Wealth Underground Farm

Share #25! Novemeber 16th 2011

2011-11-16T11:26:00.000-08:00

In your share today:
Arugula/Mustard Mix
Radicchio
Fingerling Potatoes
Parsnips
Rutabaga
Delicata Squash
Pie Pumpkin or Buttercup Squash
Onions
Radishes
Garlic
Cayenne Peppers

Recipe:
Sausage, Pear and Parsnip Stuffing (from Epicurious)

Ingredients:
* 1 1-pound loaf unsliced egg bread, crust trimmed, bread cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
* 2 cups 1/4-inch cubes peeled parsnips (about 5 medium)
* 1 pound breakfast-style bulk sausage
* 6 tablespoons (about) unsalted butter, melted
* 3 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
* 1 cup chopped dried pears
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
* 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 1/2 pounds under-ripe Anjou pears, unpeeled, halved, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 1/2 cups)
* 1 cup plus additional canned low-salt chicken broth
* 5 large eggs, beaten to blend

Prep:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place bread cubes on large rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven until just beginning to color, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheet. Transfer to large bowl. Maintain oven temperature. Steam parsnips over boiling water until tender, about 4 minutes.

Sauté sausage in heavy large pot set over medium-high heat until brown and cooked through, breaking into small pieces with back of spoon, about 7 minutes. Transfer sausage to strainer set over bowl. Add enough melted butter to sausage drippings to measure 6 tablespoons; add to pot. Heat over medium-low heat. Add leeks, dried pears, sage, nutmeg and parsnips to pot and sauté until leeks are tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; stir in sausage.

Heat 2 tablespoons melted butter in same pot over medium-high heat. Add fresh pears and sauté until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to bowl with parsnip mixture. Add 1 cup broth to same pot and boil until reduced almost to glaze, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add to parsnip mixture. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover bread and parsnip mixture separately. Store bread at room temperature. Refrigerate parsnip mixture.) Add parsnip mixture to bread. Season with salt and pepper. Mix eggs into stuffing.

To bake stuffing in turkey:
Loosely fill main cavity with stuffing. Add enough broth to remaining stuffing to moisten lightly (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Generously butter glass baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.

To bake all of stuffing in baking dish:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough broth to stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 to 1 cup). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with butter foil, buttered side down; bake until heated through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes longer.

Vegetarian option:
Roasted Parsnip Bread Pudding
Ingredients
* 1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
* Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
* 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons), melted, plus more for dish
* 2 large leeks, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, and rinsed well (about 3 cups)
* 1/3 cup dry white wine
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 5 large eggs
* 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 loaf (12 ounces) brioche, crust removed and bread cut into 1-inch cubes

Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle parsnips with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, shaking occasionally, until caramelized and tender, 23 to 25 minutes. Let cool. Reduce heat to 375.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a medium saute pan until melted. Add leeks, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add wine, and return to heat. Let simmer until reduced, 1 minute. Add thyme, and remove from heat. Stir in roasted parsnips.
3. Whisk together melted butter, heavy cream, eggs, and 3/4 cup Parmesan in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add leek-parsnip mixture, then fold in bread. (Mixture can be refrigerated overnight.)
4. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish, and pour parsnip mixture into dish. Cover loosely with parchment, then foil, and bake until golden brown and puffed, 50 minutes. Remove parchment and foil. Sprinkle with remaining cup Parmesan, and return to oven. Bake for 10 minutes more. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Share #24: November 9th, 2011

2011-11-09T10:56:00.000-08:00

In this weeks share:

Garlic, Swiss chard, leeks, daikon radish, parsnips, carrots, delicata/buttercup winter squash, chickories (escarole), shallot

We had a few friends out to help mulch the blueberry patch. There was a lot of melancholy talk about next summers fruit.

Recipe:

This recipe is adapted from CUESA (Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture) website.

Ginger and Cider Braised Winter Squash with Toasted Walnuts

Ingredients:

2 medium winter squash (about 2 pounds)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee
1 garlic clove, minced
1 inch piece freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 cups fresh unfiltered apple cider or juice
1 cup water
2 teaspoons brown rice or apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Walnuts or almonds, toasted and chopped

Cut off the stem of the squash and split lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut each piece lengthwise in half again, then crosswise into 1/2-inch -thick slices.

Melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over low heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not brown the garlic.

Add the squash to the skillet, then the apple cider, water, vinegar, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat at an even boil until the cider has boiled down to a glaze and the squash is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and season with pepper, and additional salt if needed. Top with fresh cilantro and toasted nuts and serve.

Share #23 November 2nd, 2011

2011-11-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

In your share today:
Fingerling Potatoes
Rutabaga
Parsnips
Delicata Winter Squash
Leeks
Onion
Garlic
Sweet Peppers
Hot Pepper
Eggplant
Kale
Radish/Turnip (farm pickup)

Recipe
Shepard's Pie w/ Rutabaga
Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

* 1 Leek, sliced in coins
* 1 sprig fresh rosemary, plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
* 1 sprig fresh thyme
* 2 dried bay leaves
* 1 clove garlic
* 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, plus more for rutabagas and potatoes
* (optional)2 pounds boneless beef chuck or leg of lamb for stew, cut into 1-inch pieces. Can substitute more veggies or meat alternative.
* 2 medium onions, chopped
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups dry red wine
* 1 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium canned beef stock or veg. stock
* 4 carrots, cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces
* Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3 rutabagas (about 3 pounds), peeled and cut into large pieces
* Fingerling or Russet potatoes (about 2 pounds), cut into large pieces
* 1/2 cup hot milk, or more if needed

Directions

1. Tie rosemary sprig, thyme, bay leaves, and garlic in a small piece of cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni; set aside. Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until hot. Melt butter, and brown meat in two batches, taking care not to crowd the pieces or they will steam and not brown; transfer meat to a bowl using a slotted spoon and set aside. Add onions and leeks; cook until slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Return meat to pan and sprinkle flour over the meat and onions, cook about 1 minute, stirring often.
2. Add wine, and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. Add the stock and bouquet garni, bring to a boil, cover, and cook on low heat until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the lid after 1 hour; add carrots, and cook, uncovered, for the last 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place rutabagas and potatoes in separate saucepans; cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, 30 to 40 minutes for the rutabagas and 25 minutes for the potatoes. Drain; return to the saucepans to dry out any moisture from the vegetables for a few minutes.
4. Put the rutabagas and potatoes through a food mill fitted with a fine disk, or ricer, or mash by hand. Add butter, as desired, and enough hot milk to make a creamy puree. Season with salt and pepper; stir in chopped rosemary.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove bouquet garni; transfer stew into a deep 2-quart baking dish. Top with puree; dot lightly with butter. Bake 1 hour, or until top is brown and crusty. Serve hot.

Share #22: October 26th, 2011

2011-10-26T12:50:00.000-07:00

In this weeks share:

Onions, sorrel, tomatoes, cress, radicchio, husk cherries, potatoes, carrots, peppers, delicata winter squash, leeks, lettuce

Recipe:

Mashed Parsnips

Ingredients:
Parsnips
2 bouillon cubes
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh chives

Place parsnips in a saucepan and cover with water. Add the bouillon cubes and lemon juice. Simmer for 20 minutes and then drain. Mash the parsnips, adding the butter and cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chives.

Share #21: October 19th, 2011

2011-10-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

In this weeks share:

Onions, leeks, garlic, rutabaga, turnips, radishes, tomatoes, peppers (sweet and hot), kale, arugula, cabbage, pie pumpkin

This past Sunday folks gathered for the second annual Sharemembers Harvest Festival at Wealth Underground Farm. We pressed apples for cider, bobbed for apples, played with goats, and conversed in the midst of a beautiful fall day in Portland.

Also, Shine a Light, an art event hosted by the Portland Art Museum and curated by the Art and Social Practice program at PSU, happened this last Friday. Wealth Underground farmer Nolan Calisch had a few projects running at the event. You can read more about Shine a Light and Nolan's projects on the Oregonian website.

Recipe:

Buttered Rutabaga and Kale

1 rutabaga, cut in cubes
a bunch of kale sliced in thin strips
one onion chopped thinly
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp paprika
salt
pepper

Place half the butter and oil in a pan and turn on medium high heat. When the butter has completely melted, add the onions, covering them completely dousing them in the liquid, and then cook until slightly brown. Once you've caramelized the onions, add the rest of the ingredients (except for the kale) and cook covered on medium heat. Once the rutabaga is tender, add the kale and cook uncovered about 2 minutes or until the kale has wilted. Salt and pepper to taste.

Share #20 October 12, 2011

2011-10-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

In your share today:
Sangre Potatoes
Onions
Carrots
Parnsips
Delicata Squash
Swiss Chard
Mustard Greens
Sweet Peppers
Hot Pepper
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Cilantro

Alice Waters' Chard Gratin
4 servings

1 1/2 bunches of chard
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons melted butter
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
Salt
2 teaspoons flour
1/2 cup milk
A few strokes of freshly grated nutmeg

1. Wash and stem the chard. Save half the stems and slice them thin. Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil and cooked the sliced stems for 2 minutes. Add the chard leaves and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and cool. Gently squeeze out the excess liquid from the stems and leaves and coarsely chop them.

2. Toss together the breadcrumbs and the melted butter. Toast on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven, stirring now and then, until lightly brown, about 10 minutes.

3. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the diced onion. Cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard and season with salt. Cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and stir well. Then add the milk and nutmeg and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more milk if the mixture gets too thick. The chard should be moist but not floating in liquid. Taste and add salt if needed.

4. Butter a small baking dish. Spread the chard mixture evenly in the dish and dot with the remaining butter, cut into bits. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top. Bake in a 350-degree oven until the gratin is golden and bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.

Chard Frittata

1 bunch chard
3-4 Tbls. olive oil
1 small onion
6 eggs
cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash chard and remove stems. Cut stems into thin slices and coarsely chop leaves. Peel and thinly slice onion.

Add about 1-2 Tbls. olive oil to a heavy, 10-inch, ovenproof pan (cast iron) works well). Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add chard and stems. Add a dash of salt and cook for another 5 minutes, until leaves are tender. Press chard to pour out any excess liquid from the pan.

Crack eggs into a large bowl. Add a pinch of salt, freshly ground pepper, a pinch of cayenne, and 2 cloves of chopped garlic. Beat eggs, then mix in chard and onions. Wipe out pan with a paper towel. Add 2 Tbls. olive oil, let it heat for a few seconds, then pour in egg mix. After a couple of minutes, place the pan in the oven and let cook until set, about 8 minutes.

Remove pan from the oven. Invert a plate on the top of the pan and turn the plate and pan upside down to turn out the frittata.

Share #19: October 5, 2011

2011-10-05T12:12:00.000-07:00

We are transitioning here at the Wealth Underground Farm. The beans have finished producing and been turned in as well as summer squash and the cucumbers will be wrapping up soon. In this share we have the first installment of winter squash in the form of a pie pumpkin. We also have the first of our fall root crops, rutabaga. Naturally, the shares will slowly get smaller and less diverse as the farm begins to drink non-caffeinated tea and fall asleep for the winter. That said, we should have some strong fall harvests that won't disappoint, starting with this week.

In this week's share:

Radishes, onions, tomatoes, husk cherries, rutabaga (root and greens), garlic, parsley, cucumbers, pie pumpkin, cabbage, peppers (sweet and hot)

Recipes:

Garlic Mashed Rutabagas

Cut the rutabaga into large chunks (peel first if desired). Put them in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil, cooking until tender (about 30 minutes). Cook in a pan about 3 minutes to dry off the rutabagas. Mince the garlic and then heat it in melting butter. Cook until it begins to brown. Mash the rutabagas in a bowl, adding salt, pepper, nutmeg, and other spices to taste, and stir in the garlic butter.

Here is another recipe from the fabulous Lexa Walsh.

Pumpkin Soup with Roasted Pepper Cream

Wash and peel pumpkin flesh, chop into manageable pieces
Sautee onion and garlic til soft
Add pumpkin, plus salt and pepper, cumin, cloves, a cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cardamom
Add enough water or stock to cover, boil til soft
Remove bay leaves
Puree with a food mill or blending wand
Simmer and reduce, adjusting seasoning if necessary
Serve with a dollop of roasted pepper cream (see previous post)

Share #18 September 28th 2011

2011-09-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

In your share today:
Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Corn
Onions
Beans
Kale
Radishes
Salad Mix w/ Arugula
Eggplant
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Tomatoes
Cilantro
Basil

The following Recipes come from Portland Chef and Artist Lexa Walsh. Walsh is currenlty the Artist in Residence at the Portland Art Museum.

Kale/Pepper Chana Masala

Soak chick peas overnight in plenty of water, or, if just making a small amount, use canned: it’s 10x faster, almost as cheap, and you won’t burn a pan multitasking waiting for those darn little ones to cook

Drain and cook, if not following above directions, in fresh water, for at least an hour

Puree 1 onion, a huge piece of peeled ginger, and garlic with olive oil- this is the saucy basis of a masala

Chop another onion

Puree several tomatoes

Sautee chopped onion, and add the following whole spices: 1 black cardamom, 3 cloves, 5 peppercorns, tsp. cumin seeds

When onions are browned, add pureed onions mixture, ground coriander, tumeric, salt and chili powder
Chop preferred amount of Kale and/or pepper.

When oil rises to surface, add tomatoes and chopped kale/ pepper

Add cooked, drained chick peas and let flavors meld

Sprinkle with Garam Masala before serving

Baba Ganoush

Food processors make this easier, but a good fork and a strong hand always work…
Roast eggplants on a grill or in a hot oven/broiler until tender and charred. The more charred, the more smoky and flavorful. Skin when cool enough to touch. Puree the meat, a bit of tahini, a clove of garlic, lemon juice, S&P. Blend. You can add yogurt for smoother texture

Roasted Pepper Puree

Puree some roasted peppers (use some hot ones too for added excitement), lemon juice, a little garlic, fresh basil, S & P in your food processor.

Roasted Pepper Cream

Combine puree with Greek yogurt, and a dash of sugar. Adjust seasonings to taste

Share #17 : September 21st, 2011

2011-09-21T11:34:00.000-07:00

In this week's share:
Onions, salad mix, mustard greens, parsley, bush beans, sweet peppers, carrots, summer squash, tomatoes, garlic, cucumbers, Swiss chard, cabbage, radishes

This past Sunday evening we had folks out to the farm for a Farm School/Sharemember Event. Molly and Nolan, the organizers of Farm School, put together a gallery showcasing the first session titled "What Came Before?" There were visual documents, sound and video, and, of course, food/vegetables/refreshments for folks to enjoy. Following the event we projected Stand By Me in the outdoor classroom. It turned out to be the perfect night for an outdoor movie and it seemed like everyone who attended enjoyed the movie. Cheers rang out for the occasional Oregon reference. If you missed this sharemember event, you have one more chance to join us out on the farm on October 16th for our yearly harvest festival.

