Now that we have finally incorporated the majority of our cover crops into the soil, there is plenty of open ground for the consecutive and seasonal plantings that we do. Some things we plant every week throughout the season (spinach, lettuce, cilantro, dill, basil, and more) to allow continuous harvesting week in and week out. Then there’s the seasonal plantings of potatoes, winter squash, sunchokes, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and perennial herbs, that only get planted once a year. Diversity, as a strategy, has its positives not only for pest control but also for countering the risk of crop losses of any one particular crop.

Crop diversity is also a lot more interesting for our field crews. Growing 50+ different crops throughout the year keeps everyone hopping. In terms of variety, indeed we do farm our 65 acres as if it were just a very large but efficient backyard garden. It should be said that we would be nothing if it weren’t for the cast of characters that comprise Route 1 Farms and make it all work. Right now the crews consist of about 25 field workers who are putting in 10 hours a day 6 days a week. Hard work but a whole lot less monotonous than if we were mono-croppers. Then we have the office and market crews that interact directly with the public. As the foodie revolution evolves more and more people hunger for cooking tips and nutritional knowledge.  One of our jobs is gathering food and cooking information and disseminating it to our friends and supporters and at the farmer’s markets. See you out there!

Spend a lovely evening on the farm, sharing a meal prepared from fruit and veggies grown right in the fields you will be dining in.

We’ve had so much fun the last two summers hosting dinners and sharing the farm that we have decided to do it again.  This season, we have three dinners planned and we would love to have you join us!

For each dinner, we collaborate with local chefs to create menus that highlight what is in season and abundant on the farm at that time.  Share the table with friends and family and make new friends as we dine family style in the fields and under the trees for a magical evening.

July 1: Ocean St. Extension farm with  Chef Kevin Koebel of Local FATT and Rouge Chefs fame.

August 12: Rancho del Oso farm at Waddell Creek with Chefs Adrian Cruz and Saul Terran of Gabriella Cafe.

September 30: Ocean St. Extension farm with Chef Damani Thomas of Oswald’s.

Tickets can be purchased here for all three dinners. You will need to create a member login to access the ticket sales site. Each dinner is listed under the Add-Ons section.  CSA members receive a $10 thank you discount.

Usually we direct seed the winter squash seeds, but this year we decided to transplant the seedlings because of the heavy pressure from the ravens. In the last few years the populations of ravens and crows has increased dramatically along the coast. Not sure why as they have typically been found in more inland habitats, but lately they have started to enjoy the fruits of coastal living, which means going after freshly planted seeds in the ground. They seem to be able to sniff out a squash seed before it emerges and hone in on its’ location. Think we fooled them this time though : ) On the fruit front, if the number of blossoms means anything, it looks like we are going to have a really excellent crop of Golden raspberries soon as blossoms are plentiful on the vines.

Last but not least, we would like to thank all our new CSA shareholders. It’s going to be a great season. If you are interested in joining our CSA please visit our website for more information and to sign up! We now have a pick up site in Scotts Valley so tell your friends!

Our crew has been hard at work mowing and incorporating cover crops, forming beds and then sowing seeds or transplanting starts from our greenhouses.  Some of the crops that we have recently put into the ground are: potatoes, beets, sunchokes, lettuce, cilantro, dill, parley, parsnips, carrots, spinach, kale, cabbage, basil, tomatoes, sweet peppers and flowers. We are well on our way to filling all of our beds with the produce that will feed our farmers’ market customers, CSA shareholders and retail stores.

Time: 25 minutes
Makes: 1 generous cup

1/2 pound rinsed nettles
(use gloves when handling raw)
4 large garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 cup toasted and chopped pine nuts (or walnuts)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer. After rinsing, add the nettles to the pot and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes (this denatures their sting).  Pour into a colander to drain. When the nettles are cool enough to handle, wrap them in a clean dish towel and wring out as much water as possible, like you would for spinach. You’ll have about a cup of cooked nettles. Pulse all the ingredients in a food processor to your desired consistency.  Once you have your Garlicky Nettle Pesto ready, cook up a pot of pasta and mix with the pest or put it ontop of eggs or use as a topping on some crusty bread.  The possibilities are endless, all you have to do is use your imagination!

Bones of the recipe brought to you by:

http://jessthomson.wordpress.com/

Makes about 2 cups

Saag Paneer
Prep time: 15 min.
Cook time: 15 min.
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
*1 1/2 lbs. fresh spinach, well washed, drained & stemmed
*2 T. ghee, clarified butter, or unsalted butter
*8 – 12 oz. paneer cheese (or Halloumi), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
*2 medium onions, finely chopped
*scant 1/2 t. fine grain sea salt
*3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
*1 T. grated fresh ginger
*1 T. spice mixture* (see below)
*1/4 t. turmeric
*1 C. buttermilk
*splash of cream or dollop of plain yogurt (optional)
*fresh lemon to finish, and toasted sesame seeds to sprinkle

Method
Chop the spinach well, and set aside in a large bowl.

While you’re chopping spinach, cook the paneer in one tablespoon of the butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Make sure the paneer is in a single layer and use a spatula to flip it regularly so all sides get deeply brown. This typically takes 7 minutes or so. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Heat the other tablespoon of butter in your largest soup pot. Add the onions and salt, and sauté until the onions soften up, five minutes or so. Add the garlic, ginger, spice mixture, and turmeric. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and nicely combined – a minute or two.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the spinach to the pan all at once, if possible. Cook, stirring all the while, until the spinach is collapsed and wilted, a couple of minutes. If you need to add the spinach in batches (adding more spinach as it collapses), that is fine too, just do it as quickly as possible.

Stir in the buttermilk and cream and simmer another 3 minutes or so. If the mixture seems dry, add more buttermilk a splash at a time (this rarely happens to me). Taste and add more salt if necessary and more red pepper flakes if you like. Add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice, stir in the paneer, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

*Spice Mixture: Use a mortar and pestle or spice grinder to grind the following spices as finely as possible: 2 T. cumin seed, 1 T. coriander seed, 2 t. mustard seed, 1 t. red pepper flakes, 1/8 t. cardamom seeds, 3 whole cloves. Store in an airtight container and use as needed.

Bon Appétit | June 2009 via 101cookbooks.com

Rainbow Chard – Ocean St. Ext.

Red Dandelions – Waddell Canyon

Red Kale – Waddell Canyon

Baby Romaine – Waddell Canyon

Curly Parsley – Waddell Canyon

Oregano – Ocean St. Extension

Mint – Waddell Canyon

Sage – Waddell Canyon

Artichokes – Rodoni Ranch

Persian Lime – Ocean St. Ext.