CSA Week 7

Vegetable List

Golden Beets
Sweet Summer Carrots
Romanesco Cauliflower
American Dream Sweet Corn
Cucumborama
Orion Fennel
Ailsa Craig Sweet Onions
Bell Peppers
Concho Hot Peppers
San Marzanos
Tomatoes
Some Kind Of Zucchini and/or Summer Squash

Notes from the Farm

The cows are a big part of the farm... we don't keep many, and we don't do all that much with them, but they are an intense regulatory force in our scene.
I really think that the cows are the ticking heartbeat of our farm. In the winter when the days are slow, the cows are consistent. In the summer when the days are hot and long, the cows are consistent. The cows are consistent. Every day they need some grass, some water, some space to walk around, and a moment to ruminate. Its the perfect beating heart outside of my body.
The two girls we have right now have been with us for a while... and we love them. They've been with us since the Porter days. Mutha', I picked up outside of Concord New Hampshire in 2012, picked her out of a big herd, just had a good feeling... and Beltie, added a year later, was a breeder reject, the belt around her midsection wasn't all that good, a cull cow we picked up on the cheap, she doesn't moo, she coos... coos when she's happy, coos when she's sad. And the both of them have thrown a ton great calves over the years.
We've had dozens of cows, but these two have stuck, they are the still point of our turning world.
I mean, we don't keep them because it's profitable, or for meat (although we do eat them), or because of any logical reason... we keep cows because we love them. They are our very calm friends. We all have those friends... the ones that when you get together, all your troubles melt. We are, for better or worse, terrible at maintaining human friendships, so we keep cows. We keep cows for a calming force in our lives...
And really, they are not pets, they are not commodities... they are something different. At our farm, our cows exist beside us, in a Hinduian autonomy, like some kind of in this arcane hyper-pre-modern-ultra-animalistic equanimity.
Equally stewards and stewarded, yanged yin, unchasamably united.


Recipes

Sliced Fennel with Parmesan

1 bulb fennel, fronds reserved
1 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Freshly ground pepper
1. Using a vegetable peeler or sharp chef's knife, peel or cut the cheese into thick, bite-size shavings.
2. On a work surface, cut fennel in half lengthwise, then slice into 1/4-inch-thick wedges.
3. Season fennel salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Top with fennel fronds and cheese shavings.


Mexican Corn

Coarse salt
4 ears corn, husks removed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cups freshly grated queso fresco
Cayenne pepper
Lime wedges, for serving
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add corn and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
2. Place a thick wooden skewer or dowel lengthwise up through base of each ear of corn. Working with one ear at a time, spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise over kernels. Using a spoon, sprinkle 1/2 cup queso fresco over mayonnaise. Season with cayenne pepper and serve with lime wedges.


Corn Fritters

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg
2 cups yellow corn kernels (from 2 ears corn)
Vegetable oil, for frying
Honey, for serving
1. In a large bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and cayenne. Add milk and egg to flour mixture and stir together to create a batter. Add corn and fold to combine.
2. Heat 4 inches oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 375 degrees. Working in batches, using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons, drop batter by the tablespoon into the oil. Cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through and deep-golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes; adjust heat as needed to keep oil temperature between 350 and 360 degrees. Transfer fritters to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Season to taste with salt, and serve immediately with honey.