Your box 7-31-15

Posted on July 31, 2015 by patty

Standard Box

Leek
Cauliflower, 1 hd
Napa Cabbage, 1 hd
Walla Walla Onion
Lettuce, 1 hd
Gold Beets with Greens, 1 bu
Scarlett Runner Beans, .5 lb
Lacinato Kale, 1 bu
Red Cabbage, 1 hd
Cherry Tomatoes, 1 pint
Edible Flowers, 13 count

Small Box

Leek
Cauliflower, 1 hd
Napa Cabbage, 1 hd
Walla Walla Onion
Lettuce, 1 hd
Gold Beets with Greens, 1 bu
Heirloom Tomatoes, .75 lb

About Napa Cabbage

Napa cabbage has a lovely pale green color and graceful shape. It is also very nutritious, despite the fact that it resembles iceberg lettuce in color.

One cup has only 20 calories, but contains 46% of the RDA of vitamin C and 26% RDA of vitamin A. It also has 1 gram of vegetable fiber, 1 gram of protein, and lots of absorbable calcium.

But the real surprise is how many phytochemicals it contains. Phytochemicals occur naturally in plants but are not considered “essential nutrients.” However, they appear to have effects on many human diseases, including fighting cancer.

Napa cabbage is also called Chinese cabbage and is used extensively in Oriental cuisines. Here are a few ways to enjoy its flavorful crunch.

Steam some of the large outer leaves until just soft enough to roll. Fill with browned sausage, rice, onions and herbs. Top with some chopped Nash’s tomatoes and a little cheese, and bake until bubbly.
Mix 2 cups of chopped Napa, 3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar, 4 sliced garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 Tbsp. of your favorite hot sauce. Chill in the fridge overnight and enjoy!
Slice into a stir-fry with other veggies and peanut oil Serve over rice.
Substitute Napa cabbage for green cabbage in any slaw recipe. Try combining 2 cups chopped or shredded Napa, 1 chopped nectarine, a finely diced jalapeno, 1/3 cup mayo or Vegennaise, 3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar, and salt to taste. Chill before serving.
Napa is fabulous sautéed or braised in veggie broth. Add a little ground ginger, garlic powder and a dash of soy sauce. Cook 8-10 minutes until just soft.
Slice the green portion of a couple of leaves very thin, mix with finely chopped cooked shrimp or chicken, some chopped fresh basil and some cooked rice or rice noodles. Roll in a spring roll wrapper and serve with soy sauce or fish sauce.
Add to tacos! It has more crunch than plain lettuce.

Scarlet Runner Beans

The organic scarlet runners in the Standard boxes were grown in a no-till experimental plot this year on property owned by manager Kia Armstrong.

Instead of tilling, Kia prepped the beds with plastic mulch for over a year to kill the weeds and grass. Once planted by hand, the beans were then inter-planted with rows of buckwheat and phacelia to provide competition for re-emerging weeds. Cardboard and straw mulch were also layered along the borders to suppress grass. Although the beds required some hand weeding, the thickly sown buckwheat and phacelia did a great job outcompeting the thistle and no tractor cultivation was required. Drip irrigation was used to maximize water efficiency. In the photo above, the buckwheat flowers can be seen on the ground, while the bean vines with their lovely red flowers can climb as much as 10-15 feet.

After harvest peaks in the bean patch, August and September tasks will include more mulching and reseeding cover crops, and putting the beds “to rest” for the coming fall and winter. Kia will also experiment with different types of long-term mulches, and possibly double the area planted next year.

Now that the fencing and trellis infrastructure has been established, we have a unique area to continue experimenting with growing no-till crops to increase the long term health of the soil, reduce reliance on irrigation, and provide perennial pollinator habitat. Although the “no till” model is not feasible for the 50+ acres of vegetables we usually grow every year on the farm, we are excited to experiment further with this technique to see how aspects of it could be used for better resource management across the farm.

The scarlet runner beans in the Standard boxes this week are tender and slightly sweet. Use them as you would green beans: raw dipped in hummus, steamed, stir-fried or oven roasted, or even marinated and tossed on the grill!

