Kretschmann Farm Sept. 5, 2006
don@kretschmannfarm.com www.kretschmannfarm.com
Greetings from the Kretschmanns,
It’s been an
interesting week with our efforts having been devoted to a plethora of tasks,
not all farming. The recent actions of
several arrogant pro-development township supervisors in our municipality has
spawned a grassroots resistance movement by outraged citizens and agrarians
intent on reestablishing democratic rule.
We hosted a meeting in our barn to address the problem of these foxes in
the henhouse. Quite a scene…. We’ll keep you posted if we need to make a
citizen’s arrest and need a posse.
The abundant
rainfall last Sunday and Monday kept the fields just moist enough not to be
able to get in to cultivate, seed, or plant.
We had high hopes for an abundant fall spinach crop. It’s looking iffy right now. The big seeding of two weeks ago was up and
growing well but was drowned by all the rain.
Another small planting in a normally dry field looks good and might be
our salvation. We’ll try to get another
larger planting in this week if and when it dries. We’ll also get the last lettuce, radishes,
and mesclun greens into the ground pronto.
While it was
raining Saturday we took the opportunity to cut up lots of cabbage we had in
the cooler to make sauerkraut for later in the fall. Ya, Oktoberfest. (That double “n” means something.)
We will start
making cider this week. It will be a
slow start because the Primas which were so plentiful
this time last year are not bearing this year.
They have a strong biennialism. The next apple varieties seem to be a little
bit later than normal but should start soon.
Hope
you are enjoying the cooler weather and our garden offerings, we are,
sincerely,
Becky, Don, & The Kretschmann Crew
Several times last week Becky was inspired to test
out a new bread making machine and pizza stone.
Spreading whole wheat pizza dough on the stone, she created delicious
pizzas with various garden ingredients atop. After spreading a small amount of
cheese she topped with peppers, slices of tomatoes, broccoli florets,
onions…all were delicious.
Roasted Pepper & Tomato Pasta with Shrimp: Make one cookie sheet of roasted tomatoes
(about 5) and roasted peppers (about 2). Boil and peel 1/2# shrimp. Dice and saute
about 5 cloves of garlic and 1/2 c green onions sliced in rings. Add the shrimp to the garlic & onions,
then add about 12 oz bowtie pasta cooked & drained, the peppers, tomatoes
and 1/2 c chopped fresh basil.
The herbs this year have been so difficult
to have at the right time. Since the dill is here and beautiful…
Carrot Soup With Dill Pesto: Saute 4 large carrots, 1
onion and and 1 tsp dill seeds in 2 tbs butter until tender, about 10 minutes. Add 4 cups broth
and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are very tender, about
35 minutes. Transfer soup to blender in batches and puree. Thin with more broth
if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Combine 1 c. fresh dill and 2 tbs pine nuts or
sunflower seeds in processor and chop finely using on/off turns. Then slowly add 2 tbs olive oil and process until well blended. Season to
taste with salt and pepper.. Ladle into bowls. Swirl
pesto into soupbowls.
Pico
de Gallo or Fresh Salsa: 4 tomatoes,
1 bunch cilantro, about 1 green onion (or 1 medium sized dry onion or a small
bunch of chives)--chop all these very finely.
Add salt, 4T lemon or lime juice, dash of garlic powder and if you like,
about 1 tsp. of finely chopped hot pepper—go easy because
they are hotter fresh. Mix and enjoy
with chips or other Mexican fare. You
can also add chopped cucumber, bell pepper, or corn.
Hey, I’m psyched. Daughter
Annie has been helping get together recipes and she brings a new set of taste
buds to the process. She’s big on Thai
and Southwest. While she is in grad school in Tuscon, we’ve been
e-mailing the weekly list of veggies and she’s been sending recipes. Like her dad, she often doesn’t measure
things and cooks a lot on the fly and the feel.
She suggests smoking the jalapenos.
These are then known as chipotles and are the hot thing among chefs
right now. Check it out http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/chipotle.htm#Chipotle%20chili
Special Order Items: Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers—1/2bu. $18 Jalapenos—1/2 bu
$20. Tomatoes—20# box (half bushel +-)--$10 It’s a great time
to put up some Italian pickled peppers.
It’s really easy to do and can be done in about 2 hrs. on two consecutive evenings.
Use either the Hungarian or Jalepeno
peppers. Recipe is on our website with
the newsletters.