Recipe:

Moroccan Carrot and Chard Recipe
adapted from the Mostly Foodstuffs blog

Ingredients:

~1.5 lbs of carrots, peeled and cut diagonally in 1" pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 bunch of Swiss chard, coarsely chopped
1 clove of garlic, pressed
zest and juice from 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch of parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a baking dish, toss the carrots with a tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle on some cumin and salt. Stir thoroughly, coating the carrots in the oil and seasoning. Place in the oven and roast for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once soft, remove from the oven and set aside.

While roasting the carrots, steam the chard for about 5-10 minutes, until wilted and soft. Set aside.

Make the dressing by mixing together the remaining olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice/zest, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the carrots on a serving dish, top with chard and parsley, and then pour the dressing over everything. Serve warm.

Share #16 September 14th 2011

2011-09-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

In your share this week:
Beets
Cucumber
Summer Squash
Beans
Corn
Onion
Radish
Fennel
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Bunch of Basil
Cilantro

Recipes

Baingan Bharta (Eggplant Curry)

Ingredients

* 1 large eggplant
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
* 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
* 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
* 1 tablespoon curry powder
* 1 tomato, diced
* 1/2 cup plain yogurt
* 1 fresh jalapeno chile pepper, finely chopped
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Place eggplant on a medium baking sheet. Bake 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until tender. Remove from heat, cool, peel, and chop.
3. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix in cumin seeds and onion. Cook and stir until onion is tender.
4. Mix ginger garlic paste, curry powder, and tomato into the saucepan, and cook about 1 minute. Stir in yogurt. Mix in eggplant and jalapeno pepper, and season with salt. Cover, and cook 10 minutes over high heat. Remove cover, reduce heat to low, and continue cooking about 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro to serve.

Thai Cucumber Salad
Ingredients:

* 2cucumbers
* 1 shallot, minced (OR substitute 1/4 cup minced purple onion)
* 2 green (spring) onions, finely sliced
* 1 fresh red chili, de-seeded and minced fine
* 1/2 cup fresh coriander/cilantro, roughly chopped
* 1/4 cup ground or roughly chopped dry roasted peanuts

DRESSING:
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
juice of 1/2 lime
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. shrimp paste
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 to 1+1/2 tsp. sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise, then continue slicing lengthwise until you have about 8 long strips. Now slice strips the other way to create bite-size rectangular chunks. Place in a salad bowl.
2. Add red pepper, green onion, fresh herbs, and peanuts to the salad bowl.
3. Combine the dressing ingredients together in a cup, stirring to dissolve the shrimp paste and sugar. Taste-test for a sweet-sour balance, adding more sugar if it's too sour for your taste. Tip: noe that the dressing will taste salty and pungent now, but will be perfect once it is combined with the salad.
4. Pour dressing over the salad and toss well to combine.
5. To serve, transfer salad to a serving platter or bowl. Top with a little more coriander, basil, and peanuts. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 hours if making ahead of time.

Tips:

* To make this dish into a main course, add 1 cup cooked shrimp.
* Note that the longer this salad sits, the more liquid will gather at the bottom of the bowl or plate (some of this is juice from the cucumber - the rest is the dressing). If you want to make it ahead of time, just be sure to re-toss the salad before serving. This salad is best eaten up the same day you make it. ENJOY!

Share #15: September 7, 2011

2011-09-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

In this weeks share:

Garlic, summer squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, onions, bush beans, edamame, sweet corn, lettuce, czech black hot pepper, eggplant

This late summer heat wave is setting us up for a dramatic shift when the fall weather hits but it is also providing a boost to many of our late/long season crops. You'll find corn, eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes in this weeks share, each loving this hot weather. We are also pleased to give out edamame, which has taken most of the season to mature but will be worth it when you are in the mood for a salty snack.

Recipes:

Edamame makes a great appetizer and is incredibly easy to prepare. Start by pulling the pods from the plants. Place a steamer in a pot, add water, and bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the edamame pods to the steamer and steam for about 3-6 minutes. Remove the pods from the steamer, add salt, and stir. You can eat the beans inside as well as the outer skin but the papery layer between those two is inedible.

Sweet Corn Salsa

Ingredients:
1 ear of corn
3-4 tomatoes
1 fresh onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 czech black hot pepper
a handful of cilantro
salt and pepper
vinegar to taste

Finely chop the tomatoes, onion, garlic, hot pepper, and cilantro and place in a mixing bowl. For hotter salsa, include the seeds from the hot pepper. Take a knife and scrape off the kernels from the corn directly into the mixing bowl. Add a splash of vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the ingredients and serve.

Share #14 August 31st 2011

2011-08-31T12:48:00.000-07:00

In your share this week
Beets
Carrots
Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Green Beans
Cabbage
Fresh Onions
Cilantro
Basil
Tomatoes
Cayenne Hot Pepper

This time of year in the farm kitchen our food processor gets a workout. We are using the fresh tomatoes to make garden salsa with lots of cilantro and hot peppers and garlic. We also make a mean pesto using the abundance of basil and some (more affordable) sunflower seeds instead of the pine nuts.

Hallelujah carrots! After our early plantings suffered germination troubles, this harvest was particular rewarding. Here are a few ways you might enjoy these.

Recipes
Alice Waters’ Carrot & Cilantro Soup
from Chez Panisse Vegetables

1 fresh onion
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch of carrots (~1 lb)
3 potatoes
1-1 1/2 quarts vegetable stock (I used homemade)
1/2 bunch cilantro (add more if cilantro is your thing)
salt and pepper to taste

Peel and slice the onion and put in olive oil to stew. Peel the carrots and potatoes and cut them into large chunks.

Once the onions are soft, add carrots and potatoes, salt generously, and continue to stew for approximately 10 minutes.

Add vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and simmer until the vegetables are cooked and soft. Take the pot off heat.

Add the cilantro to the pot. Puree the soup in a food processor in multiple batches until smooth. Strain through a medium sized sieve.

Reheat on stove and serve with crusty bread!

Mexican Cucumber Carrot Salad
Ingredients

* 1 cucumber, sliced
* 2 carrots, sliced
* 1 lime, juiced
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/4 cup cilantro
* 1/4 minced cayenne pepper, or more to taste (optional)
* Salt to taste

Directions:
Combine the cucumber, carrots, lime juice, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper in a bowl; toss to combine evenly.

Share #13: August 24, 2011

2011-08-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

In the share this week:

Bush beans, cilantro, torpedo onion, summer squash, cucumbers, parsley, napa cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, garlic, czech black hot pepper, dahlia

Recipe:

Quick Pickles

1/2 cup vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
2-3 cucumbers, sliced
1-2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp dill
1 bay leaf

Heat the vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, and mustard seed in a pan on medium heat until it simmers and the sugar dissolves. In a mixing bowl, add cucumbers, dill, and bay leaf. Pour the liquid from the pan over the cucumbers and stir. Allow time to cool before serving.

Chinese Salad

1/2 head Napa cabbage
1 fresh onion, chopped (you can use all of the leaves as well as the bulb)
1/2 stick of butter, melted
1 pkg. ramen noodles, remove and discard the seasoning
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp soy sauce

Put oil, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce in a container, shake, and set aside.

Chop napa cabbage into thin strips and add chopped onions.

Melt the butter in a pan and add a package of broken up ramen noodles. Once the noodles start to brown, stir until completely brown. Turn off the heat and add the seeds and almonds. Let the mixture cool. When cool, add the contents of the pan to the cabbage and onion. Dress the salad before serving.

Share #12 August 17, 2011

2011-08-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

In your share this week:
Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Beans
Fresh Onion
Beets
Fennel
Salad Mix
Lettuce
Basil
Cilantro

Recipe
Cucumber Riata
This is a great topping for spicy Indian food.

* 1 medium cucumber
* 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
* 2 cups plain, whole-milk yogurt
* 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
* 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
* cayenne or paprika to garnish

Directions
Peel cucumber. Cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips, then into thin slices crosswise. Blot off moisture with paper towels. Toast cumin seeds for a few seconds in a small, heavy frying pan over high heat. In a bowl, stir yogurt until it is smooth. Mix it with the cumin, garlic and coriander or mint leaves. Combine mixture with cucumber slivers, sprinkle with cayenne or paprika, and chill before serving.

Cucumber Soup
Ingredients

* 2 cucumbers
* 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
* 2 tablespoons margarine
* 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
* 4 cups chicken broth
* salt to taste
* 1/8 tablespoon dried tarragon
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Peel, seed, and chop 2 cucumbers.
2. Cook the chopped scallions in the margarine until soft. Add the chopped cucumbers and the wine vinegar. Pour in the broth. Salt to taste, and add tarragon. Let the soup simmer for 20 minutes, or until the cucumbers are soft.
3. Put the soup into a blender, and puree it.
4. Pour the puree into a bowl, and whisk in the sour cream. Taste the soup for seasoning. Pour the soup into bowls, and garnish with cucumber slices and chopped parsley. (more parsley coming in your share next week)

Share #11: August 10, 2011

2011-08-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

In the share this week:

Lettuce, bush beans, cilantro, potatoes, fennel, summer squash, cucumbers, garlic, cabbage

Recipe:

Summer Squash Slaw

1 1/2 cups chopped cabbage
1 cup shredded summer squash
1/3 cup finely chopped bush beans
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple (you can substitute with a few tablespoons of vinegar)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
a handful of scallions
salt and pepper to taste

Toss the ingredients together in a serving bowl and enjoy.

FARM EVENT this coming Wednesday, Aug. 10th

2011-08-04T14:17:00.000-07:00

Click here to download the Wealth Underground Farm audio tour that compliments the event. The summer session of the Homesteader produced the tour, giving you greater perspective to the sights and sounds you encounter as you stroll around the farm. Please bring the audio tour with you via an iPod, iPhone, other MP3 device, or burn it to CD/dub it to tape, whatever medium suits you. We look forward to seeing you this next Wednesday!

This event is open to the public.

Share #10 August 3rd, 2011

2011-08-03T11:20:00.000-07:00

In your share today:
Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Green Beans
Basil
Bunching Onions
Parsley
Kale
Beets
Fennel

Recipe
This is a repeat recipe from last year but it is a great way to taste your cukes, onions, and parsley fresh.
Tabouli Salad inspired by Alice Waters
4 servings
Tabouli Salad is a Lebanese salad made with bulgur wheat, chopped herbs, and tomatoes. It is a spectacular salad, green and fresh, with more herbs than grain. Bulgar wheat is made from wheat grains that have been par-boiled or steamed and then dried. It requires only quick cooking and soaking.

Cover by 1 inch with cold water: half cup bulgar wheat
Soak for 20 minutes to plump the grains, then drain in a sieve. while the bulgar is soaking, prepare the other ingredients. Chop:
1 large bunch of Parsley
1 bunch of mint
1 bunch of scallions
Mix the herbs in a large bowl with
grated carrots or
2 ripe tomatoes
With your hands, squeeze the soaked bulgar to remove as much water as possible and mix it into the chopped herbs and tomatoes along with:
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt
a little olive oil
Mix well. Salt to Taste. Let rest for about 1 hour before serving to allow the bulgar to absorb flavors. If you like, serve garnished with lettuce leaves to use as scoops for eating the salad.

and since you have a rather large does of summer squash this week.........

“Kini” Bread Recipe

3 cups organic zucchini/summer squash, grated
4 cups organic whole grain wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cage free, organic eggs (use two eggs if cut in half)
2 cups organic sugar
1 cup organic expeller pressed canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange zest

Grease two 4 x 8 loaf pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine zucchini, flour, salt, powder soda and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a medium bowl beat eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla and zest. Make a well in the center of the zucchini mixture. Pour the egg mixture into the well and combine with a rubber spatula.

Divide dough equally into prepared baking pans and bake for one hour or until gold and cooked throughout, using toothpick test.
~~
recipe by: Lisa Barnes author of The Petit Appetit Cookbook.

and................

*Salad Tip
These summer days are hot and can wilt your tender greens. Luckily there is a simple way to revive your greens by cold shocking them in a bowl of cold cold water for several minutes before you prepare them. This most often brings them back to their crispy selves. Try it if your greens are looking a little limp.

Share #9: July 27, 2011

2011-07-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

In the share this week:

Fresh garlic, bok choi, kohlrabi, fennel, broccoli, salad mix, wrinkle crinkle cress, summer squash, cabbage

Prohibition themed Farm School

Making a batch of cherry ale in the outdoor kitchen

Recipes:

Both of these recipes are from sharemember Lexa Walsh.

Pickled Cabbage

Quarter and thinly slice a head of cabbage into strips
Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of salt, cover and refrigerate for 2 days, turning occasionally
Drain liquid
Sterilize a large canning jar - you can just rince with boiling water if you'll eat these fast (which you will)
Bring 1-1/2 quarts of rice vinegar with 1-1/2 quarts of water to boil (you can explore a variety of vinegars)
Meanwhile, layer cabbage with salt, coriander seeds, bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic cloves and star anise - a few teaspoons of each
Pour liquid over and cover
When cool, refrigerate for a day or two and enjoy a zesty crunchy lovely delight

Broccoli Frittata

Preheat oven to 400º
Chop a head of broccoli into small pieces and steam until just bright green. If not using right away, submerge in ice water to keep color
Beat 8 eggs with salt and pepper, a dash of cream, and a cup of grated hard cheese - almost any cheese will do - and a big spoonful of savory herb pesto
Slowly add broccoli if still warm. If cooled, add all at once - we don't want scrambled eggs!
Heat a 10" skillet on medium heat, add a generous scoop of butter, and when it foams add the egg mixture
Roll them around the pan evenly. When they begin to set, put in oven for about 15 minutes or until puffy and set.
Serve with herb sauce or yogurt raita.

Share #8 July 20 2011

2011-07-20T10:18:00.001-07:00

In your share this week:
Potatoes
Beets
Kohlrabi
Fennel
Summer Squash
Broccoli
Kale
Lettuce
(Recipes below)

This past weekend we hosted a big farm dinner with Farm to Fork Events. And when I say big, i mean it. There were 120 guests that came for the festivities and meal prepared by Park Kitchen's talented chef David Padberg. Among the guests was Portland's Mayor Sam Adams. Sam spoke during dinner about the need to support and strengthening our local food system. He told us later that he keeps not only a trio of hens in his backyard but also a honeybee hive. When I hear such things I remember what a great city we live in.
Below are several glimpses of the biggest farm tour ever attempted at WUF.

and also...

The Homesteader class in session in the new classroom.

Your recipes for this week
Fresh-pickled Vegetables
Unlike fermented pickles which take weeks or months, these are ready to eat in minutes and will keep in the frig for some time. They make great appetizers alongside a cheese plate. Also good with potatoes and smoked fish. You can use most anything in your share for this recipe. I just did a batch with Fennel that was incredible! (I also added star anise to the brine)

Prepare the picking solutions by combining the following ingredients and set to boil
(For about 3.5 cups pickling brine)
1.5 cups white wine vinegar
1.75 cups water
2.5 tablespoons sugar
.5 bay leaf
4 thyme sprigs
chile flakes
.5 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 whole cloves
1 garlic clove halved
pinch of salt.

Cook each vegetable separate, scooping them out when they are cooked but still a little bit crisp. Set them aside to cool. Once all the vegetables are cooked and cooled, and the pickling solution is at room temperature, combine vegetables, and transfer to jars or another covered container, cover with pickle brine and refrigerate.

