool your eyes so your imagination tastes something lemony! They are milder than regular cucumbers and a perfect single serving. They don’t get bitter as they mature, and the skins are so thin, you don’t need to peel them.

Sugar Snap Peas

These wonderful scions of summer have edible pods. Just pull the string on the side and eat them raw. They are great for dipping in Fava Bean Hummus.

Chilled Sugar Snap Pea Soup

Baby Artichokes

The baby artichokes in your box this week were seeded in the greenhouse in March in 4-inch pots, and transplanted into the Wilson field in mid-May. These perennial plants have taken off in the warm weather and are pumping out baby chokes a few weeks sooner than we expected this summer!

Baby artichokes don’t have that thistley fuzz in their center like the bigger globe artichokes do, but the best part is still the heart. Steam them for about 10 minutes, or until you can easily pull off one of the outer leaves. You can also trim the top 1/2″ of the choke, slice them in half and pan sauté them with white wine and fresh herbs. Or steam them until they are al dente and finish them up on the grill, halved and drizzled with marinade. The stems on these little chokes are delicious, too!

You can add the cooked stems and hearts to a salad with tomatoes, olive oil and mozzarella, or cut them up to put on a pizza.

Eating artichokes may take a little work, but the nutrients, minerals, and phytochemicals found in this extraordinary vegetable are well worth it. Amazingly, the leaves are actually the source of a vast majority of the health benefits!

Artichokes help protect us against many diseases, including cancer, heart disease, liver dysfunction, high cholesterol, and diabetes. And they’re fun to eat!

Artichoke Dipping Sauces

The Origins of Nash’s Red Kale

Posted on August 15, 2014 by patty

The Origin of Nash’s Red Kale

Farmers have been developing new crop varieties for thousands of years. An excellent example of this ancient agricultural tradition is how Nash Huber developed the red kale that is in your box this week.

Back in 1990, Nash planted 3 acres of a kale variety called Vates, a green kale with frilly leaves. He noticed 2 bright purple plants in the middle of the sea of green. They were “sports,” or plants that had randomly mutated on their own. Realizing he could encourage this purple color, Nash dug up the 2 plants and isolated them in his home garden. He surrounded them with 10 Brussels sprouts plants so they would pollinate each other, because he also wanted eventually to achieve a kale plant with the height of the Brussels sprouts and with leaves that could be harvested from lower to upper levels as the plant grew. This would make it easier to harvest, and the farm could get several bunches of kale per plant, making it more profitable. “That was a lot to ask,” Nash says. “But I thought I may as well go for it!”

Some of the offspring of the kale sport/Brussels sprout cross showed these characteristics. But it took many seasons of planting and cross-pollinating, before Nash and his team were able to consistently get kale with the desired traits. However, about 5% of the plants continued to be green instead of purple. With the help of Dr. John Navazio of Organic Seed Alliance in Port Townsend, they were able to greatly reduce the number of plants manifesting the green color. This year the farm was finally able to sell seed to other farmers, relatively confident that they would get the crop they were expecting.

Nash’s Red Kale also has a bonus benefit—cold-hardiness. It can reliably survive in temperatures down into the teens and has become a mainstay winter kale.

This is NOT “genetic modification” as in GMOs created by Monsanto. Nash only influenced how those original sports were pollinated. He did not forcibly inject the genetic material from one completely different species into another in a laboratory as biotech companies do. He used the classical seed breeding methods that farmers have safely used throughout the history of agriculture.