When Elmwood Stock Farm got north of 5 inches of
rain in a few days’ time, we witnessed an organic farming system perform
admirably, as Mother Nature intended. Farming by definition is manipulating the
natural ecosystem to reap an edible product in an efficient manner. But when
she throws torrential rain into the picture, that manipulation best be well-planned
to protect and preserve the capacity to grow food.
Each field has its own distinct personality with
respect to soil type, slope, underlying geologic structure, and historical use.
Many of our fields are permanent pasture, as they are not conducive to
cultivation without extreme risk of erosion. When cropping a field, these
considerations are taken into account to determine which direction the tractor
and plow will travel to “open it up”. This term refers to flipping the sod over
to decompose the plant material to feed the impending crop. It effectively
means the soil is now exposed to the elements and potential erosion from heavy
rains, as there is no mat of plant material to soften the impact of the drops,
and no plant roots to hold the soil in place. The rows of plants are oriented
on the contour as a mechanism to hold back the rainwater every 38 inches like a
little blockade. This also encourages the water to soak into the soil uniformly
throughout the field. As the plants develop on our rows of crops, they form an
underground wall of roots that physically hold the soil particles in place.
Since our fields are undulating in their topography, we often have rows going
in different directions in the same field. You may also see narrow strips of
grass that project up into a field. This is called a sod waterway, where no
cropping occurs. This allows for natural surface water drainage from a field
with the sod holding the soil, and filtering dislodged soil particles from
leaving the field.
While the plants are getting their root system
established we depend on a strong soil food web to hold our soil in place
during a heavy rain. (Google ‘soil food web’ images to get a mental picture
about this.) The soil food web is an
intricate balance of bacteria, fungi, nematodes, protozoa, algae,
micro-flagellates, arthropods, insects at various life stages, earthworms,
ants, even mammals living in harmony under the surface of the soil. When a good
balance of this underground jungle is achieved, these creatures work in harmony
to feed one another, and provide the right physical environment to prosper.
Given an opportunity to organize, they will form aggregates of all shapes and
sizes that facilitate not only their communal habitat, but the ability for
water and air to filter deep into the ground. A healthy soil will use these
aggregates to hold together in the event of a large rain, rather than liquefy
and run away with the water down the slope.
Once the crops are established, we also have to
cultivate the weeds between the rows, to prevent them from robbing nutrients,
water, and sunlight from our crops. This physical destruction of the weeds and
top surface of the ground is disruptive to the soil food web. We try to
minimize the amount of tillage we employ, and pay it back when we rotate the
field back into perennial plants for several years. As a crop nears maturity,
we hold off on additional cultivation. While this may not be as aesthetically
pleasing to the eye, it does not negatively impact the crop in question and
helps the soil food web maintain balance. It also minimizes raindrop splatter
keeping the crop cleaner and holds people upright better while harvesting.
Longer season crops are grown through strips of plastic mulch used for weed
control and water retention in dry weather. These strips of plastic shed the
rainwater, effectively doubling the amount of water in the area between the
strips of plastic. Severe erosion can occur in the instance of a big rain
event. We purposely sow ryegrass between the rows of plastic. This mat of
plants and their roots hold the soil, preventing erosion and facilitates the
work of the harvest crew. Soil that is repeatedly driven or walked on while
wet, will become compacted, compromising the soil food web. The sod mat
distributes the weight of a vehicle or human over a larger area, thus reducing
the impact. The mud stays in the field, versus coming into the packing shed on boots
and harvest tubs.
Luckily, the timing of this recent big rain came
after most of our crops are established. The cover crop between the rows of
plastic is well established. Where the early lettuce and over-wintering spinach
had been tilled under for later plantings, only narrow bare strips a few rows
wide were exposed to the elements, so no runoff was seen there. Elkhorn Creek
did not breach its banks and flood the cucumbers and squash. The alfalfa hay
fields could not be cut and baled for hay as planned, which will reduce the
protein content, but still hopefully will be enough to meet the needs of the
cattle and sheep this winter. The chicken feed stayed wet
in the trough, but since chickens like rain better than heat, their strong
appetites encouraged them to eat all the feed anyway. The harvest crew never
complained and most everything got picked and packed, as if it had been sunny
all week.
Weeks like last, build character, fortitude, and
resolve at Elmwood Stock Farm. We can tough out a little rain better than we
can force our way through a drought. It feels good to know that in spite of it
all, our members are eating wholesome organic food, and the farm held up to Mother
Nature’s test.