Share #7: July 13th, 2011

2011-07-13T09:50:00.000-07:00

In the share this week:
Swiss chard, broccoli, ruby streaks mustard, salad mix, kohlrabi, fennel, green garlic, and summer squash (farm pick-up only, in town pick-up share next week)

Meet Kohlrabi!

The word kohlrabi is derived from German and is a combination of "cabbage" and "turnip." This name makes sense, the plant is a relative of cabbage and looks similar and the taste and texture of the meat is a lot like a turnip. Kohlrabi can be eaten raw or cooked and every part of the plant is edible, so feel free to eat the stems and leaves with the bulb.

Recipe:

Kohlrabi and Fennel Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
garlic (to taste)
2 bulbs of kohlrabi, peeled and chopped
1 bulb of fennel, chopped
2 tablespoons of butter
2 1/2 cups of vegetable stock
2 1/2 cups of milk
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 bay leaf

Melt the butter in a pan and then cook the fennel and onions until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the kohlrabi and cook for another 2 minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking, add the stock and milk in a pot and turn on medium heat. Add the onion, fennel, and kohlrabi to the pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for about 25 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf. In a food processor, add the mixture and puree. While blending the soup, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with a fine bread or chilled.

Share #6 July 6th 2011

2011-07-06T10:28:00.001-07:00

In your share this week:
Chioggia Beets
Finale Fennel
Russian or Rainbow Lacinato Kale
Mustard Mix
Brassica florets
Assorted head lettuces
Mixed herbs (Dill, Parsley, Sage)
Assorted Broccoli (for farm pickup)

A smaller share this week as we are on the verge of transitioning from spring to summer crops. Last year we were able to give out peas this week but unfortunately this season's crop met an early spring slug demise. Never fear as our summer squash have blossoms and will soon be giving plenty, along with cucumbers, cabbage, beans, and much more. The heat has really kicked our hot crops into high gear. Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplant look strong. There is much to look forward to.
With this much mustard greens coming your way, we figured this would be a good opportunity to cook with them. So here are a few ideas about what to do with your mustard mix.

Sauteed Mustard Greens
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 pound mustard greens, washed and torn into large pieces
2 to 3 Tbsp chicken broth or vegetable broth (vegetarian option)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1 In a large sauté pan, sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat until the onions begin to brown and caramelize, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook a minute more, until fragrant.

2 Add the mustard greens and broth and cook until the mustard greens are just barely wilted. Toss with sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.
Source: Simply Recipes

AND

Fennel, Mustard Green, and Goat Cheese Tart

* 1 pie crust
* 1 fennel bulb
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 10 ounces goat cheese (chevre)
* 1 cup heavy cream (or .5 c cream & .5 c half & half)
* 3 eggs
* 1 bunch mustard greens, washed, despined & roughly chopped
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
* 3/4 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt

1. Prepare the pie-crust to be filled according to recipe instructions, or bake pre-made crust in pie plate with beans for weights for 10-15 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
3. Caramelize the fennel: Cut off the stems, hard core, and any woody parts of the bulb, rinse. Quarter the bulb and chop roughly. Melt butter in skillet (I prefer cast iron) over medium-low heat. Add the fennel and salt liberally (about .5 tsp). Leave in the pan without stirring until the fennel is translucent. Remove from heat. (This step can be done the day before constructing tart).
4. Process the goat cheese with a food processor until crumbly. Add cream, eggs, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp freshly cracked pepper.
5. Spread the fennel in the bottom of the tart. Add the chopped mustard. Pour the goat-cheese/custard mixture over the mustard to fill the tart.
6. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until the tart is firm when shaken & the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Can be served warm or room temperature.

Share #5: June 29, 2011

2011-06-29T10:28:00.000-07:00

In the share this week:
Radishes, arugula, flashy troutback/romaine/red oak leaf lettuce, fennel, joi choi, arugula, salad mix, Swiss chard (there is also a head of broccoli in the North Portland shares. Next week we will switch it up and put broccoli in the farm pick-up shares.)

The Homesteader, a class taught by Nolan and Chris through the art department at Portland State University, tours the garden. The class meets at the farm once a week and is in the process of producing a piece, or a number of pieces, for the CSA and sharemembers. Stay tuned for the development of that project and how you can participate.

We transformed a number of pallets into stools during a Farm School project workshop. Farm School is being lead by Nolan and Molly, a Portland State grad student and Wealth Underground sharemember, and, like the class through PSU, will be meeting once a week starting this Sunday.

Recipe:

Joi Choi Gratin

Ingredients-
1 large head of joi choi
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 shallot or onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp all purpose flour
4 tbsp butter
1 cup whole milk
pinch of nutmeg
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 oz gruyere (or similar cheese), coarsely grated
1/2 oz parmesan, finely grated

Directions-
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly butter a gratin dish or pan and dust with bread crumbs.
Chop joi choi into half inch pieces and coarsely chop the leaves. Cook the stems for 5 minutes in boiling water, adding the leaves for the last 30 seconds. Drain in colander.
Cook the shallot or onion in 2 tablespoons of butter and, once softened, add the joi choi. After 1 to 2 minutes of cooking, add to the gratin dish or pan.
In a sauce pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. On low heat, add the flour and stir the roux constantly for about 2 minutes. Add milk slowly and bring to a boil, all the while continuously stirring. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper, and stir in the gruyere and parmesan. Pour over the joi choi.
Add remaining butter and bread crumbs into a dish and mix by hand. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the bread crumbs over the gratin and then bake for about 20 minutes, until the gratin is bubbly and brown.

Share #4: June 22, 2011

2011-06-22T11:07:00.000-07:00

In your share:
Chioggia (candy cane) Beets
Hakurei Turnips
Pink Beauty or French Breakfast Radish
Finale Fennel bulb w/ tops
Romaine Lettuce
Ear of the Devil Lettuce
Salad mix w/ Cress
Tyee Spinach
Mizuna bch.
Rainbow Lacinato or Russian Kale

Recipe: Roasted Beet, Fennel, and Mizuna Salad

Ingredients

* 3 medium beets (red or gold), washed, tops removed, and cut in half
* 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 T fresh lemon juice
* 1/4 t sugar
* 1 T finely minced chives
* 1 T diced shallots
* 1 medium bulb fennel, top trimmed
* 1 bunch of Mizuna
* 4 oz soft goat cheese, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place beets in a small baking dish. Add 11/2 teaspoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until beets are tender. Let beets cool, peel off skin, and cut into bite-size wedges.

Whisk together remaining olive oil lemon juice, sugar, chives, and shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Add 11/2 tablespoons of dressing to beets and toss to coat.

Cut fennel bulb in half and remove core. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice fennel and transfer to a large bowl. Add mizuna and gently toss to mix. Add remaining dressing and toss again. Season with salt and pepper.

Heap a mound of fennel-mizuna salad in center of each plate. Scatter beets around fennel mixture and serve.

Share #3: June 15, 2011

2011-06-15T12:17:00.000-07:00

Last night, after we put all the animals to bed, I looked out the window towards the field. I noticed a couple of deer walking in the driveway, shut out of the garden by a fence. I smiled and thought about how lucky we are to be living and farming in a place so wild and, yet, so close to the city of Portland. The smile was short-lived as one of the deer, a young buck, nudged open the gate to the strawberries and slipped into the garden. Eric, Nolan, and I rushed into the garden and, after the shocked buck ran back and forth along the fence looking for an exit, it leaped over the fence, narrowly avoiding the top two wires. It wanted a taste of what we've got growing but will have to satisfy itself with grass and bramble.

What the deer were after:

Lettuce, tat soi, bok choi, spinach, orach, beet greens, arugula, turnips, radishes, Swiss chard

Meet Tat Soi!

Tat soi is like a mini bok choi and can be treated as such when cooking. Sometimes harvested young for salad or braising mix, the tat soi in todays share is fully mature and ready for the pan. Other names for tat soi are spinach mustard, spoon mustard, or rosette bok choi.

Meet Beet Greens!

In order to get full sized beets, we have to thin the plants in the field. The beets on these thinned plants are not fully developed but the greens are delicious and tender. We also want you to fall in love with beet greens now so that you won't throw them out when we give you full sized beets in the future.

Sauteed Beet Greens (serves 2)

Ingredients-
1 bunch of beet greens
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon horseradish
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Rinse the beet greens and cook in a covered pan for 10 minutes at medium heat. Combine the rest of the ingredients and add them to the greens. Serve hot.

Share #2 June 8th 2011

2011-06-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

In your share this week:
Kale
Joi Choi
Spinach
Mustard Mix
Radishes
Turnips
Lettuce
Dill
Green Garlic

Tis' Kale season. You are receiving a hefty amount this week to do with what you please, but in case you need some direction here is my Mom's newest favorite recipe.

Kale chips.
Wash and dry kale
Stem the kale and rough chop it.
Put in a ziplock bag with a good dose of olive oil and shake it!
Put on a baking sheet and sprinkle with seasoning salt and red pepper flakes
Bake in the oven uncovered for 10 minutes @ 325 or until desired crispiness.
Enjoy. Best when still hot.

We are very happy with our spinach crop. This is our best stand in three years. The leaves are thick and buttery and so good in a fresh salad. I recommend making a mixed salad with the mustard greens or the lettuce. Garnish with radish or turnips.

New Editions
Meet the latest heart throbs at the farm, our two new baby goat twins Thelonius and Pippie.
Also, here is a sneak peak of the new outdoor classroom and kitchen we are feverishly constructing. (more details to come soon)

Share #1 - June 1st, 2011

2011-06-01T13:11:00.000-07:00

The rain patters against the greenhouse, drowning out the occasional bleats of doe and kids. Under a heat lamp, baby chicks that will one day become broiler chickens and nourish us, eat and fight and rest. In the field, radish and fennel alike absorb the rain through their roots and slowly grow, pushing green towards the sky. We rejoice in the diversity of activity on this farm and celebrate the sharing of that diversity.
Today marks the beginning of our 2011 CSA season. This morning, in the pouring rain, we harvested a variety of vegetables, compiling them in bags to be distributed to our individual sharemembers. In the process, we disturbed a number of slugs that were happily feasting on the vegetables. We tried to remove all these freeloaders by rinsing the vegetables but we apologize in advance if any hitched a ride in the bags as the shares went out. We encourage you to wash the vegetables before eating them.
Without further ado, here is the bounty:

This week's share: 1/2 # Spinach, 1/2 # French Sorrel, 3 heads of lettuce, 2 shallots, 1 bok choi, 1 green garlic, dill, chives, 1 cherry tomato start

Meet French Sorrel!

At Hidden Villa we called this the sour candy of the garden (as well as it's companion, rhubarb). French sorrel is a hardy perennial that produces large, sour leaves. It is often used in soups but can bring a lemony zest to almost any dish. There is a posting about French sorrel with a recipe from last season on the sharemembers blog.

Meet Hakurei Turnip!

Blindfolded, I feel like one could mistake a bite of hakurei turnip for melon. It is juicy and sweet with the faint heat of radish. These delicious white roots are only difficult to cook because you will snack on them fresh and have none left for the frying pan. Make sure to use the turnip greens, they are delicious sauteed or mixed in with a salad.

Recipe:

Sorrel Pesto

Ingredients:
1/4# of Sorrel
2 cloves of garlic (or one green garlic)
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds (or nut of your choice)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup crumbled parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
sprig of dill

Puree the garlic and sunflower seeds in a blender or food processor. Add the sorrel, cheese, dill, salt, and cayenne and blend. While blending, add the olive oil until mixture reaches desired consistency.

Farm School at WUF

2011-04-10T13:03:00.001-07:00

Farm School's first skillshare event took place on April 9th at Wealth Underground Farm. There were ten teachers and ten skills to learn. Each teacher had ten minutes to teach their skill to the group. Wealth Underground Farm will continue to host Farm School events monthly as a part of our growing educational focus this 2011 season.

If interested in teaching a 10 minute skill or participating please email: portlandfarmschool@gmail.com

PORTLANDIA. Wealth Underground Farm to appear on IFC. (the independent film channel)

2010-12-31T06:53:00.001-08:00

This summer SNL's Fred Armisan and former Sleater-Kinney guitarist Carrie Brownstein came out to Wealth Underground Farm to film a scene for their new television comedy entitled Portlandia to be featured on IFC the following January. Well, guess what?
Its January 2011 already, we've just opened applications for next year's CSA and the debut of the Portlandia is 3 weeks away.
The first episode (the one that we have reason to believe will feature familiar and not so familiar scenes from WUFarm) is to screen on Jan. 21st. @ 10:30 pm.
While the show is all about making fun of our dearest city, its good to laugh at yourself every once in a while, especially when the jokes are so clever.
Here is a sneak peek at what's in store:

2010-12-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

Click the down arrow to download the application or click the four arrows to view the full size version of the application.

WU Application 2011

Blue Moon Photo Show in St. John's

2010-12-05T10:27:00.000-08:00

Now is the time of year when we can safely take some of our energy from the farm and invest it into other personal projects. Yesterday, Nolan and I took a drive out west, meandering along back roads and enjoying the brief bursts of sunlight. It seemed that one in two cars bore bailed Christmas trees on their roofs, families were clearly out enjoying their pre-holiday preparations.

We've made a deal with ourselves that when it is sunny we have to go outside and shoot some photos and yesterday was a sunny day. Though we won't have the images we shot yesterday back until they are developed, you can enjoy some photos that Nolan and I have taken if you are passing through St. Johns. Blue Moon Camera and Machine selected some images that Nolan and I took this past year for their customer show and they are now hanging in Proper Eats. The next time you are in St. Johns, be sure to stop by the gallery and look for examples of what we do when we are not farming.

2010-11-24T08:20:00.000-08:00

2010-11-24T08:16:00.000-08:00

2010-11-23T09:19:00.001-08:00

Share #25 November 16, 2010

2010-11-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

In your share this week:
Spaghetti Squash
Onions
Garlic
Potatoes
Rutabaga
Parsnips
Cabbage
Brussel Sprouts
Romanesco
Leeks
Swiss Chard
Cilantro

Recipe:
Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Onions from Alice Waters Art of Simple Cooking.
Trim away any damaged outer leaves. If sprouts are small, cut them in half; otherwise cut them in quarters. Cook the sprouts until tender, in abundant salted boiling water. Drain well.
Heat a heavy pan over medium heat. Add:
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
Cook the bacon until rendered and brown, but not crisp. Remove the bacon with slotted spoon. To the fat in the pan, add:
small diced onion
2 thyme sprigs
Cook the onion until soft but not browned. Season with:
Salt
A Squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
Turn the heat to medium-high, add the drained sprouts, and cook, tossing or stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are warmed through and starting to brown a bit. Add the bacon and toss. Check for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Share Number Twenty-four - November 9, 2010

2010-11-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

In this weeks share:
Winter squash (red kuri), mustard greens (purple osaka and golden frill), French sorrel, Nero di Toscano kale, potatoes (yukon gold), onions (copra), shallot, carrots, cauliflower (white gold), turnips (hakurei)

Recipe:

Mustard greens are delicious but can be intimidating to cook. Here is a recipe from Simply Recipes that highlights the greatness of mustard greens.

