Ahoy!​
The elderberries are ripening to dark rich purple, the goldenrod flowers are opening, shifting the fields from lime green to brilliant yellow, purple bursts of joy pye-weed can be seen  decorating the land. Late summer is here. With it our minds shift and so do the crops. 
 
In this email:

• Generally important notes
  • We are back at Ann Arbor!
  • Farm Members, if you haven't checked out our new membership agreement please see a copy here. If this works for you, please send me an email saying so. If it doesn't, please let me know and we will sort it out. Thank you!
  • Here is link to our Social Justice page on our website. It is a list of resources to keep active in effecting positive social change.  
• Fresh from the Field
• Recipe: Tabbouleh, recipe by Cookie and Kate
• Market Details
• Tales from the Farm!

Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Kale
Pea shoots

All Manner of Deliciousness
Cabbage
Eggplant
Kohlrabi 
Onions
Peppers: Bells and Shishitos
Potatoes
Scallions
Summer Squash!
Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes!
Zucchini

Herbs
Basil
Dill Flowers
Mint
Parsley (Curly and Flat Leaf!)
Thyme

Coming soon:
Brussel Tops
Greens like Tatsoi and Arugula
Radishes

Best Tabboule Recipe
Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 servingsINGREDIENTS

• ½ cup bulgur
• 1 cup diced cucumber (1 small-to-medium)
• 1 cup diced tomato* (1 large)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 3 medium bunches curly parsley
• ⅓ cup (⅔ ounce) chopped fresh mint (optional but recommended—you can chop it in the food processor with the parsley)
• ⅓ cup thinly sliced green onion
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
• 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook or soak the bulgur until tender according to package directions. Drain off any excess water, and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, combine the diced cucumber and tomato in a medium bowl with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Stir, and let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes, or until you’re ready to mix the salad.
3. To prepare the parsley, cut off the thick stems. Then, finely chop the parsley and remaining stems—you can do this by hand, but it’s much easier in a food processor with the standard “S” blade. Process 1 bunch at a time (it should yield about 1 cup chopped), transferring the chopped parsley to a large serving bowl before proceeding with the next.
4. Add the cooled bulgur, chopped fresh mint (if using) and green onion to the bowl of parsley. Strain off and discard the cucumber and tomato juice that has accumulated in the bottom of the bowl (this ensures that your tabbouleh isn’t too watery). Add the strained cucumber and tomato to the bowl.
5. In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, garlic, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Pour it into the salad and stir to combine. Taste, and adjust if necessary—add another tablespoon of lemon juice for zing, or salt for more overall flavor.
6. If you have the time, let the salad rest for 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors mingle. Otherwise, you can serve it immediately or chill it for later. Tabbouleh will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.

NOTES
MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE: Bulgur is not gluten free (it’s cracked wheat). Substitute quinoa for an untraditional gluten-free option. You’ll use the same amount (½ cup) uncooked quinoa, or 1 ½ cups cooked leftover quinoa. Here’s how to cook quinoa.
*TOMATO NOTE: Use the most ripe and red tomatoes you can find! If you’re making this salad when tomatoes aren’t in season, cherry tomatoes might be your best bet.

Market Details: We are at market this week
The Ann Arbor Farmers Market, Saturday, Tyler, Helen, and Wiley are back! 
Eastern Market, shed 2, Saturday with Peter! 6 am to 2:30 pm
Royal Oak, Saturday with Jim and Lisa! 7 am to 1 pm

Tales from the Farm:
Little Wiley has completed his first round about the sun. He is growing so fast, like a weed as they say. I'm turning inward and reflecting, as I often do this time of year and as always there is so much to consider. It is easy to get lost in the what ifs and how abouts. The more drawn into myself I become, the more I remind myself to lift my chin; to look out into the world and absorb what is without my own lens.

On Birthdays my thought is this: For our farm, markets are the sun and each week an orbit. We look forward to seeing you, sharing thoughts, and food. Markets are our birthdays. Come celebrate with us tomorrow.

Helen for Jim, Tyler, Sarah!, Wiley, Boomer (bark layer), and Exie (morale officer)

Ahoy!

​We won't be at the Ann Arbor Farmers' Market tomorrow! I'm really sorry for the short notice. We will be back next weekend and barely miss a beat. 
 
In this email:

• Generally important notes
  • We won't be in AA this week! Because of some staffing issues, we won't be in AA this week but are excited to get back next week! See you then :)
  • Farm Members, if you haven't checked out our new membership agreement please see a copy here. If this works for you, please send me an email saying so. If it doesn't, please let me know and we will sort it out. Thank you!
  • Here is link to our Social Justice page on our website. It is a list of resources to keep active in effecting positive social change.  
• Fresh from the Field
• Recipe: Blistered Shishito Peppers
• Market Details
• Tales from the Farm!

Fresh From the Field- ​
Greens:
Kale
Pea shoots

All Manner of Deliciousness
Cabbage
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Kohlrabi 
Fresh Onions
Peppers: Bells and Shishitos
Potatoes
Scallions
Summer Squash!
Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes!
Zucchini

Herbs
Basil
Dill Flowers
Mint
Parsley (Curly and Flat Leaf!)
Thyme

Coming soon:
Brussel Tops
Peppers- in drips and drops for now.

Blistered Shishito Peppers
These are one of my favorite summer snacks. I've been known to cook a batch to enjoy while I make dinner. They are a low effort- high reward food, easy to prepare and even easier to enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Shishito Peppers (no need to destem or deseed)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a skillet. Make it hot!
• Toss in the peppers whole and put a lid on it. Shake the pan occasionally as the peppers blister and pop. 
• Toss the blistered shishitos in sea salt and eat all but stem as is or save them and add them to other dishes. 

Market Details: We are at market this week
 
The Ann Arbor Farmers Market, Saturday We won't be there this week! Look for us next week.

Eastern Market, shed 2, Saturday with Peter! 6 am to 2:30 pm

Royal Oak, Saturday with Jim and Lisa! 7 am to 1 pm

Tales from the Farm:
Another picture talker. It is a time of year when, while the days are long, they are still getting shorter. We have most of our fall crops in the ground now and it is time to tend. Thanks for the love.

Helen for Jim, Tyler, Sarah!, Wiley, Boomer (bark layer), and Exie (morale officer)

Ahoy!
​The heat was crushing last week. It was so enveloping, I forgot the weather could be any other way. So imagine my delight when I stepped outside Tuesday morning to a refreshing cool. Wednesday was even better. And I daresay, Thursday was the day of my dreams. I appreciate the blue skies and dreamy clouds overhead, the sound breeze sweeping through the trees, and the instant change in temperature when I step from the sun to the shade. All the while, the crickets and toads chirp and croak. 
 
In this email:

• Generally important notes
  • Farm Members, if you haven't checked out our new membership agreement please see a copy here. If this works for you, please send me an email saying so. If it doesn't, please let me know and we will sort it out. Thank you!
  • Here is link to our Social Justice page on our website. It is a list of resources to keep active in effecting positive social change.  
• Fresh from the Field
• Recipe: Caramelized Onions from Love & Lemons
• Market Details
• Tales from the Farm!

Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Kale
Pea shoots

All Manner of Deliciousness
Cabbage
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Kohlrabi 
Fresh Onions
New Potatoes
Scallions
Summer Squash!
Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes!
Zucchini

Herbs
Basil
Dill Flowers
Mint
Parsley (Curly and Flat Leaf!)
Thyme

Coming soon:
Brussel Tops
Peppers- in drips and drops for now.

