Author: Horton Road Organics

Are you ready for the heat this week?  Our plants are ready to soak it in.  If the higher temps do happen at the end of the week, we will significant growth in our fields.  Yay!!

What’s in Box #6?

Salad Mix: We are hoping to provide salad greens as often as possible.  For best storage, keep greens in the fridge, in a plastic bag or other covered container with just a little bit of moisture to prevent wilting.

Beets:  The first of the season.  This is perfect 2-in-1 veggie.  Use the sweet roots and the greens!  The greens can easily be substituted in recipes that call for rainbow/Swiss chard.

Cilantro: It’s back! This delicious herb is a great topping.  Dress those tacos, salads and use on fish. These leaves aren’t the greatest keepers, but they do best in a covered container or plastice bag in the fridge.

Green Onions:  Parade variety. These are on a nice rotation for us which is why you are seeing them so often this season.

Carrots: A Nantes-style called Nelson.  These roots are very sweet and will stay fresh longer if you remove the greens.

Garlic: This garlic is fresh since we are just pulling it out of the field this week.  It is not cured for storage, so please keep in your fridge.  No need to use it right away, it just has not developed the cured skin that allows it to sit on your countertop for a long time.

Sugar Snap Peas: Cascadia variety. A treat that is not around very long.  Edible pods with a super sweet crunch.  Can be cooked or eaten raw.

 

Recipes:

Beet Arborio Rice Pilaf
I first had a dish similar to this at a potluck at the zendo here on the farm and had to make sure it was included in this year’s blog. The shredded beets melt away into the Arborio rice and give the whole dish an amazing color and taste. Definitely a dish you can play around with to your own taste so have fun and enjoy! ~ Laura

Yields Serves 6

From the kitchen of cookincanuck.com – https://www.cookincanuck.com/one-pot-beet-rosemary-kale-arborio-rice-pilaf-recipe/

Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
3/4 cups arborio rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 medium beets, peeled & grated (about 1 cup)
2 kale leaves, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 tsp ground pepper
6 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Salt, to taste
Fresh lemon juice (optional)

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat.
2. Add the onions and cook until they are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. To the onions, add the rice, garlic, vinegar and rosemary. Stir, cooking, until the rice is coated, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in the beets, kale and vegetable broth.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low.
6. Cook until almost all of the liquid is absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, grating 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese over each serving.

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Gluten-Free Crabby Noodles with Snap Peas

Source: The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen (Laura B. Russell)

4 servings

I’m thankful for the many Asian grocery stores that carry a wide range of gluten-free noodle options (bean, rice, sweet potato, etc.). This recipe is just one of many using one such GF noodles. The actual recipe calls for snow peas, but I’ve made it with snap peas and they worked out just fine. ~Reiden

Ingredients:
6 oz. Cellophane (mung bean) noodles (sometimes called bean threads of sai fun)
4 T vegetable oil, divided
6 green onions, white & green parts, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ lb. peas, cut diagonally into ¼-inch thick strips
½ lb. real or imitation crab meat (GF imitation crab meat can be found at most Safeway stores)
½ cup bottled clam juice or chicken broth
2 T Asian fish sauce
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Soak the noodles in a bowl of hot tap water until softened, about 15 minutes (noodles are done when they can be stretched and they bounce back). Thoroughly drain the noodles in a colander & cut them into smaller lengths with scissors.

Heat 2 T oil in large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the green onions & garlic. Cook stirring occasionally for 1 minute. Add peas & cook 1 minute longer. Add remaining 2 T oil to the pan & then stir in the noodles & the crab. Toss with tongs to combine. Add clam juice & fish sauce. Simmer, turning noodles occasionally until they are tender and absorb most of the liquid, 3-5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and toss in cilantro.

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Sesame Salad Dressing or Veggie Dip

2 Tbl Olive Oil (Xtra Virg)
2 Tbl Sesame Oil
2 Cloves Garlic
4 Tbl Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbl Soy Sauce
1 Tbl Ground Mustard
Juice of One Orange
1 Block Tofu
To Taste Fresh Grated Ginger
Black Pepper

Mix all ingredients in blender. Adjust sesame oil and vinegar to reflect desired results. Thin mixture with water or more olive oil depending upon usage.

Thanks to 1997 Farm Apprentice Sophie Bello (now owner of Groundwork Organics)!