Mustard Greens Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 pound mustard greens, washed and torn into large pieces
2 to 3 Tbsp chicken broth or vegetable broth (vegetarian option)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Instructions

1 In a large sauté pan, sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat until the onions begin to brown and caramelize, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook a minute more, until fragrant.

2 Add the mustard greens and broth and cook until the mustard greens are just barely wilted. Toss with sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

Share #23 November 2, 2010

2010-11-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

In your share this week:
Winter Squash
Leeks
Potatoes
Rutabaga
Carrots
Cabbage
Peppers(hot and sweet)
Brussel Sprouts
Stir-fry greens mix
Cilantro
Garlic

This is the time of year that many folks underestimate when it comes to local produce. The harvest moon has come and gone, the rain has picked up, the leaves are falling fast, and most of the natural word is going to sleep, but there are still plenty of exceptional treats to savor from the garden. I love November because we get to start eating some of my personal favorites like brussel sprouts and leeks and I feel like i could eat baked winter squash with maple syrup and butter forever. I highly recommend putting a soup on the stove and then taking a long walk in the forest.
Have a good week.

Recipe:
Potato Leek Soup
amended from www.simplyrecipes.com

2 leeks, cut lengthwise and chopped (use only the white and pale green parts)
2 Tbsp butter (or olive oil)
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
2 pounds potatoes, peeled, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
Marjoram - dash
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Tabasco sauce or other red chili sauce (optional)
Garlic
Salt & Pepper

Cook leeks and garlic in butter with salt and pepper in a medium sized sauce pan. Cover pan, cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Check often and do not brown leeks, it will give them a burnt taste. Add water, broth and potatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Scoop about half of the soup mixture into a blender, puree and return to pan. Add marjoram, cilantro, and thyme. Add a few dashes of chili sauce to taste. Add some freshly ground pepper, 1-2 teaspoons salt or more to taste. Serves 4-6.

Share Number Twenty-two - October 26, 2010

2010-10-26T11:06:00.000-07:00

This is the Wealth Underground Halloween share. We've got a couple of ghosts in the form of peppers and tomatoes that will soon be fading into oblivion with the onset of the cold and wetness of fall and winter. Make sure to eat the peppers quickly as we harvested them over a week ago to ensure that they wouldn't rot in the field.
Nolan, Eric, and I have been moonlighting during the weekends at the haunted maze down on Sauvie Island. October has been a constant month of Halloween for us as we have ghouled our way through the tall corn. We wish spooks and scares, tricks and treats, candy corn and carrots, for you this coming weekend. Have a great Halloween weekend and enjoy the share!

In this weeks share:
Spaghetti squash, peppers, tomato, beans, mizuna, radishes, baby cabbage, hakurei turnips, lettuce, kale, carrots (masks not included!)

Recipe:

Here is another one of Lexas recipes. You can substitute the spaghetti squash and the kale for the butternut squash and chard.

Butternut Squash & Chard Gratin
This is adapted from The Greens Cookbook, my fave..
Toss a few squashes (pumpkins would work too) into the oven at 350 till soft enough to cut without
breaking your arm off, about 20-30 minutes
Meanwhile make tomato sauce
Slice squash into 1” wedges and peel, discarding seeds and fibrous mess
Sautee in olive oil and plenty of fresh sage, S & P until nicely browned
Sautee fresh chard with onions and garlic (optional)
Layer sauce, squash, chard and grated parmesan/mozzarella
Bake at 350, loosely covered, for about 45 minutes

Serve with fresh parsley tossed on top

Share #21 October 19, 2010

2010-10-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

In your share this week:
Delicata squash
Sweet and hot peppers
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Beets
Rutabaga
S. Squash(the last of it)
Cilantro
Basil
Dill
Stir-fry greens mix
Swiss Chard

Recipe from Lexa Walsh a sharemember and mastermind of Your Garden Cookbook Project:
Winter squash soup with Roasted Pepper Cream
Chop squash into manageable pieces
Sautee onion and garlic
Add Squash, plus salt/pepper, cumin, cloves, a cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cardamom.
Add enough water or stock to cover, boil til soft.
Remove bay leaves
Puree with a food mill or blending wand
Simmer and reduce, adjusting seasoning if necessary; Serve with a dollop of Roasted Pepper cream.

For Roasted Pepper Cream:
Puree some roasted peppers (use some hot ones too for added excitement), lemon juice, a little garlic, fresh basil, Salt and Pepper in your food processor. Combine puree with Greek yogurt and a dash of sugar. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Share Number Twenty - October 12, 2010

2010-10-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

After this week, we only have five weeks left of the CSA season. You might notice that, as the temperature becomes consistently cooler, some early vegetables are returning. We have both turnips and braising mix in this share, two early season staples. As the summer crops wrap up, the nature of the share is that it gets smaller since less is available. Well, that may happen before the end of the season but that is not the case this week as the share is bursting full. And, though the season is wrapping up, we still have a few treats up our sleeves. Enjoy the bounty!

This week's share:

Carrots, Kale (Nero di Toscano), Summer Squash, Braising mix, Bush Beans, Turnips (Hakurei), Potatoes, Tomato, Onions (Copra), Peppers

Recipe:

This is a recipe given to us by sharemember and friend Lexa Walsh. She has prepared a cookbook of sorts for us using the vegetables that we grow as the basis for the recipes. We will eventually make the cookbook available to everyone but, for now, enjoy this recipe!

Kale/Pepper Masala
This is an adaptation of a recipe I learned in Udaipur, during a two-month
marathon adventure across India. You can really use any vegetable or legume in this curry
Puree 1 onion, a huge piece of peeled ginger, and 3-5 cloves of garlic
Chop another onion
Puree a large can of tomatoes
Sautee chopped onion, and add the following whole spices: 1 black cardamom, 3 cloves, 5
peppercorns, 1 tsp. cumin seeds
When onions are browned, add pureed onion mixture, plus 1 tsp each of ground coriander, tumeric,
salt and chili
When oil rises to surface, add tomatoes
Add a bunch of kale, plus green peppers, bok choi, … (any veg will do, but be sure to pre-cook
things that need long cooking, like potatoes). Cook until tender
Adjust salt, Garnish with Garam Masala sprinkled on top

Share #19 October 5, 2010

2010-10-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

In your share this week:
Rutabaga
Carrots
Melon
Fresh and storage onions
Garlic
Cucumber
Summer Squash
Green Beans
Sweet and hot peppers
Tomatoes
Salad Mix
Swiss Chard

Recipe
Smashed Rutabagas with Ginger-Roasted Pears Bon Appétit | November 2007
Molly Stevens

If you've never had rutabagas, here's a great way to try them. Ginger-roasted pears add sweetness and a touch of spice—the perfect balance for this earthy root vegetable. Slice one extra pear and roast it (with the cubes) to use as garnish.
Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings
ingredients
4 pounds rutabagas, peeled, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3 firm Anjou pears (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, cored, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Coarse kosher salt

preparation

Cook rutabagas in pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine oil, lemon juice, ginger, and sugar in large bowl. Add pears; toss to coat. Spread on prepared sheet. Roast until tender, turning pears every 10 minutes, about 35 minutes total.

Drain rutabagas; return to same pot. Mash to coarse puree. Stir over medium heat until excess moisture evaporates, 5 minutes. Add cream, butter, and thyme. Mix in pears and any juices from baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.

Share Number Eighteen - September 28, 2010

2010-09-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how much effort and how many apples it takes to make apple cider. We filled several tubs full of blemished Sauvie Island apples this past week and pressed them all, making no more than five or six liters of apple cider, granted, it's hard to quantify how much we made since it was consumed so quickly. Yet everybody involved in the making knew it was worth it, knew how much of a treat that sweet liquid was. One sip of fresh apple cider and you can appreciate where you are in life, especially if you are at a harvest festival where kids are playing on a rope swing, there is a fire, and good conversations around a table full of delicious food.

The share this week: four torpedo onions, lettuce, 1/2# salad mix (with snow peas), basil and cilantro, 2# potatoes, 1 1/2# summer squash, four peppers, one cucumber, 1# beets, kale

Bobbing for apples at the harvest festival (Eric won!)

Recipe:

Beet Dip

1# beets
1 cup walnuts or sunflower seeds
1 clove garlic
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup plain yogurt
fresh herbs (optional)

Steam the beets until they are tender (~ 20 minutes). Run cold water over the beets and slip off the skins. While the beets steam, toast walnuts or sunflower seeds for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees. Blend the beets, nuts/seeds, peeled garlic, lemon juice, salt, and herbs (optional) until the mixture looks coarse. Add the olive oil and yogurt and finish blending. The mixture should be creamy and smooth. Serve with crackers, veggies, etc.

Share #17 September 21st 2010

2010-09-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

In your share this week:
Potatoes
Garlic
Carrots
Torpedo onions
Summer squash
Cucumber
Radishes
Sweet and hot peppers
Tomato
Flat leaf parsley
Swiss chard
Mizuna
Lettuce

The equinox is days away and the first yellow leaves have fallen on the farm. Its now safe to say its been a tough summer for vegetable growing. A late start and then cool nights have made it especially hard on some summer favorites. Our tomatoes have developed late blight over the past couple of weeks and the rains accelerated it's spread. Only our hoophouse tomatoes have evaded its touch. What does this mean for us?
Less of an end-of-summer flurry of tomatoes and more of a gradual distribution in the CSA shares. (which might actually be better). Meanwhile the fall peas are nearly ready. Didn't we just have spring peas? The answer is yes, its that kind of year. Hence also the little radishes you will find in your shares this week. Greens are still thriving. The Chard and Kale are gorgeous and tender and more tasty salad and stir-fry mixes to come. Start preparing your tongues for fall crops. There are eight weeks left and there are still lots of roots and winter squash ripening off in the field.
Remember also to come join us this Saturday for some festivities on the farm. Activities will kick off around 4 and go through to the outdoor movie.
Hope to see you there. You like apple cider right? (enticement)

VEGETABLE KEBABS WITH MUSTARD BASTING SAUCE

carrots (about 8 ounces), peeled
yellow scallop squash* (about 8 ounces) or 3/4
pound yellow squash
zucchini (about 6 ounces) or 3/4 pound zucchini
red or white pearl onions (about 6 ounces)
1 1/2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 large bell peppers (about 9 ounces), cut into sixteen
2-by-3/4-inch pieces
eight 12-inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water to cover 1
hour

In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook carrots 1
minute. Add yellow squash and zucchini and cook vegetables
5 minutes. Transfer vegetables with a slotted spoon to a
large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking and drain
well in a colander. Transfer vegetables to a bowl. (If
using larger yellow squash and zucchini cut them into a
total of thirty-two 3/4-inch pieces.) In boiling water
remaining in pan cook onions 4 minutes and transfer with
slotted spoon to bowl of ice and cold water. Drain onions
well in colander and peel, leaving root ends intact.

In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, mustard, oil, and
salt and pepper to taste. Basting sauce may be made 1 day
ahead and chilled, covered.

Prepare grill.

Thread vegetables, alternating them, onto skewers. Brush
one side of kebabs with about half of sauce and grill,
coated side down, on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over
glowing coals 5 minutes. Brush kebabs with remaining sauce
and turn. Grill kebabs 5 minutes more, or until squash is
tender. (Alternatively, kebabs may be grilled in a hot
well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.)

Serves 4.

Share Number Sixteen - September 14, 2010

2010-09-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been a period of purging here at the Wealth Underground Farm. Yesterday, we spent half the day cleaning up around the farm. All torn plastic, abused row cover, holey irrigation, etc. was gathered up and delivered to the waste transfer center (read as: the dump). We also moved all of the firewood into the wood shed, preparing ourselves for the dry heat needed in the midst of a wet winter. This past weekend, we went from five animals on the farm (not including us and the General) to four with the slaughter of the turkeys. Eventually, the turkeys will grace several Thanksgiving tables but, currently, they are residing in our freezers. The farm is now somewhat more quiet and our morning and evening chores have been shortened.

This week's share includes: torpedo onions, peppers, potatoes, carrots, kale, mizuna, Malabar spinach, summer squash, lettuce, basil, cucumbers, and tat soi

Meet Malabar spinach

Malabar spinach is a succulent, mucilaginous leaf that is not actually in the spinach family. It's scientific name is Basella alba and it grows quickly in tropical regions, although it still thrives here in the Pacific Northwest. It is often used in soups and stews as well as curries. Though commonly cooked, you can add Malabar spinach to salads to achieve a thicker texture. Other names for Malabar spinach include: Ceylon spinach, Vietnamese spinach, phooi leaf, red vine spinach, creeping spinach, and climbing spinach.

Recipe:

Spiced Carrots

2 lbs of carrots, peeled and sliced
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cuming
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp thyme leaves
1 bay leaf

In a steamer within a saucepan, steam the carrots for about five to ten minutes so that they are tender. Save the water. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Stir in the salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, garlic, and thyme and reduce the heat to low. Stir the mixture frequently for about 10 minutes. Add a 1/2 cup of the steam water and the bay leaf and cover the skillet. Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in the carrots, covering them in the spicy mixture. Cook until heated through, approximately 3-4 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and sprinkle with lemon juice. Can be served hot or cold.

Share #15 September 7, 2010

2010-09-07T12:01:00.000-07:00

In your share this week:
2# Potatoes
bunch of Beets
2# Summer Squash
2 Cucumbers
4 Red Torpedo Onions
bunch of Swiss Chard
2 Tomatoes
1 Sweet Pepper
4 Hot Pepper
2 Lettuce

Recipes:

Quick Curried Potatoes
This is a good quick crowd pleaser that takes advantage of a pre-blended curry paste sold in most international groceries and a few veggies from your share. I made this last week and it was so simple and good I'm posting here.
Combine the following ingredients in high-walled skillet or cast iron pot and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Make sure the consistency is thin enough for the potatoes to cook and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of your pot.
2# of Potatoes
1/4 stick of Butter
Tomato paste
Fresh Tomatoes
Curry Paste of your choosing
Garlic
Salt

Cucumber Tomato Salad
Peel Cucumbers and chop Tomatoes to your liking. Combine in bowl with:
Olive Oil
Cottage Cheese
pressed or finely chopped garlic
Lemon juice
Chopped Basil

Share Number Fourteen - August 31st, 2010

2010-08-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

The bounty: 1# beans, over 1/2 # salad mix, 4 torpedo onions, 3 # summer squash, 2# carrots, tomatoes, 1/2# basil, cucumbers, czech black hot peppers, 1 bunch of kale, 1 bunch of french sorrel

Recipes

Cheese and Sorrel Quiche

2-3 cups sorrel, coarsely chopped
2 torpedo onions, chopped
a few cloves of garlic, chopped
3-4 ounces goat cheese (chevre)
3 eggs
1½ cups milk
¼ teaspoon salt
Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread the goat cheese on top of the pie crust. Layer on top of the cheese the garlic, onions, and sorrell. Mix the milk, eggs, and salt together, stirring until the mixture is an even consistency. Pour over greens. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until top is golden brown. Add a thin layer of parmesan cheese to the quich halfway through baking.

Kale Smoothie

This is an easy way to use a lot of kale quickly. There is no cooking so you get the benefit of all the raw nutrients of the kale.