Meet Daniel Shuman

Posted on July 31, 2015 by patty

Daniel Shuman, Irrigation Crew

Daniel Shuman is a native Western Washingtonian, born in Edmonds and raised in Lynnwood. When he married his lovely wife Karina, also from Washington, they decided to spend some time in Hawaii to experience a new place and see if they wanted to live there. After two years, they missed the seasons and the variety of landscapes that can be found in the Evergreen State so much that they came back home, and have been here ever since.

It was Daniel’s older brother who challenged him to start eating quality food, mainly because of flavor. “I actually started working on farms because I thought organic food tasted better,” he says. “Then I wanted to grow my own food, and one thing led to another, until Karina and I purchased our own acre in Agnew where we have our own garden and we raise animals.” They now have four ducks, ten chickens, four milk goats, and sixteen rabbits!

Daniel has come to help with custom pig and chicken slaughters on the farm in order to learn how to do it so that he can process his own meat. “I want my kids to know where their food comes from,” he states. He and Karina have a two-year-old son, Leo, and baby daughter River. “We knew nothing when we started,” Daniel laughs. “We’re lucky we also have Nash’s farm. Our children are eating so much better than we did growing up.”

Daniel is one-half of the irrigation crew this season. He and Gabe Mills are the ones responsible for moving pipe, maintaining the pumps, fixing leaks, and tracking where and when to irrigate, a more difficult task this year due to the drought. When he’s not doing that, Daniel also works packing, weeding, greenhouse and harvesting. Despite the hard work, he likes what he’s doing. “It’s been a blessing for us to work on a family farm with such great people.” The farm is grateful to have him on board, too!

Meet Ivy Phillips, Crew Leader

Posted on July 24, 2015 by patty

Ivy Phillips, Crew Leader

Ivy Phillips started with Nash’s in 2012. She and her little brother Abe were born and raised in Low Gap, AR in the beautiful Ozark Mountains. She attended Drury University, a liberal arts college in Springfield, MO, but her love of the outdoors and hiking in the mountains drew her to the Olympic Peninsula where she can indulge that passion in Olympic National Park.

Ivy is a very hard worker and has never been afraid do all the tasks required of a produce worker and member of the packing crew, including pulling weeds, planting seeds, transplanting, caring for the greenhouses and working the packing line, bunching carrots and bagging all sorts of root crops. She also anchors Nash’s farmers market in Port Angeles, and she drives tractor! Her enthusiasm and dedication impressed the management team so much that when Chris Tipton decided to step down, he recommended Ivy take his place.

Since January 2015, Ivy has been the crew leader and liaison between the managers on the farm and the crew workers. She brings their concerns and suggestions to the team and conveys decisions and announcements to the crew. “I make sure everyone stays on task and has things to do,” Ivy says. “We are a pretty tight group and we work really well together.”

Ivy takes real pride in her crew’s accomplishments, especially this year, when the farm has had to cut back on labor costs, but still stay on top of all there is to do. She is particularly excited about the fact that starting next Spring, the packing crew will be all women for the first time.

“So many of our staff support families, and I love the fact that we are hard-working families growing food for other hard-working families. Farm share members are the people who ‘get it’ and really appreciate organic food. We are fortunate to have them as part of our community.”

Your box 7-24-15

Posted on July 24, 2015 by patty

Standard Box

Lettuce, 1 head
Walla Walla Onions, 2
Fresh Dill, 1 bunch
Cucumbers, 2
Spinach, 1 bunch
Cauliflower, 1 head
Green Cabbage, 1 head
Red Chard, 1 bunch
Carrots, 1 bunch
Heirloom Tomato, .75 lb

Small Box

Lettuce, 1 head
Walla Walla Onions, 2
Cucumber
Cauliflower, 1 head
Beans, Green or Runner, .5 lb
Cilantro, 1 bunch
Yellow Zucchini, 1
Edible Flowers, 13 count

