Farm News for the week of June 19th   

Reminders

• This week is a pickup week for all Vegetable, Fruit and Egg Share members.
• Please note the Schedule for the week of July 3rd at the end of this email. Please contact us at jen@prairiewindfamilyfarm.com if you need to make alternative arrangements.

Join us this Sunday for wood fired pizza on the farm!
We hope to see you this Sunday, June 25th from 5-7pm for an evening of wood fired pizzas on the farm!  Pizzeria Deville's Chef John Durning will bring his wood-burning oven to the farm to create delicious, farm-fresh pizzas for purchase. We invite all CSA members (any season, any share) and their families to join us. No need to RSVP.  Please bring your picnic gear (blanket, chairs), plates and utensils, and your own beverages. Enjoy a sunset dinner on the farm with us!   

This Week's Vegetable Harvest

• Garlic Scapes

• Red Baby Beets

• Curly Green Kale

• Dill

• Salad Mix

• Scallions

• Fennel

• Zucchini (onfarm members) 

• Gem Lettuce

This Week's Fruit Share

• Strawberries

• Sweet Cherries

• Red Raspberries  

Farm Photo Journal Welcome to week three of the early summer shares! This week, many of our favorite early summer crops were ready to harvest like beets, kale and the summer salad mix.  Our farming friends at Mick Klug Farms, who provide the fresh fruit for our fruit shares, are also enjoying their first sweet cherry and raspberry harvests this week. We all can't wait to share the bounty! 

Last week's rains could not have come at a better time.  You could almost hear the collective sigh of relief from our farmers. The plants welcomed the rain and seemed to have turned deeper shades of green...perhaps its my imagination but everything seems happier with some rain! 

Last Friday, the farmers from the Prairie Crossing Farm (the farm crews from Prairie Wind, the Prairie Farm Corps, the Farm Business Development Center), our neighbors at the Liberty Prairie Foundation and other area farmers gathered for a evening dinner together.  The recent rains meant that farmers didn't need to leave throughout the picnic to check on the field irrigation, whew! Rather, farmers and their families enjoyed a restful evening with a good natured tug o' war against the most determined individuals on the farm...our kids!  

These social gatherings over a meal remind us of the importance of food in bringing people together, and the joy that comes from slowing down to enjoy fresh food and conversation around a picnic table with others. Here's to great summer meals at your table! ~ Jen & Jeff   

Making the most of your share 

Beets grow well on our farm. Throughout the season you will receive beets of all different sizes. This week's beets happen to be baby to medium sized from our first planting in the field. Beets are closely related to Swiss chard. Like Swiss chard, beet greens can be used in place of spinach in many recipes. I'd encourage you to separate your beets from the beet greens when you get them home, and store the two separately. They should both be stored in a plastic bag and greens used within a week. The baby beets themselves are so lovely and tasty that you don't need to do a whole lot to them. I've included one of my go-to recipes for beets and their greens, which I hope you'll enjoy as much as we do! 

Kale is high in fiber and rich in calcium and Vitamins A & E. Kale is interchangeable for spinach and broccoli in many recipes, but it takes longer to cook. Before cooking with kale, take a sharp knife and slice out the tough, center rib. Add steamed, sautéed or boiled kale to omelets, quiches, scrambled eggs, lasagnas, and pasta. Add chopped raw kale to hearty soups and pasta sauces mid-way through the cooking time. Or try a fresh kale salad or in your smoothie -- its a versatile green! 

Sweet cherries are best eaten fresh, though I've been known to include them in muffins in combination with blueberries or frozen peaches lingering in my freezer. Sweet cherries, unlike the more fragile raspberries, will keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week. Fresh raspberries ought to be eaten within a couple of days.   Farm Kitchen Recipes

Warm Beet Salad
6 medium beets with tops (about 2 pounds)
2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill 
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallion
Fresh goat cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut off tops from beets and reserve. Wrap beets in large sheet of heavy-duty foil, enclosing completely. Cut off long stems from beet leaves and discard. Thinly slice beet leaves. Rinse leaves under cold water. Wrap leaves in small sheet of heavy-duty foil, enclosing completely.

Place foil package of whole beets directly onto oven rack. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes. Add foil package of beet leaves to oven and bake until beets are tender and leaves are wilted and tender, about 15 minutes longer. Open foil packages and let beets and leaves stand at room temperature until cool enough to handle. Rub beets to remove skins. Cut beets into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Whisk vinegar, oil and dill in large bowl until well blended. Add beets, beet leaves and onion and toss to coat. Serve warm or room temperature with a sprinkle of goat cheese on top.  Serves 4.

Kale and Potato Hash
We add a poached or soft cooked egg and side salad for a simple dinner.

Ingredients
1 T. olive oil
8 cups torn kale leaves
2 tablespoons horseradish
2 scapes, minced
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups cooked shredded potatoes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Prepare the kale by removing the tough ribs, chop or tear the kale—allowing some water to cling to the leaves. The moisture helps steam the kale during the first stages of cooking. Place olive oil and kale in a large sauce pan and sauté until wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain, cool slightly, and finely chop. Meanwhile, mix horseradish, shallot, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Add the chopped kale and potatoes; stir to combine. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the kale mixture, spread into an even layer and cook, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes and returning the mixture to an even layer, until the potatoes begin to turn golden brown and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes total. Serves 4.

Simple Fennel and Orange Salad
This is a great salad to serve along side baked whitefish.

1 large or 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 medium oranges, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons sweetened dried cranberries

Place the sliced fennel in a salad bowl. Slice oranges to divide flesh sections and add to bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper. Toss, top with sweetened cranberries and serve.  Serves 4.
(FoodNetwork.com)   Important Announcement: Schedule for the week of July 3rd
Due to the Fourth of July holiday, please note that we will have modified delivery schedule that week:

Wednesday, July 5th
Deerfield, 1:30-6:30pm
Northbrook/Highland Park, 3-6:30pm
Evanston, 4-7pm
Lake Forest, 4-7pm
Allstate, 2:30-5:30pm
Libertyville, 3:30-7pm

Thursday, July 6th
Vernon Hills, 2-7pm
Oak Park, 4:30-7pm
On the Farm, 3:30-7pm (including members who normally pick up on Tuesday)   

Next Week's Harvest (our best guess)... broccoli, purplette onions, sweet cherries, lettuce, mixed herbs and more!