This week’s “The Farm” is written this week by our fearless leader Rhys Williams. Rhys and Jack co-own Featherstone. I am trying to get Rhys to write the obligatory “Why am I a farmer?” essay, but, so far, he resists

News from the Farm
By Rhys Williams

For those of you who are new to our CSA I thought that I would explain a little bit about what has been going on this season. Generally we feel that things are going great. We have had a couple of bumps in the road with our strawberries freezing off and our peas not producing as much as we thought, but those were both weather related and we deal with those issues all the time. On the other hand our lettuce crop has been wonderful and we were able to keep everyone flush in lettuce for the entire spring. We are also looking (and this may jinx it) at a great tomato crop and our melon plants look healthy. The beans are also just coming on and it looks like we will have a strong bean crop. We hope that there has been enough variety in our box to keep things interesting and that we have not alienated anyone with our stranger vegetables…
On our 2005 sign-up sheet we included a place to contribute $5 to LSP and I want to thank everyone who contributed to the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) this season. LSP (landstewardshipproject.org) is a non-profit organization that supports and promotes the CSA farmer as well as offers support systems, training and additional resources for farmers. We decided to contribute the money in the name of Jerry Unger to support the Farm Beginnings Program at LSP. Jerry was a vegetable grower who passed away about three weeks ago. He supported and attended the Farm Beginnings Program and was very active in LSP and a good friend of the Rochester Farmer’s Market. Farm Beginnings is a program to teach people who are interested in starting a farm the basic principles and provides a path for new farmers. It has helped many farmers (young and old) learn about farming and get started on their own farms. Farm Beginnings also provides mentors to new farmers for support. Featherstone Farms has been proud to work with this program. We are also proud to contribute $350 to LSP from our CSA members, our farm and the other farmer’s from the Rochester’s Farmer’s Market.
Thank you again for all of your support.

Varieties
By Sarah Libertus

Due to the nature of farming, the produce in the box may change with the weather. Please feel free to contact me if you need any additional assistance with what is in your box.

Mustard Greens- These are the vibrant leafy greens. Taste it and you may think of horseradish. It is wonderful in curries. If the flavor seems too intense for your liking, cook at least 45 minutes and the greens will mellow.
New Potatoes- These potatoes are so delicate that we do not wash the sand off them in order to protect their skins. These potatoes are not cured and need to stay refrigerated. Wash the potatoes just before you use them. We grow these in a sandy soil in order to minimize potato scab (a black hard growth) and the sand makes it easier for the potato to grow downward (less resistance). Featherstone grows 6 different types of potatoes and a lot of our land has too rich of soil for potatoes, so we (and our potatoes) are lucky to have this land. The two types featured this week are the Red Norlands and Yukon Gold. Your box may have one or the other or a mixture of both.
Green Garlic- This will be the last of the green garlic until the fresh garlic in the fall (then the cured garlic in October). I have heard many raves about these and I am glad that you are enjoying them. For those of you who still don’t know what to do with them or the scapes. Toss them in with the basil and some olive oil, blend and then freeze. You will have a great pesto starter- just add cheese and pine nuts.
Green Beans- Aaah, the joy that I felt when I came across the beans in the fields on Friday. This is a week early for us. There are not tons in this first wave (but there should be in the second wave). We experimented with transplanting out one bed of beans and covering them with plastic domes. Typically beans are direct seeded as soon as the soil is warm enough for germination. Who knows if it was worth the effort, but it is great to have such beautiful beans.
Basil- Here is another shot of the basil. I love basil and its smell reminds me of summer. I neglected to mention that basil will turn brown if it is kept in the refrigerator. Nothing will happen to its flavor, but it will turn brown rather quickly. To avoid this you can puree the basil (in a blender or food processor) and top with a protective layer of olive oil. You can also freeze the basil either pureed with olive oil (and scapes) or in leaf form, just be forewarned that the leaves will turn brown. Basil is also noted to have many medicinal properties. It is well known as a remedy for digestive upsets and basil tea is said to dispel flatulence. It is often used as a remedy for headaches and anxiety and reputed to have calming properties simply by its smell.
Savory- This herb tastes like a combination of sage and thyme. Use it in marinades or mixed with goat cheese and served with crackers. It does well dried too. Although Savory is largely a culinary herb, it contains oils and tannins that have mild astringent and antiseptic properties that can be useful in medicines. Externally, rubbing a sprig of Savory on wasp or bee stings provides instant relief.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit March 2002 issue.
RED POTATO AND GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH DIJON VINAIGRETTE
8 ounces green beans, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 pounds small new potatoes, unpeeled, halved
2 tablespoons dry vermouth
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 large shallot (or green garlic), chopped
1 tablespoon coarse-grained Dijon mustard
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Cook beans in large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Drain. Transfer to bowl of ice water. Drain; pat dry with paper towels.
Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 12 minutes. Drain; transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle vermouth over hot potatoes; toss gently and let stand 5 minutes. Whisk vinegar, shallot, and mustard in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Pour over potatoes and toss to coat. Cool completely. Mix in green beans and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Serve cold or at room temperature.
Makes 6 servings.
Adapted from November 1992 Gourmet, this can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

WILTED MUSTARD GREENS SALAD WITH BACON
1/2 pound mustard greens, stems and center ribs cut out and discarded and the leaves cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
Wash the mustard greens, spin them dry, and put them in a large heatproof bowl. In a skillet heat the oil with the mustard seeds, covered partially to keep the seeds from popping out, over moderate heat for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the popping subsides, add the onion, and cook the mixture, stirring, until the onion is softened. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the vinegar, and bring the mixture to a boil. Drizzle the dressing immediately over the mustard greens and toss the salad. Add the bacon and salt and pepper to taste and toss the salad well.
Serves 2.