Grilled Cauliflower

1 large head cauliflower, trimmed, core intact
6 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
1 bunch scallions or baby Walla Wallas, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, grated
1 garlic clove
½ cup (packed) fresh cilantro leaves
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Toasted black sesame seeds, and sesame oil
Edible nasturtiums

Starting at the midline of the cauliflower, slice from top to bottom into four ½” “steaks.” Reserve any loose florets. Prepare grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate. Drizzle cauliflower steaks, florets, and scallions with 4 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill scallions, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes. Grill steaks and florets until tender, 8-10 minutes per side.
Blend ginger, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and remaining oil in a food processor, thinning with water if needed, until consistency of yogurt; season with salt. Arrange cauliflower and scallions on a platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with sesame oil. Top cauliflower with a few edible nasturtium flowers or a sprinkle of calendula petals for spicy colorful garnish. The flowers are also wonderful on green salads, stir-fries, cold salads and sandwiches.
We thank bonappetit.com for the basis of this recipe.

Cilantro Pesto

Basil isn’t the only herb that’s great in pesto. Try your cilantro for a refreshing, zingy taste!

3 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cups fresh cilantro, lightly packed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Place the garlic and cilantro in a food processor with a metal blade. With the processor running, slowly add oils, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.

Kia’s Roasted Cauliflower and Walla Walla Onions

Fresh, uncured Walla Walla onions are seasonally available in July and August at Nash’s farm, and are one of the veggie highlights of the summer. Roasted with cauliflower until golden brown in this dish, they just melt in your mouth.

Kia Armstrong, Farm Store manager and a most excellent cook, suggests making a big batch of these roasties so you have leftovers. “They are a wonderful edition to scrambled eggs, sandwiches and cold salads, or as a snack on their own.” she says.

1 medium-large Walla Walla onion, rough cut into 1- or 2-inch pieces
1 medium-large head cauliflower, stems, leaves and florets roughly chopped into 2- or
3-inch pieces
3 or 4 Tbsp. melted coconut oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss veggies in coconut oil until thoroughly coated. Sprinkle with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper. Spread a single layer in one or two large baking sheets or baking dishes as needed. Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes or longer if you have two trays in the oven. Check and flip veggies if desired. Bake until well browned and starting to crisp.

Spice it up!
Add curry, chili powder or Italian seasonings when you toss veggies with salt and pepper.

Oil it up!
Use alternative oils to coat the veggies. Coconut oil adds a unique flavor and has many health benefits, but you can use any high-heat oil you might have on hand.

Mix it up!
Toss in other non-root veggies you have on hand to use up. Zucchini, peppers, fresh beans, broccoli, etc., all work well in combo.

Meet Suzy Strom, Greenhouse Manager

Posted on July 17, 2015 by patty

Suzy Strom was born and raised in Alaska. She got into farming when she was living in New Hampshire for a few years and worked on a farm there. “It was a joy to learn how to bring food out of the ground—a foreign concept in Alaska!”

Suzy started on the packing crew in November 2013. She was very quickly singled out as an innovative thinker. For years, Nash had wanted to grow greenhouse tomatoes, but did not have an employee with the expertise to take charge of such a project. Suzy had learned the skill in New Hampshire and Nash asked her to do some research and find out what it would take to make it happen here.

She jumped in with diligence and enthusiasm. She researched the best and most cost-effective greenhouse structures and appropriate tomato varieties. Once the greenhouse components were delivered, she directed its construction. She acquired the tomato seeds and starts and the tomato greenhouse has been growing ever since!

The farm in New Hampshire was a conventional commercial enterprise, so changing to organic greenhouse growing has given Suzy some challenges. She has found variety selection to be a little problematic. “Nash’s farm is so close to the Strait, and is a little cooler than other places on the Peninsula,” she says. “People recommend varieties that sometimes don’t meet expectations.” She also is continuously educating herself about tomato diseases, since she does not apply any pesticides or fungicides to her plants. “I am so grateful to my colleagues Waylon Barrett and Chris Tipton, because they turn me on to resources where I can find answers, and they inspire me with their love of organic farming.”

