P i c k l i s t
tomatoes - broccoli - summer squash - pickling cucumbers - zucchini - Thai basil -
napa cabbage - blueberries - raspberries - garlic scapes
Oooof the flood, what a total kick in the ass part 2.
This region is so thick with agriculture because of the awesome alluvial soils and the easy access to water that runs the rivers, the streams, and the brooks. But how do we consider farming those perfect riverside fields when flooding becomes an annual event? While Edgewater remained unscathed From last week’s storm, our dear buds lost 90% of their crop.These are the same dear buds that you read about last week that were trying to raise money to rebuild their employee, Ranaldo’s, home back in Jamaica. Same storm system, same path, wildly different landscapes, extreme latitude distance. But Beryl gave 0 shits and took out both spots in mere days. We are all so connected- You can’t make this stuff up.
So what does a bandaid look like to get through the rest of the season when you are drowning in crop failure? Sure- a go fund me is great. Friends volunteering their time to pick up from the damage is also huge. We offered our fields for their crew to harvest crops and sell. But what about the bigger picture? What does this farming future look like for our friends at Joe's Brook Farm? And what does it look like right here on River Road?
The storm systems and the erratic weather are only getting worse- . iIt’s unclear how to plan, how to farm, and maybe we just take some decent guesses from here on out? That feels unsettling. This is our livelihood and a bad year can really hurt us as it is certainly hurting Mary, Eric, and their employees.
Here is a bit more about the Skovstead’s and what they are experiencing- copy and pasted from their go-fund-me site. These donations will absolutely help out their crew get through the season. I will link to it on the blog:
This week Mary and Eric Skovsted have had devastating loss to their farm from flooding. Joe's Brook Farm is a family-owned farm and has two field locations in Barnet, VT, one on Joe's Brook Road at their home and one along Rt. 5. Both were hit hard by the flooding and 10+ acres of crops are a total loss. All of the affected crops will need to be pulled out and the soil will need be beto be tested before they can replant. Mary and Eric have 10 employees. Three of these employees are from Jamaica and just had severe damage to their own homes from the same hurricane and are relying on their salaries to send money home for repairs. It is important to the Skovsteds that they can continue to pay their employees while they wait for other funding to cover losses. Money raised from this fundraiser will be used to pay employee salaries as well as to respond to damage to their farm.
If you're lucky enough to know Mary and Eric, you know them to be generous, kind, selfless, hard-working, and wonderful friends. Just about everyone reading this will have a connection to Mary and Eric. Eric has loaned you a tool when you needed one and he probably helped you with whatever project you were working on. Mary has passed along some extra tomatoes or given some extra flower starts. You've skated on the ice rink that they build each winter on their farm for anyone to use. You've chatted about recipes when you've picked up your CSA or learned something new about kale while at the farmer's market. You've rushed to the farmer's market to get their strawberries. Maybe you've won a CSA share at an auction where they have donated to support local organizations. They never hesitate to help someone else. They could use some help from all of us right now. Please consider supporting Joe's Brook Farm.
if you want to help other farms that are also in need of relief, please consider donating to NOFA-VT. They are a stellar organization that really passes around funds.
Next week, I’d like to stop suggesting places for you to put your money. Let’s see how it goes. Fingers crossed for blue skies and just the right amount of rain.
FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS:
Ripe for the grill: broccoli - summer squash - zukes - garlic scapes
PICKLERS: Yall, you have an abundance of pickling cukes this week. I highly recommend pulling out your fave pickle recipe and getting right into it. I am so bummed that our dill planting is not lining up perfectly for this bounty, but so it goes. I love a fermented half sour, throw garlic scapes in with the brine! Woo doggies! Because of this double sided one sheet of paper dilemma that I’m married to, I will include the half sour recipe on the blog, but for now, read up on bread and butter pickles:
Bread and Butter Pickles (recipe from Mitchell, our beloved up the road nearly resident chef)
What to do with all of those cucumbers? Here’s a recipe for delicious pickles—the kind you pile on burgers and sandwiches or chop up for potato salad. Although bread and butter pickles are traditionally made with small, crisp, thin-skinned Kirby cucumbers, they are also good made with larger slicing pickles or even with zucchini and yellow squash. Using maple syrup makes the pickles taste less sweet than they do when made with sugar.
A generous 2 pounds cucumbers, sliced a little less than ¼-inch thick
1 large white or yellow onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
1 ¾ cups cider vinegar
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar or pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seed
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
In a large bowl, layer the sliced cucumber and onion with about ¼ cup of kosher salt. Cover with cold water and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Drain again.
In a large nonreactive saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar or syrup, celery seed, mustard seed, and turmeric. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for five minutes. Turn up the heat to high, add the drained cucumbers and onion, and bring it back to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
Using a slotted spoon, pack the pickles into two sterilized pint jars. Pour the hot liquid over the cucumbers, leaving ½-inch headspace. Wipe the rims, seal, and refrigerate for up to two months. (For long-term, room-temperature storage, process the jars for 7 minutes in a boiling water bath. Refrigerate after opening.)
Variation: Summer Squash Bread and Butter Pickles
Though less crisp, these summer squash pickles are no less delicious. Substitute 2 pounds of
assorted zucchini and yellow squash for the cucumbers. Proceed with the recipe as directed,
omitting the step of adding the zucchini to the boiling vinegar mixture. Instead, pack the sliced
zucchini and onions raw into jars and pour the boiling solution over the top.
Thai-Flavored Stir-Fried Cucumbers (recipe also from Mitchell, cheers!)
Although we usually think of eating cucumbers raw in salads and such, most old food cultures (French, Italian, Chinese) also enjoy them cooked. The French sauté cucumbers with butter and tarragon. Italians might use olive oil, garlic and thyme. You can vary the seasonings to suit your tastes and/or your menu, but I particularly like this combination of Thai flavors, which adds a
nice complexity to the vegetable.
6 cucumbers, about 2 pounds
1 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
2 garlic scapes, very thinly sliced
1 small chili pepper, seeded or minced, or a pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
Pinch sugar
Juice of 1 lime
Generous handful of Thai basil leaves
Slice the cucumbers in half, lengthwise. Using a sturdy teaspoon, scrape out and discard the seeds. Peel the seeded cucumber halves. (Peeling them after seeding helps prevent the cucumbers from breaking.) Cut the cucumbers into unevenly sided, bite-sized pieces, all about the same size, roughly an inch or so. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the oil and when hot, add the garlic and chili. Sauté for a minute, being careful the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the cucumber and toss to cook. After
about a minute or two, when the edges of the cucumber begin to soften, drizzle the fish sauce around the perimeter of the pan, letting it sizzle as it falls to the bottom. A pungent aroma will fill the kitchen and then dissipate. Toss the cucumbers. Add a pinch of sugar and the juice of 1 lime, toss, and continue cooking until the cucumbers soften a little more. You want them to remain somewhat crisp, so don’t over do it. Add the Thai basil and continue tossing until the basil wilts. Serve.
—Cookbook author and food writer Mitchell Davis recently moved from New York City to the Upper Valley, just down the road from Edgewater Farm. For more recipes, subscribe for free to his weekly newsletter Kitchen Sense at www.kitchensense.substack.com