This Week

Hello all ye wonderful farm friends.  Wooden Hill would just like to thank all the shareholders, friends, neighbors, and volunteers for getting this year off to a great start.  The support and encouragement we've received is priceless when trying to get a small business off the ground.  In order to keep some of our benefactors anonymous us farmers would like to give a special thanks to some of our code named friends.  Big sout out to Mr. Heartbeat of America, Sling Blade, French Fried Taters, Mr. Mobeggish, Chingachgook's Master, Pickles, Labatts on Tap, The Fast Bird Property, Mrs. Lookin Pretty, Geographical Reference Radio DJ, Tater and Momma, The One and Only Master and Commander of the Farm, Old Trail Walker, and of course big thanks go out to Spots.  You all know who you are...maybe?

This week we scrambled to get most of our irrigation hooked up just as Smokey the Bear jumped out of his bed in the wheat fields.  He started saying something about, "Only YOU can..." but we started running.  Stef led the mad dash as she is particularly afraid of bears (and snakes).  Unfortunately and fortunately all this dry weather is very favorable for weed nabbing and newsletter rambling so I'll end the intro right after a couple words from our sponsor.  Marley runs from birds and Charlton does the same in the presence of lightning.  And to clarify, our fears are merely a healthy respect for nature, specifically things that can sneak up and bite you!

Enjoy your share this week and keep on rain dancing!

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A few words about this week's share.  You will notice that you are receiving small red onions.  No, we haven't grown the world's smallest onion crop, we are giving you spring onions.  Quite frankly, some are not so spring onions and that's just because they grew a bit more than the standard sized ones.  OH!  And you guys will also notice that you are receiving fresh garlic.  You can either use this immediately or you can hang it to dry and cure it.  Cured garlic has the classic papery skin that you get in the market.  Also, like our spring onions, we have some spring baby cabbage for you.  Keep in mind that the cabbage worms are out and about so soaking your cabbage and broccoli in salt water can help to get rid of them.

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CROP OF THE WEEK

GARLIC

Garlic!  I don't think we are alone when we say that most dishes in our house start with olive oil, onion and garlic.  It is such a staple.  Garlic is the last thing we planted last year and the first thing that came up this year.  That's right it took 8 months to grow!  8 months is almost as long as it takes to have a baby.  Garlic originated in the wild in Central Asia and has more than 5,000 years of history as an important horticultural crop.  Garlic is antibacterial, antiviral and anti fungal.  It can help prevent heart disease and cancer and helps regulate blood sugar.  Marley is sure it's what cured her strep throat last year and Charlton swears he hasn't gotten a cold in 2 years because of garlic (best remedy we've found to keep a cold at bay).  We've also used it to repel insects and bad dates.  Many people don't realize how many varieties of garlic there are; we grow Old German and Elephant garlic.  Some of our Elephant garlic is big enough to feed the state of Pennsylvania....or at least Perry County.  Without further adieu, here's a nice stir fry that includes many of our veggies this week!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK  

Stir Fried Veggies

4 TBSP oil

1 TBSP minced fresh ginger

1 TBSP minced GARLIC!!!!

Dash of red chili flakes

Red onion, chopped

1 bunch kale (or any greens), chopped

1/4 lb broccoli (optional), chopped

3 carrots, chopped

6 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 baby cabbage head, cut into 1 inch wide strips

2/3 cup of stock or water

1 TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP corn starch dissolved in 1 TBSP cold water

2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Put 2 TBSP oil in a wok over high heat.  When hot, add ginger, garlic and chili flakes.  After about 30 seconds, scoop out and set aside.  Add remaining oil to the wok; when hot add the onions and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.  Add your greens and broccoli and stir fry for 1-2 minutes more.  Add carrots and scallions and stir fry 1-2 minutes more.  Then add the cabbage and 1/3 cup of the stock and the reserved aromatic herbs (garlic, ginger, and chili).  Continue to stir fry until veggies are tender crisp, about 2 minutes more.  Add the remaining stock, soy sauce and corn starch mixture and stir fry until lightly glazed, about 1 minute.  Serve!  Garnish with sesame seeds.

Also, with your garlic, make us farmers real proud and make some garlic bread.