Week
of July 21-28, 2013
This week is officially the
halfway point of the session. As August
approaches we are on the verge of so many wonderful things here on the farm as
all the Summer crops mature. This week
your boxes each contain some of the first of the bean harvest, and also a new
kind of plum. Apples and tomatoes are
not far off!
The newsletters will be
featuring mini interviews with each of our farmhands over the next couple
weeks. We hope that being able to put
names to faces and getting a little background about the wonderful people that
are helping to grow your food will strengthen your connection to the farm and
be interesting as well. I definitely enjoyed reading their answers and really
felt that each of their personalities shone through their responses.
LEMON CUCUMBER SALAD with SOUR
CREAM SESAME VINAIGRETTE
These delicious little
round, yellow cukes are the sweetest, crispiest best cucumbers you will ever
have! The skins are never bitter so don’t bother to peel them. They are so refreshing – I love eating them
just like an apple! They are great sliced in salads, and here is another great
way to prepare them.
•Slice lemon cucumbers to
thickness of your choice. Wedges would
work too
•Put into a shallow bowl and
cover with seasoned rice vinegar and/or apple cider vinegar. Drizzle with sesame oil, sprinkle with
sesame seeds and put in fridge for at least ½
hour
•Remove from fridge. In another bowl put a generous dollop of
sour cream. Mix in some of the vinegar
from cucumber bowl a little bit at a time until you get a creamy dressing.
•Transfer cukes into the
dressing bowl and mix to combine.
•Salt and pepper generously and
enjoy!
Pesto is a summertime
staple for us. After a long day sometimes the last thing I want to think about
is cooking, especially in the summer when it is hot out. One of the
quickest, easiest and most delicious solutions is a batch of pesto! Mix into
hot pasta, throw in some diced squash, cherry tomatoes or maybe some chicken,
serve with a simple salad and you’re good to go! Of course it is also wonderful
to make an extra batch and freeze, just be sure to leave headspace in the jar
since it expands.
2 cups firmly packed basil (biggest stems
removed)
3-4 garlic cloves
½ cup good olive oil
¼ cup pine nuts
¾ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
salt to taste
Put all ingredients in a food processor and
whirl until smooth.
Celine Cohen (intern, farmhand, deliveries and restaurant sales)
How
did you end up working for Casalegno Family Farm? I began
as an intern at UCSC. The following summer, my boyfriend and I leased out
the flower garden (on the farm) to try our own hand at farming.
When/why
did you become interested in sustainable agriculture, food systems and farming
in general? I was studying environmental and economic
issues at UCSC when I discovered agriculture and gardening through a summer
spent in Elkhorn Slough on 5 acres of rented land. After graduating with a
degree in environmental studies, emphasizing in agriculture, I have been
pursuing this interest through various projects on Casalegno family farm, and
various jobs contributing to our local food system.
What are a few of your aspirations or goals
over the next couple of years?
To have a rented piece of land in Prunedale to farm, as well as
receive my Real Estate License. I am also enjoying learning about the
restaurant business, and am interested to see where that will take me in the
meantime.
What are you passionate about? Food
and resources. How we get them, where it comes from and who is affected
in the process.
What is your favorite crop to harvest or grow
or eat on the farm? Flowers - but I don't
recommend eating most of them.
What is your favorite farm task or your
favorite element of working on the farm? Everything.
A wonderful aspect of this farm is that there is always something
different to do and opportunities to learn.
If you were to grow a fruit or vegetable what
would you grow and why?
Apples. They’re delicious and versatile, and fun to grow.
But flowers and CSA boxes to start. Flowers are fun to grow and
beautiful, and CSA boxes have a creative aspect to the distribution process, as
well as a cherished connection to your surrounding community.
What is the last book you read? Now
is the Hour by Tom Spanbauer What are some of your interests or hobbies? surfing,
running, yoga.....
Max Simon (intern, farmhand, farm carpentry and metal work)
How did you end up
working for Casalegno Family Farm? Like most of these other bums, they found me on the
street and don’t pay me anything. I am doing an environmental studies
internship through UCSC.
When/why did you become
interested in sustainable agriculture, food systems and farming in general? My
freshman year at UCSC I took a class where we discussed sustainable
agriculture. From there I began gardening and….
What are you studying
(or doing in general) and where do you hope it will take you? Biology,
Environmental Studies and Welding, I hope to farm one day.
What are a few of your
aspirations or goals over the next couple of years? Graduate
College. Start a farm. Convince my girlfriend to marry me.
What are you passionate
about? I like to build and make thing. Also grow things.
What is your favorite
crop to harvest or grow or eat? Green
Dent Corn. Grows like mad, and makes killer corn bread. You ever seen green
corn bread? Didn’t think so.
What is your favorite
farm task or your favorite element of working on the farm? Weeding!
Just kidding. I like to weld and use power tools. Anything that has to do with
tools or making alcohol (includes brewing or growing fermentable crops).
If you were a fruit or vegetable what would you be
and why? Although not a fruit or vegetable, id definitely be
a Tulip because they are my girlfriends favorite. She would do anything for me
if I were a Tulip.
What is the last book
you read? Joel Salatin: Pastured Poultry Profits
What are some of your interests or hobbies? Welding, Gardening, Beekeeping, brewing beer,
Carpentry.
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