Today is the longest day of the year, the Summer Solstice. Beginning tomorrow, the days will begin getting shorter and the nights longer. But on the farm, it feels like it's still May. In fact, this week's CSA box list is almost identical to a box we would normally pack on May 20th instead of June 20th. The peach varieties we are harvesting this week usually ripen in May. And while our strawberries and [MORE ...]
This is one of the best ways to enjoy newly harvested root vegetables and new-crop garlic. Cooking the beets and potatoes separately is a must although the method is the same. To make the aioli: Separate the cloves from 1 head of garlic -- 12 small cloves or 6 large ones -- and then peel them. Chop the garlic roughly, then add along with 1/2 t. salt to a mini-food processor (or use a [MORE ...]
Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Carrots, Onions, Peaches, Potatoes, Zucchini, Cherry Tomatoes, Strawberries Medium: Bunched Red Beets, Carrots, Cucumbers, Nectarines, Onions, Peaches, Potatoes, Zucchini, Cherry Tomatoes, Strawberries Large: Bunched Red Beets, Carrots, Cucumbers, Nectarines, Onions, Peaches, Potatoes, Zucchini, Cherry Tomatoes, Strawberries
In the March 22nd newsletter, I told you how we had been forced by the endless wet weather that month to hand-plant our entire first planting of tomatoes. The first of those tomatoes make their appearance in your boxes today...taaaadaaa. Looking back now at that newsletter, I realize how many important details I left out that illustrate how desperate we were to get the tomatoes planted. Of course both of the days we were [MORE ...]
Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Cucumber, Nectarines, Yellow Onions, Peaches, Sweet Potatoes, Zucchini, Strawberries Medium: Cucumbers, Nectarines, Yellow Onions, Peaches, Sweet Potatoes, Baby Spinach, Zucchini, Strawberries, Cherry Tomatoes Large: Carrots, Cucumbers, Nectarines, Yellow Onions, Peaches, Sweet Potatoes, Baby Spinach, Zucchini, Strawberries, Cherry Tomatoes
For many Californians, including many TFF subscribers, June can be a gloomy time with chilly wind, fog or marine layer clouds blocking the sun. In contrast, June on the farm is normally the sunniest month of the year. Although we occasionally see glimpses of it, the fog never makes it to our location. And the long days before and after the Summer Solstice mean the sun is at its highest point and the days [MORE ...]
This is one of the easiest, most delicious desserts you can make. Most of the sugar comes from the fruit. I added a little lemon juice, but you can leave it out if you like things purely sweet. Preheat the oven to 400. Butter a 9" square brownie pan or round pie pan. Peel 1 pound peaches and then cut them into chunks (If you use Nectarines, don't peel them). Discard the pits. Remove [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Asparagus, Carrots, Peaches, Zucchini, Strawberries, Snap Peas, Garlic Medium: Asparagus, Carrots, Nectarine, Peaches, Zucchini, Strawberries, Snap Peas, Garlic Large: Asparagus, Carrots, Painted Serpent, Nectarine, Peaches, Zucchini, Strawberries, Potatoes, Snap Peas, Garlic
You might remember that for Terra Firma, last year was "the Year of No Peaches". A days-long hard freeze in February of 2022 wiped out almost our entire crop of "Stone Fruit" : Apricots, Peaches and Nectarines. Stone fruit is one of our farm's cornerstones. We grow 30 varieties that generally ripen over a five month season. Since we started growing Peaches in 2006, we've never lost the entire crop like we did last [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Lettuce, Onions, Shelling Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Zucchini, Strawberries Medium: Asparagus, Lettuce, Onions, Shelling Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Zucchini, Strawberries, Peaches, Large: Asparagus, Carrots, Lettuce, Onions, Shelling Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Zucchini, Strawberries, Peaches, Snap Peas
Farming is expensive. It takes lots of money and equipment to prepare the soil and plant crops. Believe it or not, many farmers of the most commonly grown crops in the U.S. can't even afford the equipment to harvest them. They pay a contractor harvester to do so. And only a tiny number of farmers actually transport their crops to market. The big trucks required are a huge investment. So by default or by [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Carrots, Lettuce, Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Zucchini, Strawberries, Spring Onions Medium: Carrots, Lettuce, Peas, Peaches, Sweet Potatoes, Zucchini, Strawberries, Spring Onions Large: Asparagus, Carrots, Lettuce, Peas, Peaches, Sweet Potatoes, Zucchini, Strawberries, Arugula
