Week of July 12, 2020

Veggies from the farm this week include red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, rainbow chard, Italian basil, zucchini, summer squash and bok Choi

Through the Eyes of a Farmer

With so much life on a farm there is, unfortunately, death. There is, in fact, death just about every day, and so it is something that I have become very intimate with in terms of acceptance, but have not become immune to its impact. It could be the death of a tray of romaine lettuce that never made it out of the greenhouse into the field to be planted because the exhaust fan in the greenhouse broke and it got too hot; or it didn’t get enough water that day. It could be the chicken that got captured at dusk by a fischer or mink because she was enjoying the cooler evening, pecking around and got left out of the hen house that night. Or, it could be something like what happened in this past week, where I lost two of my beloved horses: My beautiful cremello mare that, despite our efforts through the wee hours of the night, succumbed to colic. And my Wildfire. My horse who was with me through the worst of times, who helped teach my son to ride, who I had to make the decision to let the vet euthanize this Tuesday because he had become so neurologic that he couldn’t feel his back legs. His mind was all there, but his body had failed him. As a fight or flight animal, he became aware over the weekend, that he had no flight. I then knew it was time, as I could see the fear in his eyes. It was a delivery day. Time on a farm waits for no one. Not illness. Not fatigue. Not weddings, birthdays or certainly not grief. The cows still need to be milked twice a day. The pigs, chickens, cows still need to eat and drink. The plants watered, weeded and harvested. A farmer takes this all to heart; all of this life. And the death.

Basil Vinaigrette

1 bunch basil leaves

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup olive oil

4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Wizz all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Enjoy over lettuce.

Zucchini and Summer Squash with Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has many health benefits. Paired with the nutrient density of Zucchini and Summer squash, you have a power packed side dish. Stir in one of the ancient grains such as amaranth or quinoa and you have a main dish! Toss in some sausage or crumbled ground beef to add heartiness!

Heat coconut oil in large saucepan until melted. Add minced garlic, onions, sea salt and pepper to taste. Add sliced squash. Stir to coat. Cook over medium heat until desired texture is reached. Adjust seasonings.

Next week……beets, scarlet kale, arugula