Recipe: Caramelized Onions
From: Love and Lemons

Learn how to caramelize onions perfectly every time! Rich, sweet, and deeply golden brown, they're delicious in soups, dips, pastas, and more.A note from Helen! I like to add them as a topping for tacos and sandwiches!
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet (edit by Helen- it is okay to whatever pan on hand) over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until starting to soften.
• Add the salt, reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 50 to 80 minutes, stirring every few minutes, or until the onions are very soft, golden brown, and caramelized. The timing will depend on the size of your onions and the heat of your stove.
• If at any point the onions start to stick to the bottom of the pan, reduce the heat to low. If the onions aren’t deeply brown after 50 minutes and you’d like to speed things up, you can turn the heat higher to get more caramelization. Stir continuously to prevent burning.

A note from Helen! You can also deglaze the pan with white wine (or broth/red wine/balsamic/water) to add extra flavor.

Market Details: We are at market this week
 
The Ann Arbor Farmers Market, Saturday with Helen and Tyler and radish aficionado Wiley! 7 am to 3 pm (or till sold out)

Eastern Market, shed 2, Saturday with Peter! 6 am to 2:30 pm (Sorry for the mix up last week. We will be there on schedule this week!)
Royal Oak, Saturday with Jim and Lisa! 7 am to 1 pm

Tales from the Farm:
The rush to get the ground rototilled last week culminated in success! Jim, Tyler, and Sarah got a lot of plants in the ground. They direct seeded and irrigated many of the fall crops. You can see those above. That is a little over a third of an acre. The team also made a push to transplant the leeks and scallions plus and more kohlrabi. This adds to the transplants that they have gotten in the field over the last few weeks. Broccoli, Romanesco (or fractal cauliflower, as we like to call it), cabbage, napa cabbage, kohlrabi big and small, plus some direct seeded carrots and rutabaga. If we are able to protect the plants in the ground now, I can tell you, fall is going to be very tasty. 

I know our emails have been short for the last few weeks. We are banking on pictures to do our talking while we keep things moving forward in the field. See you at markets!

Helen for Jim, Tyler, Sarah!, Wiley, Boomer (bark layer), and Exie (morale officer)

These tomatoes are in town! Tomato sandwiches, tomato salad, fresh sauce, tomatoes in my eggs. I just love them so much! Jim has never been a big fan. Fair enough. But I can't describe the joy of sharing a thick slice of tomato with Wiley. He is a Big Fan! The spoils of our spring battles are finally here. 
 
In this email:

• Generally important notes
  • Farm Members, if you haven't checked out our new membership agreement please see a copy here. If this works for you, please send me an email saying so. If it doesn't, please let me know and we will sort it out. Thank you!
  • Stockbridge Members: Look for the email from a couple weeks ago. Please email me with any questions or thoughts.
  • Here is link to our Social Justice page on our website. It is a list of resources to keep active in effecting positive social change.  
• Fresh from the Field
• Recipe: KOHLRABI SLAW WITH CILANTRO, JALAPEÑO AND LIME from Feasting at Home
• Market Details
• Tales from the Farm!

Fresh From the Field- 
Greens:
Kale
Pea shoots

All Manner of Deliciousness
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Kohlrabi 
Fresh Onions
New Potatoes
Scallions
Summer Squash!
Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes!
Zucchini

Herbs (If we have time)
Basil
Dill Flowers
Mint
Parsley
Thyme

Coming soon:
Peppers- in drips and drops for now.
​
KOHLRABI SLAW WITH CILANTRO, JALAPEÑO AND LIME
From: Feasting At Home
​Refreshing and healthy  Kohlrabi Slaw made with kohlrabi, cilantro, lime, jalapeño and a simple citrus vinaigrette.

• Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home Blog
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Yield: 4-6

Ingredients

• 6 cups kohlrabi -cut into matchsticks or grated in a food processor -about three x 4 inch bulbs (or you could substitute sliced fennel, apple, jicama, cucumber, or cabbage for part of the kohlrabi for more diversity)
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro ( one small bunch)
• half of a jalapeno -minced
• 1/4 cup chopped scallion
• orange zest from one orange, and juice
• lime zest from one lime, and juice

Citrus Dressing :

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice ( juice form one orange)
• 1/8 cup lime juice plus 1 T ( juice from one large lime), more to taste
• 1/4 cup honey ( or agave syrup)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Instructions:
Trim and peel kohlrabi. ( I normally have to peel twice to get thru the thick skin). Cut off two ends. Cut in half from top to bottom. Thinly slice, rotate and slice again, making 1/4 inch matchsticks.