You've probably had dreams where you are racing -- to catch a flight, or finish a project, or get to an event -- but things keep popping up to keep you from getting there. You wake up in a panic when you miss your flight, deadline, meeting, etc. In Terra Firma's stress dream, now reality, we are finally getting caught up with our spring preparations to-do list for April 15th. But then we look [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Asparagus, Cilantro, Green Garlic, Lettuce, Snap Peas, Strawberries Medium: Carrots, Cilantro, Green Garlic, Lettuce, Snap Peas, Potatoes, Spinach or Arugula, Strawberries Large: Asparagus, Carrots, Cilantro, Green Garlic, Lettuce, Snap Peas, Potatoes, Spinach or Arugula, Strawberries
Strawberry season starts this week! Two things immediately jump out about this year's berries. First, they are late -- very late. Today is the latest calendar date we've ever put the first strawberries in our CSA boxes. That follows the coldest winter and spring we've had in Northern California in twenty years. The second thing you'll notice right away is that the berries are HUGE, absolutely the biggest we've ever harvested. This is the [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Carrots, Lettuce, Spring Onions, Snap Peas, Potatoes, Spinach, Strawberries Medium: Arugula, Asparagus, Carrots, Lettuce, Spring Onions, Snap Peas, Potatoes, Spinach, Strawberries, Valencia Oranges Large: Arugula, Carrots, Lettuce, Spring Onions, Snap Peas, Potatoes, Spinach, Strawberries, Valencia Oranges, English Peas, Mandarins
There's one weather phenomenon that terrifies every farmer, worldwide, no matter what crop they grow or where they grow it: Hail. It's hard to imagine anything more damaging to growing crops than rock-hard pieces of ice falling miles from the sky at hundreds of miles per hour. And while golf- or baseball -sized hail makes national headlines, even teeny-tiny hailstones can easily destroy many crops. Maybe you're thinking, "Why is hail any different from [MORE ...]
You can also cook this on the stovetop if you prefer. For the cilantro chutney, use the entire bunch of cilantro, including the stems but not the roots. Preheat oven to 425. Wash and dice 1 lb. of potatoes. Wash 2 or more Spring Onions. Cut the tops off and reserve for the chutney. Slice the bulbs and stems in half rounds. Remove the strings from 1 C. Snap Peas and cut them into [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Carrots, Cilantro, Lettuce, Spring Onions, Valencia Oranges, Sugar Snap Peas, Potatoes Medium: Carrots, Cilantro, Lettuce, Mandarins, Spring Onions, Sugar Snap Peas, Spinach, Potatoes Large: Asparagus, Carrots, Cilantro, Lettuce, Mandarins, Spring Onions, Sugar Snap Peas, Spinach, Potatoes
It's hard to believe that just four weeks ago today, it was pouring rain while I wrote the newsletter. The high temperature that day was 54 degrees. Yesterday it was sunny and hot, reaching 88 degrees and today is likely to hit 90. That change has been as sudden for the crops as it has been for us humans. Over the course of those four weeks, we went from checking fields every day to [MORE ...]
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash 1 lb. of Potatoes. Drop into the boiling water and simmer until they are fork tender, 10-15 minutes depending on the size. Drain and cool in a water bath. Boil another pot of salted water. Trim 1 bunch of Asparagus and soak to remove any silt. Drop into the boiling water. When it returns to a boil, immediately drain the asparagus and cool [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Asparagus, Green Garlic, Mandarins, Sugar Snap Peas, Potatoes, Baby Spinach Medium: Asparagus, Carrots, Green Garlic, Red Butter Lettuce, Mandarins, Sugar Snap Peas, Potatoes, Baby Spinach Large: Asparagus, Carrots, Green Garlic, Red Butter Lettuce, Mandarins, Sugar Snap Peas, Potatoes, Baby Spinach
Over our thirty years of farming at Terra Firma, we have continually striven to improve our farming: growing nicer crops more efficiently while making our employees' jobs easier and reducing our carbon footprint. In the last five years, labor regulations in California have dramatically raised the cost of employment. And since the pandemic began, it has been difficult to find enough workers. In response, we have focused on mechanizing harvest of some of our [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Asparagus, Carrots, Lemons, Lettuce, Mandarins, Sweet Potatoes, Baby Spinach Medium: Asparagus, Carrots, Chard, Lemons, Lettuce, Mandarins, Sweet Potatoes, Baby Spinach Large: Asparagus, Broccoli, Carrots, Chard, Leeks, Lemons, Lettuce, Mandarins, Sweet Potatoes, Baby Spinach
Beets take a while to cook, so it's best to prepare them ahead of time. The Asparagus cooks much more quickly. Preheat the oven to 400. Cut the leaves off 1 bunch of Beets. Scrub the roots with a brush, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Trim the leaves off 1 Leek, then slice the shank in half lengthwise and wash carefully between the layers. Cut the shank halves in 2 inch sections, then cut [MORE ...]
