We have discussed in this posting numerous times before about the intricacies of organic food production systems. Hopefully you have an image of this idyllic scaled down version of a tropical rain forest. The more diverse an ecosystem is, the more stable it becomes. We foster and encourage the proliferation of bacteria, fungi, nematodes, insects, plants, birds, wildlife, domesticated mammals and fowl, and us. When the seasons and weather patterns unfold “normally”, the balanced system has a way of buffering our crops from pestilence. Since there is no such thing as normal weather anymore, it seems there will often be an outbreak of an insect population that harms one crop or another crop when we have an unusually cool wet summer.
When
you sign up to be a shareholder of the Elmwood Stock Farm CSA, you agree to
share in the risks of organic food farming in central Kentucky – and crop
damage from insects is one such risks. With so many different vegetable crops,
it is difficult at best for every single crop to do great, every year. We do
our best in managing production, continually making improvements here and
there, using our experience in making decisions while continually learning
more, and ultimately we hope for the best.
With the farm being USDA Certified Organic, we have the responsibility
to provide you wholesome produce consistent with our core organic principles. Here are a few decisions we have made on
your behalf this season, first with your brassica crops, and then sweet corn.
Broccoli,
kales, collards, cabbages, and mustards, and bok choy are all in the brassica
family. They also represent a valuable part of a healthy diet, so we grow these
from early spring until winter kill late in the year. They grow relatively well
in our climate though are a favorite of several insect pests. The main pest is the cabbage looper, which
eats holes in the leaves in the larvae stage (a pale green worm most often
found on the underside of a leaf of the plant.) The adults are “cute white butterflies” to the unknowing. Often a beneficial insect population
destroys this pest in either the egg or pupae stage. If there is a significant
hatch of larvae, we use a biological control that affects only this species of
larvae. This product is derived from plants and has been approved for use on
organic farms, because of its narrow range of impact on the environment. This
year we saw an invasion of a pest we’ve seen before, but not in such devastating
numbers, the harlequin stinkbug. It showed up on brassica crops throughout
Central Kentucky, though we’ve heard from one or two lucky farms that haven’t
seen it yet. It devours the plant
leaves, sucking out the juices, and wilts and browns the plants, seemingly
overnight. There are no biological control measures to control this pest on
organic farms, save completely covering them with thin fabric most often used
for frost protection -- and this needs to be applied before the beetles move
in. With the fall brassica crops coming
on, we will painstakingly keep them covered, knowing we really need to have
more of the good greens going into winter.
Cold weather with freezing temperatures should reduce this season’s
harlequin beetle explosive population.
The
kale or other greens you see at local farmers markets may have been sprayed
numerous times by non-organic farmers with a harsh pesticide in an effort to
control this pest if they have it at their farms. These are the kind of
chemicals that the farmer should wear a respirator and plastic suit for
protection while applying it to the food crop.
A couple of farms that we know about had trouble killing this creature
with numerous pesticide applications.
We made the decision to not expose our farm and your food to such a
toxic compound, but to do without the late season kale until we can grow you a
crop organically. We hope you trust our judgment on this. If we do not have a particular crop and you
shop elsewhere, please source USDA certified organic produce for your own
benefit. Look for the logo.
Just like the American chestnut blight of the
past century, or the current invasion of emerald ash borer that is decimating
the beautiful old ash trees in Kentucky, there are cycles of pests that a
natural ecosystem has no control for. We have confidence that in a few years
the natural enemies will find a chink in the armor of the harlequin bug, and
help us control them during our production cycle. Until then, we will work with
row covers, crop rotation, seasonality, variety resistance, and weather
patterns, to grow crops without toxic chemicals. Thanks for your trust and
support. We think it’s the right way to go.
In Your Share
Dried Beans – organic
Green Beans - organic
Okra - organic
Green Onions and White
Onions - organic
Bell Peppers - organic
Yellow Squash
Tomatoes – organic
Fall Sweet Corn -
organic
Garlic – organic
Eggplant
Lettuce - organicRecipes to Enjoy
Spaghetti with Eggplant Sauce, our thanks to a CSA member for sharing this recipe she adapted from viewing
several found online, serves 3 or 4
1 pound eggplant, cut into ½ inch slices
1/3 C extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
2 springs thyme or oregano, chopped
1 C chicken stock or water
6 leaves basil, sliced thinly
salt and pepper
chopped fresh tomatoes
1 pound spaghetti
Lightly salt the slices of eggplant, stack them
back together and let sit for 20 minutes.
Put the olive oil in a wide, heavy saucepan, add
the garlic cloves, and set over low heat. Dry off the eggplant, cut it into
chunks. When you start hearing the garlic sizzle a little and can smell it,
drop in your eggplant and stir to coat it all with oil. Turn up the heat a
little bit to medium high and add the thyme or oregano and stir. When the
eggplant is turning translucent and softening, add the liquid, let it come to a
boil, and turn it back down to medium-low. Let it bubble for a bit and cover
it, leaving a crack for steam to escape. Stir once in a while so that the
bottom doesn’t stick.
After about 20 minutes or so, the liquid in the
eggplant pan should be mostly evaporated and the eggplant should be soft and
melting. Mash it with a fork or spoon, and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Toss the eggplant purée with the spaghetti that you
cooked al dente. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and basil.
Roasted Eggplant Burgers, our thanks to a CSA member for adapting this recipe, makes 4
burgers.
1 medium
eggplant
1/2 C rolled
oats, toasted
1/2 C walnuts,
toasted
1 C fresh corn
2 garlic
cloves, minced
1 egg
½ C fresh
parsley, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
1 C panko or whole-wheat
breadcrumbs
2 T extra
virgin olive oil
4 whole-wheat
buns
To make the patties, start with the eggplant. Slice
them into 1/2-inch slices and sprinkle a generous amount of salt over each
slice; let sit for about 30 minutes. This will draw out the moisture of the
eggplant, making for less soggy burgers.
In a small skillet, sauté the corn with the garlic
in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil for about 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Roast the eggplant slices for about 30 minutes, until they start
to brown. Remove from heat and cut into chunks. Let cool a little, toss them
into a food processor. Add the oats, walnuts, corn, egg and parsley. Season
with salt and pepper, then pulse a few times to incorporate everything.
Pour the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. With your
hands, create little patties with the eggplant mixture, and pat them into the
breadcrumbs. You can freeze at this
point, or refrigerate until ready to cook.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet, and cook each
patty until nice and browned, about 7 minutes total. Serve
with your favorite fixings, mozzarella melted on top is wonderful. Can be
frozen after cooked.
Green Bean
Quiche, a Cornelia
Adam recipe
6 oz bacon
1 large onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of dried thyme
2 eggs
7 oz herbed soft cheese
2/3 C crème fraiche
1 tsp paprika
16-20 oz green beans, trimmed and snapped
9-10 inch premade pie crust
In a skillet over
medium heat, sauté the bacon until most of the fat has melted. Add onion and cook until translucent. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Remove pan from heat.
In a bowl, blend
the eggs, cheese, and crème fraiche.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, and paprika.
Preheat oven to
400°F. Distribute the green beans in a
star shape in the crust, and sprinkle with the bacon-onion mix. Pour the egg-milk mixture on top. Bake the quiche until the filling is set and
the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
