Rain, Rain, and more RAIN!

Normally, we do nothing but give thanks and praise for the rain we get....but after 20 inches of the wet stuff in the past 30 days with only a few shots of sunshine inbetween, it is making our garden grow very slowly and difficult to finish getting our cool season plants in the ground. The trees are sure happy though and I'm not really complaining, just sayin it is part of farming.

The tomatoes are producing fruits, but they are a ways off from being ripe yet - and I would like to have some to can for the winter! "Farmer-in-Training" Chad, has developed a Charlotte's Web of sorts to support our fall tomatoes - so let's bring 'em on!

Radishes that were planted before the deluge started were intended to harvest with beans, tomatoes, peppers and squash - so much for that idea! That first planting of radishes was harvested, and another round is in - and the recipes are coming for them, too. Radish greens ARE Edible - some use in soups, others stir fry, and yet others saute' with other greens. Share your recipe with us. Here are a few from Liz. The website is getting close to being ready and I'll have a page just for recipes there!

Spicy Stir-Fried Radish Greens and/or Swiss Chard

(Makes 2 servings, can easily be doubled. Recipe created by Kalyn with some chard-cooking inspiration from Vegetables Every Day.)

8-10 ounces radish greens and/or swiss chard,

washed and cut into 1/2 inch slices

2-3 tsp. peanut oil

2 large garlic cloves (for seasoning the oil)

sauce mixture:

1 T soy sauce (I like Kikkomans)

1 tsp. rice vinegar (not seasoned)

1 tsp. Agave nectar

1/4 tsp. (or less) Sriracha sauce or other hot sauce

Wash and dry radish greens and/or swiss chard. (I used a salad spinner.) If desired, soak greens for about 30 minutes in very cold water. (This makes sure they're crisp for the quick stir-frying.) Working in batches, cut greens crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Mix together sauce ingredients and set aside. Preheat the wok or large, heavy frying pan until it feels very hot when you hold your hand there, then add the oil. When oil looks shimmery, add the garlic cloves and cook about 30 seconds, making sure garlic doesn't start to brown. Remove garlic and discard. Add chopped radish greens and/or swiss chard all at once and immediately begin to stir-fry, turning greens over and over just until they are almost all wilted. (For me this was only one minute, but I have a great gas stove with a burner with really high heat.) When greens are almost all wilted, add sauce ingredients, stir, and cook 30 seconds more. Serve hot.

Potato Salad with Wild Radish Greens
Ingredients: (serves 2-3)

A bunch of wild radish greens

4-5 potatoes

a few spring onions

Dressing:3 tbs olive oil1 ts dijon mustard

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 lemon juice

1)Boil the potates, when cool enough peel and chop them. Transfer them to a salad bowl.2)Throw the wild radish greens in a pan full of boiling water,leave them for about ten minutes.3)Strain them and pour cold water over them to avoid discoloration.4)Then chop the greens, transfer them to the salad bowl.5)Whisk all the ingredients of the dressing, pour it into the salad bowl, mix well and serve.

Over the course of a few work days, our great work share members and volunteers did plant over half of most of the plugs we wanted to, but there are still the strawberry plants and 2 kinds of cabbage that need to get in. Garlic is on the way and it won't be too long before we plant onions and then potatoes - those were soooo good last year!

Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Mesculin Mix, Spinach, Pok Choi, green cutting onions and some of the two varieties of cabbage are in along with seeds of Swiss Chard, more cabbages, turnips, mustard greens, carrots and more radishes. (French Breakfast this time.)

I've also started to get some of the annual herbs going as the basil is fading - being eaten by something is more like it - and will soon succumb to cold temps.

It won't be long before we're flipping pages of seed catalogs for next spring and I'm always looking for more stuff to plant. Send me your ideas.

Stay dry!

Marie
Eat Your Food - Naturally!