 

It has officially been two and a half months since my first day of work here at Horton Road Organics.  I remember the farm tour Bill took us on first thing in the morning and I was immediately overwhelmed.  How would I ever be able to keep the seven fields straight? What if I mixed up Greenhouse 1 with Greenhouse 5?  The flat of newly germinated lettuce looked the same to me as the flat of newly germinated broccoli.  All this confusion made me eager to get started with my apprenticeship because I knew there was much to learn.  Two and a half months in, saying that I’ve learned a lot is an understatement.  Whether it’s by harvesting a new vegetable, accidentally hoeing down a poor veggie and fixing my technique, or sitting down with Bill at the end of the workday to learn about irrigation, each day consists of multiple opportunities to expand my knowledge and experience.

This past weekend I had a friend visit, so of course a farm tour was very first on my itinerary.  I was pointing out each field, which crops were growing where, what was in each greenhouse, and so on when I noticed a look of confusion on my friend’s face.  He was just as overwhelmed as I was on my first day on the farm!  I was too excited to show him around that I forgot my very feelings during Bill’s farm tour on my first day.

My friend was only in town for the weekend, but I was curious about what his first impression as a short-term visitor to the farm was.  If you’re curious as well, keep reading below where you can read a casual interview I had with him.

Me:  What is your experience with farms/farming?

Friend: I have no experience working on farms or farming.  Growing up in the Midwest, a lot of my perception of farming was limited to the massive amounts of large scale corn and soy bean production.  There were other farming practices that were taking place, just at a much smaller scale.

Me: What is your definition of organic?

Friend: Organic… the word you see on every label in Whole Foods.  I guess to me, organic means herbicide/pesticide free.  I also like to think the crop was produced more sustainably… I’m not too sure to be honest.

Me: Having never been to Oregon, what is your first impression?

Friend: Well coming from the desert of Utah and battling 100 degree temperatures, it was a huge sigh of relief to fly in and step off of the plane to 75 degrees and green as far as the eye can see.  The liveliness of the state amazes me, and being a huge lover of conifer trees, I felt a little at home.

Me: Are there any vegetables growing on the farm that are new to you?

Friend: A lot of the salad greens are new to me.  I went around the field with you and tried about all of them.  I cannot stress enough how fortunate the city of Eugene and surrounding area is to have the opportunity to eat such fresh, wonderfully tasty greens.  Back home, people would go crazy for ’em!

Me: What has been your favorite vegetable to eat during your visit?

Friend: My favorite vegetable was the garlic whistle.

Me: What has surprised you most about Horton Road Organics?

Friend: The farm was such a beautiful place full of beautiful people.  The positivity and overall commitment of the farm to produce the best possible food was obvious the second I walked on.  It was a truly beautiful property filled with wonderful energy.

Me: How was your overall experience here on the farm?

Friend: Well I came from a 9 day work excursion where I ran a chainsaw in 100 degree heat, which is extremely stressful on the body and mind.  I kind of walked onto the farm with a very destructive mindset after that.  Being on the farm for the weekend really healed me.  Waking up to serene views, dining on fresh and flavorful veggies, and being surrounded by genuine people was just the vacation I needed.

Although I now have the fields and greenhouses straight, and can tell the difference between newly germinated crops, I can’t say the same for my friend.  However, he left his short visit with gained knowledge, a new appreciation for organic farming, and probably his favorite part, a full belly.

Photo taken by Taylor’s friend

 

Taylor is loving her first experience in Oregon and first time working on an organic farm. Her favorite vegetable to harvest at Horton Road Organics is kale.

Welcome to July! The cooler temps are nice for our crew, but the plants are screaming “Bring on the heat!”. For those of you who are traveling and/or vacationing this week, enjoy your time off and your 4th of July celebrations.

What’s in Box #5?

Salad Mix: We are hoping to provide salad greens as often as possible.  For best storage, keep greens in the fridge, in a plastic bag or other covered container with just a little bit of moisture to prevent wilting.

Little Gem Lettuce:  These are new for us this year.  If you have any feedback on you’ve used them, we’d love to hear it.

Spinach: These leaves are great keepers and can easily last more than a week.  Keep them in a plastic bag or other covered container with just a bit of moisture to prevent wilting.  Keep them out of pooling water.

Green Onions:  Parade variety. These are on a nice rotation for us which is why you are seeing them so often this season.

Carrots: A Nantes-style called Nelson.  These roots are very sweet and will stay fresh longer if you remove the greens.

Basil: This herb will be a continuous crop for us during the season, since we can make multiple cuttings on the same plants.  Basil can turn black if too wet or kept in the coldest part of your fridge.  If you aren’t able to use it all right away, consider drying it or making pesto so that you can enjoy this herb even after the CSA season is done!

Radishes: Cheriette variety.  Another staple on our farm.  These are excellent additions to any salad, tacos, etc.  Eat raw with a dab of butter and some salt to really bring out the flavor.

