none at all, a little , way too much

Okay I cant help but talk about rain. 2 months ago I was wondering if we would ever see the fruits of our labor due to the severe drought, frequent frosts and highwind. But then it finally rained . Everything started growing and as you can see by the picture of one of our March harvests , I was very grateful and all the CSA members were happy.

We all felt happy and hopeful when the rain came. So then we planted corn and potatoes on valentines day. It rained that night and up came the corn and the potatoes. Then no rain for 10 days then HIgh winds and just as the corn came to 12 inches high it frosted. Now if it had rained the day before the frost the corn would have been fine but without moisture we lost most of the corn, squash and tomatoes. So we planted again ,it rained and up came the new corn ,some of the sqwuash recovered and the tomatoes are coming along. The beans are up too and all is well....
i hope
Last weeks share was good as usual. I am hoping there will be a good share this week but.... now its rained alot.

As most of you know the main farm is on Harbert road in Kurten about 18 miles from town. My father and mother in law keep thier cows out there so they keep on eye on things for me when I can not get out there daily. My father in law said the garden was still there just a little wet. So today I decided to go out to have a look and pick some veggies for todays shares. Well the creek has done rose!!!! things were wet enough yesterday but last night and this morning we got a total of 5 inches of rain on top of the 6 or so we have had in the last week. We never could make it to the farm because most every pond , tank and creek was over its banks and several bridges were closed between Bryan and Normangee. Maybe I need to get a boat.... Hmm I wonder if the IRs will count that as a farm expense.....

Well luckily my backyard garden has faired well with all this rain(but not as much as Kurten) and we were able to make shares for everyone.

The cost of Frost

I am sure that those of you who read my blog are wondering whats up...no blogs from vicki
Ive been busy replanting.. At the beginning of april all looked really great . We had a little rain , the corn was 6 inches high and the potatoes were 12 inches high.. Then came the wind sucking the mositure out of the plants and MR Frost came sailing in for 2 hours. The corn took a huge hit and the potatoes got nipped , 73 tomato plants gone along with the squash. I was devastated. Luckily it was early enough that I have had time to replant but we wont be eating corn and squash until 3 weeks later than planned.

The weather is what makes farming such a challange. The drought in Texas has been devastating for most farmers. For me on a small scale the losses equate to thousands ( no crop for the farmers market or HEB. ) But luckily with watering ( thank you Wixon Valley water) I was able to meet my commitment to the CSA members with a little left over . I got off easy. FArmers north of Bryan though got hurt bad. Most every farmer who planted from Temple to NOrth Bryan lost thier entire corn crop. A client of my husbands called for Sorghum seed to replace the 90,0000 of corn he lost on his 300acres. To make things worse as I learned on my income taxes he cannot write this loss off as an expense. Its not easy to be a farmer..

So why do we do it.. I do for the joy of when things do grow, for being in the sunshine and seeing the look on the faces of the people who get the produce. It makes the struggle worth it and makes me appreciate life.

The good news is .. the new crop of corn is up and the potatoes are recovering. See you later

Spring Break locavore style

Spring break is here and with that comes a change in my routine ...well at least for a week. Just like every parent we have to think of things to do during that week. For our family it is a chance to do one of the things we enjoy most ...cooking . So my husband and I are home this week and we have brought out the recipie books and magazines to find ways to incorporate all the wonderful things we grow in our garden . This is a great oppurtunity to teach the boys how to cook by letting them loose in the kitchen with a recipie and a little supervision. It occupies thier time and helps them take responsibility for answering that question all parents hear far too much during vacation....What are we going to eat???!!!

During this break Micah my 17 yo is learning to make pasta . So far it is going great. Last night we had Beef Stogonauff with homemade eggnoodles and lemon parsley gremolata accompanied by fresh spring salad (from the garden ) and Italian lemon pie. Yum

Tonight is Ravioli stuffed with a meat or cheese which will be seasoned with ingrediants from the garden and tomato sauce made with the last of the homegrown tomatoes from last falls harvest. Our accompanying dish will be sauteed spinich.

Now that I have made you hungry here are some of the recipies

Lemon parsley gremolata

lemon peel from 1 whole lemon ( yellow only)use vegtable peeler then chop finely
1/4 cup frimly packed fine chopped italian parsley
4 garlic cloves finely chopped
mix together
Serving suggestion
Toss with 3 cups of cooked pasta, 2 tablspoons of olive oil, 1/2tsp kosher salt and 1/4 cup parmesian cheese

serve over any stewed beef or lamb

Sauteed spinach

1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2tsp redpepper flakes
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 heads of spinch about 1 lb
1Tbsp balsamic vinager
1/4tsp of kosher salt
Sautee farlic and pepper flakes in oil in a large saute pan for 1 minute over medium hear.
Add spinach in batches cooking about 1 minute before adding next batch. Using tongs turn the spinach allowing it to wilt Oce wilted season with salt and finish with balsamic vinager.

Hope you have a great week and eat well.

stress or starvation

The lack of rain has been a serious issue in Texas for several months. I have been forced to change the way that I do things in the garden as a result of it. I am not a big fan of watering but in order to make a harvest out of the investments that i have made in out land in Kurten I have been watering 2 x a week. . Its not easy to water 3/4 of an acre . I have had to build irrigation using 1/2 inch pvc pipe sections about 20 feet long with 4 sprinkler heads and a hose connection . I have built a total of 10 of these so far . and I move them around the garden. I have also started using the system used by the A&M system digging trenches between my rows and running water down the trenches in order to water the roots of the plants. It takes a long time to dig a trench 100 feet long 5 x in one afternoon.

The stress of ]all this work is exhausting but my efforts are paying off and the plants are growning. But of course not like they could be if

if it would just rain.

This drought has really made me think about how reliant we all have become on the modern water sources we have available . Im not sure what i would have done 100 years ago if i was trying to grow food for my family with a shallow well or if I was really lucky a tank to get water from. I guess we would have been really hungry. I would really like it if any of you old timers out there could tell me how your parents or grandparents would get through times of drought like we are having now.

Have a great week. I think it is going to rain on SAturday.... . Vicki

A New year

It has been a long time since I have been on the blog . I could give a million excuses but I will just blame it on the holidays...... Although I have been neglecting the blog I have not been neglecting the garden. In between working as a nurse and dealing with the holidays I have been spending the majority of my free time preparing the garden for the spring . Since October we have put 8 tons of compost into the garden soil in Kurten and redesigned the watering system. Changing the watering system became a necessity as we have had so very little rain in the last few months.

I am happy to say that the hard work is paying off and thanks to the rain we had last week we are right on target for pickup to start in late January or early February.
So what do we have to look forward to.... Early on we will have spinich, lettuce , kale, collards, broccoli , cauliflower ,beets, swiss chard, and herbs. In march we should have green onions and if all goes well with my covered rows ,green beans and all kinds of crazy asian greens that can be used for salad or stir frys.

That leads me to the next topic ... why greens in the winter... We need more nutrients in the winter to boost our immune system when we are not getting as much excercise and sunshine like in the warmer months Unlike summer vegtables which have alot of water (which we need more of in the heat)and lower amts of nutrients per ounce, winter vegetables like greens, broccoli and cabbage ,spinich and swiss chard have a high density of nutrition and have the least calorie content. Leafy green vegetables are:• low in calories• low in fat • high in protein per calorie • high in dietary fiber • high in iron and calcium • and contain high amount of phytochemicals particularly beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene• Contain carotenoids, flavonoids and other powerful antioxidants that have cancer protective vitamin A, vitamin C, lutein and folic acid• Good source of enzymes besides all that they have all these wonderful properties
Low in Calories: Green veggies make great food when you’re on a diet. Green beans, cabbage, leafy greens are low starch and low in calories and can help fill your stomach with nutrition, but not calories.
High Protein: Vegetables like broccoli and romaine lettuce have high protein content. It is interesting to note that plant protein is superior to protein that you get from meat sources because it is much easier to digest. A half cup of broccoli contains 3 grams of protein. Certain blue-green algae like spirulina and chlorella contain a protein content which is higher than any meat, soy and wheat. Spirulina consists of 65-70% protein and does not contain any fat.