Despite the pessimistic title of my last newsletter, over the weekend a seasonal switch was flipped and just like that, Spring Arrived. The change over just a few days is not just visible but palpable. On Thursday my sinuses started throbbing; the next day I noticed the bare branches of walnut and pistachio trees had begun to push out their first flowers -- the last of our tree crops to bloom each year. The [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Asparagus, Bunched Gold Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Lemons, Leeks, Mandarins Medium: Asparagus, Broccoli, Bunched Gold Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Leeks, Lemons, Red Butter Lettuce, Mandarins Large: Asparagus, Bunched Gold Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Leeks, Lemons, Red Butter Lettuce, Mandarins, Baby Spinach
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Asparagus, Rainbow Chard, Mandarins, Little Gem Lettuce, Walnuts, Potatoes Medium: Asparagus, Rainbow Chard, Leeks, Mandarins, Little Gem Lettuce, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Walnuts, Potatoes Large: Asparagus, Broccoli, Rainbow Chard, Leeks, Mandarins, Little Gem Lettuce, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Walnuts, Potatoes
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Mandarins, Pistachios, Potatoes Medium: Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Fennel, Leeks, Mandarins, Naval Oranges, Pistachios, Potatoes Large: Broccoli, Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Fennel, Leeks, Mandarins, Naval Oranges, Pistachios, Potatoes, Radish
Over the past few weeks, I have spent a lot of time on rainy days looking over farm records for the past 16 years -- as far back as I have them. Not once in that time period we were unable to plant a single crop for the entire month of March. Outside of the drought years, rain is fairly common for this time of year. We have an aspirational list of planting goals, [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Broccoli, Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Mandarins, Navel Oranges, Sweet Potatoes Medium: Broccoli, Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Leeks, Mandarins, Navel Oranges, Sweet Potatoes, Little Gem Lettuce Large: Gold Beets, Broccoli, Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Leeks, Mandarins, Navel Oranges, Sweet Potatoes, Little Gem Lettuce
Fresh or dried shitake mushrooms help give this vegetarian soup tons of flavor. If using dried shitakes, soak 4-6 mushrooms in boiling water to rehydrate. Reserve the water. Soak 4 oz. dried rice noodles in cold water. Thinly slice the rehydrated or fresh shitake mushrooms. Trim 1 Leek then slice in half lengthwise and rinse to clean. Slice into very thin julienne strips, 1-2" long. Wash 1-2 carrots and cut into julienne strips. Mince [MORE ...]
Last week Governor Newsom issued a directive that would allow water managers to intentionally divert surplus water from rivers in the wet season into farm fields to recharge groundwater. Just a day or two later, the Pajaro River broke through a levee and flooded the small town of Pajaro as well as thousands of acres of prime, vegetable-growing farmland near Watsonville. It's very important to distinguish between these two phenomena. Carefully-planned, intentional flooding of [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Leeks, Mandarins, Navel Oranges, Potatoes Medium: Cabbage, Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Red Grapefruit, Leeks, Mandarins, Navel Oranges, Potatoes Large: Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Red Grapefruit, Dino Kale, Leeks, Mandarins, Navel Oranges, Potatoes
On a drizzly day last week a young man walked down my driveway calling out for help. It turned out that he had followed Google maps instructions to turn onto a dirt road through our farm fields and immediately gotten stuck in the mud. Luckily for him, we were able to pull him out. Most Californians live in areas that are essentially waterproof. Wet weather is a minor inconvenience of short duration, unless it's [MORE ...]
This is one of my favorite recipes for Butternut Squash: moist inside, crunchy outside and not overly sweet. Pre-heat the oven to 400. Cut 1 Butternut Squash in half lengthwise and bake face down on a cookie sheet until it is completely soft and browned around the edges. Placing it on parchment paper makes clean-up easier. Allow the squash to cool, then scoop out and discard the seeds. Remove the cooked squash from the [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Carrots, Leeks, Mandarins, Navel Oranges, Potatoes, Dino Kale Medium: Carrots, Leeks, Lettuce, Mandarins, Navel Oranges, Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Dino Kale Large: Apples, Carrots, Leeks, Lettuce, Mandarins, Navel Oranges, Potatoes, Radish, Butternut Squash, Dino Kale
This recipe is from the New York Times. If you have more time, try roasting the carrots and leeks in the oven at 375 degrees first instead of sauteing them -- the soup will develop a smokier, deeper flavor. Clean and dice 2 leeks, discarding the tough greens. Dice carrots to make 4 C. Heat 2 T. butter in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the leeks and carrots and saute for 5-10 minutes, until the [MORE ...]