6-8 Kale leaves, stems removed
Yogurt
Fruit Juice
Seasonal fruits (blackberries, plums, blueberries, peaches, etc.), preferrably frozen
Ice

Mix the ingredients in a blender at ratios you like. I prefer equal parts fruit to kale. If the fruit is not frozen, make sure to add some ice to the blender to cool down this refreshing beverage.

Share #13 August 24, 2010

2010-08-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

In your share this week:
1 Tomato
3# Summer Squash
2 Cucumbers
1.75# Beans
.5# Mesclun salad mix
1 head lettuce
4 torpedo onions
Swiss Chard
Cabbage
Fennel
Parsley
3 hot peppers

Chard Gratin (adapted from Alice Waters)

Stem your bunch of chard. Slice the stems thin. Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil and cook the sliced stems for 2 minutes. Add the chard leaves and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and cool. Gently squeeze out the excess liquid from the stems and leaves and coursely chop them.
Toss together:
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons melted butter
Toast on a baking sheet in a 350degree oven, stirring now and then, until lightly brown, about 10 minutes.
Melt over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan:
1.5 tables spoons butter
Add:
1 onion diced
Cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard and:
Salt
Cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with:
2 teaspoons of flour
Stir well and add:
.5 cup milk
a little freshly grated nutmeg
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more milk if the mixture gets too thick. The Chard should be moist but not floating in liquid. Taste and add salt if needed. Butter a small baking dish. Spread the chard mixture evenly in the dish and dot with:
2 teaspoons butter
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top. Bake in a 350degree oven until the gratin is golden and bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.

Share Number Twelve - August 17, 2010

2010-08-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

Nolan and I spent much of our winter preparing for this CSA season. We fretted over the amount of space, how many shares we could offer, how much seed we needed to purchase. This isn't uncommon activity, every grower we know spends the wintertime pouring laboring over the potential ins and outs of the coming season. What is uncommon is that this is our first season for this CSA and we had to account for that on top of all of our other problem solving. In general, we decided compensate for any potential shortcomings. Where one bed would probably due, we decided to plant a bed and a half. This share is a direct result of that compensation. You'll see that much more of the items in the share are labeled by the pound this week, the weights of this weeks produce add up and, as a result, you shouldn't have small children carry the bag (unless they are really strong!). Enjoy the abundance!

In this weeks share: three cucumbers, 2# beans (royal burgundy, provider, italian, rattlesnake, and scarlet runner), 3# summer squash, three torpedo onions, 1/4# basil, 1# salad mix, one bunch baby beets, one fennel bulb

We planted most of our onions, including torpedos, using the Dutch method. Instead of planting out each onion individually, we plant them in groups of 3-5. This allows us to grow slightly more within our space and saves us planting time. The downfall is that the onions press against each other, creating odd shapes. You won't be finding these wonderfully odd looking onions at the grocery store anytime soon!

Recipes:

Summer Squash Parmesan

2 # summer squash
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
handful of basil
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 cup sour cream

Butter a medium sized baking dish. Cut the summer squash into about 1/4 slices. Combine 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of dried oregano, 1/8 tsp of pepper, and the flour in a bowl. Toss the zucchini slices in the bowl, covering the pieces thoroughly. Brown the breaded zucchini in an oiled skilled (approximately four minutes on each side). In another bowl, combine sour cream, remaining, salt, oregano, and pepper. Place breaded zucchini in the baking dish. Layer with tomatoes, fresh basil, and then pour the sour cream mixture on top. Sprinkle with parmesan and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Roasted Beet and Fennel Salad

1 bunch of baby beets
1 bulb of fennel
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 oz feta cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the stem/leaves and tip off of the beets. Place the stem/leaves in the refrigerator for future use. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and then place in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove the beets and let them cool. Slice the fennel thinly. Saute the fennel for about 15 minutes in oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Remove and let cool. Remove the beets from the foil and peel off the skin. Cut the beets into small cubes. Mix the beets, fennel, salt, black pepper, ground cumin, and crumbled feta. Chill before serving.

FARMER'S DINNER 2010 INVITE!

2010-08-16T16:30:00.000-07:00

Share #11 August 10th 2010

2010-08-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

In your share this week:
Summer Squash (Giambo, Cashflow, Superpik, Zephyr, Patty Pan)
Green Beans (Provider, Burgundy)
Rainbow Carrots (Purple Haze, Yellowstone, Nelson)
Beets w/o tops (Merlin, Chioggia)
Parsley (Italian Flat Leaf)
Swiss Chard (Bright Lights)
Cabbage (Savoy)
Onion (Torpedo)
Lettuce (Summertime Iceberg, Merlot)
Hot Pepper (Czech Black) (not pictured)
Dahlia stem (not pictured)

A nice bulky share for week eleven. New on the scene this week are the first of the torpedo onions, an elongated red onion that are sweet, mild, and tender, good for raw eating or cooking. Also a small not too hot hot pepper that is purple black in color, good to give a little kick to a dish or two.

We are making preparations on the farm this week for our upcoming sharemember outdoor movie night. The movie will be projected this coming Sunday night the 15th beginning around dusk (roughly 8pm). The movie to be shown is a personal childhood favorite, the animated version of Robin Hood! Come bring a blanket and a snack, lie out in the field atop Newberry Hill and watch Robin Hood and Little John subvert Prince John and Sir Hiss the Snake. Have a sneak peak HERE.

Lastly, I thought this week might be a good time to share a little about our fertility practices here at Wealth Underground Farm. We take alot of beautiful produce out of the field, produce that was made possible by a supply of nutrients that incrementally leave the soil with the harvested produce. So what measures do we take to ensure that our soil stay rich, that fertility is maintained, that we give back what we have taken away each season?
I'm very happy to say that this year we have made great leaps and bounds toward a more farm-based fertility program. While we still mix our own complete organic fertilizer that we buy off-farm, we also focus a lot of energy on integrating cover crops, manure applications, and improved composting techniques. Of these, our composting system is perhaps gone through the greatest renaissance since last year, a transformation that we owe to the efforts and earnest of one man.

Introducing Eric Campbell; friend, resident, and Wealth Underground Farm compost specialist. Though we have been friends for years, Eric moved onto the farm with us this January, just in time for the 2010 season. He brought with him several years of farm experience, a passion for the simple life, and, maybe most interestingly, a love for compost. Perhaps i'll let the photos here speak for themselves:

And, as always, here are some recipe ideas:
Yogurt Beet Salad
This is a simple salad I put together this last week for dinner that works well with out sweet little beets. Here the ingredients:
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Basil or Parsley
1/4 cup of yogurt
3 tablespoons of olive oil
juice of one lemon
mint leaves

Instructions:
Steam the beets until skins are loose. Run under cold water to remove skins entirely. Slice and mix in a bowl w/ yogurt, finely chopped herbs, oil, and lemon. Sprinkle chopped mint leaves over top and salt/pepper to taste.

Warm Carrot Lentil Salad: adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe
Serves 4 as an appetizer

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 red torpedo onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken stock, skimmed of fat
3/4 cup dried apricots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the carrots, squash, cumin, and ground coriander, and saute, stirring the mixture frequently, until the squash is slightly softened, about 3 minutes more.
3. Add the lentils and chicken stock, and keep at a strong simmer until lentils are tender, 15 to 17 minutes.
4. Add the apricots, and continue to simmer, stirring, 1 minute more. Stir in the golden raisins. Remove from heat, stir in the cilantro and parsley, and serve.

Share Number Ten - August 3, 2010

2010-08-03T14:14:00.000-07:00

We've reached double digits today, ten weeks of fresh, organic produce. That summer that we feel entitled to as residents of northwestern Oregon is blanketing us with a joy we can only feel when it's hot. Here at the farm we are already making preparations for this coming fall and winter. We've acquired some firewood that will supply our winter warmth. The process of food preservation is underway, there are cans of blackberry jam on the shelf and beans are in the food dehydrator. The seasons come and go and come and go and, though we now prepare for the cold and wet of winter, we constantly find ourselves engrossed in the celebrations of the day to day. For this, we rejoice.

In this week's share:
One head of cabbage (red express or savoy), 1.5 pounds of bush beans (provider and royal burgundy), basil with golden plums, 1.5 pounds of beets, three heads of lettuce, one cucumber, 2 pounds of squash, and a dahlia stem.

The recipes:

My Mother's BBQ Green Beans

My loves sweet corn and green beans. Growing up, these two items would commonly find there way into meals at this point in the summer. This recipe is incredibly simple and delicious.

1 small onion roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pound green beans, ends removed
barbeque sauce
(optional) bacon
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Heat up the vegetable oil in a pan and then add the onions. Cook until soft and slightly brown. Add the beans and cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring periodically. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Liberally add barbeque sauce, turn down the heat, and let simmer for about ten minutes.

Cucumber Salad

Cucumber
Olive oil
Dill
Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper

Thinly slice the cucumber. Mix the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and dill. Place the slices in a mixing bowl and add and drizzle the mixture on them. Add the salt and pepper to taste and toss before serving.

Share # 9 July 27th 2010

2010-07-27T13:47:00.000-07:00

In your share this week:

1# Mizuna Salad Mix w/ Sugar Snap Peas
2# Summer Squash (mixed varieties)
2# Carrots (Nantes)
1.5# New Potatoes (Yukon Gold)
1 bch Swiss Chard (Bright Lights)
1 bch Parsley (Italian Flat Leaf)

Farm Pickup
Broccoli (Arcadia)
Cucumbers (Marketmore)
Dovetail Pickup
Cabbage (Red Express)

Alot to be excited about this week. New Potatoes are here! We pulled our first harvest earlier this week and did a taste test. WOW. Tender skins make for creamy delicious spuds. Since potatoes store well, they will be featured more this fall, but we couldn't resist giving you some to try this week. Also you are receiving a good dose of long awaited carrots. These, I can say proudly, are the sweetest carrots I have ever grown. I know overwinter carrots to be the sweetest but these pack a punch for a July harvest. They are like candybars. I know the younger folks are going to like them. Also a heavy share of tasty summer squash. Below I've done a little profile of the different varieties we are growing this year. We will continue to mix the squash, so if you didn't get some of the varieties this week, you soon will. You are receiving a big bunch of parsley because it is doing very well. When I think of parsley abundance, I think of making tabbouleh or quiche, both dishes that could take advantage of other veggies in the share. I've listed a few recipes below and, if others have good ideas, please post them on the sharemember's blog.

A giant carrot next to the first tomato of the year.

Recipes
Tabbouleh Salad inspired by Alice Waters
4 servings
Tabbouleh Salad is a Lebanese salad made with bulgur wheat, chopped herbs, and tomatoes. It is a spectacular salad, green and fresh, with more herbs than grain. Bulgar wheat is made from wheat grains that have been par-boiled or steamed and then dried. It requires only quick cooking and soaking.

Cover by 1 inch with cold water: half cup bulgar wheat
Soak for 20 minutes to plump the grains, then drain in a sieve. while the bulgar is soaking, prepare the other ingredients. Chop:
1 large bunch of Parsley
1 bunch of mint
1 bunch of scallions
Mix the herbs in a large bowl with
grated carrots or
2 ripe tomatoes
With your hands, squeeze the soaked bulgar to remove as much water as possible and mix it into the chopped herbs and tomatoes along with:
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt
a little olive oil
Mix well. Salt to Taste. Let rest for about 1 hour before serving to allow the bulgar to absorb flavors. If you like, serve garnished with lettuce leaves to use as scoops for eating the salad.

Quiche inspired by Julia Child's recipe

Quiche:
Get a liquid measuring cup and for every egg, pour enough milk in to reach the 1/2 cup mark. So, for 2 eggs, crack them into the cup and then pour in the milk until it reaches 1 cup. I used about 6 eggs so that was about 3 cups. Add salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of nutmeg and chopped Parsley

You can fill your quiche with anything under the sun. Try using Broccoli, summer squash, potatoes, cabbage or even carrots. Blanch or cook these veggies first and let them finish off inside your quiche. I try not to let the accessories make it more than 1/3 to 1/2 of they way up the sides. Sprinkle the cheese and other things all over the bottom of the crust and then pour in the egg and milk mixture. Bake at 375 for about 35 minutes until the top is puffed and brown and the quiche is just set. Cool and enjoy.

Crust:
Add two cups of flour (I use white whole wheat) and one teaspoon of salt to the mixer. Mix for a second or two. Then turn the mixer to medium and slowly add 2 sticks of chilled unsalted butter that has been sliced into tablespoon sized pieces. Mix until everything is combined. Then add a 1/4 cup of ice water and mix that until combined. Turn out the dough onto a piece of saran wrap, flatten into a disk, wrap it tightly and store in the fridge for a few hours. Then preheat the oven to 375, roll out your dough and fit it into a pie pan, poke a lot of holes in the bottom and cook until brown and golden, about 40 minutes.

Squash Diversity!

2010-07-27T13:46:00.000-07:00

Patti Pan Summer Squash
Scallop shaped, nutty and flavorful, our old favorite.

CashFlow Summer Squash
High yielding, early variety. Very tender, holds flavor.

Blackhawk Summer Squash
Creamy and very delicous Zuchinni type.

Giambo Summer Squash
Beautiful and high yielding, our new favorite

Yellow Crookneck Summer Squash
Buttery flavor, highly sought after by chefs and squash connoisseurs.

Zephyr Summer Squash
Delicious Nutty Taste

Share Number Eight - July 20, 2010

2010-07-20T13:29:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the families who joined us this past weekend for Kid's Day on the farm. It was a beautiful Sunday and we had fun tasting our way around the garden and petting the animals. Make sure to mark down movie night on your calendars coming up in August!

We like things small at the Wealth Underground Farm. We are working a small plot of land and have a relatively small amount of sharemembers. This is partially due to where we fall on the growth continuum, we are a young farm and plan on growing in the future. That said, we do not plan on growing into anything that you could not label as "small." A metaphor for our size can be found in the squash in this week's share. We harvest squash when it is small, smaller than what is available at a grocery story. As the squash grows larger, the moisture and flavor disappears and the fruit becomes bland and woody. Large squash can look beautiful but is lacking in quality. When squash is small it has a concentration of moisture and flavor that is incredibly desirable. We strive for the best quality in our produce and are dedicated to smallness.

In this weeks share: cabbage (farm pick-up), broccoli and cucumber (Dovetail pick-up), fennel, cilantro and basil sampling, purplette bunching onions, four heads of lettuce, summer squash, a bunch of beets, mizuna.

You might notice that the availability of a few vegetables this week are pick-up location dependent. We don't have quite enough cabbage and cucumbers for all sharemembers but those that we have are ready this week. Don't worry, next week we will swap (those sharemembers that pick up at Dovetail will receive cabbage and those that pick up at the farm will receive broccoli and cucumbers) and you will get to try everything we are growing.

Recipe:

Grilled Squash Pizza

4-5 cloves of garlic
5-6 summer squash
1 lb pizza dough (thawed)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 cups grated mozzerella
a handful of chopped basil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Light grill and allow it to pre-heat for ten minutes. While pre-heating, mince the garlic and then mix in a bowl with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Stretch dough into a rectangle on a large, oiled baking sheet. Rub the dough with one teaspoon of olive oil and then cover with plastic.

