Summertime

Summer is officially here and so is the heat! The garden is soaking up the sunlight on these ultra-long days and growing fast.

In Fields 2 and 3 are potatoes, garlic, onions and various cover crops. Nearby are the two greenhouses. The old greenhouse in front is home to the tomatoes and the new greenhouse behind is still where seedlings mature before moving out to the field as transplants.

Through the roll-up sides of the old greenhouse (put up in the daytime for ventilation and put down at night for warmth) you can see the tomatoes are getting tall.

Inside view of the tomatoes growing up the string trellises.

Tomatoes!

In Field 1 are the peas, broccoli, eggplant, radishes, lettuce, spinach, bok choy, kohlrabi, beans, turnips, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, corn, carrots and beets. Most of the mid-late summer veggies are still small but growing by leaps and bounds every day.

Lettuce is one of the first late spring veggies to appear and we've been eating it for the past couple of weeks. It's so exciting to start digging into fresh garden produce after a long winter of root cellar veggies, preserves and pickles and the few things we buy at the grocery store. I'm never disappointed at the amazing taste of the food our land gives us.

Veggies aren't the only thing growing at the farm this season. Baby #3 is due to arrive in two months with all my late summer favorites like corn, peppers and zucchini.

The kids have started their own little garden in the front near the house. They check daily on the progress of the cherry tomatoes, beans, peppers, cucumbers, peas, carrots and lettuce. There's also a small corn plot nearby.

Stay cool during these sweltering days! Visit our CSA page for info on our local pick-up options.

Recipe: Kohlrabi Slaw

Kohlrabi is a crunchy veggie with a delicate flavour that can be eaten raw or lightly cooked (steamed or fried). Being a brassica, it's in the same family as cabbage and broccoli and its taste is reminiscent of both.  In this spring version of coleslaw, mild kohlrabi pairs with the slight bite of raw radishes in a vinegary dressing enhanced by honey, sesame and ginger flavours.

Ingredients:

Slaw:
2 kohlrabi, peeled and either julienned or coarsely grated
5 small-to-medium radishes, either julienned or coarsely grated
3/4 cup crushed unsalted peanuts
(optional) 1 bunch scallions, chopped

Dressing:
2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp honey
1 tsp minced ginger

Steps:

1) Peel and then grate kohlrabi with coarsest setting. You can also cut into matchsticks with a sharp knife or a mandoline.

2) Grate (or cut) radishes in the same way and add to the kohlrabi.

3) Mix dressing ingredients together thoroughly and pour onto salad.

4) Mix in peanuts and serve immediately.