Week #13 2014 CSA

Produce this Third Week of September 2014

Red Leaf Lettuce,  Romaine or Green Leaf Lettuce,  Tomatoes or Broccoli Florets,  Summer Squash,  Yellow Beans,  Basil,  Beets

 

News from the Farm….

On Monday, when going out to feed the geese, we were met with a shocking sight.  Inside the moveable electric netting fence…a dead goose.  And the obvious culprit: a red-tailed hawk!  The attacker had been caught in the electric netting fence!  He (or she)  must have filled up on that goose and then, belly chock-full, was unable to fly back up over the fence quick enough, getting its leg caught.  In the struggle to free itself, it just kept getting more and more tangled until it finally gave up. It took three of us and almost an hour of working the leg loose to free it.  The hawk had no injuries at all and we released it.  The hawk took flight only to get about 3 or 4 feet above the ground (probably due to exhaustion from struggling all night and the full belly).  Jenny, our Australian shepherd (who learned to stay away from this electric fence by getting shocked herself on it) now had the opportunity to protect her geese from their attacker.  She went running down the field under the hawk.  There we stood yelling and screaming for her to come back.  She was not going to let this intruder go, however and with a running leap, pulled it out of the air.  Our frantic calls, then finally sunk in and Jenny released the hawk on the ground.  At this point we snapped the picture below of this magnificent bird before it regained its momentum and it then flew off.  (Just wish it had been caught in the net BEFORE it got to one of our geese!)

HIGH TUNNEL NEWS…Progress continues and we now have the forms set for the end walls and the plastic on!

Marinated Summer Squash and Beet Salad

1 bunch beets, cooked, peeled and thinly sliced

1 red onion, thinly sliced, greens sliced also

1/4 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp tarragon

1/2 Tbsp sugar

2 yellow summer squash, sliced and then cut in half

1/2 tsp dill

3/4 cup sour cream

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Toss together the beets, and onions with 1/8 cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp vinegar and 1/2 Tbsp sugar.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  In another bowl toss together the squash slices, the rest of the oil and vinegar, and the dill.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Just before serving, drain the squash and toss all the vegetables together with the sour cream.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Add additional sugar and vinegar if desired for a more sweet and sour taste.                         Adapted from greengatefarms.net

Doc and Olivia: still happy together after all these years….

Jenny herding young cattle

Next week……………………..kale or chard, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage