tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10418273037361504542024-03-19T02:45:38.252-07:00Kicking Mule Farm CSASustainably grown vegetables and fruits from Lucan, MN.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-85652793825352055932011-06-29T06:22:00.000-07:002011-06-29T06:30:14.959-07:00Lucan Farmer's Marketweek one of the farmer's market is here. we're really excited, too. it will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 in the parking lot of the Lucan Locker. this week we'll have a lot of light stuff; blame the lack of sun for that. come and get some fresh local food. and mark your calendars to make the farmer's market a weekly tradition.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-82765656454889046092011-06-17T10:39:00.000-07:002011-06-17T10:51:56.234-07:00June is here<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSreNpgEnAW0JVRFYOIkOFNfTfLCxlr7EJY41rBuGVNzUKAlKUlVa3YaGJLOXGoBjRjeSKl-s1nQ8lTpwYRcYSuufOaCFpU336Mqji-lIYAvf1h_t-r1odYXxDWJSu5wEirmMgYUK54FRA/s1600/tmp_21717257.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 191px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSreNpgEnAW0JVRFYOIkOFNfTfLCxlr7EJY41rBuGVNzUKAlKUlVa3YaGJLOXGoBjRjeSKl-s1nQ8lTpwYRcYSuufOaCFpU336Mqji-lIYAvf1h_t-r1odYXxDWJSu5wEirmMgYUK54FRA/s320/tmp_21717257.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619247585688697858" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGozviJumSHM_QJoFv62J8m6WMi6gWVpdjuPFzvsdvJarb3aYUpXTNq9aGARzw44j8G5bQd5SMbMEBpD_UsMpPPXzKh-g2Lq-k83LGG4KJFWqrS9WxjKSVXISOnO8KZmbkzswh0Kyol2xh/s1600/tmp_48217258.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGozviJumSHM_QJoFv62J8m6WMi6gWVpdjuPFzvsdvJarb3aYUpXTNq9aGARzw44j8G5bQd5SMbMEBpD_UsMpPPXzKh-g2Lq-k83LGG4KJFWqrS9WxjKSVXISOnO8KZmbkzswh0Kyol2xh/s320/tmp_48217258.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619247592096068082" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtOrzYUoMiak7KgVPKyNJhGjI2qVfCkbmqXsCvQFUM1gNwdAURz1_Uio2835IoAjZVJTTN5UogVYI8WE7KA6jzgcllH8JJKXF_UxACx59nUiiGhWIpGrBhUUi4lJYlp1qp4D8uxhFxuBy/s1600/tmp_84017255.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 191px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtOrzYUoMiak7KgVPKyNJhGjI2qVfCkbmqXsCvQFUM1gNwdAURz1_Uio2835IoAjZVJTTN5UogVYI8WE7KA6jzgcllH8JJKXF_UxACx59nUiiGhWIpGrBhUUi4lJYlp1qp4D8uxhFxuBy/s320/tmp_84017255.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619246732017631794" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMCvj6RpjNghTLK3dVNI1gUNwNkgC-xNflJnN918o1mOs_R6K0R22t1yO2MYciQ3pURNW1ou6_hSNJ_o6ntY5sjdNMyPXorN20ruOy9ihSnytXPmiMPZzJAuWTAfUYITbHOhTl6bWmRan/s1600/tmp_76417256.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMCvj6RpjNghTLK3dVNI1gUNwNkgC-xNflJnN918o1mOs_R6K0R22t1yO2MYciQ3pURNW1ou6_hSNJ_o6ntY5sjdNMyPXorN20ruOy9ihSnytXPmiMPZzJAuWTAfUYITbHOhTl6bWmRan/s320/tmp_76417256.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619246734976719602" /></a><br />We are anticipating the first Lucan area farmer's market will take place next Thursday or the one after. A walk through reveals beautiful lettuce, peas, radishes, greens, beets, herbs, broccoli, garlic scape, and more. We will post more details soon.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-67962320343038641482011-02-16T12:06:00.001-08:002011-02-16T12:18:05.037-08:00February on the farmIt has been awhile since I have been able to post, but figured with spring around the corner it is time to update folks that are interested as to what is new. <br /><br />Let's start with the sad / bad news. We will not be providing a CSA package this season. Being a farmer is hard work, harder than I could have ever imagined. Steve and I have spent the last two years farming for 9 months and working in the school for 9 more. Yeah, that makes 18 which is more than a year and means for 6 months we are juggling two very full time jobs in addition to trying to be great parents. Something had to give. I truly wish we were at a point where we were financially comfortable enough to dive into farming full-time. We are not there yet. If and when we get to that point, we will let you know. It saddens me to share this with those of you that have supported us, but know that we have appreciated your love, support, and kind words. Thanks to people like you, small scale farming can and will survive. Keep on supporting your local farmers!<br /><br />We will still be growing food, and lots of it! We are expanding our herbs (both fresh and dried), getting more chickens for eggs and meat, raising a couple of pigs, growing 70+ different types of vegetables, and expanding our orchard. Any of these items can still be purchased and we encourage you to contact us if you are interested. We will also be showing up at some local farmers markets (Marshall, Redwood Falls, and possibly starting a new one in Lucan), please come by and say hello.<br /><br />In the next weeks the plants will be started, the hoophouse will be tilled and planted, and the bounty will begin. I am so excited for fresh baby spinach! I hope you all are, too. Pictures to come.<br /><br />Love and happy almost spring!<br /><br />Molly <br />Kicking Mule FarmKicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-19623734764886237152010-10-01T15:50:00.000-07:002010-10-01T15:52:59.732-07:00Week 19Week 19<br /><br />Delicata Squash (Small, pale yellow and green) or<br />Red Kuri Squash (Bright red) or<br />Pie Pumpkin<br />Butternut Squash (Pale yellow, big)<br />Spaghetti Squash (Pale yellow, oval)<br />Acorn Squash<br />Breakfast Radishes<br />Pac Choi<br />Heirloom Tomatoes <br />Japanese and Rosa Bianca Eggplant<br />Green to Red Bell Peppers <br />Sweet Mini Bell peppers (Red, orange, or yellow) <br />Jimmy Nordelo Sweet Frying Peppers (red long and red)<br />Serrano Peppers (Long, thin light green and VERY hot)<br />Jalapeño Peppers (Dark green and hot)<br />Thai Chili Peppers (Small very red and hot)<br />Hungarian Carrot Pepper (Small, orange, and VERY hot)<br />Beets <br />Carrots<br />Celery<br />Garlic<br />Onions<br />Cucumbers <br />Green Beans<br />Rainbow Chard, Collard Greens or Dino Kale<br />Yukon Gold and Red Potatoes??<br />Lettuce??<br /><br />Herbs:<br />Basil<br />Parsley<br />Sage<br />Thai Basil<br />Thyme<br />Oregano<br /><br /><br />The end of the 2010 CSA season is here. We are hoping to send you one more heavy box loaded with fall favorites that should last a little while in your pantry. We have been eating lots of squash at our house and are in love with it. We hope you enjoy it, too. Additionally (barring a hard frost tonight) you will each get some wonderful deep green celery to try. As I mentioned before, this celery is much darker and more flavorful than most store-bought. It is a favorite in soups and stews at our house. We are rounding out the squash with roots such as beets and carrots and maybe even beloved spuds. Steve is digging as I write. <br /><br />Before I get to some Kicking Mule Farm recipes, I wanted to take a moment to thank some folks who made this season possible and successful. First and foremost, thank you, CSA members. Your trust in us and financial backing is the reason we exist. Thank you for allowing us into your homes and bellies. We hope we met your needs and hope you will consider Kicking Mule Farm again in the future. <br />Additionally, we would like to thank the following: Ted and Janet, for allowing us to use their land, tools, machines, computer and rooting us on along the way. Joel and Ted, for helping us erect the hoop house this spring. Karen at the Lucan Locker, for giving us refrigerator space for our produce. Sue and Dick, for doing one of our deliveries for us. Toni, Robin, Alan, Lori, Anne, Val, Jared, Ashley, Sue, Dick, and Janet, for assisting with planting, weeding, harvesting, and feeding the masses of hungry farmers. Last but certainly not least, thanks to Miles and Frances for patience during the busy season and allowing mom and dad to chase their dreams…and of course for picking those darned peas.<br /><br />SLOW COOKED BLACK EYED PEAS AND GREENS<br /><br />This is a favorite of many of our friends and families when they visit. It is relevant because many items in your box this week can be used to assist. <br /><br />Dry Black Eyed Peas<br />Chicken or veggie stock<br />Garlic (lots)<br />Onions (1/2)<br />Carrots (2-3)<br />Celery (2-3)<br />Greens<br />Butter<br />Bay Leaves<br />Herbs (whatever you like)<br /><br />Soak peas over night in water. Rinse the next day. Cover with stock in slow cooker or pot on the stove over medium heat. Add bay leaves and whatever other herbs you dig. <br /><br />Sauté onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in butter. Once they are lightly cooked dump them in with the peas. Stir occasionally to avoid burning on bottom of pot. Cook until peas are soft (1-3 hours, depending on method).<br /><br />Coarsely chop up greens. Chop more onion and garlic, too. Put some butter, oil, or bacon fat into a pan and sauté onions and garlic, then add greens. Cook to desired consistency. We don’t cook ours very long, because I don’t want them mushy. <br /><br />Eat!<br /><br />BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP<br /><br />1-2 butternut squash (depending on how many folks you are feeding)<br />chicken or veggie stock<br />other veggies of your choosing (I add broccoli to mine)<br />garlic<br />onion<br />bay leaves<br />thyme<br /><br />Peel the skin off the squash and cube the meat. Put it in a pot and pour stock over it. Add bay leaves and thyme and cook over medium heat until squash is easily punctured by a fork. <br /><br />Sauté garlic, onions, and other veggies of your choosing. Add to squash. Mix and add or decrease stock to meet your desired consistency. Remove bay leaves and thyme. <br /><br />Put soup in blender or mixer and blend until creamy. Eat!<br /><br />Have a great winter, everyone. Please shoot us an email and let us know how we did, we really appreciate your feedback.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-33783319699035522282010-09-24T16:12:00.000-07:002010-09-24T16:14:27.091-07:00Week 18 DeliveryWeek 18<br /><br />Delicata Squash (Small, pale yellow and green)<br />Red Kuri Squash (Bright red)<br />Butternut Squash (Pale yellow, big)<br />Breakfast Radishes<br />Pac Choi<br />Heirloom Tomatoes <br />Japanese and Rosa Bianca Eggplant<br />Green to Red Bell Peppers <br />Sweet Mini Bell peppers (Red, orange, or yellow) <br />Jimmy Nordelo Sweet Frying Peppers (red long and red)<br />Serrano Peppers (Long, thin light green and VERY hot)<br />Jalapeño Peppers (Dark green and hot)<br />Thai Chili Peppers (Small very red and hot)<br />Hungarian Carrot Pepper (Small, orange, and VERY hot)<br />Melon <br />Carrots<br />Garlic<br />Onions<br />Cucumbers (Slicing and Pickling)<br />Green Beans<br />Rainbow Chard, Collard Greens or Dino Kale<br />Yukon Gold and Red Potatoes??<br />Beets??<br /><br />Herbs:<br />Basil<br />Parsley<br />Sage<br />Thai Basil<br />Thyme<br />Rosemary<br />Oregano<br /><br /><br />Let’s start with the weather to get the bad news out of the way. We did not suffer as badly as SE MN, but bad enough to mean the possible end to some items. At the time of this post (Friday evening), we have a few inches of standing water over much of the garden and have heard estimates of 4-6 inches of rainfall in our area. Plants can and will survive in a few days of this, but we do not know how long it will take to drain away. Last week when digging potatoes, we hit standing water less than 8 inches under the soil. We are saturated. That said, our winter squash looks great and one way or another your final box next week will be loaded. All I can really say is what a season.<br /><br />This week you will see some of our winter squash varieties. I will attach some recipes to help you decide how to use them. We love them in our house and hope you do too.<br /><br />The heirloom tomatoes are nearly done. Thanks to our hoop house, we have some this week and should have a few for each of you next week. Take time to savor the end of their wonderful flavor and color as they will be gone until July or August of next year. <br /><br />Peppers remain, but their fate is hard to determine as they are one crop completely soaked in standing water. We have separated hot peppers from sweet peppers using bags in your boxes. Please note that while our Jalapeño peppers are rather mild, the others have real kick. Taste test them first to make sure they agree with your palate. <br /><br />As we stated before, we anticipate lettuce and spinach in the final boxes. They are coming up nicely and the weekly forecast looks decent to help them grow. Cross your fingers for one last round with the delicate leafy greens. Celery will also round out the last box. This is not your grocery stores celery. It is deep green, more leafy, and darned flavorful. Eat the stalk with nut butter and throw the rest into a stew. After posting this I will head to the field to attempt potatoes again. If all goes well, these will be in your last boxes too.<br /><br />ROASTED VEGETABLES (From Allrecipes.com)<br />Ingredients<br />1 small butternut squash, cubed<br />2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced<br />1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed<br />3 Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed<br />1 red onion, quartered<br />1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme<br />2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary<br />1/4 cup olive oil<br />2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar<br />salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />Directions<br />Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). <br />In a large bowl, combine the squash, red bell peppers, sweet potato, and Yukon Gold potatoes. Separate the red onion quarters into pieces, and add them to the mixture. <br />In a small bowl, stir together thyme, rosemary, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss with vegetables until they are coated. Spread evenly on a large roasting pan. <br />Roast for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring every 10 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through and browned. <br /><br />Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash (From Allrecipes.com)<br />Ingredients<br />2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley<br />2 tablespoons olive oil<br />2 garlic cloves, minced<br />1 teaspoon salt<br />1/2 teaspoon pepper<br />3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes<br />1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese<br />Directions<br />In a large bowl, combine the parsley, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add squash and toss to coat. <br />Transfer to an ungreased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until squash is just tender.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-44420857514938469762010-09-24T16:10:00.001-07:002010-09-24T16:12:31.786-07:00A few pics of the flooding<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tKRfvUJOhDpftpwvIIhvJyWrH4o8dOzbXNO9UUQ7QScQ1iZiE0V_DlgGgbyLeNRdUaQcH84NBfOqY3hFUj7Cja-iIY7jS4O5pWb7WL4LMu2rFRAUgZfHZaNF-cJjX3nOpYd-nlqNVrzu/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+015.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tKRfvUJOhDpftpwvIIhvJyWrH4o8dOzbXNO9UUQ7QScQ1iZiE0V_DlgGgbyLeNRdUaQcH84NBfOqY3hFUj7Cja-iIY7jS4O5pWb7WL4LMu2rFRAUgZfHZaNF-cJjX3nOpYd-nlqNVrzu/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+015.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520621800239926018" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwpjV7wbx0mEpVGuitxz92uK8jWJokuoU9QD-dS2SK-x97YMWnjIZEta_2GePIVgxzlg6C9buAPdg73zNl6-74x0kYmDHlraKnakPD4BvISSFbjgNgsy8sdRV1kEGwQWCF571S9Wus2A8A/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+013.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwpjV7wbx0mEpVGuitxz92uK8jWJokuoU9QD-dS2SK-x97YMWnjIZEta_2GePIVgxzlg6C9buAPdg73zNl6-74x0kYmDHlraKnakPD4BvISSFbjgNgsy8sdRV1kEGwQWCF571S9Wus2A8A/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+013.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520621791605560226" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4-CreEyrPK6w0mDGtxzZ7m12aJdoAr-jl9UVwnBYODayt0YLpEg3EAftGqSIRxI1dWru2zXxv0h8Rcv7YSr9uyUkNNo1IQHvZsxiGfIFGoG1wuetR79hgKrS7-6Pd2WbA8wlBSmJ49_I/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+011.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4-CreEyrPK6w0mDGtxzZ7m12aJdoAr-jl9UVwnBYODayt0YLpEg3EAftGqSIRxI1dWru2zXxv0h8Rcv7YSr9uyUkNNo1IQHvZsxiGfIFGoG1wuetR79hgKrS7-6Pd2WbA8wlBSmJ49_I/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520621778415323218" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmr6qR0U8KPdy5W6pwAUSj7DABCwR5LHrE29kFSglab15AUq3hGNX2SOElbxXFyyX-es2bAxTBKKdwLApoYJJmDxT2C71e19tVhMlHWSgtx_FzgknMG5y3cDJYqZfEMB_O4gfVSmVJNkU/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+012.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmr6qR0U8KPdy5W6pwAUSj7DABCwR5LHrE29kFSglab15AUq3hGNX2SOElbxXFyyX-es2bAxTBKKdwLApoYJJmDxT2C71e19tVhMlHWSgtx_FzgknMG5y3cDJYqZfEMB_O4gfVSmVJNkU/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+012.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520621772282374274" /></a>Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-53067250284796898802010-09-24T16:03:00.001-07:002010-09-24T16:09:59.404-07:00Week 17 goodies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54AZGtMbIAAnocXdTP594K5vERYBT2TVnnN1-5yMpD6uGr5hM6wiPjbVmvesSv418x_zPfeGIXP28ZPMykGIkRxSZIwpOlrzClL63DQxZkur-GU-irgOxtgZqi_fK-hSYCHvgBIhIsCbn/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54AZGtMbIAAnocXdTP594K5vERYBT2TVnnN1-5yMpD6uGr5hM6wiPjbVmvesSv418x_zPfeGIXP28ZPMykGIkRxSZIwpOlrzClL63DQxZkur-GU-irgOxtgZqi_fK-hSYCHvgBIhIsCbn/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520621180685890354" /></a>Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-61377235418253016812010-09-17T14:52:00.000-07:002010-09-17T14:57:43.795-07:00Week 17Squash squash Squash <br />I love squash. Its easy to cook too:<br />halve it, scoop out seeds, brush with butter or olive oil and bake at 350 until tender. I'm sure some people will not believe me but it is best eaten skin and all; that's right you don't even have to scoop it out!<br /><br />Week 17<br /><br />Delicata Squash<br />Acorn Squash<br />Pac Choi<br />Yukon Gold Potatoes<br />Green Cabbage<br />Parsnips<br />Heirloom Tomatoes <br />Cherry Tomatoes<br />Japanese and Rosa Bianca Eggplant<br />Green to Red Bell Peppers <br />Sweet Mini Bell peppers (Red, orange, or yellow) <br />Jimmy Nordelo Sweet Frying Peppers (red long)<br />Serrano Peppers (Long, thin light green and VERY hot)<br />Jalapeño Peppers (Dark green and hot)<br />Chili Peppers (Small very red and hot)<br />Melon <br />Carrots<br />Beets<br />Garlic<br />Onions<br />Cucumbers (Slicing and Pickling)<br />Green Beans<br />Rainbow Chard, Collard Greens or Dino Kale <br /><br />The Late plantings of fall crops are just starting to come in to production. Cabbage and pac choi are back. The green beans were planted in succession and have provided a constant supply, our last row is currently producing and should for the remainder of the season. Spinach, lettuce and radishes are growing, but not ready for this week. We never got the fall peas planted though. <br /><br />These fall crops are one of the trickiest things to get right. While summer was blazing, we hemmed and hawed about planting them. Often I said that it was too hot; Molly vowed now or never. In the end, it looks like we could have start the lettuce the broccoli and cauliflower sooner. You may not even see the broccoli and cauliflower. <br /><br />We’re still battling the rain and have resorted to hand digging the potatoes as It’s just too wet to plow. We got a further 3½ - 4 inches this week, not even kidding; I wish I was. The digging isn’t bad, but it takes time.<br /><br />The tomatoes are nearly done, the outdoor vines are all but dead, and the high tunnel vines are slowing down (after a great first try). Eggplant are starting to set less fruit. Peppers will follow suit , but as long as the frost remains up north, they still have a good amount of fruit to ripen. <br /><br />There are just 2 deliveries left after this week. Thanks, KMFKicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-1630234374409382322010-09-10T15:14:00.000-07:002010-09-10T15:15:07.384-07:00Week 16Week 15<br /><br /><br />Acorn Squash<br />Yukon Gold Potatoes<br />Apples<br />Heirloom Tomatoes <br />Cherry Tomatoes<br />Melon <br />Carrots<br />Beets<br />Green to Red Bell Peppers <br />Sweet Mini Bell peppers (Red, orange, or yellow) <br />Jimmy Nordelo Sweet Frying Peppers (red long)<br />Serrano Peppers (Long, thin light green and VERY hot)<br />Jalapeño Peppers (Dark green and hot)<br />Chili Peppers (Small very red and hot)<br />Garlic<br />Japanese and Rosa Bianca Eggplant<br />Onions<br />Cucumbers (Slicing and Pickling)<br />Green Beans<br />Broccoli<br />Rainbow Chard, Collard Greens or Dino Kale <br /><br />The end is near! The end is near? For the summer crops at least. Goodbye summer squash. As the weather inches onward towards winter, we remain cautiously optimistic that old man winter is still snoozing and his dreaded first frost is still a bit off. Usually it comes in the first week of October. But a cold front expected next week may dash those hopes. Then it may be goodbye for a lot of other crops.<br />The impending frost makes us eager to see the season extending benefits of the high tunnel. Currently it houses heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, some greens and hot peppers. We are going to plant some new items and transplant some other items inside. Truth be told, it is really an experiment, but one that we hope you will get to taste the benefits of.<br />As we wrote last week, the potatoes are not all harvested, but the rain has continued in a seemingly constant drip, drip, drip. As a result, we haven’t gotten any more out yet. <br />The winter squash are ripening; your first taste is the acorn. More varieties will follow and instead of finding large melons in you box, it will soon be squash. <br />For the customers that enjoy our eggs: we had to skip last week as the production dropped off from our hens. They appear to be back on track and the eggs are flowing again. <br />Lastly, we want to remind you that the end is indeed near. We are shooting for three more weeks of production; however an early hard frost could shave that down by a week. I don’t think it will though; be optimistic.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-34037633990650123112010-09-03T09:08:00.000-07:002010-09-03T09:19:42.415-07:00Week 15<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimr7s3y59xWF_8c21FzfPk6CPEqppL1XR8f3dD43s1u0FwiY2acJip7uYjJwhvUfbLGCUFlFiga_7753ddNP9jAl8lAD4L05mMd_iXa3tQwOPYeNszhjnPNqrtwOe_nGgaBBFo2LCQw1vb/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+044.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimr7s3y59xWF_8c21FzfPk6CPEqppL1XR8f3dD43s1u0FwiY2acJip7uYjJwhvUfbLGCUFlFiga_7753ddNP9jAl8lAD4L05mMd_iXa3tQwOPYeNszhjnPNqrtwOe_nGgaBBFo2LCQw1vb/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+044.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512722597073051602" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTJM6h-68IAEU4LtwCvYDY3Omet4j2y_5uooIVelx4daqsPZSnfEWvoo1wrg1_02hC1YiM2Ma7a-0fj1uygtCcN2KMhUf6e-bWrpN-uDgOF88o4QIggJsOneuz9hnOdk_e4-ERPFIJL-l/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+040.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTJM6h-68IAEU4LtwCvYDY3Omet4j2y_5uooIVelx4daqsPZSnfEWvoo1wrg1_02hC1YiM2Ma7a-0fj1uygtCcN2KMhUf6e-bWrpN-uDgOF88o4QIggJsOneuz9hnOdk_e4-ERPFIJL-l/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+040.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512722588857917810" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTrk0pnjG6KVblTcxxTXCX6wZW99Nugnc8dmhapJGPyFnRX-bm2D73cFifw4aJCa5LPAktUb1eO-CoBnG2aq4A_rt0RxvaSeCFxAonsDp97V9KYquMqbGlS-sV4y-6qRHhdGkzBof61a7/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+032.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTrk0pnjG6KVblTcxxTXCX6wZW99Nugnc8dmhapJGPyFnRX-bm2D73cFifw4aJCa5LPAktUb1eO-CoBnG2aq4A_rt0RxvaSeCFxAonsDp97V9KYquMqbGlS-sV4y-6qRHhdGkzBof61a7/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+032.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512722577525096082" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrD8zhK11OP5z9YlOm6eeY406CbKDh4oxxIuqvEaA0etlO7eJBzc0d8viBnk7nUsW2yzpEGD12sFrXVwWJBvG3YNLJNFB3hmq_aDuMSzKQc5QpTwdP-j-bXJlGhFNpgi8w38Xt1mMxunm/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+028.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrD8zhK11OP5z9YlOm6eeY406CbKDh4oxxIuqvEaA0etlO7eJBzc0d8viBnk7nUsW2yzpEGD12sFrXVwWJBvG3YNLJNFB3hmq_aDuMSzKQc5QpTwdP-j-bXJlGhFNpgi8w38Xt1mMxunm/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+028.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512722571375894690" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwth-17T58u-iQ0UkGtYInM8sWyAg9Ih6_9TiYEL-yaMUmClG-BeyeaPgPG87tPTv-jtX5Qa4nw_g7zh7b5Eu98qbIJc1ghWlO5A45bC0H7EplAPixFeMPC672ASP6euabdGYSbyOPlYMp/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+027.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwth-17T58u-iQ0UkGtYInM8sWyAg9Ih6_9TiYEL-yaMUmClG-BeyeaPgPG87tPTv-jtX5Qa4nw_g7zh7b5Eu98qbIJc1ghWlO5A45bC0H7EplAPixFeMPC672ASP6euabdGYSbyOPlYMp/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+027.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512722563313409202" /></a><br />Week 15<br /><br />In the box:<br /><br />Yukon Gold Potatoes<br />Eating / Baking Apples<br />Heirloom Tomatoes <br />Cherry Tomatoes<br />Melon (Honey gold, cantaloupe, sorbet or water)<br />Green Top Carrots<br />Green to Red Bell Peppers <br />Sweet Mini Bell peppers (Red, orange, or yellow) <br />Jimmy Nordelo Sweet Frying Peppers (multi-colored long)<br />Serrano Peppers (Long, thin light green and VERY hot)<br />Chili Peppers (Small very red and hot)<br />Fresh Garlic<br />Japanese and Rosa Bianca Eggplant<br />Onions<br />Jalapeño Peppers (Dark green and hot)<br />Cucumbers (Slicer and Pickling)<br />Zephyr Squash<br />Green Beans<br />Green Cabbage or Broccoli<br />Rainbow Chard, Collard Greens or Dino Kale<br /> <br />Herbs:<br />Basil<br />Parsley<br />Sage<br />Thai Basil<br />Thyme<br />Rosemary<br />Oregano<br />Dill<br /><br /><br />This week the boxes will be heavy and very colorful. We are again sending 2 melons in each box, next week we should be back to one per box. The sweet mini bell peppers are in full force and are delicious and lovely. We use these like crazy in stir fry dishes, grilled, or raw eating. They are more reliable growers than the large bell peppers, which you will also begin to see.<br /><br />This may be it for summer squash. We figure that you have probably all gotten your fill, so this shouldn’t be a bad thing. <br /><br />We plowed and pulled two rows of potatoes last week. If we can continue to get into the field with the plow you should get potatoes every week from here on out. Red potatoes are next in the rows, so the variety should change in your boxes soon.<br /><br />We received close to 3” of rain on Wednesday night. This could mean that tomatoes are nearly done, as they have been barely holding on with the amount of rainfall we have gotten. Look for large amounts this week and then possibly less for 1-2 more weeks. <br /><br />We will start pulling parsnips and carrots from the ground this week to avoid rot. If they look good they will also fill out the rest of your boxes.<br /><br />A look in the garden reveals that the lettuces and radishes are fairing quite well, they should also round out later boxes. Additionally we ate our first winter squash (honey bear acorn) last night and are happy to say that the squash is tasting great and will begin next week. <br /><br />Our yard was filled with hundreds of beautiful monarch butterflies last night. Look on our blog for pictures of them, the boxes, and our delicious local dinner. The pictures don’t do justice to the amazing beauty of them, but they will give you an idea.<br /><br />We would love feedback on your experience with Kicking Mule Farm this season. Did we meet your expectations for a CSA in terms of quality, quantity, and variety? What did you love? What didn’t you like? What could we do better? Please take a moment in your busy week to let us know so we can continue to refine what we do.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-59814847619394553272010-09-03T09:06:00.000-07:002010-09-03T09:08:33.613-07:00Pic from week 14 delivery<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_l-5Y3FDtSewVEN1w9pP2NkxD3-viYJyLjj7w2F92knGD6UX47sVtYYhmXtz-mEPzi93g_hi-sVFBkFB1YTktSS-ZnRQe20mXBRwDdAUpxL45TR0OhxMkxWJABacuMZtQTjf9JcRip-F/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_l-5Y3FDtSewVEN1w9pP2NkxD3-viYJyLjj7w2F92knGD6UX47sVtYYhmXtz-mEPzi93g_hi-sVFBkFB1YTktSS-ZnRQe20mXBRwDdAUpxL45TR0OhxMkxWJABacuMZtQTjf9JcRip-F/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Sept+2010+003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512719792637137282" /></a>Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-55932048411643887072010-08-27T09:09:00.000-07:002010-08-27T09:11:42.370-07:00Week 14 DeliveryWeek 14<br /><br />In the box:<br /><br />Heirloom Tomatoes <br />Cherry Tomatoes<br />Melon (Honey gold, cantaloupe, sorbet or water)<br />Green Top Carrots<br />Green to Red Bell Peppers <br />Mini-bell colored sweet peppers <br />Jimmy Nordelo Sweet Frying Peppers (multi-colored long)<br />Serrano Peppers (Long, thin light green and VERY hot)<br />Chili Peppers (Small very red and hot)<br />Fresh Garlic<br />Japanese and Rosa Bianca Eggplant<br />Onions<br />Jalapeño Peppers (Dark green and hot)<br />Cucumbers (Slicer and Pickling)<br />Yellow Zucchini, Patty Pan Squash & Zephyr Squash<br />Green Beans<br />Green Cabbage or Broccoli<br />Rainbow Chard, Collard Greens or Dino Kale <br /><br />Herbs:<br />Basil<br />Parsley<br />Sage<br />Thai Basil<br />Thyme<br />Rosemary<br />Oregano<br />Dill<br />Tarragon<br /><br /><br />This week each box will again receive two melons. There are some sorbet melons in the mix that look just like the baby flower watermelon but are yellow and orange swirled in the middle. You will each get one type of watermelon and one honey gold or cantaloupe this week.<br /><br />Unfortunately the corn is done. We thought we had another week of it but found the second round to have little or no pollination. We apologize if you received any un-pollinated last week. <br /><br />We will be picking apples this week to send next week. They will be a mix of baking and eating from Steve’s dads house. They are not sprayed and just as naturally raised as the rest of our produce.<br /><br />A check on the winter squash and pumpkin patch shows them to be continuing to ripen. We may be sending honey bear (an acorn squash) as soon as next week. <br /><br />Oh the potato troubles. We are digging today (Friday) after an unexpected downpour on Monday prevented us from getting the plow down the field until it dried a bit. We will let you know what we discover under the soil.<br /><br />The parsnip is huge and some show a bit of splitting. Do not be alarmed, some of the best tasting produce may not look the prettiest. <br /><br />This weekend will potentially be Molly’s last weekend at the co-op as the school year starts and we both work there. Thanks for stopping by and saying hello to her as you grab your boxes each week. We will continue delivering to the co-op every Sunday until the first weekend in October at least, which will be 19 deliveries. If we have more winter squash than we know what to do with we may do an extra delivery. We will keep you posted.<br /><br />Refrigerator Pickles<br />Ingredients<br />1 cup distilled white vinegar <br />1 tablespoon salt <br />2 cups white sugar <br />6 cups sliced cucumbers <br />1 cup sliced onions <br />1 cup sliced green bell peppers <br />Directions<br />In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil. Boil until the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes. <br />Place the cucumbers, onions and green bell peppers in a large bowl. Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables. Transfer to sterile containers and store in the refrigerator. <br /><br />Mom's Summer Squash Recipe (from Simply Recipes)<br /><br />Ingredients<br />2 lbs squash and/or zucchini, sliced<br />1 green bell pepper, seeds removed, sliced<br />2 smallish tomatoes or one large tomato, peeled and cut into wedges<br />1/2 yellow onion, peeled and sliced<br />1 clove of garlic, chopped<br />Olive oil<br />5 or 6 slices of cheese - jack or cheddar<br />Basil, either dry or chopped fresh<br />Salt and pepper<br /><br />Method<br />1 Put onion, garlic, squash, bell pepper into a large saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Put on high heat and brown the vegetables slightly to develop flavor. As you are browning, sprinkle either dried basil or chopped fresh basil on the vegetables. When vegetables are slightly browned, remove from heat, add the slices of cheese, and cover the pan. <br />2 In a separate stick-free fry pan, put the tomatoes and cook at medium hi heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to let the juice from the tomatoes evaporate some. After 5 minutes, add the tomatoes to the rest of the vegetables and stir. Salt and pepper to taste.<br />Serves 4.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-46078525323590605782010-08-25T06:55:00.001-07:002010-08-25T06:57:16.259-07:00Picture of Week 13 contents<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCYw95z_CZImi4i4LnNfRAPCYzG8qmghXUMEhbjvgCjzgvMUsFc5GrQ44HmIWnudROk4_KEgOTkOf5hD9QCQrTZtSJ77xreL2cDmlLAN3nlS548Mw9_vl8LHnG4xTOa34es0fYsIMDHWK/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+032.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCYw95z_CZImi4i4LnNfRAPCYzG8qmghXUMEhbjvgCjzgvMUsFc5GrQ44HmIWnudROk4_KEgOTkOf5hD9QCQrTZtSJ77xreL2cDmlLAN3nlS548Mw9_vl8LHnG4xTOa34es0fYsIMDHWK/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+032.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509346185415360706" /></a>Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-83745690445581587652010-08-20T11:11:00.000-07:002010-08-20T11:14:28.393-07:00Week 13 Delivery--get another grilling week in!In the box:<br /><br />Heirloom Tomatoes <br />Cherry Tomatoes<br />Melon (Honey gold, cantaloupe, or water)<br />Green Top Beets<br />Green Bell Peppers (with signs of turning red)<br />Mini-bell colored sweet peppers (many more to come!)<br />Jimmy Nordelo Sweet Frying Peppers (multi-colored long)<br />Sweet Corn<br />Fresh Garlic<br />Japanese and Rosa Bianca Eggplant<br />Onions<br />Jalapeño Peppers<br />Cucumbers (Slicer and Pickling)<br />Yellow Zucchini, Patty Pan Squash & Zephyr Squash<br />Green Beans<br />Green Cabbage or Broccoli<br />Rainbow Chard, Collard Greens or Dino Kale <br /><br />Herbs:<br />Basil<br />Parsley<br />Sage<br />Thai Basil<br />Thyme<br />Rosemary<br />Oregano<br />Dill<br /><br /><br />This week each box will receive two melons. Normally we would try and limit it to one each, but we have many ripe melons and many folks sharing boxes, so we are hoping this is okay with you. Barring bad weather we should be looking at 2-3 more weeks of melons.<br /><br />We have a new batch of sweet corn this week from our later planting. This corn is less affected by the hail storms and is drop dead gorgeous. It is bi-colored and our taste test today revealed it to be oh-so sweet. Please enjoy within a day or two of getting your box as sweet corn quickly loses its sweetness off the stalk. <br /><br />We continue to have mixed success with our tomatoes. It looks as though there will be 2-3 weeks left of them as well, but the rain has caused a significant amount of die back and some bottom rot. We have re-trellised every plant as they have started falling over from the ground moisture and weight. Occasionally we are finding ourselves needing to pick some before they are fully ripe to avoid bug damage from being close to the ground. All told, 5-6 weeks of yummy heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes isn’t bad.<br /><br />The bell peppers (mini and regular) are just starting to turn. The mini bell were a member favorite last year as they add lovely color and delicious flavor to whatever you are making. We have loads of pepper plants and cannot wait to share. Our hot peppers are nearly ready. Be sure to read descriptions next week to avoid being surprised by some very spicy peppers.<br /><br />A check on the winter squash and pumpkin patch show them to be handling the stress of this summer quite well over all. These beauties will hopefully fill out the last weeks of your season with butternut, honey bear, delicate, spaghetti squash, and pie pumpkins. Keep your fingers crossed that they continue to thrive.<br />Additionally, we have planted late poc choi, napa cabbage, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and radishes. These will tentatively be in late boxes, but this will depend largely on the weather. We continue to receive much higher than average rainfall coupled with sometimes down right uncomfortable heat. Some plants dig this, most don’t. Luckily we are blessed with very fertile soil that helps things do well in general. This is our hope. <br />Other late season produce includes eating and baking apples, lots of carrots, celery, parsnips, and brussel sprouts. These should start appearing in the next couple of weeks. <br /><br />For the bad news, our potato crop has not held up well to the excessive rain. This really bums us out because just like potatoes are one of our favorite items, we know they are yours as well. We don’t have any fancy equipment to dig them and currently do it all by hand. This is lots of work when you are digging for 15+ families and the wet, heavy soil has made it back breaking. We are looking at a forecast this week of dry, windy weather. If this happens we will be taking our chances and pulling a plow though the rows. Yep, this is bound to damage some taters; but we are hoping it will allow us to have a decent amount to share from next week on. We will keep you posted.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-29835593237301096642010-08-16T08:23:00.000-07:002010-08-16T08:26:29.988-07:00What was in week 12 box?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMg9Kb6UqjLUhrpQnDpoYpMKk5A3l0u0_KfnGDkR51JRNElXpwgYHglWTvXoeKT-Z5RfMmosT32rjjQwk8-lZmIcwZwQUNsqIngC8SLFFHQW56WDB1ljn4YDXaCWx7-3LOyKr6mz0EygW6/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+025.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMg9Kb6UqjLUhrpQnDpoYpMKk5A3l0u0_KfnGDkR51JRNElXpwgYHglWTvXoeKT-Z5RfMmosT32rjjQwk8-lZmIcwZwQUNsqIngC8SLFFHQW56WDB1ljn4YDXaCWx7-3LOyKr6mz0EygW6/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+025.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506029382031023058" /></a><br />Here is a picture of the crazy summer bounty. We have had quite a few challanges this year due to weather and cabbage loopers, but so far have continued to be able to fill our boxes. We hope for continued success and appreciate each of our members for their commitment to local food and local farmers.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-11591300774442727542010-08-16T08:16:00.000-07:002010-08-16T08:23:41.221-07:00Some pics for fun from the farm<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49iMoo_QjHN1miVNBnEy_AVMyNPawRhEw-mOrMpniA-C4HYAWWhgSzXzIDn0shYf8kw57D2gpraCsPjeWKn5DiAxWrk5cLHQy81kwSOWxl86oQU4OAzBVu8Si9qDvSkpY1k-OgbQFt0AW/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+021.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49iMoo_QjHN1miVNBnEy_AVMyNPawRhEw-mOrMpniA-C4HYAWWhgSzXzIDn0shYf8kw57D2gpraCsPjeWKn5DiAxWrk5cLHQy81kwSOWxl86oQU4OAzBVu8Si9qDvSkpY1k-OgbQFt0AW/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+021.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506028536951260530" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkV0QygmYR8Xcso8-wjsFr_elZC88QtDaqGp8KS_LoygQPmXU4SxuUYE5koXMtxee71_8ERBOI_e5KzQVM1ZCva-KvXApqnSGv5tt_b6S4e1sze2VJD4yXPYQ-wu7172BuGU22LIT-1hQ/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+006.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkV0QygmYR8Xcso8-wjsFr_elZC88QtDaqGp8KS_LoygQPmXU4SxuUYE5koXMtxee71_8ERBOI_e5KzQVM1ZCva-KvXApqnSGv5tt_b6S4e1sze2VJD4yXPYQ-wu7172BuGU22LIT-1hQ/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506028528591283378" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpX7rykzgQ5OpEYdIjOyYhIQfrUyXrXtULv5356KXxuu09Pi6_VPsNQ4gTROe4oi2MxVQJHdyPgZntdkUzHDwGPWT4MSCqA0zaUhCYkzEa5d0va2gUUD3dBGN1N4FwKgpxQjPU8EkBgVq/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+015.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpX7rykzgQ5OpEYdIjOyYhIQfrUyXrXtULv5356KXxuu09Pi6_VPsNQ4gTROe4oi2MxVQJHdyPgZntdkUzHDwGPWT4MSCqA0zaUhCYkzEa5d0va2gUUD3dBGN1N4FwKgpxQjPU8EkBgVq/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+015.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506028521721132434" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWy485wU7x4hVoRgo88bO_KUzbj0HA2zPffWUlbnHc75LZSYzomocrJRHtchTckvOZWb2ifqquhKRempbLK0sCjyRc9nk0hK8Jjy-i6BjiZlv0_UD565QMHo50JNhquRO6mf8M8LgDU1Co/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWy485wU7x4hVoRgo88bO_KUzbj0HA2zPffWUlbnHc75LZSYzomocrJRHtchTckvOZWb2ifqquhKRempbLK0sCjyRc9nk0hK8Jjy-i6BjiZlv0_UD565QMHo50JNhquRO6mf8M8LgDU1Co/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506028510997480322" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZZNo9iKqpeanv1oRfX7maV_W9-7Ne3o3YPrquWQrDNHBkjqcimJk6dJ7QpIyNB-aCXeIs93E7_F0dxafz8-X_hYLgLAy-I3p34wTJx_Rlif9ZrCpkod6Bxb-IWIbs1wurTN-SqJl2wo0/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+013.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZZNo9iKqpeanv1oRfX7maV_W9-7Ne3o3YPrquWQrDNHBkjqcimJk6dJ7QpIyNB-aCXeIs93E7_F0dxafz8-X_hYLgLAy-I3p34wTJx_Rlif9ZrCpkod6Bxb-IWIbs1wurTN-SqJl2wo0/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+Aug+2010+013.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506028498765495122" /></a><br />Just a few pictures to share. One is of our amazing little troopers, Miles and Frances. They are exhausted after a hard day of farming and are sleeping in Frances' room. <br />Another is of the hens having a hard time letting go of their old litter from the coop. You'd think they would prefer to hang out in the yard or even in their freshly cleaned coop, but I am not a hen and therefore can not speak to why they are having a meeting in their poo.<br />Another is of the garlic and onions drying in the hay loft of our barn. We are very excited about these as our onions failed miserably last year and this was our first attempt at garlic. Yum.<br />The last is of our farm from the hayloft.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-36375411517735738292010-08-13T09:01:00.000-07:002010-08-13T09:02:02.647-07:00Melons!!This week you will receive one melon in your box. This will be one of the three types listed above. The Honey Gold are a type of honeydew, they have bright golden-yellow skin and orange flesh that is slightly firm. Cantaloupe have netted skin and orange flesh. The Watermelon are small variety called Little Baby Flower and have red flesh. <br />Over the melon season we will be putting one of these melons in each box randomly, hopefully we can get you some of each one before they are done.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-3101985481090348072010-08-13T08:48:00.000-07:002010-08-13T08:49:08.067-07:00Week 12Week 12<br /><br />In the box:<br /><br />Heirloom Tomatoes and possibly some cherry<br />Melon (Honey gold, cantaloupe, or water)<br />Green Top Carrots<br />Yukon Gold Potatoes<br />Green Bell Peppers<br />Sweet Corn<br />Fresh Garlic<br />Japanese and/or Rosa Bianca Eggplant<br />Onions<br />Jalapeño Peppers<br />Cucumbers<br />Yellow Zucchini <br />Zephyr Squash<br />Patty Pan Squash<br />Green Beans<br />Rainbow Chard, Collard Greens or Dino Kale (a mixed bunch, coming back from cabbage worm trauma)<br /><br />Herbs:<br /><br />Basil<br />Parsley<br />Sage<br />Thai Basil<br />Thyme<br />Rosemary<br />Oregano<br />Dill<br /><br />Storage of your produce:<br />Proper storage will make your veggies and fruit last longer. Basil and Thai Basil must be stored above 50°F or it will turn brown quickly; keep it out of the fridge. You can trim the stems and put it in a vase in fresh water and it will keep nicely or in a plastic bag so it doesn’t wilt too quickly. <br />All leafy things should be kept in a bag in the fridge, including the rest of the herbs. <br />Tomatoes have an ideal storage temp of 54°F, too warm for the fridge and too cold for most homes. If some of the are not fully ripe, keep the in a warmer place. For the more ripe ones the cooler the better. <br />Melons prefer room temperature.<br />Potatoes like cool, but don’t need to be in the fridge however they do require dark.<br />Everything else goes in the fridge.<br />If you notice that you routinely have wilty veggies, then you can bag any of them in the fridge to prevent dehydration.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-54509452280838813692010-08-06T10:05:00.000-07:002010-08-06T12:19:56.068-07:00Week 11 DeliveryWeek 11<br /><br />In the box:<br /><br />Heirloom Tomatoes<br />Green Bell Peppers<br />Sweet Corn<br />Fresh Garlic<br />Orient Express and/or Rosa Bianca Eggplant<br />Onions<br />Jalapeño Peppers<br />Cucumbers<br />Yellow Zucchini <br />Zephyr Squash<br />Patty Pan Squash<br />Green Beans<br />Beets<br />Rainbow Chard<br />Collard Greens or Dino Kale (a mixed bunch, coming back from cabbage worm trauma)<br />Broccoli or Cauliflower or Cabbage<br />Herb bunch of: sweet basil, Thai basil, sage, rosemary, parsley, tarragon, thyme, and oregano<br /><br />As we said last week, we are hoping to give one head of garlic each week. If you share a box, you may want to either alternate or pull off cloves to share. We have also pulled our onions and have them drying next to the garlic. You will get a steady supply of 2-3 onions each week for the rest of the season. <br /><br />Heirloom tomatoes have begun. So far they are being cooperative and ripening at a slow but steady rate. Last year we had green tomatoes until late August and then they all ripened at once. We are hoping they will continue to work with us, providing weeks of fresh tomatoes for you. <br />The peppers are still teasing us, but we have decided to start sending green bells until the others turn as the plants are falling over from the weight of peppers; there should be no lack of them in the coming weeks.<br />Eggplant is coming full throttle now and we look forward to sharing. I know at least one of our shareholders avoids nightshade plants, so we are hoping to round out the boxes with many non-nightshades are well.<br /><br />Sweet corn is back and you will see it for the next few weeks. Enjoy this true taste of MN. Additionally we believe we will be sending one melon per box starting next week. It will be a mixed supply of either sweet baby watermelon, regular watermelon, cantaloupe, or musk melon. You should see these for the next few weeks as well. If we don’t get your box this week, we will get you next week.<br /><br />The potatoes are giving us a bit of trouble as we move across the rows digging them up. There seems to be a substantial amount of die-back. We are guessing this could be due to the crazy levels of rain we received this season. We will continue to dig and hope for the best. Our goal is to send them nearly every week for the rest of the season, so wish us plentiful digging. <br /><br />If you have been getting eggs from us after the initial first weeks freebies, you will get a bill this week. You will get billed once more at the end of the season. Please mail us a check unless you see Molly at the co-op. <br /><br />Eggplant Recipes:<br /><br />Eggplant Fingers<br />2 eggplant<br />olive oil <br />1 ½ c. bread crumbs<br />1 c. parm cheese<br /><br />Cut skin off eggplant and cut into ½ to ¾ inch rounds. Cut the rounds into sticks. Coat with olive oil. Mix cheese and bread crumbs in a bowl and roll eggplant in the mixture. Place on backing sheet and cook at 375 until golden brown.<br /><br />Eggplant Parmesan (from allrecipes.com)<br /><br />INGREDIENTS:<br />3 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced<br />2 eggs, beaten<br />4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs<br />6 cups spaghetti sauce, divided 1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese<br />, shredded and divided<br />1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided<br />1/2 teaspoon dried basil<br />DIRECTIONS:<br />1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).<br />2. Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side.<br />3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.<br />4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-79606028860612612702010-07-30T11:22:00.001-07:002010-07-30T11:25:55.716-07:00More pictures to share:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhWd5Shk1HEpXz1RSjYye9p_5FMfEsaYWhaegcfJnXpTXe5ajkODqbXQsKLpBNJKkpDzQ2j2wgqbxbKz8QZkm8YmX2QJiBxUd3Vs5pI1-3ily8teSzCqfhx73jpjnLh58T-R3QOceU-vS/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+044.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhWd5Shk1HEpXz1RSjYye9p_5FMfEsaYWhaegcfJnXpTXe5ajkODqbXQsKLpBNJKkpDzQ2j2wgqbxbKz8QZkm8YmX2QJiBxUd3Vs5pI1-3ily8teSzCqfhx73jpjnLh58T-R3QOceU-vS/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+044.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499767133033709202" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xv4hA8ab3J_JuWPyxHeAcomgmsFmdz_C4DL0No_vIeZ-2NNTdGoMf-b5PAx569JhUUUFXBzByTreG22zUf91irK-h15H7SrjFOIe1xsmsxfY_YIScZ56ZXgUeFTyws3e3Ji8NGKgLlx_/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+040.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xv4hA8ab3J_JuWPyxHeAcomgmsFmdz_C4DL0No_vIeZ-2NNTdGoMf-b5PAx569JhUUUFXBzByTreG22zUf91irK-h15H7SrjFOIe1xsmsxfY_YIScZ56ZXgUeFTyws3e3Ji8NGKgLlx_/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+040.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499767101115521090" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRM8sG7icEh6Il-49sqpCpiqU9fvnS86Gqn6PvULCMY7Q-HOXHpF5M7nmVW77C4SB7sg8XUkp4LfC_zswi8EUtgAKvV80EHvNkYp_1hHkOoEWa8juIMIgI96TLCpbjk6gNom_iJMaGhJNp/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+041.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRM8sG7icEh6Il-49sqpCpiqU9fvnS86Gqn6PvULCMY7Q-HOXHpF5M7nmVW77C4SB7sg8XUkp4LfC_zswi8EUtgAKvV80EHvNkYp_1hHkOoEWa8juIMIgI96TLCpbjk6gNom_iJMaGhJNp/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+041.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499767123421849906" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73AnqQXoXP2noueUMIckLD7OR6Doi0bAt6FDxpvdUU6fHGD_witPX89QfhoIbVdTAMK7E2b5rbwh83lFZ-kEdVD6lmCjmBfO8ymOW4NDaOLBtKY8CkE7tFCYaceylzOV3CAOvkzjNTcFN/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+043.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73AnqQXoXP2noueUMIckLD7OR6Doi0bAt6FDxpvdUU6fHGD_witPX89QfhoIbVdTAMK7E2b5rbwh83lFZ-kEdVD6lmCjmBfO8ymOW4NDaOLBtKY8CkE7tFCYaceylzOV3CAOvkzjNTcFN/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+043.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499767114048452610" /></a>Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-39827383608478183292010-07-30T11:14:00.001-07:002010-07-30T11:22:00.415-07:00Some pictures to share:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2INpfWcIPNRz9aluZHwlu7lCXM6TSpcaXWcp-BschMfyAgyN0RB3eTdLtzR8Oh078ihMI8qFivDlbIM56GRbTB-lVu5UZoeOvyXlA73h-IjXRqzSyItm2vGbcz9cqqPMbBgvosCxFvcO/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+039.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2INpfWcIPNRz9aluZHwlu7lCXM6TSpcaXWcp-BschMfyAgyN0RB3eTdLtzR8Oh078ihMI8qFivDlbIM56GRbTB-lVu5UZoeOvyXlA73h-IjXRqzSyItm2vGbcz9cqqPMbBgvosCxFvcO/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+039.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499765736544977778" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHhh0F5FG1Ri8h-i7cRz4v6oAeq5Iwk0curYaVgc4r4_YB40efC42GGEhtRja57TK_CynlaVv3FkEdkWKkTaPLZvWnPwKtZov_GYg7h3K7AF44ulCv658NW3PS7TKEoEfu4C8dfGhZszn/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+038.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHhh0F5FG1Ri8h-i7cRz4v6oAeq5Iwk0curYaVgc4r4_YB40efC42GGEhtRja57TK_CynlaVv3FkEdkWKkTaPLZvWnPwKtZov_GYg7h3K7AF44ulCv658NW3PS7TKEoEfu4C8dfGhZszn/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+038.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499765728563051426" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusl7fnqAArtNH_ECFj0jk8L5POmwTlgHUUPFzFAHKpRFDFWwZQXMRBg_IVGPXjxOzbDXg1D2kqTuls-a9uHxtD6xcSTTJU_CU8DU_nQ5LQlK65VE3kGEJbuEy_RPXilGGAtsDB_OyBo-D/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+037.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusl7fnqAArtNH_ECFj0jk8L5POmwTlgHUUPFzFAHKpRFDFWwZQXMRBg_IVGPXjxOzbDXg1D2kqTuls-a9uHxtD6xcSTTJU_CU8DU_nQ5LQlK65VE3kGEJbuEy_RPXilGGAtsDB_OyBo-D/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+037.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499765713515607906" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHj6TsGeS4pCeWqrQbX9VeMU-wQOzj6scQeWcq9Uj4YMULYllBplQ7moo19WEXdIeN0jhAEutWxEEgvfOvpPQuUADZa5myUvGVqpXjJBBY2uneuTuZA-zGXxJBjvCpKKGVrKYSmq3yLo6p/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+035.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHj6TsGeS4pCeWqrQbX9VeMU-wQOzj6scQeWcq9Uj4YMULYllBplQ7moo19WEXdIeN0jhAEutWxEEgvfOvpPQuUADZa5myUvGVqpXjJBBY2uneuTuZA-zGXxJBjvCpKKGVrKYSmq3yLo6p/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+035.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499765711638210162" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgRZZ6wU-F8H9VAWNwj-aLXPUfllFAX2KF4ff0bSxl3Y6-r5nnJKKTVVnhJGfqMykJNNiKNl_P_w1D6Xcqz70C4CzfLwxsRN8wiBTOoOo8Y1BmhburWAmKNRKgXYKuoj42-TFk38XS8R1/s1600/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+030.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgRZZ6wU-F8H9VAWNwj-aLXPUfllFAX2KF4ff0bSxl3Y6-r5nnJKKTVVnhJGfqMykJNNiKNl_P_w1D6Xcqz70C4CzfLwxsRN8wiBTOoOo8Y1BmhburWAmKNRKgXYKuoj42-TFk38XS8R1/s320/Kicking+Mule+Farm+July+2010+030.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499765698959496850" /></a>Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-91963694449080189942010-07-30T11:12:00.000-07:002010-07-30T11:14:37.433-07:00Week 10 DeliveryWeek 10 <br /><br />In the box:<br /><br />Fresh Garlic<br />Orient Express Eggplant<br />Onions<br />Jalapeño Peppers<br />Green Top Carrots <br />Yukon Gold Potatoes<br />Cucumbers<br />Yellow Zucchini <br />Zephyr Squash<br />Patty Pan Squash<br />Green Beans<br />Beets<br />Rainbow Chard<br />Collard Greens and Dino Kale (a mixed bunch, coming back from cabbage worm trauma)<br />Broccoli or Cauliflower (one or the other or a little bit of both)<br />Basil<br />Parsley<br />Sage<br />Thai Basil<br />Thyme<br />Rosemary<br />Oregano<br /><br /><br />Fresh Garlic is here!! We will be giving 1-2 heads per week, hopefully through most of the rest of the season. If you share a box with others, you may want to alternate. We will begin drying it tomorrow, so it will transition from “fresh” to “cured”. It is good and we are so happy with the size of the cloves, we hope you are too.