This week your basket contains: potatoes, radishes, purple sprouting broccoli OR raab, cooking greens (bok choy, mustard greens, and Swiss chard) , BABY BOK CHOY, and salad mix (arugula, endive, kale, spinach, watercress, and miner’s lettuce).

Many of our subscribers ask us about organically grown fruit.  While we grow very little fruit (we aren’t so good with perennials!), we are always looking to make connections with other farmers who grow organic fruit.  A few months ago, we made a connection with another farmer who grows organic, pears and grapes.  The farm Allegre Farms, which also operates as Big Barn Organics, is a 20 Acre farm in Odell Oregon (in the Hood River Valley).  We share with them the philosophy of caring for the land we steward and the flora and fauna that coexist on the land with us. While we hope to be able to offer fresh fruit from them later in the year, right now they have ORGANIC BARTLETT PEARS CANNED IN WATER. (canned in The Dalles).  This is a great opportunity to savor the past fall’s harvest while we wait for the bounty of this spring and summer.  They are offering 28 Oz. cans for $8/each; 3 for $22 or a case of 12 for $84.  They have 6 cases available.  We would like to gather as many orders as possible as soon as possible.  If we are able to put together a large order, they are open to a lower per can price which we would pass along to you.  Please email with your order ASAP so we can move forward in forging this connection.

BABY BOK CHOY, isn’t just regular bok choy harvested early, it is a crop in and of itself (who knew?).  It is a staple of Asian cooking that can be sauteed or steamed by itself or used in a dish like the one below.

BABY BOK CHOY IN OYSTER SAUCE

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

3 tablespoons chicken stock

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon cornstarch, mixed with

1 tablespoon chicken stock

1 bunch baby bok choy, stalks left whole

In a small saucepan, combine oyster sauce, stock, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch mixture.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sauce bubbles and thickens; remove from heat.  Blanch bok choy in a saucepan of boiling water for 1 1/2 minutes; remove from pan with a slotted spoon and place on a serving plate.  Pour oyster sauce over it and serve. Adapted from Food.com.

For the recipe below you can use the cooking greens and/or the baby bok choy.

GUANDONG-STYLE BOK CHOY

1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms (or substitute enoki or straw mushrooms)

1 bok choy

5 tsp. oyster or soy sauce

3 tsp. oil

Heat oil and stir-fry mushrooms in a wok for about 2 minutes. Add roughly chopped bok choy and stir fry until limp, about 1-2 minutes. Add oyster sauce (or soy sauce) and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes. Serve with rice as a typical Chinese meal or substitute quinoa or amaranth, both grains with superior protein profiles.

GARDEN STARTS are also getting ready.  You can purchase them for delivery with your veggies from our online store (PumpkinRidgeGardens.square.site).  Right now we have limited quantities of cool weather crops available.  We will update our stock as more items are ready, so check back often.  Please note that the web site says that these starts are available for pick up, but WE WILL DELIVER THEM TO YOU unless you insist on coming to the farm for them!

FLOWERS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE.  Starting with daffodils and tulips and moving through the spring and summer, Polly with be making beautiful mixed bouquets that can be delivered with your basket for $10.  You can order occasionally or as a standing order.  Just email to let us know!

Raab (the broccoli-like flower buds of cabbage family plants) is starting to produce.  We’ll be handing it out in rotation as the supply increases.  Remember that all of it is edible (leaves, stems, and buds) and should be prepared as you would broccoli.

RHUBARB is ready!  We can send along a bunch (approx.. 1Lb.)  for $4.  Just email to order.