9/4/24 - Meet your farmer: Sarah
From all of us on the farm, we want to wish you a happy September! In the farming world, the start of September is very welcome, as it signals the changing of the seasons and the slowing down of summer. There is something tangible in the air as the mornings are getting colder and the days are getting shorter. As with the season changes, so does our farm crew. We have a pretty rocking team right now, and want our CSA members to get to know the folks who are growing your food and packing your boxes. Consider this the first installation of Meet Your Farmer!
First up is our Field Manager Sarah! She was born and raised on the shores of Connecticut, and considers herself an east coaster through and through. Sarah first studied agriculture and sustainable food systems in college. After graduation and a few years of bouncing around as a hiking guide in New Hampshire and through-hiking the PCT, she found her way to California. Her first hands-on farm experience came when she worked as a Garden Intern at the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center. The eleven month program centered on learning about the 30+ year mother garden and planting, growing, and crop planing for the non-profit guests and residential community. While working at OAEC, Sarah started working with us part-time, and transitioned to full-time once the program was over.
Sarah has been working at Singing Frogs for just over two years. Over that time Sarah has had a keen eye for seeing the big picture as well as the system that work within our farm. This is why she recently was promoted to Field Manager. Not only does she have a keen eye for curating the dance of beds coming in and out of production but she is very attune to the wellbeing of everyone working in the fields and creates a sense of community. Oh… and a great sense of style!
This past winter she spent five months traveling through Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica. At work, Sarah loves to watch the transformation of a field, and the delicate and precise nature of weeding. Sarah deeply appreciates and loves the crew that she works with. Whether it’s listening to the Grateful Dead or debating, it’s always a good day in the field. Outside of work, you can catch Sarah reading a book at the beach or tearing it up at the local trivia night.
Coming to the Farm
Last week we had to move all members from the Russell site out to pick-up on farm. First off an appreciation to our neighbors for putting up with increased farm traffic in their front yards. As a thank you for switching up their schedules and driving further we offered that they take a farm walk and pick some cherry tomatoes and strawberries. We had many a member take us up, many who had never been out to the farm before and that was truly a wonderful treat.
It has us thinking how can we get more of you more connected with your farm. We have farm events on the weekends but this experience where members were literally forced to come out here was just beautiful. So currently I’m processing an idea for one or both of the next two Wednesdays to offer a pick up on the farm and mini-event.
Watch your inbox!
Produce Notes & Recipes
This Week’s Box
Baby Bok Choi
Rainbow Chard
Mixed Tomato Quarts
Broccoli (Classic) OR Red Peppers (Families)
Summer Squash (SR) OR Eggplant (WC)
Cherry Tomatoes (SR) OR Strawberries (WC)
Family: Kohlrabi & Dill
As we are prepping for the fall and winter, we have a flush of Chard plants in the ground. Enjoy these big beautiful greens! We love them together with tomatoes, especially with pasta. Elizabeth usually throws into her Bolognese sauce to get some extra greens into our teenagers. These plants will hopefully carry us through to the next spring. With our seven beds in the ground, the chard bunches are extra big week. Additionally, we are getting into late summer, which means a lot of the produce you are getting in your box is starting to look familiar. Here’s a recipe for tomatoes, eggplant, and chard to get inspiration and new ideas flowing.
Below is a recipe for Shakshuka! Sarah loves this recipe because it uses a lot of tomatoes, and is a hearty meal. Although it is not traditional, if you are looking for ways to use your chard, adding it to this recipe would be a great way. Chop the chard leaves into medium-small strips and mix into the tomato mixture after it has reduced and thickened at the end of step 2.
Easy Shakshuka Recipe (themediterraneandish.com)
Olive Oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 peppers, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
6 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup tomato sauce
6 large eggs
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup mint, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron skillet. Add onions, peppers, garlic, spices, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about five minutes.
Add the tomatoes and the tomato sauce. Cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Uncover and cook a bit longer to allow the mixture to reduce and thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Using a wooden spoon, make 6 “wells” in the tomato mixture. Gently crack an egg into each.
Reduce the heat, cover the skillet, and cook on low until egg whites are set.
Uncover and add the fresh herbs. Serve warm with crusty bread.
For Eggplant, keep it simple. Well roasted eggplant has an incredible, melt in your mouth feeling. Sarah has been perfecting roasted eggplant this summer, and has found the more the merrier in terms of olive oil, to prevent it from getting dry and dehydrated in the oven. Well roasted eggplant is the key to any recipe, and makes all the difference in terms of texture and flavors. When in doubt, add more olive oil!
Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce (via Plenty)
2 large eggplant
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp thyme leaves
Maldon salt and pepper
1 tsp za’atar
1 pomegranate, seeded
For Sauce:
9 Tbs buttermilk
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, cutting straight through the stalk. Use a small sharp knife to make three or four parallel incisions in the cut side of each eggplant half, without cutting through the skin. Repeat at a 45 degree angle to get a diamond shape.
place the eggplant halves, cut-side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush them generously with olive oil. Sprinkle them with thyme and salt and pepper. Roast for 34 to 40 minutes, till flesh is soft and brown.
Make the sauce. Whisk together all the ingredients.
To serve, spoon plenty of buttermilk sauce over eggplant and sprinkle with za’atar, thyme, and pomegranate seeds. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil
Family boxes have Kohlrabi, which chilled is especially refreshing. There are lots of recipes out there, but we think the best way to eat is raw and sliced. It is juicy, sweet, and a great addition to any line up. Some crew favorites are eating with hummus, ranch, or even peanut butter. This summer, we have been adding kohlrabi to summer rolls. Many grocery stores in the area sell rice paper wraps that can be used. Other fillers for summer rolls are peppers, fried tofu, avocado, dipped with a soy sauce peanut sauce, it is delicious and a great summer snack!
Family boxes are also getting our first flush of Dill this week. We are so excited to have dill on the farm. For many years, we have not grown it and when it has “volunteered” (single plants that pop up in random fields from old seed living in the soil), our farmers have been so excited to have it. The dill you are getting this week is the result of a passion project of many members of the crew. It is an incredible herb addition to anything; soups, salads, pasta, soups, etc.
The Red Peppers this week are a mix of two varieties: Corno di Toro (thicker skinned, thicker bodied and smoother) and Jimmy Nardellos (thin skinned, skinny and bumpy). Both are Italian frying peppers but excellent raw or cooked. We add them to many many dishes.