<br /><br />You are getting a taste of what is to come with eggplant. It is the most beautiful plant in our garden and we love watching it grow and produce. If you are afraid of eggplant, please try it on the grill, sautéed in a stir fry with Thai basil, or marinated with tomato sauce and cheese. It is delightful and our children even love it. Recipes next week as more comes in and you are trying to figure out what to do with it. <br /><br />The peppers are beginning to ripen and we hope to be sending at least the mini bell peppers next week. The heirloom tomatoes tease us all summer and are starting to turn, so look for the beginnings of them and some cherry tomatoes (the ones we can save from our kids) next week as well. Melons in the field are growing and looking close to done, we are hoping for some musk, cantaloupe, and small water melons within the next 1-3 weeks. More sweet corn soon, too. <br /><br />We have been blessed with warm weather and enough rain to keep everything happy. Last summer we watered until our pump overheated and this year we have had to water only once. Last year we had one severe weather warning that amounted to nothing, this year we have had at least one every week since June, 70 mph wind, and two hail storms. It is amazing what can change year to year and as I learn the ropes of farming I understand more and more how much we are at the mercy and the blessing of that Mother Nature hands out.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-52787871499058866202010-07-23T07:44:00.000-07:002010-07-23T08:48:47.581-07:00Week 9 - Sweet Corn and More!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3DZVAnue4nMej5TR84GdMXMsPn0Tpa6GXgTUWR_xS1mGpflyWtFPCP0hQoyA-fJp8YTyw_h_OpvCRYlDj9nKqE53KLrH2S5-5c9uumNhpFjgv7q7H53VhaxWDxadyimf4_AMDDv8Sme0/s1600/week+9.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3DZVAnue4nMej5TR84GdMXMsPn0Tpa6GXgTUWR_xS1mGpflyWtFPCP0hQoyA-fJp8YTyw_h_OpvCRYlDj9nKqE53KLrH2S5-5c9uumNhpFjgv7q7H53VhaxWDxadyimf4_AMDDv8Sme0/s320/week+9.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497129103393035538" /></a><br />Attached you will find our weekly newsletter and list. Enjoy.<br /><br />BTW: Eggs are available, we will bill you periodically if you have purchased or do purchase any. $2/dozen. Quantities are limited, but we haven't reached that limit yet.<br />Thank you.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-826077669420066672010-07-16T12:10:00.000-07:002010-07-16T12:21:43.453-07:00Week 8- Summer Bounty Begins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgle0pQKVz1ezw4kodHtgVZ4ALBbq3SmIRkiRACHylLplLln2I9-3ICEj1ujuaIl46rG32Rj82xBICZcyWGRWnqMjyyNCdScIOncRj4I5Z4FwNrW0fW_ohTuYau5yER7mhy6xxueHL1SFyF/s1600/week+8.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgle0pQKVz1ezw4kodHtgVZ4ALBbq3SmIRkiRACHylLplLln2I9-3ICEj1ujuaIl46rG32Rj82xBICZcyWGRWnqMjyyNCdScIOncRj4I5Z4FwNrW0fW_ohTuYau5yER7mhy6xxueHL1SFyF/s320/week+8.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494586388930726306" /></a><br />This Week, you will begin to see a steady supply of summer veggies emerge. The Squash is just the start. Cucumber, Peppers, Eggplant, Tomatoes. All of these will be weighing down your box in increasing quantities over the next several weeks. <br /><br />Also, please visit www.mariquita.com/recipes for an excellent recipe collection.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041827303736150454.post-14023908610500315662010-07-09T09:01:00.001-07:002010-07-10T11:56:45.641-07:00Week 7 Delivery<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPuZ7nFFFPQsV9L_K879pqgTm3H-2PVScvMAFaEo2KE7_wicT6x-sL9cdPge1aNmm56kE73T3Dl_zCbV4OHD7QqNNKoxhPKW8biI9fL0pW3cDvk5cq5MLi8dicNeRb8H25J2XHVaJ6sJ9/s1600/P1010041.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPuZ7nFFFPQsV9L_K879pqgTm3H-2PVScvMAFaEo2KE7_wicT6x-sL9cdPge1aNmm56kE73T3Dl_zCbV4OHD7QqNNKoxhPKW8biI9fL0pW3cDvk5cq5MLi8dicNeRb8H25J2XHVaJ6sJ9/s320/P1010041.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492349564866943602" /></a><br />Week 7 Update<br /><br />In your boxes this week:<br />Green topped Red Beets (yep—they are still coming in like crazy!)<br />Cauliflower (maybe the last for a bit)<br />Rainbow Chard<br />Collards and/or Dino Kale<br />New Yukon Gold Potatoes<br />Green Beans (a small amount as we wait for new plants to replace hail damaged ones)<br />Snap Peas<br />Napa Cabbage<br />Boc Choi<br />Rapini<br />*Yellow Summer Squash (just a taste with much more to come)<br />*Broccoli<br />Herb bunch of *thyme, parsley, thai and sweet basil, sage and tarragon<br />Coming soon:<br />Lots more summer squash, green topped carrots, broccoli shoots, more cilantro ...<br />Farm Update:<br />Things are getting back to normal as recovery happens for our plants. We have a few pickling cukes and greenhouse cukes forming, so we hope to start to share them soon. We are trying to catch up on a crazy amount of weeding that is needed after all of the rain we got, during which time it was impossible to weed. We are planning second plantings of many items to prepare for fall harvest and are debating how to best utilize our hoop house in our fall plans. We are planning to take a much wanted vacation near the end of August, so we may be contacting you for an early delivery, but will keep you posted. We are also speaking to our insurance agent about the possibility of some type of crop insurance to allow us to grow safely and with integrity towards our customers. <br /><br />Recipes:<br /><br />Beet Roesti with Rosemary (From Mark Bittman, author of How To Cook Everything) <br /><br />Makes 4 servings <br />Time: 20 minutes<br />An almost unbelievably sweet and wonderful side dish. The sugar in the beets caramelizes, and the flavors of the rosemary, beets, and butter meld beautifully. <br /><br />1 to 1 1/2 pounds beets<br />1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary<br />1 teaspoon salt<br />1/4 cup flour<br />2 tablespoons butter<br />1. Trim the beets and peel them as you would potatoes; grate them in a food processor or by hand. Begin preheating a medium to large non-stick skillet over medium heat. <br />2. Toss the grated beets in a bowl with the rosemary and salt, then add about half the flour; toss well, add the rest of the flour, then toss again.<br />3. Place the butter in the skillet and heat until it begins to turn nut-brown. Scrape the beet mixture into the skillet, shape it into a nice circle, and press it down with a spatula. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the bottom of the beet cake is nicely crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Slide the cake out onto a plate, top with another plate, invert the two plates, and slide the cake back into the pan. Continue to cook, adjusting the heat if necessary, until the second side is browned. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.<br /><br />Best Broccoli of your Life (from The Barefoot Contessa)<br />2-3 pounds of broccoli<br />Olive Oil<br />Salt and Pepper<br />4 cloves garlic<br />lemon zest and juice<br />1/3 c. parmesan cheese<br />2 T. fresh basil<br />You preheat the oven to 425.<br /><br />Take 2 to 3 pounds of broccoli, cut into florets and dry THOROUGHLY <br /><br />Put the broccoli on a cookie sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. <br /><br />Now add 4 garlic cloves that are peeled and sliced and toss them in too. <br /><br />Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, until "crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned."<br /><br />When it's done, take it out of the oven and add zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add 1.5 Tbs more olive oil, 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and 2 Tbs julienned fresh basil.Kicking Mule Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15245192420660312976noreply@blogger.com0