Place in a large bowl with chopped cilantro, scallions, finely chopped jalapeño ( 1/2), lime zest and orange zest.

Whisk dressing together in a small bowl. Toss with salad.

Refrigerate until serving. Garnish with zest and cilantro. This tastes good the next day too.

Market Details: We are at market this week
 
The Ann Arbor Farmers Market, Saturday with Helen and Tyler and radish aficionado Wiley! 7 am to 3 pm (or till sold out)

Eastern Market, shed 2, Saturday with Special Guest Peter! 6 am to 2:30 pmRoyal Oak, Saturday with Jim and Lisa! 7 am to 1 pm

Tales from the Farm:
This week we had the opportunity to work on a new repair (yippie hahah): The PTO drive shaft on our rototiller. Bottom line, there wasn't much to do about it beyond obtaining a new one but figuring out what was going on took a hot (literally) afternoon. This is reported by Helen but experienced by Jim.

Jim was rototilling some beds in preparation for our fall crops (watermelon radishes + more!) and the slip clutch engaged. The slip clutch is a mechanism that reduces the likelihood of damage to the PTO in the event that the tiller hits something it can't overcome. Hearing the slip clutch usually means there is a rock in the tine or something along those lines. Often the rock will fall out after the PTO is disengaged. Not the case this time! 

Jim looked under the tiller and found a giant low gauge (really thick) spring wrapped around the rotor (the part that rotates and spins the tines). That plus, a lot of other material! Okay! He cleared that out but for some reason the slip clutch was still engaging. Hmmm. He went through all the tiller maintenance and the problem still wasn't solved, so thought, alright, I better get the tiller off of here. It was then the problem we revealed! The PTO drive shaft was shredded! The drive shaft is a telescoping, often triangular piece of tubular steel that goes from the tractors PTO to the gear box of the implement. It allows the power from the tractors engine (P) to be taken (T) off (O) and transferred to the implement (piece of equipment on the back of the tractor). It appears the slip clutch wasn't quite enough for this spring! The PTO from the tractor kept spinning at 540 rotations per minute, the gear box on the tiller got stopped cold, and the drive shaft got twisted! It wasn't immediately obvious because the there is a protective covering over the whole shebang. After that was established it was the "simple" process of wrenching the remanence off of the whole situation, sourcing a replacement, and then resizing the replacement (cutting thick, dense metal for breakfast anyone?)

This was all done during work, was all part of work, but felt so derailing. Part of our job is keeping all of these machines running (mostly Jim's job) and when something like this happens, whatever else was going on stops dead. It is easy to feel like having to make a repair like this isn't part or our work but something in our way. And that is one valid way to look at it. A break throws a wrench in the machine that produces our income. From another perspective, this is all work that has to happen in order for the farm to keep operating and while we would rather it didn't happen the day before a big rain when everything is moving to plan, we can't control everything.

I am so grateful and impressed with how much Jim has learned about machines and repairs over the years. He started fresh with mechanics when we started the farm and has learn and built his mechanical skills so much since. I was jealous that he got to be the mechanic in the beginning (still am haha) but I am so glad that he is.  

Derailed and back on track, that's the way of the world, especially the way of the farm.

Helen for Jim, Tyler, Sarah!, Wiley, Boomer (bark layer), and Exie (morale officer)

PS. Can we just take a second to appreciate how fast 540 rotations per minute is? That is 9 rotations per second. Take your finger and twirl it 9 times. Now count one second and see how many rotations you can get in. Gawd! That's fast! I can get to 4 max. Anyway. These machines are amazing.