Kretschmann Farm                                                                   June 29, 2007

257 Zeigler Rd., Rochester, PA 15074  (724)452-7189  

don@kretschmannfarm.com   www.kretschmannfarm.com      --note our new e-mail address—

 

Wednesday pickup folks please note: the boxes which would have been delivered on July 4th will instead arrive July 3rd. 

 

Greetings from the Kretschmanns,

    Hail!  It began as a welcome thunderstorm last Thursday but with the third wave of rainfall, the winds turned violent and we were pelted with hail.  In the morning we saw the damage--shredded lettuce, dinged zucchini, broken onion plants, tomatoes broken, baby apples bruised, holes in leaves of all sorts of plants.  One of the worst aspects was to see many of our cabbage and broccoli seedlings flattened.  They had just sprouted. We’ll keep you posted as we assess the damage.  It can’t be good for the short term, but plants do recover.  We’ve already reseeded cabbage and broccoli.  We are always amazed too, how good things can come of disaster.  Jim Travis of the Penn State apple research station happened to be visiting our orchard on Friday and when he saw the damage said that there was an apple grower in central PA who was in the second year of transition to organic production who might be more than willing to sell some of these nearly organic apples to us. It might be the beginning of a longer term relationship which will get more organic fruit to you as we are often short on apples.

   Because of the hail, you might see some cosmetic damage to some veggies you’ll be getting this week—leaves of lettuce or greens a little damaged, squash with the skin pocked, beet greens with holes… We ask your patience.  Within a short time these imperfections will become hardly noticeable as the plants recover. 

   The season continues to progress with different vegetables.  With the moisture we’ve gotten, carrots have gotten a boost.  We should have some for you next week.  Cabbage is coming along nicely too. One more good rain?  Keep ‘em coming.

Enjoy.                                       ---- Don, Becky, & The Kretschmann Crew

We gave you either kale greens or Swiss chard this week. We have numerous recipes on our website.

Persian Greens Salad:  Saute ¼ c chopped onion in tbs. olive oil.  Add 2 c. chopped Swiss chard or spinach sauté 5 min. Add tbs. water, turn down heat and simmer 5 min.  Remove from heat when tender and mix with 1 c. plain yogurt.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Kale goes well with seasoned meats. Sausage and ham hock are traditional favorites. Here’s another variation.   

Fettuccine with Sausage and Kale:  Saute 1# loose hot turkey or pork sausage in olive oil until browned.  Add 1 bunch chopped kale and toss until wilted.  Add ½ c. chicken broth or water and cover tightly.  Turn down heat and simmer 5 min. Meanwhile cook ½ # fettuchine until al dente and drain.  Toss sausage/kale mix with pasta and ½ c. grated romano cheese.

Spinach pizza, Spinach pies—Simple, quick, and versatile, just saute chopped spinach in oil with garlic (also onions) and add crumbled feta cheese and salt.  This can then be put atop a pizza crust and baked slightly (black olives add pizzaz).  Or add a little lemon juice and stuff the same mix into pita bread for "spinach pies".

Pita bread or pizza:  In 2 c. warm water and 1 tbs honey or sugar, dissolve 2 tbs yeast. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 4 c. bread flour mixing until smooth. (one can do this in a breadmaker as well)  Allow to rise until doubled in bulk.  Punch down and roll between two layers of plastic and use for 2 pizza crusts.  Cover with towel in warm place until risen slightly and bake 10 min in hot oven, then add toppings and bake 10 min. longer.  Or make small balls of dough and roll until thin.  Cook in dry frying pan on both sides for pita bread. 

Open Face Broccoli Sandwiches: Cut up broccoli into bite sized pieces and steam until just tender.  Lay slices of your favorite hearty whole wheat bread on cookie sheet.  Spread a dollop of sour cream or creamy ricotta on each slice of bread.  Arrange the broccoli on each slice and press into the sour cream. Top with a little of your favorite grated cheese and a few sunflower seeds for crunch.  Place in hot oven (400 deg) or broil until bread is toasted & cheese is melted.

Easy to make without a lot of bother.  The secret is: don’t cook the pasta.

Zucchini Lasagna: Preheat your favorite tomato sauce.  Slice zucchinis 1/4” thick in rounds or lengthwise.  Mix 1# ricotta cheese with 1/2c minced parsley.  Brush bottom of baking dish with olive oil. (9x13” is our favorite size)  Spread layer of tomato sauce on bottom of pan, then add first layer of uncooked lasagna.  Spread layer of zucchini, then layer of ricotta, and then  more tomato sauce.  Repeat the process until the pan is full and top with grated mozzarella.  Bake covered at 325 deg. until pasta is cooked, then remove cover and bake another 10 min.