Saturday we got .7" on the rain gauge followed by a lovely Monday where we got 2.5". Finding out you got over an inch of rain is like finding out you got an 'A' on your bio exam. Monday's thunderstorm was a wee bit scary, but all our fields held strong. This is in contrast to last year where we had a slight wash out/run-off problem. That combined with how much it rained last year made for a bit of a complicated situation. After the rain we would trek out to the fields with shovels and move soil around and re-plant the plants that washed down the hill. This year, knowing what we were up against, we decided use a variety of methods to prevent any erosion. We strip tilled rows in the flood prone areas, made wider rows and left some space cover cropped with tall grasses. And everything held firm! The rain is doing a lot of work for us this week, and it is welcomed greatly.
In other non-rain related news (you guys are probably tired of hearing us complain and/or praise the rain), we received our fall seed order. It's always remarkable how quickly time goes by, and we can hardly believe it's already time to start seeding our fall vegetables. Fall vegetable crops include salad mixes, carrots, brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli and beets. And we bought 3 heavy duty harvest knives along with the fall order. We are really excited to use them. If you have any vegetables you need harvested, call on us and we can bring them over to your house to help cut summer squash. Anyway, in preparation for fall seeding, yesterday, another batch of potting mix was made. We also have started to harvest every day in order to keep up with those prolific crops. Harvesting becomes a full time job at this point in the season and is necessary to maintain your plants. If the fruit from a plant isn't continually harvested, it will stop producing. New growth is encouraged when the old growth is taken away (and cooked up into yummy dishes). So that's what we've been up to this week. And now, for our crop of the week..
CROP OF THE WEEK
CUCUMBERS
Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are a common crop from the cucurbit family. Other related family members include melons and gourds. We grow 3 types of cucumbers here on Wooden Hill: Marketmore 76, General Lee slicing cucumber and Lemon cucumbers. Marketmore 76 is a leading slicing variety in the Northeast. General Lee cucumbers, according to the Fedco catalog never develop "yellow bellies" and retain their sweet salad flavor. Lemon cucumbers (small and yellow, like a lemon) are usually eaten at full maturity, when they are golden yellow, but some people prefer them when they are pale greenish yellow and claim that they are most tender at that stage, and certainly not as seedy. Lemon cucumbers are crisp and sweet.
Cucumbers are very nutritious. The peel contains dietary fiber and may help prevent some colon cancers. Cucumbers are high in potassium and may help reduce blood pressure and heart rates by countering effects of sodium. Cucumbers are high in anti-oxidants such as beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, lutein and
zea-xanthin. Cukes are known for their cooling and calming effects and have gained a reputation at spas all over the world. Placing slices of cucumbers over your eyes is thought to reduce puffiness and revitalize skin. This fact is disputed with skeptics saying that there may be a minor reduction in swelling simply because the cucumber is cold when placed on the skin. You guys be the judge!
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
This week's recipes start with a great way to prep your cucumbers. Once prepped, you are then at a jumping off point for a myriad of other recipes. Try Grandma's Cucumber recipe (a favorite of Stef's grandmother, who was allergic to raw cucumbers, but could eat them in this form). Or... try Charlton's father's recipe, in which a yummy Cucumber salad is made with garlic, pepper, onion and paprika.
Cucumber Prep Tip: Use the slicing side of your grater to make thin cucumber slices. Then, salt the cucumbers (for 2 cucumbers, use ~1 TBSP salt) and place cucumbers in a colander over a bowl or sink with some sort of weight on top (we use a plate and a heavy frying pan). Let cucumbers drain for 1 hour. Cucumbers become tender and delicious. The salt helps to draw the moisture out.
Grandma's Cucumbers
1. Use the cucumber prep tip. Rinse with water and strain. Put cucumbers in bowl and pour white vinegar on top (~2 TBSP) and put into fridge. Let soak for 1/2 hour and serve chilled.
Charlton's Father's Cucumbers
1. Use the cucumber prep tip and squeeze excess juice out of cucumbers. Do not rinse with water. Add 1/2 sliced onion and one clove minced garlic. Add enough white vinegar and oil to coat all slices (~1 TBSP each). Add pepper to taste and 1/2 tsp paprika. Mix. Place in fridge for 1 hour. Serve chilled.
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