Chop the squash in 1/4 inch rounds and toss into bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Grill zucchini, turning occasionally until it is brown on both sides.

Brush the crust with the garlic oil and sprinkle on half the cheese. Arrange the zucchini on the pizza and then sprinkle on the rest of the cheese. Grill pizza until underside is brown and the cheese is melted.

Remove pizza from grill and add basil.

Share #7 July 13th, 2010

2010-07-13T13:46:00.001-07:00

In your share this week:
3 heads of Broccoli
1.5# of Peas (snows on the bottom, sugar snaps on top)
3 baby summer squash
4 heads of lettuce (red oak, red butter, romaine)
Kale
Carrots
Dill flowers

This week you are receiving the very small beginnings of summer squash, a crop that will be a summer staple in your shares. We are finally experiencing that much awaited transition out of the spring greens and into the more hot weather crops like squash, beans, cukes, etc. Dont worry if you didnt get your fill of those spring crops like Arugula, Spinach, turnips, and Choi they'll be back to fill our the shares come fall time. Broccoli is big this week. (applause) The past week's hot weather causes it to jump and we harvested it all in one go. Hopefully we'll be giving you some smaller side-shoots next week. Also next week, look for the arrival of cabbage and perhaps basil, yes basil. A late summer, but a summer nonetheless....

We've been sharing some big family meals together here on the farm, having salads twice a day, picking berries and cherries on Sauvie Island, enjoying the fish our neighbor/sharemember John Leach has caught and generously delivered us, altogether singing the praises of what can grow and be grown in this wonderful part of the world.
Chris and I feel very fortunate to be doing what we do. Food is important to us. It goes beyond just fuel for our working bodies. It is about another kind of energy.
I believe that the care and attention we bring to our soil and garden are transferred into the food and thereby to those who freshly eat it, just as the artistry and love in which a meal is prepared is transferred to those who have the pleasure of consuming it. Whether this transferred energy is actual and physical or whether it is simply psychological is a moot debate. Growing food, packing your shares, I experience it as real and staggeringly significant.
Sure, choosing to farm we are perhaps sacrificing some material luxuries that our culture has come to see as necessities, but we also gain so much that could never be quantified. For me this is what the name of our farm is about. Yes, Wealth Underground is about soil fertility, the richness of the soil, but it is also about the richness of the agrarian experience, its about the joy of healthy humane homemade food and about sharing it.
Enjoy the wealth this week....and of course in the weeks to come.

RECIPE
This week's recipe comes from the much admired gardener Steve Solomon. And i quote:
"I recommend a simple and (naturally) frugal Scottish Recipe called colcannon.
Fill a large pot with finely chopped kale, add a quarter inch of water, and set the heat to low. As soon as the leaves collapse, add an inch-thick layer of roughly cut up, unpeeled potatos and allow the whole thing to steam until the potatoes are soft enough to mash. Then mash everything. Do not pour off any remaining water. Mash the lot and retain the minerals. Add your usual mashed-potato seasonings. Steamed Kale by itself is a bit intense. And potatoes by themselves are usually a bit low in protein and minerals. Combined they make near-perfect nutrition with complementary flavors."

Share Number Six - July 6, 2010

2010-07-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

Two of our best friends got married this last weekend in Ohio, where Nolan and I spent a few days amongst the festivities. We had to harden our nerves when we left on Thursday morning, having a lot of young plants and animals in our immediate care. It was dark when we arrived back on the farm Sunday night and we had to wait until Monday morning to check in with the plants and animals. Fortunately, our housemate, Eric, aptly cared for plants and animals and Oregon blessed us with an early summer rain. Here is the share for this week:

The vegetables: one bunch of beets, one pound of snap peas, one head of joi choi, four heads of lettuce, one quarter pound of parsley, two mini tat sois, a sprig of mint, a handful of French sorrel, one head of broccoli.

The recipes:
Chard Lasagna (courtesy of Grace Nowakoski, WU sharemember)

This is a very flexible recipe using whole chard leaves as a dividing layer in a baked casserole. I’ll include two ways that have been delicious, but please invent, experiment, enjoy! Try both of these with a nice Chardonnay…

Ingredients:
French Lentils (experiment with other lentils, beans, meat)
Chard (lots)
Onion/Shallots/Leeks (as preferred or available)
Garlic
Zucchini (several small or one large), sliced lengthwise, ¼ inch thick
Tomatoes (canned whole, or 4-6 fresh sauce variety)
Olive oil/butter/coconut oil/vegetable oil (as preferred or available)
Spices/Fresh herbs/Seasonings
Cheese: Any kind you like, nice if it will brown on top. Grated, or thinly sliced. (or Nutritional Yeast

Prep:
Cook French lentils. Sauté onion, finely chopped chard ribs, garlic, spices/seasonings/fresh herbs (mine was Italian leaning, yours could go any way you want). Mix together. Salt to taste.

Lightly cook Zucchini in olive oil in a frying pan. (Skip this step if you like al dente zukes.)

Sauté coarsely chopped tomatoes in lots of oil/butter/other fat until slightly thick (tomato saucy), add finely chopped garlic to an oiled well in the center and allow to just barely cook.

Assembly: (bottom up)
Lentil mixture

Whole raw Chard leaves (ribs removed) at least 3 leaves thick (think lasagna noodles).

Sauteed tomatoes with chopped garlic.

Zucchini

2nd Chard Layer

Cheese (or vegan option: Nutritional yeast drizzled with Olive oil.)

Bake covered at 325-350 for 20-30 minutes. Remove cover, bake 5 minutes to brown top.

Sorrel Soup

1 cup of chopped onions
1 cup of chopped beets
2 tbsp. flour
5 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp. butter
3-4 cups chopped sorrel
1 quart of stock
(optional) parmesan cheese

Saute onions and beets in butter until wilted. Add flour and saute about 2 minutes. Add sorrel and garlic chive, saute until wilted. Add stock slowly while stirring, then simmer 3 to 4 minutes to develop the flavor. Grate parmesan cheese on top and serve. Feeds 4 to 6.

Share #5 June 29th 2010

2010-06-29T16:23:00.001-07:00

(Thank you Mitchell, Garret, Jonie, and TJ for helping turn a lettuce bed during our sharemember work party!)

The sun came and it came to stay this past week, cherries ripened, I (Nolan) turned 26. We also hosted a handful of happy farm folk as part of a tour series organized by Zenger Farm. The circuit included Meriweathers Farm, Wealth Underground Farm, and Red Truck Farm, each of us speaking to the specifics of our place, methods, and motivations.
Today we harvested peas(!), finally, and put together what i feel to be the best share yet, but, then again, I say that every week. In your share today:

1 # Oregon Snow Peas
2 bulbs Fennel
1 head of Nero de Tuscano loose-leaf cabbage (more like Kale in our opinion)
1 bch. Merlin and Chioggia Beets
1 head Green Choi
4 heads lettuce
1 bag of mixed greens (spinach, mizuna, frill mustard)
Cilantro
Dill

Also, I thought it might be fruitful to include some updates about whats happening cropwise out in the field so that everybody can prepare themselves for what is here, what's coming up, and, well, what is coming later than expected.

Crops that are struggling:
Carrots
Swiss Chard

What we are doing about it:
Although the gophers have taken down a good portion of our first succession of carrots, we've responded by doubling our late successions and moving the beds across the garden away from their tunnels. We have decided to put the problem spots into buckwheat cover-crop after we harvest off the remaining carrots and let them rest while we continue with our vigilant trapping regimen. For our sharemembers (especially Justin and the Leachs) this means later carrots, but more of them. Same goes for Swiss Chard. We just transplanted a healthy stand and, with this weather, they'll be big and in your shares in no time.

Crops that are thriving!
Summer Squash (perhaps will be in the share as soon as next week)
Broccoli (look for an abundance in the next few week's shares)
Peas (snow peas this week, sugar snap next week)
Fennel
Beets
Lettuce
Too many greens to name
Tomatoes! (there are green tomatoes on many of our plants! get ready)

What we are doing about it:
Celebrating, giving you the bounty.

Here is a recipe idea that takes advantage of several vegetables in this week's share.

Stirfry Shrimp (or tofu) Snow Peas Walnut Salad

* 2 tablespoon water
* 2 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
* 2 teaspoon soy sauce
* 2 teaspoon Oriental sesame oil
* a pinch of sugar
* 24 medium shrimp (about 1/2 pound), shelled
* 2 garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 tablespoons olive oil
* 6 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts
* 3/4 pound snow peas, trimmed
* 1 large Choi
* 3 cups golden frill mustard

Preparation:
In a small bowl stir together the water, 2 tablespoon of the vinegar, the soy sauce, the sesame oil, the sugar, and a pinch of salt. In a bowl toss the shrimp or tofu with the garlic paste and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and let the shrimp or tofu marinate for 10 minutes. In a non-stick skillet heat 2 teaspoons of the remaining olive oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it sauté the walnuts, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the snow peas and Choi, sauté the mixture, stirring, for 45 seconds, or until the snow peas are crisp-tender, and transfer it to a bowl. In the skillet sauté the shrimp or tofu on each side, add the soy sauce mixture, and simmer covered, for 1 minute, or until they are cooked through. Add the shrimp or tofu mixture to the snow pea mixture. In a large bowl toss the golden frill with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, divide the greens and peas between 2 dinner plates, and top them with the shrimp or tofu mixture.

Share Number Four - June 22, 2010

2010-06-22T15:06:00.002-07:00

We share the land on which the Wealth Underground Farm is situated with many beings other than ourselves. Although I say share, we are not totally altruistic here on the farm. Captured slugs are fed to the ducks and chickens. We've got a fence in order to keep deer and elk from stomping and nibbling on our plants, a fate we fell prey to last year. We do not warmly welcome a lot of the residents and visitors to our plot.
That said, we do uphold a sense of diplomacy here on the farm. On a conventional farm, chemical warfare is constantly waged. Unwanted plants, animals, bugs, fungi, etc. are eliminated with efficacy using strong pesticides that find their way into the ecosystem and into us. Unfortunately, this strategy of pest control produces fruits and vegetables that are considered "standard" by consumers. We do not subscribe to this violent mode of operation and as a result our vegetables show signs of the inhabitants on our farm. If we only sold to restaurants and market, one way we would cope with the damage is by composting a portion of the crop that we harvest. Though the vegetables end up back in our soil helping nourish future plants and ourselves, the process feels wasteful.
Here is a reason why the CSA is valuable. CSA sharemembers purchase the produce at the beginning of the season and have contracted with the farmer. No longer having to market the vegetables, the farmer no longer has to worry about meeting a supermarket standard. Instead, perfectly good fruit and vegetables that would be thrown out if being sold to a supermarket remain in the foodstream, preventing waste. I'm neither trying to excuse the appearance of our produce, which, in my humble opinion, looks beautiful, or say that we don't throw out any of our crops. What I am saying is that the CSA model and the sharemembers involved are effectively reducing food waste, which is crucial in order to create a sustainable food production system. Thanks for doing your part and enjoy this week's share.

In this weeks share: Turnips, a bunch of beets, spring onions, a head of green garlic, three fennel bulbs, four lettuce heads, one pound of braising mix with peas and broccoli, cilantro, and the tour de Europe bunch (Italian lacinato kale, French sorrel, and Swiss chard)

Recipes:

Roasted Beets

Ingredients-
Bunch of beets
Two tablespoons olive oil
Six cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°. Chop the beets into large chunks and place into a small baking dish one layer deep. Chop the garlic and add to the beets. I prefer larger pieces but you can also mince the garlic if you prefer. Drizzle with olive oil and add the salt and pepper. Mix together in the baking pan so that the beets and garlic are covered in a thin layer of oil. Bake for approximately thirty minutes.

Optional: serve the roasted beets on a bed of sauteed beet greens cook in a light vinegar.

Fennel Cilantro Hummus

I whipped this together in five minutes the other day using the food processor and we all enjoyed it here on the farm. Portions of each ingredient are to your preference.
Chickpeas (or any bean you like for that matter)
Fennel bulb
garlic clove
Cilantro
lemon (or preserved lemon)
some tomato sauce (canned from last season)
Olive oil
paprika (or pimenton)

Share Number Three - June 15, 2010

2010-06-15T18:35:00.001-07:00

In your share this week:
2 Fennel bulbs
Cilantro
1 great big bunch of Lacinato Kale
4 lettuce heads (3 red, 1 green)
1# braising mix
1# Spinach-Mizuna Salad Blend
1 bunch radishes
1 bunch turnips

What a brilliant week! The sun, thank heavens, brought a much needed window to finish out our hot crop transplanting. Melons, peppers (hot and sweet), eggplant, and winter squash all found fertile homes beneath row cover. It is always hard to imagine these little, delicate, true leaves will in several quick months give fruit you need two hands to wrestle out of the field and we have our fingers crossed this year will, at long last, give us the hot days we need to make this a reality.
Chris and I sat on a panel for Urban farming this week with many other growers who have their fingers crossed. It comes as no real surprise that the volume of rains and cool nights has presented its challenge to all growers in the Willamette Valley this year. But while summer hasn't come on as quickly as we'd like, we are trying to revel in the abundance of greens (and turnips) that thrive in this type of season. We are excited to introduce fennel, a big bunch of lacinato kale, cilantro, and a pound of braising mix into the share with peas and broccoli and beets on the near horizon. Below are recipe ideas for Kale and Fennel.

Kale:
Sweet Apple Walnut Kale
1 bunch kale
2 to 3 tablespoons butter
1⁄2 apple, very thinly sliced
1⁄2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon unrefined cane sugar or brown sugar
2-3 tablespoons apple juice or cider
1 tablespoon tamari
2 teaspoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar

Pull away the leaves from the stem before washing. Cut leaves into bite size pieces.
Melt butter in a large skillet (not cast iron! It will turn the apples grey) over medium low heat.
Add apples and walnuts and sauté for a few minutes. Sprinkle unrefined cane sugar over the apples and
walnuts and stir so that it evenly coats. When apples are softened, add kale leaves and sauté over
medium heat until leaves begin to turn brilliant green.

Combine juice and tamari. Pour into pan. Cover tightly. Cook until leaves are tender, 5 to 7
minutes. Taste to check for doneness; greens should be tasty, not bitter; still green, not grey. Dress with
vinegar before serving.

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Fennel:
Oven Potatoes with Fennel

20 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 1/2" cubes
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut in 1" slices
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced finely
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper -- to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine potatoes, fennel, onion, parsley, oil, salt and pepper; toss gently until well coated. Arrange mixture in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet. Bake, turning occasionally, until potatoes are crisp on all sides, 30-35 minutes. Serve immediately.

When gum boots go to heaven

2010-06-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

2010-06-15T18:12:00.000-07:00

InFarmation (and Beer!)

2010-06-09T08:44:00.000-07:00

Nolan and Chris from the Wealth Underground Farm will be speaking on a panel this evening (Wednesday, June 9th) at the monthly InFarmation (and Beer!) gathering at Roots Brewery. The subject for this month is urban farming and the panel is being organized by Naomi from Naomi's Farm Supply (eternally linked to the right of this page). Click here for more information.