There was a story last week in Bloomberg about a global shortage of onions that is causing price inflation and follow-on impacts for other farm products. The shortage of wheat last year, caused at least partially by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, was widely publicized. Onions are also a worldwide staple: the second most consumed vegetable in the world (the first is tomatoes), and they are a critical component of most cuisines worldwide. Some people [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Apples, Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Leeks, Navel Oranges, Potatoes, Radish Medium: Apples, Broccoli, Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Leeks, Lemons, Lettuce, Navel Oranges, Potatoes, Radish Large: Apples, Broccoli, Carrots, Cabbage, Rainbow Chard, Fennel, Leeks, Lemons, Lettuce, Navel Oranges, Potatoes, Radish
In the summer of 1988, after graduating from college, I accepted an invitation from my good friend Sam Wagner to come out to work on his family's farm in Southeastern Pennsylvania. We spent the summer cutting and baling hay on 320 acres of rolling farmland along the beautiful Brandywine River. It was hard and dirty work, but I loved every minute of it. At the end of the summer, I left Deborah's Rock Farm, [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Broccoli, Carrots, Dino Kale, Leeks, Little Gem Lettuce, Navel Oranges, Sweet Potatoes Medium: Broccoli, Carrots, Dino Kale, Leeks, Little Gem Lettuce, Navel Oranges, Pistachios, Sweet Potatoes, Pistachios Large: Broccoli, Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Dino Kale, Leeks, Little Gem Lettuce, Navel Oranges, Pistachios, Sweet Potatoes, Pistachios, Radishes, Spaghetti Squash
Broccoli is a mainstay of Terra Firma's CSA program and thus of our farm. We start transplanting it in early August and continue until about Halloween, just a few weeks after we normally begin harvesting it. Harvest lasts through winter and normally concludes sometime in March. If you pay attention to the broccoli in your boxes, you may have noticed that it changes over the course of this six month period. The heads look [MORE ...]
You've probably had a dip like this made with artichokes. This one uses Broccoli, and is easier and quicker to make. I'm not going to claim this is a "healthy" recipe but you can substitute soft tofu for the cream cheese if you like. Heat the oven to 375. Butter or oil a 9 inch square baking dish or similar. Cut the florets off 1 lb. of broccoli and cut or break into small [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Broccoli, Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Leeks, Lettuce, Navel Oranges, Potatoes Medium: Red Beets, Broccoli, Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Leeks, Lettuce, Navel Oranges, Potatoes Large: Red Beets, Broccoli, Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Dino Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Navel Oranges, Potatoes, Tetsukabuto Squash
In this recipe, cabbage wedges are tossed with a lemony marinade and then oven-roasted to caramelize and tenderize them. This recipe is from the New York Times. Heat the oven to 450. Remove any wilted leaves from 1 head of cabbage. Cut the cabbage in half through the core, from bottom to top. Place the halves cut-side down and slice each into 6 evenly-sized wedges, held together by a section of the core. In [MORE ...]
Since 2020, farming in the winter in Northern California hasn't been much different than farming in the desert valleys of Southern California and Arizona where most of the winter produce in supermarkets is grown. It's been sunny, warm and dry during the day and a little frosty at night. Rain was rare and unsubstantial, meaning we had to irrigate every few weeks. The crops grew at a predictable pace, we had no gaps in [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Dino Kale, Leeks, Potatoes, Navel Oranges Medium: Apples, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Dino Kale, Leeks, Potatoes, Navel Oranges Large: Apples, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Dino Kale, Leeks, Potatoes, Navel Oranges, Radish, Rainbow Chard
Here are your tentative weekly contents! Please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. Small: Broccoli, Carrots, Pistachios, Butternut Squash, Rainbow Chard, Navel Oranges Medium: Broccoli, Carrots, Leeks, Pistachios, Rainbow Chard, Butternut Squash, Navel Oranges, Purple Daikon Radish, Grapefruit Large: Broccoli, Carrots, Dino Kale, Leeks, Pistachios, Rainbow Chard, Butternut Squash, Navel Oranges, Purple Daikon Radish, Grapefruit, Red Beets
Baked pasta is an easy weeknight dish that will feed an entire household and can be readily adapted to the ingredients in your box. You can cook the pasta ahead of time (or use leftovers), or just make the casserole ahead of schedule and reheat before serving. Generally speaking, 1 C. dry pasta will make 1 large serving cooked. I use a cast iron skillet to make this dish, sauteing the vegetables first in [MORE ...]