Tuesday 11 December 2012


Hey Folks: 

The new menu and harvest schedule is up for 2013.

If you have received a Flyer in the past couple of days, thank-you for taking the time to check our site.  You can learn more about us, our produce, and the advantages of purchasing a subscription for a full season's worth of great eating!

If you are considering signing up for the first time (or returning for another year), feel free to contact me - I will be glad to answer any further questions.

Bob


Leaves, leaves, and more leaves - we are expanding our selection of greens to ensure that you are getting every variation in flavour, color, and texture.  See below for more details.

Also, check out the Curious food page for some interesting information about the relationship between leaves and antioxidants.


Lettuce
A mainstay through the season. Full shares receive two heads per week (or three small), half shares one (or two small). When heat stress in midsummer causes lettuce to go to seed early, we harvest them at a younger age - thus the “small“ heads. We provide an array of Red, Green, Romaine, and some miniature lettuces. Our Winter Lettuce – Brune d’Hiver – is a small Romaine that tolerates cold well. It’s outer leaves dry out and (I presume) contribute to the plant’s longevity in cold conditions.

Expected frequency – every week, though it is possible that very hot conditions may interfere with production.



Kale, Chard, Spinach
These three crops are our workhorses. In the field, they are reliable, tolerant to many weather conditions, easy to harvest, and are great space and time savers on the farm. On the plate, they are also very versatile. Available mid June through October.

Expected frequency – once every 3 to 4 weeks, though Spinach germination in hot weather can be erratic, so another heat tolerant crop may replace it during mid-summer.

Kale: Substitutes well for cabbage - may be steamed or cooked into omelets and stews. Toscano variety may be grated fine and added to slaws. I have heard that larger leaves can be used for cabbage rolls. Extremely cold tolerant – can be harvested from under snow.

Chard: Cooks similar to Spinach or Beet greens. Our favourite method is in Omelets and Frittata’s – a quick and easy to prepare work lunch that I have taken to calling “Chardge!” Some folks have requested baby leaf only. I have tried this and found that it is too time consuming to separate the baby leaf effectively.

Spinach: Similar to Chard, but also very good raw. I have found our Spinach to be very mild. Very cold tolerant.


Mini Broccoli
A new endeavour for Whitsend. Requests, the need for heat tolerant crops, and a desire to find a Broccoli that works on this farm are all reasons that I am trying these two crops this year.

Te You: Also known as Chinese broccoli. Thick stems and crispy, flavorful leaves with a mini-broccoli floret. Heat tolerant. Available early to mid summer.

Hon Tsai Tai: Similar to broccoli raab in use, with a sweeter flavor and delicate texture. Young flowering shoots add a sweet, mild mustard flavor to fresh salads, lightly steamed, in stir-fries, or in cream-based pasta dishes. Available mid to late summer – grows best as the days shorten.


Asian Greens
These are all in the Cabbage family, so placing them in the rotation schedule is tricky for two reasons. First, most vegetables suffer when grown in soil that previously grew cabbage family crops. Second, Flea Beetles love these crops, and will nibble the leaves, so the crops should be planted away from other Cabbage family plants (such as Broccoli, Kale, Arugula, Turnips, and Radishes). Considering the popularity of these crops and the size of my field, including these crops into the production plan is proving to be very challenging.

Expected Frequency: Once every 3 to 5 weeks, depending on time of season.

Tatsoi: Spoon shaped leaves are dark green and glossy with thin white stems - for salad and braising mixes. Available spring and fall.

Yakuna Savoy: Similar to Tatsoi, tolerates heat. Available midsummer.

Pak Choi: Great for braising or stir-fries. Available spring and possibly early fall.

Vivid Choy: Mild Asian Green with colored stems and serrated leaves. This versatile variety can add color to a mild baby mix, or as rainbow stems for braising or stir-fry. Somewhat heat tolerant. Available late spring.

Komatsuma: Heat tolerant greens with dark-green, glossy leaves and white, juicy midribs. Use in salads, as braising greens, boiled or pickled. Flavor grows stronger as plants mature. Available mid to late summer.

Cold Tolerant Crops
These crops are very intolerant to heat, and may only be available in early June or mid to late fall if there is a cool spell in mid august (See Coriander below for the reason why).

Cress: Very dark green, glossy leaves are deeply divided. Rich in Vitamin C, calcium, iron, and especially Vitamin A.

Mache: Delicate salad leaf with incredible cold tolerance, one of the few leaf crops that may be harvested from under snow. Mild flavour. I had some difficulty growing this one in the field, but I may have it figured out for next year…

Chicory: Leaf that works well in salads. Prefers cool temperatures, available in spring and possibly early fall.

Arugula: Cabbage family plant with good cold tolerance and some tolerance to heat. For those of you who find its flavour too strong, I find it moderates well in a blend of salad, adding a nice accent to lettuce. I also discovered that it complements Tomatoes very well in a burger or sandwich – no need for condiments!

Green Wave Mustard: Another cabbage family plant with good cold tolerance and some tolerance to heat. Bright green color most commonly used in salad mixes to add contrast. Flavour similar to mustard or pepper.


Heat Tolerant Crops
These crops are dependable at a time when interruptions can be expected with the crops that prefer cooler weather.

Expected frequency – once every 3 to 4 weeks from mid July to late August – more if other crops suffer from the heat.

Orach: Specialty green for salads or cooking greens. Purple orach has a deep purple upper leaf. When cooked like spinach, orach has a mild, nutty flavor.

Golden Purslane: Golden purslane has golden stems and large, succulent, light green leaves that are packed with Omega 3. Individual leaves are oval to round and thick, about the size of a teaspoon. Tangy flavor.

Callaloo: Cooks like spinach for soups, stews, or vegetable filling for patties or somosa. Apparently, smaller leaves can be eaten raw, though I tried this and was not impressed – too tough. Incredible tolerance to heat, this one did not flinch during the drought of 2012. Also provides Oppopeo-like flower stalks when going to seed. Related to Amaranth.

Coriander and Parsley
I have placed these two together for a couple of reasons. First, few customers seemed to show much interest in these. This is a complete contrast to my work in the specialty produce shop, where they seem to be in high demand. They are Carrot family crops, and easy to place in a rotation schedule. However, they have some twists to their growing conditions.

Coriander: Tolerates heat, though requires cool temperatures to germinate. As such, I can only guarantee it in the spring, until I find out how to get a more reliable germination in the summer. Available in spring to early summer, possibly available early fall. Indispensable with curry, this crop adds a savoury flavour to soups, stews, vegetable stuffing and patties. I am not as familiar with it as Parsley, but I have seen that fresh Coriander drives customers wild at Byward Fruit Co. By the way, if you prefer the Italian or French name for this crop, say Cilantro. It is the same thing.  If that is not confusing enough, some also call it Chinese Parsley...

Parsley: Tolerates dry heat – wet leaves and heat will cause the plant to suffer from a fungal disease. A very cold tolerant leaf vegetable.

Most folks seem to consider this crop as dispensable. Parsley is an outstanding addition to soups, stews, and salads. It’s distinct (yet mild) flavour blends well with boiled or mashed potatoes, risotto or pilaf rice dishes, on fish, chicken, lamb or goose, steaks, meat or vegetable stews. It is a primary ingredient in carrot salads, and many middle eastern dishes such as Tabouleh. Persillade is a mixture of chopped garlic and chopped parsley in French cuisine. Gremolata is a traditional accompaniment to the Italian veal stew, ossobuco alla milanese, a mixture of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. Considering its versatility, I am amazed that there are so few requests for it…I often munch on it while working in the field, and it usually winds up in my lunch salad at the farm.