Phytochemicals: Green vegetables are rich in phytochemicals, particularly romaine lettuce – and darker green leafy vegetables like spinach, zucchini, brussels sprouts, garden peas, Swiss chard, kale, collard greens, mustard greens and turnip greens. These green vegetables contain the powerful antioxidants beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Dark, leafy green vegetable a day may keep the ophthalmologist away! Zeaxanthin and lutein are two carotenoids that are found within the retina of the eye. A six-year research study at the National Eye Institute, Maryland found that lutein and zeaxanthin may nutritionally help to protect against blindness (macular degeneration). It was found that lutein and zeaxanthin can help to reduce the risk of AMD.1 Macular degeneration affects 1.2 million Americans.
High Fiber: A diet high in fiber content helps prevent constipation, and also aids in lowering cholesterol and weight loss management. Green vegetables are rich in fiber content particularly broccoli, spinach, swiss chard, mustard greens, green peas, kale and other dark green leafy vegetables
High in Calcium: Calcium is important for strong bones and teeth. Calcium in the blood helps regulating the functions of muscles and nerves. It is important for clotting of blood. The outer leaves of cabbage, broccoli leaves, turnip greens, mustard greens, collards, and kale are especially rich in calcium.
High in Iron: Iron is found in hemoglobin, the red pigment in blood, which is essential for transporting oxygen in the blood to all parts of the body. Iron is also required for many metabolic reactions. Iron is needed in cellular reproduction, which is an ongoing process in the body. The extra iron is stored in the liver, bone marrow, and the spleen. From here it is converted into hemoglobin as and when the body requires it. Green vegetables are especially rich in iron, especially avocado, asparagus, and broccoli.
Potassium and Magnesium: The American diet is said to be low in potassium and magnesium. These minerals are present in high amounts in dark green vegetables. Potassium and magnesium can be linked to healthy levels of blood pressure and blood sugar.
Folate: Folate is a B vitamin. Folate promotes heart health and is said to help prevent certain birth defects. Folate is necessary for DNA duplication and repair.
Vitamin K: Just one of cup cooked deep green vegetables supplies nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K. Vitamin K is essential for the clotting of blood.Normalizes pH level: Too acidic a pH level is caused by a diet high in sugar, starch and fats. Green vegetables can nutritionally help your body normalize its pH level.
Enzymes: Enzymes support a healthy digestive system. When eaten raw, green vegetables are a good source of enzymes. Enzymes help to break down food, into smaller substances so that the nutrients can be absorbed by the body. Enzymes also help to eliminate parts of foods that are not useful to our bodies. Remember, generally the greener the food the higher in nutritive content.

So here is my recipe of the week.... Simple and Easy. Greens and Garlic..... 8 cups of chopped greens, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tablspoon of minced garlic and a dash of cayenne pepper. Heat oil in a wok , cast iron fry pan or a non stick skillet over med high until it starts to bubble add the garlic and cayenne , cook for 30 seconds , then add greens stirring for 4 minutes or until bright green and just starting to get tender add salt give a quick stir shut off heat and cover. Serve within 5 minutes with your favorite pan seared pork, steak or chicken and a baked/ or microwaved sweet potatoe for a complete nutrient packed , satisfying ,high fiber, immune system boosting meal.
Have a great week ....

Apples, Cranberies and Lobster

What a strange title... I am thinking about those things because I just got back from a trip to New England. My husband and his parents and I went to see the foliage . Charles parents have never seen the leaves in color so as a way to celebrate thier 50th wedding anniversary we took them on a guided tour of New England. Charles's dad is a farmer and plant breeder so he was very interested in seeing farms. His only other request was to eat seafood everyday.