Share Number Two - June 8, 2010

2010-06-08T14:04:00.000-07:00

There are some vegetables this week that are repeats from the first share, you probably won't be fooled by the fact that the two medium sized bunches of radishes have now become one extra large bunch of radishes or that we have increased the number of turnips by one. But we have added a few new items, one in particular we are especially excited to include. That chlorophyll filled, iron rich vegetable is spinach.

Spinach is a finicky plant. It has an incredibly low germination rate and it is quick to bolt unless it has optimal conditions. We had a difficult time growing spinach last year and I was wary about including it on the list of vegetables for this CSA season. Though you know the result, we have an abundance of spinach in this weeks share, it took us on a ride this season about which I want to tell you.

Spinach is one of the first plants we seeded this spring. We planted tyee, which we purchased this year, and bloomsdale longstanding, which was leftover from last year. Immediately, the tyee trays looked really strong, the starts were stout and the germination was high. The bloomsdale starts, on the other hand, looked weak. We planted them out in April, giving the tyee a little over a bed and the bloomsdale a little under. To our amazement, the bloomsdale recovered and leafed out. The harvest for todays share is primarily from the bloomsdale bed. The tyee, on the other hand, generally showed little growth. Maybe we will be able to harvest the tyee eventually but there is a good chance that it will bolt with the upcoming sunny days.

Without any more ado, we present to you our second share:

In this share we have: dill, one pound of spinach, two spring onions, one green garlic, four heads of lettuce, one bunch of beet greens, one bunch of turnips, one bunch of radishes, and a basil start.

A note about the beet greens: we've thinned the beets in order to create more space to grow larger beets. Instead of composting the beet greens from the thinning process, we put them into the share as they are edible and delicious. Eventually, you will receive much larger beets but for now we are including these greens as a teaser.

What else can i do with my radishes? Here is a link to a NY Times suggestion.

Share Number One - June 1, 2010

2010-06-01T17:06:00.001-07:00

About a month ago we weren't sure if we were going to have a quality first share. The weather was consistently wet and cold and the plants that were in the field were growing slowly. Still, the Xes continued to be penned on to the calendar and early this morning we greeted the first of June, the day of our first share. Fortunately, the farmer fear of an early season failure was completely ephemeral and, with excitement, we present our springtime offerings:

Included in this big first share are two bunches of radishes, a bunch of giant hakurei turnips, one pound of arugula, one pound of salad mix, four green garlics, two heads of joi choi, dill, and a bundle of cabbage rabb. A note on the green garlic: we originally intended to spread the distribution of the green garlic throughout the month of June. Unfortunately, a gopher pitted itself between us and that plan. As a result, we were forced to harvest all of the green garlic and distribute it all at once. Don't worry, you do not have to eat it all at once. Green garlic stores well so it can sit in your refrigerator without perishing for at least a month.

This share is particularly heavy on the greens. Yahoo! Now what do I do with them? We've been enjoying big salads with homemade dressing garnished with turnips and radishes. I make a great quick dressing in the food processor with varied amounts of the following:
Fresh herb (dill)
green garlic
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
Tahini
lemon(optional)
salt to taste

Here is another recipe involving arugula:

Arugula Pesto

This recipe makes pasta sauce for about four people.

2 cups of arugula leaves
1/2 cup parmesan or asiago cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, walnuts, or sunflower seeds
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4-6 cloves of garlic

Instructions:

1. (Optional) Lightly brown the garlic in oil in a skillet. Set the garlic in oil aside to cool.
2. (Optional) Toast the nuts on medium heat until lightly brown.
3. Combine all the ingredients except for the olive oil in a food processor. Slowly add the olive oil until the mixture reaches your ideal consistency.
4. Add to pasta.

First CSA Share (Part 2)

2010-06-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

Farm Update: May 21st 2010

2010-05-21T10:58:00.001-07:00

Dearest Friends and Wealth Underground Farm Sharemembers,
Less than two weeks until our first share! Hope everyone is as excited as we are. The recent high winds and hail that blew through the farm were more revelatory than damaging. Their gusts blew back many of the row-covers (frost protection for early crops) exposing healthy stands of beets, hakurei turnips, rainbow chard, fennel, to name a few. It was apparent that the crops had responded well to our previous week of warmth and, I must say, dearly rewarding to witness the fruits of our cloudy winter labors.
Also worthy of note, our farm was recently host to several interesting events:
A handful of chefs-in-training came out from the Oregon Culinary Institute to get their hands dirty and ask questions for a day, helping to fork and prep what will be tomato and pepper beds. This is a continuation of a relationship begun last year with Chef/owner Brian Wilke and OCI (now a WUF sharemember). For all parties this is an an exciting exchange; growers and culinary wizards collaborating in the field.
Also, we hosted a farm tour as part of the recent Open Engagement Conference. Artists from Portland and across the country had a chance to see the farm and ask us about our process. Click here to see a time lapse video of the event made by sharemember Jacqui Hill.

Well, that's all for now, back out to work.
Look forward to seeing you all soon,
-Nolan and Chris
WUFarm

2010-05-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

An early spring panorama, when a stand of bolting kale overlooked a desert of mostly sod and bare earth.

2010-05-01T06:53:00.000-07:00

2010-04-03T21:08:00.000-07:00

New Wealth Underground Merchandise

2010-04-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago we seeded peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, and husk cherries. These plants will yield primarily in late summer, which has felt incredibly far off these last few cold and blustery days. We've got fennel, chard, kale, beets, turnips, and peas growing out in the field, enduring the cold under torn row covers. Vegetable production is picking up at the Wealth Underground Farm and, though it is exciting to see young plants slowly develop, we've got another exciting development to announce.
We present to you the Wealth Underground Farm's first piece of merchandise, a natural cotton "elk head" tote. The design was drawn by Nolan and has previously appeared on this blog. We liked it so much, we decided to make bags and shirts showcasing the design (the shirts are still pending). These bags will be the carriers for transporting our vegetables to our sharemembers kitchens.
That said, we had a lot of extra bags printed and have some available for purchase. We are selling them on a sliding scale, from $10-$15. Ideally, you would buy them directly from us but if that doesn't work and you must have a bag we can also mail them out for $5 dollars extra. Enjoy the pictures and contact us at wealth.underground@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing a bag or one of our last few CSA shares.

Spring Composite 2

2010-03-21T20:49:00.000-07:00

Spring Composite 1

2010-03-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

Scenes from a Mild Winter

2010-02-28T11:55:00.000-08:00

Introducing....

2010-02-28T11:42:00.000-08:00

General Meow. Mouser Extraordinaire.

Chris and I are both rather averse to the idea of pet blogs but our new cat's introduction has been delightfully practical and beneficial to the farm. In a single afternoon we witnessed him catch and devour four mice from the furrows and he has continued to make habit of such feats daily. This single feline has without doubt sent ripples into the general ecology of our field and forest. The warnings now echo in the tunnels and trees, beware the hunter is here! It is my great honor to present to you, my friend and yours, General.

Hibernation Creation

2010-01-25T16:17:00.000-08:00

I'm posting an illustration I completed this month along with the original mockup sketch I did back in Decemeber.

The final drawing

The mock up

Wealth Underground Skill Share

2010-01-22T12:30:00.001-08:00

This past week we hosted our first skill share at the Wealth Underground Farm. In the past, we've discussed a desire to know and learn certain agrarian and homesteading skills. For example, last year I attempted to propagate grapes unsuccessfully. For the skill share, I studied propagation from cuttings, had a practice run with grapes and rosemary, and then taught the skill to a group. The skill share acts as a catalyst, we are held accountable to learn a skill in order to teach that skill to others. The presenters don't necessarily have to be experts in the skill they are presenting. The skill share is a medium that allows the exchange of ideas rather than exhibits the authority of the presenter.
In addition to the propagation demonstration Nolan gave a presentation/demonstration on pruning blueberries, which people responded to enthusiastically even though it was raining. Eric, our newest housemate, talked about urine diversion. He is going to be presenting at Notre Dame on the subject in February and the skill share was an opportunity for him to organize and practice presenting what he knows. Residents of Wealth Underground were the presenters this time around but in the future we hope to have many more "experts" come forward with skills. If you are interested in teaching a skill in the future, please send us an email.
The next skill share is scheduled for February 28th. There will probably be a cheesemaking presentation and the rest is still in the works. Please join us if you are able.

CSA Application - 2010

2009-12-08T16:53:00.000-08:00

WU CSA Application

Farm Sponsors Artist Lecture Series

2009-11-11T15:38:00.000-08:00

Earlier this fall our farm happily accepted an invitation to sponsor an artist lecture series organized by Portland State University's MFA (Masters of Fine Arts) program. The series has one more speaker before their winter break but then resumes again in January and, best of all, the lectures are FREE and open to the public. (more information below) The line up features a handful of nontraditional artist's, many of them working in a burgeoning movement that is being referred to as Social Practice or Post-Studio. To attempt to give this movement a name or definition is a slippery undertaking, mostly because the practicing artists do not usually fit within the commonly known contexts of object based gallery and museum art making. "Social Practice" artists are seeking greater public engagement, social discourse, and community application where their projects begin to look more like, but not limited to, humanitarian aid, free schools and, i dare say, community supported agriculture.

Other sponsors for the lecture series include: PICA, The Cooley Gallery at Reed College, Disjecta, The Northwest Film Center, The Bear Deluxe Magazine, and Le Happy

INFO FOR LECTURE SERIES

Wealth Underground offers CSA 2010!!

2009-10-17T12:52:00.000-07:00

While jars of apple sauce and tomatoe sauce boil in their waterbath on the stove and a rare thunderstorm is passing over the Tualatin Mountains headed for the Cascades, Chris and I are sitting down to talk about next August.
Here is the first official announcement of our 25 member CSA that will commence next spring.

Outstanding Summer in the Field

2009-10-14T13:54:00.000-07:00

It's cold and it's raining. Last week we bought a cord of firewood from a guy named Farmer in Scappoose, which we are now quite thankful for. We've harvested nearly all of our summer vegetables and now the plants are slowly deteriorating with the chilly weather. Nolan and I have both been sick the last few days and pulled out a chicken, one of our roosters we slaughtered early in the summer, and made some chicken vegetable soup that has been slowly nourishing us towards wellness. Now is as good a time as any to reflect on a summer experience. Maybe some of that summer warmth will travel forward in time and heat our currently cold house.

Outstanding in the Field

In July we were approached by the restaurant Ned Ludd, who had been referred to us by Michael from Sauvie Island Organics, to supply some produce for a dinner put on by a group from Santa Cruz called Outstanding in the Field. This group travels around the country and connects farmers, chefs, and consumers through a delicious, shared meal. At first we were excited to sell a relatively large amount of produce and were mostly in the dark about the dinner and the organization. We had carrots, beets, basil, and lettuce that we needed to move and this was an opportunity to move a lot. It was probably this lack of expectations that lead to Nolan and I having our minds blown at the event.
We met Jason, a co-owner and chef at Ned Ludd, when he drove out to our farm to pick up the produce. He talked to us for over an hour about the event, his restaurant, and food in general. At this juncture we were also told that the farmers are invited to Outstanding in the Field events for free to share the meal with the paying guests. We proceded to research Ned Ludd and found a New York Times blog praising it. We now had a little bit of information to form some expectation for the event.

We drove out to Ford Ranch on Sauvie Island and were in time to sign in and enjoy some hors d'oeuvres and beet kombucha. Ford Ranch is the home of Highland cattle, who are known for their long horns, and the owners had placed a lot of feed next to the sign-in tent so we were enjoying snacks and drink with about 20 cows. Nolan proposed that we get some hoola hoops and try to ring their horns but before we could follow through we were informed that the tour of the farm was beginning.

Everyone gathered together and we walked through the pasture towards the main herd. It was a hot day and, though everyone was wearing cool, casual clothing, it was obvious people were growing uncomfortable in the heat of the sun. The folks leading the tour spoke softly and I could tell that everyone in the back was questioning the purpose of the tour, which apparently didn't involve any movement as we stood in one spot for about twenty minutes. The herd of cattle, which was staying cool under a large tree, stared at the large group of humans. Slowly, the humans crept closer and closer to the cattle herd and eventually pushed the unwilling cattle out into the sun, assuming their position under the tree. It was one of those moments where gucci purses and pressed slacks could not hide the fact that people are animals.
After our time in the pasture we walked to the orchard and assumed our place at the table. We sat on one end near our friends from Sauvie Island Organics and Red Truck Farm, who had also provided some of the food for the meal. We were joined by a large family, the parents lived on Sauvie Island and their children were spread out throughout the west coast. We consumed some wine and ate the first course, which was an excellent beet salad. The second dish quickly followed but while we were eating we were asked by the hosts if we would like to meet the other dinner guests. My immediate reaction was that it could wait until I finished my dinner but I could tell it wasn't a request where anything but yes was the correct answer. Seeing how we were eating a delicious meal gratis, Nolan and I consented and were swept through the rapid river of conversations that were flowing throughout the table.
We were commonly asked about whether or not we were able to make a living farming, which was a pretty weighted question. First off, we were in the middle of our first growing season, market had just started and we were still learning the farm trade. We hadn't been growing long enough to give a solid answer based on experience. Second, the question was coming from people who were able to afford an incredibly expensive dinner. I'm not saying everyone at this dinner was rich but most everybody was financially stable. Each time we jokingly answered about how we weren't making any money though we were eating well and we all laughed together, poor farmer and comfortable consumer. It was surreal, feeling valued by the guests at the dinner while also feeling slightly caricaturized. After the whirlwind conversations, it was a relief to return to the meal.
We had a salad consisting of mostly our greens but the real treat of the night was the main course, the smoked beef on a bed of collards and onions. The cow was raised, slaughtered, and prepared at Ford Ranch. It was smoked in a converted buoy that used to float in the San Francisco Bay. We were still eating this course when the desert was brought out as somehow we managed to get a hold of the remainders form other tables.

We had to leave quickly following desert as we had to put our chickens away. As we walked back to the car we were constantly pinching ourselves, wondering if we really just had that experience. On the drive home we opened up the windows and felt the warm summer evening breeze.

Wealth Underground - One, Market - Done

2009-10-01T08:42:00.001-07:00

The St. John's Farmers Market is finished and we, the Wealth Underground Farm, remain standing and in possession of a lot of produce. We never hit the plateau at market, these last three weekends were consecutively our highest revenue weekends. All good things must come to an end, though, every summer turns to fall turns to winter turns to spring. We revel in what we are doing now but are also looking forward to continuing our relationship with the market in years to come.
I'd personally like to thank many people at the market. Sweet Leaf Farm and Red Truck Farm were crucial mentors in helping us craft and refine our presentation. Lilikoi made sure we had something sweet/savory to eat when we arrived in our groggy pre-tea/coffee early morning states. A quick plug for them, Lilikoi will be running a takeout in St. Johns certain evenings at the Little Red Bike Cafe, stop by and enjoy a good meal. An extra special thanks to Dovetail Bakery, who are our female vegan pastry dopplegangers. They were able to make things made vegan taste good. A bullet point thank you to Lauren, who could carry us through the morning solely by the smell of the fresh bread she baked for us. I also want to thank Deck Family Farms, Fujii Farms, Hot Mama Salsa, Nate and Grace at Baird Family Orchards, Lisa Bersani and the board of directors, our regular customers, and everyone else who contributed to making the market a community success.

