I’m not sure what it is in the air this spring. One of my father’s favorite saying when I was growing up was “Don’t Do Dairy!”. This past month his negativity about bovines has felt somewhat prescient. It wasn’t just the time a few weeks ago when our friend’s cows escaped during the night and we helped her chase them through the neighborhoods of Wiscasset. It wasn’t even the time, and time after that, and the time after that, that our bull Toaster escaped to visit the ladies (see last week’s newsletter). I’m not even talking about how Toaster then busted through his maximum-security lock-up in the barn. But the last straw, the one that resulted in some hysterical laughter on my part, was when apprentice Cara was surprised by Daisy the cow right outside her door at 11pm last night. Bill and I were sound asleep, and poor Cara had to sneak into our house to wake us up. Dog barking, children sleeping, cows on the loose, visiting volunteers wondering what the heck was going on out there… an average peaceful night on the farm.. We all stumbled out into the night, shook the grain bucket to bring in the cows, and fixed the fences by headlamp. The real problem was that in the morning we found that their late-night munchies had lead them right to the tender kale and chard seedlings that had just been set out on tables outside the greenhouse. They skipped some trays and mowed down others. But today, after taking a deep breath, we started new seedlings and are optimistic that some of the mauled ones will recover. We can’t wait for this season of cow insanity to pass. In the meantime, though, we’ll thank our cows for their milk and then double-check and triple-check the fences!
We hope you enjoy the Hakurei turnips this week. The tops are good to eat like standard turnip greens, but the turnip itself is what is so special. I think that Hakurei are best enjoyed fresh, like a milder, creamier radish. You can cook them or pickle them too, of course, but I love to crunch on them raw or with a little vinaigrette drizzled atop.
Please remember to return your milk and yogurt jars this week! And as we are in the third week of the Spring CSA, start looking towards the Summer share. If you want to add on any Summer extras (yogurt, milk, cheese, mushrooms, chicken, eggs—not sold out after all!, oil & vinegar, tofu, and honey), they are all still available. Let me know if you’d like to add on any additional shares, and we’ll get you signed up in time for the first week of the summer season.
Click here to see a picture of Cara with the stellar Saturday spinach harvest. Have a great week and enjoy your fresh salads, green smoothies and crunchy slaws!
Be well,
Reba and the HCF crew
Spring Greens CSA Week 3 of 4: Hakurei Turnips, Radishes, Spinach, Arugula, Mesclun Mix
Spring Week Three Add-ons: Milk, Bread, Tofu, Cheese, Mushrooms, Oil & Vinegar, Yogurt, Eggs
This week’s recipes: Spinach and Chickpeas, Roasted Hakurei Turnips and Radishes
HATCHET COVE FARM 