 

Recipes:

Blueberry Balsamic Dressing

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/242194/spring-salad-with-blueberry-balsamic-dressing/

For mid summer when blueberry harvest is in full swing, try this dressing to add a sweetness to your salad mix. Balsamic vinegar has always been my favorite dressing base to play around with! Try adding other fruits throughout the summer as they are available. I’ll also be looking forward to substituting blackberries in once they begin popping up around the farm. ~ Derek

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Riso filante con la mozzarella (Rice with fresh basil and mozzarella)

Contributed by CSA Member Debra Anyu Savelle

From The Classic Italian Cookbook by Marcella Hazan.

This is nothing more than boiled rice and fresh basil enmeshed in the fine tangles of melted mozzarella. It is another example of how, in Italian cooking, simple handling of the simplest ingredients results in a dish interesting in texture, lovely to look at, and best of all, delicious.

For 4 persons

1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
6 tablespoons butter, cut up
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded on the largest holes of the grater
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, add the salt, then the rice, and mix with a wooden spoon. Cover the pot and cook at a moderate but steady boil until the rice is tender but al dente (depending on the rice, it should take 15-20 minutes). While cooking, stir the rice from time to time with the wooden spoon.

2. Drain and transfer the rice to a warm serving bowl. mix in the cut up butter, then add the basil and mix.

3. Add the shredded mozzarella and mix quickly and thoroughly. The heat of the rice unravels the mozzarella, forming a soft, fluffy skein of cheese and rice flecked with basil green.

4. Add the grated Parmesan cheese, stir two or three times, and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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Asian Quinoa Slaw

Easy Asian Quinoa Slaw

If cooked carrots aren’t your thing, check out this recipe that calls for raw, shredded carrots! Making this Slaw is like creating a piece of beautiful, delicious art. Check out the colors of this dish! ~ Taylor

As anyone who has ever been immersed in a new area of study can attest to, the initial learning curve tends to be grand. I can say that I’ve learned quite a lot within just the past two months of living and working on the farm. As I reflect on the concrete things I’ve learned, I realize that it’s already a lengthy list. Including the ins and outs of such broad topics as searching for and purchasing farm land, selecting what to grow, sowing seeds, cultivation and plant care, soil science and soil care, irrigation methods, greenhouse use, pest and disease control, harvesting, produce pricing, and incorporating into the community. All of which have their own subtopics and all of which I feel I’ve just begun to scratch the surface of. The vast knowledge that is out there and it’s open-ended nature is fun and inspirational. Yet despite the concreteness of the many skillful how-tos, I sense another layer of learning that’s a bit more difficult to express. There is a way that things are done here that, for me, has been enlightening on my own path to discovering purpose in farming. It’s expressed in simple manners – perhaps in Bill’s reliable grain of salt at the end of a discussion that what we’ve learned is just how it’s done here and that there is no one right answer of approach. Or in the concentration that’s formed while harvesting salad greens with our hands and knives as our simple tools. Or seeing and experiencing the direct affect of a farm bed with overly wet and chunky soil on the plant germination and ultimately the harvest load a month into the future.

As I reflected on the importance of underlying topics that I’ve learned while farming here, I thought it would be a good practice for both myself and for our extended farm community (you), to try to get at least a few of them down clearly. Perhaps this may serve as a window into what’s going on here at Horton Road and what we all share in. While I’m sure all of us are forming and living out different forms of purpose, these ideas are surely proving to be strong in shaping mine:

• Working with the changing and sometimes (no, at least half the time) unpredictable natural world
  • Once accepted as the way it is, the sense of interconnectedness to the earth that this brings points to a way of life of all other beings and that of our own human ancestors. The openness that this requires is inspiring.
  • This interconnectedness has an inherent loss of the illusion of control. We cannot control our environment, no matter how hard we try, and we will often be much more at peace when we accept this. This also creates the excitement of ongoing problem solving to constantly adapt to what nature has in store.

• Sharing a clean and healthy energy source for the community
  • How the plants are farmed here ensures that the soil and the plants are happy and peaceful. How they are then shared is also an art in itself. This in turn provides clean energy for the people of the community to go out and extend it in their own unique ways. Soil health, plant health, self health, community health, world health.

• Taking care of the earth (we here at Horton Road Organics are soil farmers!)
  • This choice requires an acknowledgment of the abundance that is provided for us by the earth.
  • The caring for the earth and for others brings about a sense of selflessness. I just finished a pretty great book called How Can I Help? that addresses the delicate notion of helping while remaining open, not allowing the labels of helper and helped to get in the way. I highly recommend checking it out.

