Turtle Times

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Vol. 14, No. 4, June 2, ‘09     7260 NW 58th St., Johnston 50131  278-4522 (577-9208)

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Rain: 5/26/09, 2.0”

In the Box . . .

Pac choi ‘Mei Qing’

Lettuce ‘Speckled’ Grandpa Admire’, ‘Merlot’ or ‘Black Seeded Simpson’

Arugula or water cress

Spinach ‘Hector’, ‘Whale’, ‘Tyee’, ‘Renegade’

Radish ‘Pink Beauty’, ‘Cherry Belle’ or ‘French Breakfast’ and ‘Plum Purple’

Green garlic

Asparagus (for some)

Pansies, edible flowers

Ala carte options: Herbs ($1 ea.) rosemary, lovage, tarragon; Flower bouquet , false indigo/peony ($10). 

Free to anyone requesting it:  Marjoram

Email if you want any of these free or ala carte items (info@turtle-farm.com)

Farm Update

We were delighted to have the nice 2 inch rain last week, even though it put us on hand weeding duty most of the week.  The raspberries needed it.  We are watching the green strawberries swell and grow bigger.  Perhaps in another week or so, they will be starting to ripen.  We are sad to report the death of a bull snake at the farm—a victim of our bird netting we use on the lettuces to keep the deer out.  The tiny ring-necked prairie snakes we’ve seen this week could easily slither through it, but the large bull snakes get their heads through and then can’t get out.

Sometimes not matter how hard you try, things don’t work out as planned.  There are many rules for organic certification.  For example, because there are not enough organic sweet potatoes available, we are allowed to purchase conventionally grown slips as long as they have not had chemicals or synthetic fertilizers used on them.  For the past 5 or 6 years we have gotten these from Harvey’s in Adel.  This year I put in my order as usual, although in the process, I was saddened to learn that Mr. Harvey had died, so I spoke with Mrs. Harvey instead.  When I went to pick up the plants, which I expected to be bare root as usual, I discovered they had potted up the sweet potatoes two days earlier in order for them to hold well for us—a very kind gesture.  However, that little step snapped their organic status in the bat of an eye because their soil media has conventional fertilizer in it.  When things like this happen, I call up my friend Maury Wills at the Dept. of Agriculture Organic Division to discuss my options.  Were I to plant these slips as is, the ground where I put them would have to be taken out of organic status for three years.  If I wash the soil media off the roots, and then plant them, I don’t have to take the land out of organic status, but I can’t call the sweet potatoes organic because of their two days in banned soil.  Of course, I am opting for the latter.  So, your sweet potatoes this year will not be considered organic, and now you know why.  You have been officially notified.

Other farmers can have bad days as well.  Earlier this season we ordered roots for a new asparagus bed, which we got planted just before a nice rainfall.  The timing was great, Ben was perfecting the trench digging and covering of the plants with the tractor, and we were feeling pretty smug.  Then two days later I got a phone call from the farmer in Oregon who sent us the roots.  Somehow, he got his map of his asparagus patch turned upside down, then dug and sent us the wrong variety.  Instead of ‘Jersey Giant’, we had ‘UC157’.  Even the name didn’t sound very appetizing to me although he said it was the most popular variety grown in California.  I was nervous about the flavor of an untried variety. A little research on the Midwest university sites provided data that production was not as good for that variety here, so I asked that he send us the correct variety, and luckily he didn’t want his plants back.  So all we had to do was find space for more asparagus, wait for dry weather to plant it, and feel bad for that poor Oregon farmer.

T-Shirts

I wasn’t going to order any t-shirts this year, but I’ve had several requests.  Anyone who wants a t-shirt should go to www.broken-arrow.com, scroll down to “color charts”, then “Gildan” to select a color.  Send me your color and size requests pronto.  I expect the price to still be about $15.

Recipe

With some boned chicken and broth in the refrigerator, and the bounty of turnips in my hand, a new dish created itself this weekend.  I slowly browned an onion and the sliced turnips in olive oil.  The chicken and broth were poured over these, heated to a simmer, and the chopped turnips greens put over the top and steamed.  Season to taste.  Yumm.

Linda Hanson sent in this radish recipe that she likes.  Any of you that want to send in recipes, please do, and I will try to get them in the newsletter in a timely manner.

Orzo, Radish and Chive Salad (epicurious)

½ c. Orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

1 ½ T. mayonnaise

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

4 radishes, quartered and sliced thin

1 T. minced fresh chives

Cook orzo in boiling salted water about 10 minutes.  Drain well and combine with mayonnaise and lemon juice. Stir in radish, chives, salt and pepper to taste.  4 servings.