Food Farming and Crop Rotation
We get a lot of
questions about vegetable growing in general, questions about organic
specifically, and questions about farming with both plants and animals. So, we’ve allotted more newsletter space
this season to production issues, and so far have shared details on the soil,
insects, watering, weeds, and of course, the weather’s effect on all of
it. Well, why does organic farming
work? One reason is the employment of
crop rotation, today’s topic.
The acreage at
Elmwood that is suitable to tillage without the risk of erosion is where we
plant the food crops (flatter fields, not the hilly ones). Before this
disruption of the soil occurs, it must be in the right condition to meet the
needs of the ensuing crop. Everything
here starts with alfalfa, commonly referred to as the Queen of forage crops.
Alfalfa is a leguminous, tap rooted, broadleaf plant emerging from a seed about
half the size of a sesame seed. It is slow to germinate and establish itself
when planted in the fall, so we sow a fast growing small-grain like wheat or
barley at the same time. This small-grain grass germinates quickly, holding the
soil, and helps keeps weeds from trying to grow that would compete with the
small alfalfa plants. In early summer,
we harvest the wheat heads, leaving behind the alfalfa. The wheat is considered a nurse crop,
helping to give the alfalfa seed a chance to get established, though eventually
it is used in another part of the operation -- just last week, John harvested
the wheat grain with a small combine.
We can feed the grain to poultry or use the seeds to plant with alfalfa
in a similar method later this fall.
We know this variety of wheat does well on this farm, so saving our own
organic seed is a sustainable key.
The alfalfa will
be cut for hay numerous times for four years to nourish the cattle and sheep in
winter. The taproot of the perennial alfalfa plant will penetrate deep into the
soil, breaking up the harder clayey profiles and retrieving nutrients. Each
time the plant is cut for hay, an equivalent amount of root mass dies, since
there is not enough leaf area to support it all. These dead roots are
decomposed by the microbes, releasing a wealth of nutrients for the new roots
to feed from. It also opens
up channels for air and water to feed the microbes.
In
addition to all of this, the symbiotic relationship the plant has with a beneficial
microbe is the dramatic part of the story. Alfalfa seeds are inoculated with a
specific strain of microbe before planting. The microbe will attach itself to
the root, forming small pink nodules. While the plant is providing safe haven
and nutrients, the nodules are extracting nitrogen from the air and feeding it
to the plant. Any nitrogen produced that is not need-ed by the alfalfa is made
available to other grass plants and soil biota. After four years of this soil
building and animal feeding farming, the land is plowed and tilled to prepare
for vegetables.
Generally,
the high-value, long-season, heavy-feeding crops like tomato, pepper, melons,
and sweet corn are the beneficiaries of this vibrant soil. When they are
finished being harvested, we will plant some of that wheat seed in the fall to
hold the soil, play host to the michorizae fungi, and keep weeds from encroaching.
This wheat cover crop is easily tilled the following
spring for short season crops like greens, broccoli, lettuce, beets, etc. Actually, we can get two crops per year from
this same acreage, as many of these same crops grow well into winter, and the
second planting will hold the soil and provide food for fall CSA shares. The
next spring, this land will be planted to the self-feeders. These are legumes
like green beans, dry beans, and peas. After they are harvested, in comes the
alfalfa and wheat nurse crop, setting up the 7-year cycle to begin anew. A huge benefit to utilizing crop rotation is
that insect pests and plant diseases often get lost in the shuffle, neutering
their ability to hurt the crops.
As members of
the Elmwood Stock Farm CSA, you now not only know where your food is coming
from for the season; you know where it will be growing next year,
and
the next, and the next: a testament to the crop rotation planning that is
necessary to ensure your produce will be healthy, productive, and wholesome. Hopefully, it feels pretty good to know where
your food will be coming from year after year.
In Your Share
Blackberries-
organic
Savoy
Cabbage – organic
Sweet
Corn - organic
Cucumber
Eggplant
Green
Bell Pepper
Tomatoes
– organic
Tomatillos
– organic
Fennel
– organic
Garlic – organic
Kohlrabi - organic
Recipes to Enjoy
Roasted
Ratatouille,
our thanks to a CSA member for sharing, she roasted the veggies on a pan
with parchment paper on her gas grill, and mentions that this is a great way to
enjoy fennel if you don’t have a lot of experience with it. Try including your Sungold cherry-type
tomatoes if you don’t eat them all fresh!
1
large
onion, cut
into 12 wedges
12
garlic cloves, peeled
¾
lb eggplant cut
in chunks
½
lb
zucchini, cut
into ½ inch rounds
1
lb plum tomato, cut into 4
wedges
1
fennel
bulb, trimmed and cut in 12 wedges
¼
lb
mushroom,
cut in quarters
1
sweet
red pepper, cut in strips
1
yellow
sweet pepper, cut in strips
1
T
chopped fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
1
T
chopped fresh rosemary or ½ tsp dried rosemary
½
tsp salt
½
tsp
pepper
¼
C
shredded fresh basil or ¼ C chopped fresh parsley
1
T
olive
oil
1
T
balsamic
vinegar
Spread onion,
garlic, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, fennel, mushrooms, and sweet peppers in
large lightly oiled roasting pan.
Sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Stirring occasionally, roast vegetables in
pre-heated 400° oven for 45 minutes, or until tender and browned. Toss with basil, olive oil and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Blue Cheese Coleslaw
Our thanks to a CSA
member for sharing this easy, tasty recipe.
¾ head Savoy
cabbage, shredded
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 C mayo (light
is fine)
4 oz blue cheese
crumbles (1 C)
4-5 green onions,
diced
red grapes,
halved
salt and pepper
Mix lemon juice,
mayo and blue cheese crumbles. Stir in cabbage, green onions and red grape
halves. Season to taste with salt and
pepper.
Eggplant Casserole
1 large or 2 medium
eggplant, peeled and cut into cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper,
chopped
½ C butter
16 oz canned or frozen
tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes peeled and coarsely chopped
5 oz jar Old English
Cheese spread
1 C cracker crumbs
Worcestershire sauce
Dried cayenne pepper
flakes
1 C breadcrumbs
½ C grated Parmesan
cheese
Paprika
Boil eggplant pulp
for 15 minutes. Drain well. Sauté onion and green pepper in butter until
tender. Add tomatoes, English cheese,
cracker crumbs and pulp. Season with Worcestershire
and cayenne to taste. Put into casserole
dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, Parmesan
cheese, and paprika. Bake at 350° for
30-40 minutes.
Eggplant
Involtini, our thanks
to a CSA member for sharing this new recipe she really enjoyed.
1 T extra-virgin
olive oil
2 lb tomatoes,
seeded and coarsely chopped (about 3 large)
½ tsp kosher
salt, divided
4 garlic cloves,
crushed and divided
12(1/4-inch-thick)
lengthwise slices eggplant (about 2 medium)
¼ tsp freshly
ground black pepper
cooking spray
2 T pine nuts,
lightly toasted
1 oz whole-wheat
French bread, toasted and torn into pieces
8 oz part-skim
ricotta cheese
1 tsp grated
lemon rind
1 large egg
¾ C chopped fresh
basil leaves, divided
2 oz
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about ½ C) and divided
Combine oil and
tomatoes in a medium saucepan; stir in ¼ tsp salt and 2 garlic cloves. Bring to
a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until
reduced to 2 C. Cool 10 minutes. Place mixture in a food processor; process
until smooth. Set aside.
Preheat broiler
to high. Sprinkle eggplant slices evenly with ¼ tsp salt and pepper; arrange
slices in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Lightly coat eggplant
with cooking spray. Broil 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Cool
10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Place remaining 2 garlic cloves in a mini food processor; pulse until chopped. Add
nuts and bread; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form. Add ricotta, lemon rind,
and egg; process until smooth. Stir in ½ C basil and ¼ C Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Spread 1½ C
tomato sauce over the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish
coated with cooking spray. Spread 2 T ricotta mixture onto each eggplant slice;
roll up jellyroll fashion. Place rolls, seam sides down, over sauce in dish.
Spoon remaining sauce over rolls. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ C Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining basil to
serve.