In Your Share . . .
Broccoli – organic
Cabbage – organic
Carrots - organic
Cucumber
Lettuce – organic
Green Bell Pepper - organic
Summer Squash Medley
Lacinato Tuscan Black Kale Greens – organic
Recipes to Enjoy . . .
Tangy Coleslaw
Quinoa Salad, our thanks to a CSA member for
sharing this enjoyable recipe!
1 C cooked quinoa
1/2 head of green cabbage, shredded
2 medium carrots, grated
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 C white vinegar
1/4 C vegetable oil
1 heaping T sugar (or 1 T honey)
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
Couple dashes of ground black pepper
Whisk together the last six ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. In a separate bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrots and onion, then pour the dressing on top. Cover and let stand for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to incorporate.
Combine the quinoa and the slaw in a large bowl & mix well. If you like a lot of flavor, pour the rest of the dressing into the salad (don't worry, the quinoa will absorb it almost instantly!). Otherwise, serve on its own or as a nice meatless side dish, and enjoy!
Spicy Stir-Fried Cabbage, Our thanks to a CSA member for sharing this recipe originally from the
NY Times. She reports it is mighty
tasty and only takes 5 minutes to prepare. Serves 4.
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp red
pepper flakes
1 star anise,
broken in half
2 tsp soy sauce
(more to taste)
2 T rice wine or
dry sherry
2 T peanut or
canola oil
1 small cabbage,
1 to 1 1/2 pounds, quartered, cored and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch shreds
1 medium carrot,
cut into julienne
Salt to taste
2 T minced
chives or cilantro
Combine
the garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and star anise in a small bowl. Combine
the soy sauce and wine or sherry in another small bowl.
Heat a 14-inch
flat-bottomed wok or a 12-inch skillet over high heat until a drop of water
evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in the oil by
adding it to the sides of the pan and tilting it back and forth. Add the
garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and star anise. Stir-fry for a few seconds, just
until fragrant, then add the cabbage and carrots.
Stir-fry for one to two
minutes until the cabbage begins to wilt, then add the salt and wine/soy sauce
mixture. Cover and cook over high heat for one minute until just wilted.
Uncover and stir-fry for another 30 seconds, then stir in the chives or
cilantro and remove from the heat. The cabbage should be crisp-tender. Serve
with rice or noodles.
Summer Squash
with Pesto, Bacon and Goat Cheese,
adapted from a Farm-Fresh and Fast recipe by Fairshare CSA Coalition
3-4 pieces
uncured bacon
2 T olive oil
1 large sweet
onion, thinly sliced
salt
2 massive or 4
smaller summer squash, cut in into ¼ inch slices
1 T ground herbes
de Provence
2-3 T pesto
1-2 C roughly
diced fresh tomatoes
crackers,
crumbled or croutons
2-3 oz fresh goat
cheese, crumbled
freshly ground
black pepper
In a large
skillet, fry the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove from skillet and set aside to drain
on a paper towel. Break into crumbles
when cool.
Without wiping
the skillet, add the olive oil, sliced onion, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-high heat. When the onion is starting to caramelize
(about 15 minutes), toss in the squash and the herbs. Brown the squash slices on both sides, then add the pesto,
crumbled bacon, tomatoes, and pinch of salt.
Stir everything together over medium heat until the tomatoes are done
(skin splits). Serve topped with
cracker pieces or croutons, goat cheese, and black pepper to taste. Serves 2 to 3 as a main dish.
Sesame Noodle
Salad with Cucumbers, recipe
from Farm-Fresh and Fast, can be enjoyed as is, or served as a bed for grilled
chicken or steak.
16 oz spaghetti,
broken into thirds
4 T soy sauce
3 T toasted
sesame oil
2 T light olive
oil
6 T lime juice
dash cayenne
3 cucumbers,
seeded and thinly sliced
2 carrots, grated
(optional)
6 radishes,
grated (optional)
3 green onions,
minced
3 T finely
chopped fresh cilantro
3 T toasted
sesame seeds
Cook the pasta
according to the directions, drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside. Meanwhile, prepare a dressing by whisking
together the soy sauce, oils, lime juice, and cayenne. When the noodles are cool, toss with the
dressing to coat. Stir in the
cucumbers, additional vegetables (if using) and remaining ingredients.
