Calypso Farm Note for the Week of July 17, 2006

Your Share This Week:

• Garlic Whistles
• Lettuce
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Bunching Onions
• Summer Squash
• Beets
• Baby Carrots

We have been enjoying a lush and wet summer so far! Although this is a very different summer than years past, with cool temperatures and crops maturing weeks later, the garden is thriving! All of the crops that were damaged by the frost pulled through beautifully and the rain has brought nourishing moisture to the soil. It’s actually a perfect time to come up for a farm visit…

You are invited to come out to Calypso’s Annual Open House Event on July 22nd from 1-4pm here at the farm. Come enjoy live music by the UAF Steel Drum Band, a wide range of activities set up for kids of all ages, the ever popular farm tour given by Tom and wood-fired pizzas, of course! We hope to see you here. Also, we are still looking for more volunteers to help with the event. If you are interested, please call Christie at 451-0691 and she’ll schedule you for a volunteer shift. Thanks so much!

Another announcement – Calypso is offering a wood-fired Bread Oven Building workshop in early August. Please visit our website – www.calypsofarm.org for all of the details. If you are interested, register early. Space is very limited for this one.

Finally, about your share this week – the “garlic whistles” are actually the flower stalk of the garlic plant. We snip off the flower shoot to encourage larger bulbs in the fall. The stalks are tender and delicious. Chop them and use them in recipes as you would regular garlic. They are milder than garlic cloves and can be used raw in salads. Enjoy the first of the season’s carrots, beets and summer squash as well.

Happy Eating!
Susan

Simple Stir Fry
This is the next best thing to just eating it raw and fresh out in the garden… Substitute any vegetables throughout the summer!

4 baby carrots, diced 3 garlic whistle, chopped
1 bunch of bunching onions, chopped 1 kohrabi, skinned and diced
3 beets, thinly sliced beet greens – coarsely chopped
3 cups kale, coarsely chopped 1 cup snap peas, whole or halved
2 cups zucchini chopped several teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons tamari (optional) toasted sesame seeds (optional)

In a hot skillet or wok, add olive oil or other cooking oil. Add chopped garlic whistles and onions, sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add all other vegetables, except greens and cook for several minuets. Add greens and continue to cook just until the greens are wilted and bright green, toss with tamari and pepper to taste. Top with toasted sesame seeds Serve alone or over rice.

Savory Salad with Feta Cheese
1 head of lettuce 3 garlic whistles, diced
3 bunching onions, diced ½ cup carrots, sliced
½ cup sliced kohlrabi 1 cup halved snap peas
½ cup feta cheese your favorite oil and vinegar dressing
¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds

Chop lettuce, add sliced and diced vegetables and toss in the dressing. Top with feta and roasted sunflower seeds. Serve as a light lunch or along side a main dish. Enjoy!!

Vegetable Kugel
Adapted from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

This is yet another way to use a variety of fresh garden vegetables in an easy to prepare and delicious meal, you can substitute any vegetables in the following recipe…

1 cup sliced zucchini 2 cups chopped carrots
½ cup diced green onions 2 cups chopped beet greens
½ cup diced garlic whistles 3 tbs butter
2 cups chopped kale (w/ midrib and stem removed) dash of salt
3 eggs ¾ cup wheat germ or fine breadcrumbs
6 tbs flour 1 tsp baking powder
Butter to dot on top fresh black pepper

Preheat oven to 375º

2 options:
Lightly sauté the vegetables, let cool and then mix in the remaining ingredients OR wilt the chopped greens with your fingers by crushing them with some salt – then add the other vegetables raw and mix in remaining ingredients.

Spread the batter into a well greased 9x13 pan, dot with butter and bake approximately 1 hour uncovered. Serve with a salad!

Calypso’s Mid Summer Veggie Wrap
Make as many as you’d like – here’s an idea for one…

1 soft flour tortilla or chapatti 2 tbls cream cheese, sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tsp finely diced garlic whistle 1 tsp finely diced green onion
¼ cup grated carrot ¼ cup grated kohlrabi
Small handful of fresh lettuce dash of salt and pepper

Mix cream cheese, sour cream or yogurt with garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Spread mixture on the tortilla or chapatti, add grated vegetables and lettuce, roll it up and eat! Substitute kale for lettuce if you dare!

Back to the 2006 Farm Note Archives!