I grew up in New England and have many friends in the fishing business. One of first stops was to a small fishing villiage called Pemiquid. Its harbor is full of lobster boats . It was a beautiful calm day but the boats were not out. I asked my friend Ricky who is a part time lobster man and he said that the problems in the economy had trickled down to the lobsermen. People were not eating lobster becuause it is a luxery item and the price had dropped down so low to $2.00/lb that the fisherman could barley afford to take thier boats out. The fish buyers will still marking them up and making a profit. There are no subsidies for lobstermen. I enjoyed the cheap lobster and ate as much as I could. If anyone out there wants a contact for some cheap lobster let me know

Next we went to an apple orchard for fresh apples and cider. My father in law( who is a farmer and a plant breeder) was so excited to see a real cider press and orchard . He had never had fresh apple cider before and it was so cool to see his face when he tried it. The local small orchards have had to change the way they press cider because of all the food contamination scares. Instead of using a wood press they use stainless steel now . Many old presses have gone out of business. Luckily this orchard could afford the equiptment . The cider was great. This cider has a disclosure on it stating it has not been pasturized and it may be unsafe for people to eat raw food. Thank you government for the warning but Ill take the risk Some things are just better not heat treated.

The last day of our trip we went to a small cranberry bog . We were lucky and the owner was there and gave us a tour. We got fresh cranberries and all the csa members will get a 1/2 pound bag this week. Massachusetts used to be first in cranberry production until about 1995 ( mostly small family farms)but when everyone realized how nutritious cranberries were large company owned farms were started in Wisconson and the price dropped from $1.50 a pound wholesale to 60 cents. Many of the small picturesque bogs have been sold for realestate because the families could no longer afford them. It felt good to be able to buy my cranberries direct from a family grower. The cranberries I bought were spray free . The farmer said that becuase she did not spray her cranberries were not as perfect as the ones raised on commercial farms and so she was only able to sell them for juice price. I am glad to know I have spray free cranberries and the look and tast great.

Im sure by now you are getting my point. It is important for everyone to support small local agriculture . Without our support All the things I love to eat that made my trip to New England wonderful could be a thing of the past . I appreciate your support for my farm and I hope you are enjoying the taste of real food.

Speaking of real food. We had a frost at our farm in Edge. The summer squash took a hit and so did the peppers. Luckily I still have some peppers and squash growing in town in Bryan. What was strange about the frost was that My in laws garden which is 5 miles up the road from mine in Edge had no frost at all. So I guess those tomatoes will keep coming for the next couple of weeks. Next week the long awaited Broccoli should be ready . I am so excited. See you at pickup....

Cows and Volunteers

Farming always has its surprises some good and others not so good. In early July I had a beautiful stand of small watermelons in the garden I was very excited about them because there was not much else besides purple hulled peas and okras left to harvest. Well one day as I was sitting in the living room relaxing my husband comes in and says... its a good thing you are relaxed... you won't be for long.... the cows got in the garden.

Well as you could expect 22 cows can eat some plants. I learned that they love little watermelons and overripe cucumbers. They do not like purple hulled peas very much and they don't even touch the eggplants.

So here is the surprise.... they must have stepped on quite a few of the small watermelons becuase in August after we got that rain and I had spread compost all over the garden watermelon plants just started popping up everywhere in the section they were before. Well I let about 25 of them grow and surprise this week after the rain we have little watermelons . They should be ready for the first scheduled pickup next week!!! What a treat. One was ready to pick today so it cut it open while i was working in the field and it was amazing.

Of course now we have what I hope is cow proof fence.

Speaking of cows we have have grass fed beef cows available for sale. We will deliver to the butcher of your choice and you must pay for the butchering separately. Please contact us if you are interested and we will give you the price details.

Here in Bryan and CS we were spared with the hurricaine . The rain was a blessing for us and my gardens look great. However there are lots of people in shelters in B/CS who did not fare so well. . Please consider volunteering at your local shelter. The experience will be as sweet for you and the people you help as one of my volunteer watermelons. NOw that I don't need to be watering everyday I will be giving up one of my days in the garden to help out with the health care needs of the evacuees. They need help badly. Hope you can help too.