Thank you to everyone who came out to help us tackle those nasty weeds! We got SO much done - it's a huge help to the farm. Plus, it was wonderful to see old friends, meet new faces, play some tunes, eat some delicious food, and celebrate summer on the farm.
If you didn't make it this time, we hope you can join us at the next one! Look out for more info.
In the meantime, here's a taste of it...
Come one, come all! Families, spouses, kids, & friends are all welcome.
Join us this Saturday, June 16 for our first ever Volunteer Day! Let's take a big chunk out of the weeds that are taking over the farm - and then we'll fry up some fish (so dinner will be farm-to-table AND river-to-table), play some music, and have a good time.
Come any time between 2-6pm and help us pull some these nasty weeds. Then....let's party!
Optional: BYOB; bring a dish to pass, and/or bring a musical instrument to play!
If you want to make a day out of it, we're right next to George Washington's Birthplace National Monument (free admission), Westmoreland State Park (hiking, beaches, cliffsides), Ingleside Vineyards, and Colonial Beach.
If you can make it, please RSVP by emailing us (blenheimorganicgardens@gmail.com) by Friday, June 15 so we can plan accordingly. (I.e., so we can send Cameron out to catch enough fish.) We hope to see you here!
The farmers at Blenheim Organic Gardens not only pick produce every day, we typically have to find time to plant. In a normal year this type of ongoing rhythm keeps the production cycle going. It assures new crops stretch into the growing season. It provides a continuous harvest and allows for transitions between one crop and other.
But this is not a typical year: Late cold, early heat, a mini dry spell and, then, six-plus inches of rain have kept the crops and the farmers scratching their heads.
Example: Somehow the tomatoes have found the season to their liking even though they were kept in the greenhouse longer than normal this spring in the wait for warmer weather. They look healthy and Cameron spent a day driving stakes down the rows for future trellising as they grow. Radishes, though, always an easy, dependable crop, hunkered down. Here at Blenheim they refused to develop roots and then quickly went to seed. And the radishes have company: Corn, zucchini, squash and turnips are all giving us trouble and requiring multiple attempts to establish them.
Somehow, we try to not let these setbacks bother us. But sometimes, we think it's important for the folks who eat our food know about the daily challenges. And don't get this message wrong--it's not a complaint. This is the kind of stuff that happens when your work is part of the miracle of nature!
5 ways to eat this cute little brassica:
1. Raw. Uncooked, kohlrabi is crunchy with a little kick - a bit like a radish or turnip. It's excellent sliced up with hummus, grated or cubed on salads, or you can even just bite into it like an apple. (That last one will get you some looks.)
2. Roasted. Oven-roasted kohlrabi takes on a mellow richness that's great with onions, carrots, asparagus, and garlic.
3. Steamed. Steam your kohlrabi, then toss it in a salad or stir-fry.
4. Make coleslaw. Shred it raw, and just replace the cabbage in your favorite recipe with it.
5. Don't forget the greens. This one is cheating because you can to it in conjunction with #1-4. But don't waste the kohlrabi greens! Use them as you would any other leafy green - salad, soup, stirfry, etc.
Kohlrabi is known to aid in digestion, boost energy level, regulate blood pressure, improve bone strength, improve eye health, increase your metabolism...the list goes on! For more details on that, check out OrganicFacts.com.
More recipes at https://www.marthastewart.com/1033766/kohlrabi-recipes
If you've got a good one, share it with us below!