Derek is from Eastern Pennsylvania and is here for his first ever organic farming apprenticeship. He is enjoying his first time living in the Pacific Northwest and is excited to see where and what his experience at Horton Road Organics may lead to.

Welcome to Summer!  It is hard to believe that the days are already getting shorter.  We are looking forward to a nice week of mild temps and full work days.  Bill won’t have to water quite as much and we can get in the fields to do more weeding.

What’s in Box #4?

Salad Mix: A true Horton Road staple.  This is our “original” blend which has some of all of the greens that we grow on the farm.  For best storage, keep greens in the fridge, in a plastic bag or other covered container with just a little bit of moisture to prevent wilting.

Little Gem Lettuce:  These small heads are sweet (like butter lettuce) with a nice crunch (like romaine).  A classic use for this lettuce is to cut it in half lengthwise and serve each half, dressed, as a salad.  Frequently sought after by restaurants.

Spinach: These greens are so tasty right now and you can eat them raw or cooked.  The leaves are great keepers and can easily last more than a week.  Keep them in a plastic bag or other covered container with just a bit of moisture to prevent wilting.  Keep them out of pooling water.

Green Onions:  Parade variety.  A versatile allium that is tasty raw or cooked.  Add to salads, eggs, casseroles, tacos, etc.  Remember to use the whole onion from the white part all the way up to the green tip.

Carrots: The first of the season!  A Nantes-style called Nelson.  These small roots are very sweet and will stay fresh longer if you remove the greens.

Basil: This herb will be a continuous crop for us during the season, since we can make multiple cuttings on the same plants.  Basil can turn black if too wet or kept in the coldest part of your fridge.  If you aren’t able to use it all right away, consider drying it or making pesto so that you can enjoy this herb even after the CSA season is done!

Broccoli: Green Magic variety.  Broccoli doesn’t do as well as the temps rise during the summer.  So, this crop is only around for a little while.  Plan to use this within a couple of days.

 

Recipes:

Spring Vegetable Fried Rice
I bought The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen cookbook while attending a gluten free conference in Portland. This is one of the recipes I use the most because it works so well with a wide combination of leftover veggies or meat. The recipe also calls for 2 eggs, but I usually use 3-4 eggs. –Reiden

Source: The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen (Laura B. Russell)
4-6 servings

Ingredients:
2 T + 1 t vegetable oil, divided
2-3 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
1 T grated fresh ginger
4 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 T chopped jalapeno
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 cup asparagus, ends trimmed, spears cut diagonally into ¾-inch slices
1 cup snow/snap peas cut diagonally into ¾-inch slices
3 cups cooked and chilled jasmine rice
½ t salt
2 T soy sauce or Gluten-Free tamari
½ t toasted sesame oil

In a large nonstick frying pan or wok, heat 1 t of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and cook stirring occasionally until scrambled, about 1 minute. Transfer the eggs to a bowl. Heat 1 T of the vegetable oil over high heat. Add the ginger, green onions, and jalapeno and cook, stirring until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the carrot, asparagus, and peas and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly charred (about 2 minutes).

Add the remaining 1 T vegetable oil to the pan. Stir in the rice and egg and cook, stirring occasionally until heated through (about 3 minutes). Add the salt, soy sauce, and sesame oil and mix well to combine. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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Chili Cheese Carrot Dogs

https://theplantphilosophy.com/chili-cheese-carrot-dogs/

I know what you’re thinking, “there’s no way a carrot could replace the taste of an all-american hotdog”, but it is possible! Someway, somehow, carrots have replaced hotdogs without sacrificing the flavor. If you’re looking for a healthier option for a summer barbecue, check this recipe out. ~ Taylor

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Spinach with Crisped Bread Crumbs
This recipe, which comes from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison, can be made with any greens, but I like it best with spinach or beet greens. Sometimes I make the bread “crumbs” by tearing slices of whole wheat bread into large pieces so that they are the size of croutons. The crispy bread texture mixes well with tender greens. ~ Dawn (apprentice in 2012)

½ cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
1 tbsp butter or oil
2 bunches spinach, washed
2 tbsp olive oil, roasted peanut, or dark sesame oil
Salt and freshly milled pepper

Sauté the crumbs in the butter in a small skillet until crisp and golden. Meanwhile, cook the spinach using your favorite method(i.e. drop it into simmering water until done & drain well, or sauté in butter, oil, or bacon grease! In the end, make sure the spinach is coated with oil, salt & pepper. Serve with the bread crumbs sprinkled over the top.