Despite the challenges, Suzy also finds rewards being a greenhouse manager. “I love finding new varieties and having unexpected successes,” she laughs. “The Gold Nugget cherry tomato was one of those, and the Indigo Cherry Drops. They are a deep purple color until they get ripe, then they turn to a deep black-red. They taste great!” She says her best moment of the year is when she finds the first ripe tomato of the season.

Your box 7-17-15

Posted on July 17, 2015 by patty

Standard Box

Carrots, 1 bu.
Green Onions, 1 bu.
Broccoli, 1.75 lbs.
Cucumber
Golden Beets & Greens, 1 bu.
Yellow Zucchini
Cilantro, 1 bu.
Green Beans, .5 lb.
Apricots, 2 lbs., Sunnyslope Ranch

Small Box

Carrots, 1 bu.
Green Onions, 1 bu.
Broccoli, 1 lb.
Lacinato Kale, 1 bu.
Cherry Tomatoes, 1 pint
Apricots, 1.5 lbs., Sunnyslope Ranch

First of the Carrots
Nash’s carrots have a reputation for sweetness and crunch. The carrots in your box are very young and tender, and their sweetness may not be as intense as when they have had a chance to grow more in our mineral-rich Dungeness soils. You will be seeing those carrots later in the season. Meanwhile, try roasting these baby carrots.

Start by preheating your oven to 400°F. Scrub and wash the carrots . Wipe dry. Slice off the tops and tails. Line a roasting pan with foil. Put in the carrots in one layer. From a small bunch of fresh thyme, remove the leaves and sprinkle on carrots. Chop 4-5 garlic cloves into big pieces and add. You can also add a layer of sliced medium onion, but this is optional. Salt the carrots and add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and mix everything well with your hands. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 400°F. Serve as a side dish or use in a wrap or sandwich.

The thyme-carrot combination is fantastic but you could substitute any of your favorite herbs like rosemary or oregano.

Golden Beets with Greens & Bow-Tie Pasta
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 large onion, quartered and sliced (about 2 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch 2-inch-diameter golden beets with greens
6 ounces bow-tie pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Peel beets (optional) and cut into 8 wedges. Cut greens into 1-inch-wide strips. Toast pine nuts in dry skillet, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Sauté onions in 1 Tbsp. oil until beginning to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue until tender and browned, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and stir 2 minutes. Scatter beet greens over onions. Drizzle remaining oil over; cover and cook until beet greens are tender, about 5 minutes.

Cook beets in boiling, salted water until tender. Transfer to bowl. Add pasta to beet-cooking liquid and cook until tender but still firm, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Stir onion-greens mixture and beets into pasta. Add enough cooking liquid to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheese and sprinkle with pine nuts.

Baby Walla Walla Onions

Onions in general have a whopping load of polyphenols, an important class of phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are plant chemicals that offer a whole host of benefits for human health.

Walla Walla onions are famous for being “sweet,” but it is actually a lack of pungency, due to the low-sulfur soils in that region of Washington state. The
onions in your box were grown in Dungeness, of course, but they have a sweetness all their own!

Cucumber, Radish, and Baby Walla Walla Onion Salad with Chili-Lime Dressing
6 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 English hothouse cucumbers, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced radishes (about 2 bunches)
1 1/2 cups matchstick-size strips baby Walla Walla onions (about 8)
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

Mix first 3 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Add cucumbers and toss to coat. Let stand 1 hour, tossing occasionally.

Drain cucumber mixture. Return cucumbers to large bowl. Add radishes and green onions. Toss salad with Chili-Lime Dressing. Sprinkle with mint.

Chili-Lime Dressing
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. chili oil (available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.)
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar, maple syrup or honey
1 tsp. minced garlic

Whisk lime juice, soy sauce, chili oil, sugar and garlic in medium bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with pepper. Cover and refrigerate. Can be made 6 hours ahead. Recipe from www.epicurious.com.