July 2-Whole Farm/Summer CSA

*** A reminder that normal Thursday deliveries will be going out on Wednesday this week due to the holiday!

Exciting things happening on the farm this week! You-pick strawberries started this Saturday and will continue through the rest of the summer. Lots of flowers are popping up in the fields which are exciting to harvest and see those summer colors. The market stand will also be open for the 4th of July this week from 9am-1pm. Swing on in for extra produce, meat, or eggs for your 4th of July festivities!

Full Share: lettuce mix, collard greens, broccolini, cucumber, beet bunch, rhubarb, basil, garlic scapes

Half Share: lettuce mix, cucumber, beet bunch, garlic scapes, rhubarb, basil

*don’t forget your monthly chicken

Hello all!! My name is Shane, and I am a member of the veggie crew here at GVB. This week, I have been given the weighty task of composing the weekly newsletter, a publication which, I’m told, is to include a brief introduction as well as information about what I do at the farm and a recipe for the CSA box.

I started working at GVB in May of 2023, and after a 7 month break for school, I returned for this year's summer season. I am admittedly an east coast transplant, I was born and raised in Vermont, but I have found near limitless joy in exploring the vast landscapes of Montana and participating in the local food system.

In an attempt to illustrate what it is that I do at the farm, I have written an account of my Monday, July 1st. I pulled into my parking spot by the sheep at 6:57 this morning. Out my windshield the soft-yellow gray light of early morning rested on the tops of the peas (which are rapidly climbing their way up the long wire trellises and look marvelous). At 7:30, I was staring into the technicolor face of a viola, a little guilty that I had to harvest it for an order of edible blossoms. By 10 I was fully engaged at the sinks of the wash pack, where a heap of hakurei radishes lay in disarray on the drying table (if you’re trying to imagine what it might be like to wash hakurei radishes, place your hands under the cold stream of a hose and listen for the whirring of a walk in refrigerator fan). After lunch, in the long quiet of the afternoon, I stood amongst the red stems and broad leaves of the rhubarb patch, my feet set wide apart, swinging my harvest knife down in an ungraceful sort of hacking motion which left the sticks of rhubarb square on both ends, occasionally glancing down the row to watch my veggie crew companions, as they too ruthlessly hacked the rhubarb into clean bunches. Walking back to my truck at 3:30, I paused again by the sheep, the soft green pasture full of their munching.

This week's CSA includes some lovely bundles of rhubarb (note the nice square ends) and my favorite way to use them is in a lovely seasonal sort of pudding.

  • -  Cut a few sticks of rhubarb into nice big chunks (a little longer than a finger)

  • -  Toss em in a saucepan of some kind and squeeze in the juice of an orange

  • -  Add maybe half a cup of sugar and set the heat to medium, when the rhubarb begins to

    soften put a lid on and turn off the heat

  • -  While the rhubarb is stewing make some whipped cream, there's a lot of freedom here,

    some recipes recommend the addition of ground cardamom for a hint of warming spice

    and a touch of greek yogurt (folded in after the fact) for a little body and acidity

  • -  Spread some whipped cream in a bowl, scoop on some of the stewed rhubarb and you

    have a delicious late spring dessert that takes maybe 15 minutes!

Recipes

Beet Borscht with Shaved Cucumber Click Here!

Turnip Fried Rice- Below

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings: 4 to 6 people

ingredients

  • 2 large turnips peeled and chopped

  • 2 Tbsp avocado oil

  • 2 large carrots peeled and chopped

  • 1 large crown broccoli chopped

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp minced ginger

  • 3 Tbsp coconut aminos

  • 1/2 tsp sea salt to taste

For Serving

  • 3 large eggs scrambled

  • 3 green onion chopped

  • 1 Tbsp sesame seeds

  • optional add chicken

Intrucutions

  • Wash and peel the turnips. Chop them into 6 to 8 large chunks and place them in a food processor. Pulse until rice-sized pieces form. Note: You may need to stop the food processor a couple times to scrape the sides and continue processing.

  • Add all ingredients except the coconut aminos, eggs, green onion, and sesame seeds to a large wok or skillet. Heat over medium-high and sauté until much of the liquid has burned off and the turnip rice begins to stick to the pan, about 8 to 10 minutes.

  • Add the coconut aminos and stir well.. Toss in scrambled eggs, chopped green onion, and sesame seeds. Taste the fried "rice" for flavor and add sea salt to your personal taste. Serve alongside your favorite entree.


Have a great fourth!!



Jacy Rothschiller