2009-09-10T16:54:00.000-07:00

Hood to Coast: The Chicken Chronicles

2009-09-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

Recently, Nolan and I were visiting a friends place of work after market. We entered their building, which primarily housed a tanning salon, and walked down a long set of stairs into a dark basement. We got the tour of the place and talked for a while. As we left, we found we were bounding up the stairs, quickly trying to make our way back outside to sunshine and fresh air. After we pushed through the doors and took a deep breath we felt affirmed in our decision to work outside and grow vegetables. Though this season has involved a lot of hard work and little financial return, we couldn't imagine living it in any other way. We've been aptly paid with experiences, fresh, delicious food, and suntans.

Hood to Coast with Six Wicked Chickens

My first retrospective story is one that occurred recently. As some people know, we had a difficult time this last winter and spring with the chicks we received from the hatchery. We lost about thirty percent of the chicks, leaving us with 18 of the original 26 we ordered. We decided to order some of the breeds straight run, meaning we would presumably get about 50/50 cockerel (male) and pullet (female). Ultimately, we ended up with ten laying hens originating from our hatchery order. We added a beloved buff orpington and kept one rooster named Klaus Kinski, putting us at twelve chickens in the flock.

This all happened early in the season but in the last week and half we have updated our flock. Nolan found a posting on craigslist from a woman in Sandy who was trying to get rid of a number of her laying hens because they were flying over the fence and ransacking her garden. We've lost the majority of our cabbage to our chickens behaving in the same way but were not deterred from replying and arranging a pickup. The exciting aspect of the trade for us was that instead of cash, which is in somewhat short supply around here, we would give her vegetables for the chickens, which is a commodity we have in an abundance.

We loaded up the cube into the van, the cube being a large cardboard box we planned on transporting the chickens in. The drive afforded Nolan a nap and myself a thorough rush hour view of outlying Portland. As we approached Sandy we noticed that there were swarms of runners on Highway 26, apparently a part of some large road race. We figured out that we were driving into the belly of the beast of Hood to Coast, an annual race where groups of runners drive out to Mt. Hood and then tag team there way to the Pacific Coast, like if Lewis and Clark had a Saucony sponsorship. We assumed that we would be rid of the runners when we turned on to the chicken's road but to our chagrin, the race followed almost our exact route to the driveway and we were made to take the disgusted glares of oncoming runners.

When we arrived at the property we were floored by the openness and the beauty of the space. From their driveway, they had a framed view of the Mt. Hood National Forest with Mt. Hood gloriously erect in the center. The woman we were trading with gave us a short tour. We saw goats, chickens, rabbits, turkeys, etc. milling about, very few of these animals allowing fences to confine their movements. There were also four young children, but it seemed like there were more as they kept moving and surprising us in different locations on our tour. We exchanged the baskets of vegetables we had brought for a plastic tub of chickens, gave her our appreciation for the tour and her homestead, and hit the road.

The chickens were getting hot in the tub so we let them out inside the cube and for rascals they behaved well. At one point one chicken perched on the side of the cube, supposedly watching the following traffic and the runners on the side of the highway. It was one of those moments where I wished I could translate the thoughts of animals into human, I can't imagine what was racing through that chickens mind watching the racing people.

By the time we neared our road, Hood to Coast had reached Highway 30. Nolan and I had a conversation where he expressed his confusion about how people could enjoy running that much on the road and I expressed how much I would like to be running on the road but couldn't quite say why and end Nolan's confusion. We got the chickens to the coop and it was nightfall when we introduced them to the other chickens. Although some gang warfare resulted when we placed them inside and shut the doors, our original chickens were mostly content with finding a spot and perching, more than likely eyeballing the new chickens and thinking about how they would beat them up the next day.

At this point we haven't received any eggs from the new chickens and they refuse to go in at night, preferring to live in the tree next to the coop, but they have yet to go into the garden and eat our vegetables. Also, I'm starting a Hood to Coast farmer team for next year. If you are interested then contact us at wealth.underground@gmail.com.

Little bits of summer

2009-08-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

Hello all,
Our hands have been too dirty to give adequate updates here on the website for the last few months, but I offer no apologies for the fullness of summer. Nevertheless, Chris and I were discussing the disparity between or digital representation and the actuality of the farm itself, and it seems we have a window here as summer winds down and we gear up for fall preparation, to bring web-followers up to speed by each posting a summer retrospective.
Farm life has truly been a karmic roller coaster, some days we soar with optimism, other days we are picking up the remains of our elk trampled tomatoes and feeling utterly defeated. I guess I will begin here. We have a resident herd of elk that roam our ridge and, after having stuck to the deep forest through the bulk of summer, they returned these past weeks drawn, I suppose, by the ripening of our neighbors orchards. We have grown quite intimate with these massive creatures and for those of you who have never encountered an elk in person, they are comparable to a horse in height and mass. So imagine what a herd of 35 could do to a market garden once they breached the fence. Lucky for us, they favored the squash, melon, and tomato plants, sticking to the top portion of our field and taking a modest 1/3 of each of these crops before I came running yelling incoherently from the house at three am and they galloped away into the darkness.
Accordingly, this past week we dubbed rally-cap week. And for those not versed in “jock-speak” this is a term often used when your team is down to incite a comeback and is accompanied by turning ones hat inside out for a bit of superstitious luck. We did not flip our hats, but instead camped out at the edge of the fields to dissuade elk and put in several long days of physical labor, reclaiming our nibbled crops, turning in finished beds, planting our last buckwheat cover crops and sowing our late fall crops; Brussels, Romanesco, Collards. We were also able to pull an amazing harvest this past Friday, including a delicious super salad mix and the biggest carrots we’ve had all season and made a good appearance at our Saturday market.
We also began this week seeding our overwinter alliums in the greenhouse which will provide us with Giant Musselbrough leeks and Walla Walla Onions in early June next year. And this leads me to much more exciting evolution here on the farm. We have decided to put our energies into a CSA (Community Support Agriculture) next year. As of now, we are speculating that we will be able to feed about 25 families for six months and our goal is that our members, for the most part, be our immediate skyline neighbors. Sign ups will begin in the following months and we hope, keeping with the nature of a direct producer-consumer relationships, that they will done in person and that we will begin to establish personal relationships with those people who our food will nourish. More specfic details concerning the CSA will be posted here shortly, but if you already know you are interested please send us a quick email to our farm account: Wealth.underground@gmail.com.

Culinary Institute

Another recent happening worthy of note is our burgeoning friendship with the Oregon Culinary Institute. Last week Brain Wilke and his crew rode their motorcycles out to the farm to shoot a short publicity film for the institute. We gave them a tour and helped them harvest an assortment of veggies that would fit their menu for that night. Afterward, they graciously offered to prepare us a meal at the institute with our produce and we, of course, accepted.
Upon, arriving at the Institute that night we were immediately struck by the changing of hats that had occurred. Brain had gone from his casual Mushroom lifecycle t-shirt and biker pants to his formal black chefwear that seemed approartiely paired with the wine glasses and clean linen tablecloths of the dining area. We were left feeling a bit underdressed, but thankful that at least Chris had changed out of his chicken blood-stained shirt at the last minute. Brain gave us a tour of the school weaving us in and out of the eager chefs-to-be and then showed us to our table where we were treated with an incredible five-course meal. The outstanding quality of the food warranted periodic laughs of disbelief as we ate. Brain has expressed interest in continuing to source from Wealth Underground and Chris and I are truly excited about the continuation of what seems a beautiful symbiotic relationship between growers and culinary artists based in an appreciation for fresh local nourishment and fueled by a mutual respect.
The farm visit video will soon be posted on their website.
http://www.oregonculinaryinstitute.com/

more updates to come shortly.....

2009-08-14T21:24:00.001-07:00

Market

2009-07-26T10:58:00.000-07:00

We are three weeks in to the St. Johns Farmer's Market season and thoroughly enjoying the connections we are making. The first market was a huge success, we sold out of nearly everything and there was a huge community turnout. These last two markets have been slower but it seems as though energy is increasing and a lot of people are returning. The amount of food we are selling has caused us to realize what we need to grow more of, which for the most part is everything. We have begun talking about next year and are excited to slowly grow and expand with our new knowledge, skills, and connections. We also donated some of our produce to Food Not Bombs this week and will most likely continue to do so in the future.
In other news, the chickens have been laying eggs for about a month now and are almost meeting household demand. Soon we will have a very small amount of eggs available to sell. The goal is that the money we make from selling eggs will pay for maintaining the chickens. Our chickens are totally free ranging (even though we have a fence to supposedly keep them in one area) and the eggs they are producing are phenomenal.

Some Wealth

2009-07-09T08:54:00.001-07:00

approaching solstice

2009-06-18T07:46:00.001-07:00

The Wealth Underground sells out!?!?

2009-06-17T13:02:00.000-07:00

Up until recently, we have been focused primarily on growing plants. We planted the seeds, the seeds germinated into spindly little plants, and we placed those plants in our garden for them to grow and give. It's hard to believe that our plants, especially chard, which has enormous fanned out leaves, came from such a humble beginning as a seed. We will post photos soon for visual affirmation of the growth in our garden.
So what do we do now that we've grown our plants? Yes, we are eating a lot of greens. The excitement for fresh green vegetables created by winter has yet to wear off but we have much more produce on our hands than we can possibly consume. It's hard to believe, but we at the Wealth Underground have lightly embraced capitalism in an awkward high school hug, keeping our hips and midsections distant and avoiding eye contact, and have started selling our produce. Here's a list of places we are currently selling or have sold to, this list is rapidly expanding as the amount of diversity we have available in the ground increases:

James John Cafe (St. Johns)
Proper Eats (St. Johns)
Skyline community via email buying list
Astoria Sunday Market
St. John's Farmers Market (starting in July)

Also, due to impulsive and excited demand, Nolan and I sold $9 of kale outside of an art gallery opening this past Sunday.
Though the title of this post would convince a reader that we have sold out of all our produce (or our ethics) we have an abundance still available. We are quickly learning the art of having our own business and have already discovered how much better growing is than selling. We are continually exploring new markets in attempts to reach consumers with our nutritious product.
We appreciate all the support we've been given so far as we continue to grow and learn alongside our plants, chickens, and bees. We are constantly encouraged to continue working the earth and feeding our community.

-Chris

2009-05-30T12:43:00.001-07:00

2009-05-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

2009-05-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

Our Spring

2009-04-23T21:37:00.000-07:00

Our time is spent mostly communing with sod. clearing it. carrying it. cursing it, sculpting three dimensional sod memorial statues to honor our incremental victories, but despite our occasional pastoral spite, LOVE is underlying.
Meanwhile the chickens are rowdy teenagers asking to borrow the car, out free ranging all day, coming back to the coop at night smelling like coyote perfume and
wearing the noble rhododendron laurels of escape. This is also LOVE.
just as the butter-fried Morel is LOVE, and the Steelhead who got away was and is, LOVE. And down in the tiniest furrow of our Oregon earth, there is evidence....the Purple Haze carrot cotyledons, the bud of a golden beetroot, rows of anticipatory tastes. So, the beds continue to be made, quilted with the pipedreams of produce, and this, has been our spring, full of our labor, anticipation, and, of course, LOVE.

2009-03-28T15:03:00.000-07:00

The following images come from our recent work party where we successfully prepared, by hand, eight 4x35ft. beds. We have since filled them with cold hardy greens transplanted from our greenhouse. Kale, Spinach, Chard, and Lettuce.
Thanks to all who gave their strength.

climbing sod mountain, spring turning

2009-03-19T23:03:00.000-07:00

2009-03-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

Chris and I are teaching the guerilla gardening section of this event. Come one come all. Seed bombs!

Art and Farming

2009-03-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

We recently held our first arts night up here on Newberry Hill. We had a variety of musical performances, world premiere film screenings, multiple readings of original material, a modern dance performance, as well as several pieces of art people had created. Before arts night began a dedicated group of people helped build a temporary structure out past our first few garden beds and slept in it despite a snowstorm. The art that was shared was created by seasoned as well as burgeoning artists. It was refreshing to be joined by so many creative folk and the Secret Coyote Society looks forward to hosting similar events in the future.

At the close of the weekend I started to think about the role of art in farming. Like most facets of our culture and society, science has been allowed to dominate over other areas such as the arts. This is especially true in agriculture where models of efficiency reign supreme. The "Green Revolution," as it was named in the 1960's has destroyed much of rural America and the ills of it have been spread worldwide and continue to spread. It's scientific approach to agriculture has put in jeopardy the world's food security as food systems have been destroyed by chemicals, communities have been disrupted by the greed of major corporations, and local knowledge of food production that took into account ecological factors has been lost to a uniform food production system. The agricultural establishment runs contrary to farmers needs and ironically does little or nothing to promote culture other than monoculture.

Within this establishment, the farmer acts as an artist. The artist has many roles, one of those being to enhance peoples perspectives of the world around them. The contemporary small scale and ecologically minded farmer is relearning and attempting to spread the agricultural knowledge of past. By selling locally at farmers markets, CSAs, road stands, etc. farmers are relaying their creative accomplishments directly to consumers of food. The farmer is attempting to reconnect people to the land and life surrounding them. They represent a direct reaction to the ramifications and institutions caused by the "Green Revolution."

I pulled my back yesterday helping a neighbor move a bridge in exchange for him to mow our lawn this coming summer. Nolan and Brooke continued to work in the afternoon putting up a "fence" around part of our garden. It's a combination of bamboo from our yard and from a neighbor, T-stakes we reclaimed from a blackberry burn pile, sapling trees from our neighbors "plantation", and bird netting, which, alas, we purchased. It's beautiful and will hopefully be functional. It represents a creative solution to a problem that we faced, a situation that is frequently presented to farmers. As more and more land is taken from farmers this type of artistry is lost. I'm excited to be a part of a segment of society that is working to reclaim these skills and this form of art from the establishment that has been trying to take it away.

Pictures from arts night to be posted soon...

2009-03-11T18:48:00.000-07:00

Our Farm

2009-03-06T12:19:00.000-08:00

A large garden really. Under an acre of mixed organic vegetables, fruits, and flowers
grown with a synthesis of permaculture, biodynamic and sustainable practices.
This is not a victory garden, but born out of a similar socioeconomic paradigm.
This is an experiment in grassroots food production, a move away from monoculture
and toward more dynamic systems of sustanence, toward biodiversity with important attention given to a local bioregional food economy. All food will be consumed or purchased by the immediate bioregion, this being the Willamette Watershed/Portland Metro area, and hills north, known as the Tualatin Mountains.

I have decided to start this site as both a means of documentation, and as a venue for practical information, for those interested in knowing more about the trails and incredible joys of such an undertaking. So the season begins....

NOLAN

2009-03-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

The New American House
There are floors
that want to digest
their furniture into
flowers and trees

There are roofs
that want to travel
gracefully with
the stars through
circles of darkness