Emerging Farmgirl

As I mentioned in my post at maryjanesfarm----
hey, pop over and visit me there, I've got a new post up!!!
----here's the linkster----
I'm working on creating a list of helpful links for Emerging Farmgirls.

Here's what I've got so far.

Please, please, please, send me your suggestions.
These are in alphabetical order except for the very, very best of all.
Which is first.
And last.
You know, the beginning and the end.
'Cause that's the way maryjanesfarm is.

http://www.maryjanesfarm.com/

www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/map.htm

http://www.botanicalinterests.com/ (seeds)

http://www.eatlocalchallenge.com/

http://www.eco-farm.org/

http://www.ediblecommunities.com/

www.epa.gov/pesticides/food

http://www.farmaid.org/

http://www.farmtoschool.org/

http://www.foodroutes.org/

http://www.gaorganics.org/

http://www.localharvest.org/

http://www.locallygrown.net/

http://www.motherearthnews.com/

http://www.slowfood.com/

http://www.yougrowgirl.com/

http://www.wildfarmalliance.org/


http://www.maryjanesfarm.com/

MaryJanesFarm Magazine

It's on newsstands now! What a beautiful issue! ('Course, aren't they ALL!)

I melted when I saw that Meg refers to her Mom as her BFF. Love that!
And doesn't Meg make a gorgeous cover girl!

Now, make sure to flip to the back page to check out my column. (self-promotion, self-promotion...)
It's about an amazing and inspirational woman named Sister Kathryn.

MaryJanesFarm Magazine.
Pick one up today!

Visit From A Friend

The wind has arrived.
He showed up the other day unannounced and hasn't left yet.
Yes, he is pushy, but pleasant enough.
In fact, I enjoy his company.

I love the way he swoops my hair up and blows it all over my face.
Some strands get caught in the pink lipstick on my lips.
Then it touches the white collar of my blouse, and applies tiny faint pink streaks.
No complaints.
Pink streaks, color added to my stark and starched-ness.

Walking down the sidewalk,
a dried brown leaf blew close by me.
It was old and wrinkled, having finally released its tight grip
From the branch of the great black oak tree where it had spent the last 10 or so months.

I rushed to try and catch it,
before it hit the ground,
making a quick wish in the process.
Not fast enough,
it fell to the ground.

I almost ran into a fellow with a briefcase
whose grimace softened
when he realized I was chasing a wish.
And a memory,
of when I was a kid and
used to catch the leaves
and my wishes
had no limits.
Neither did my dreams.

And for my part.
It's hard to be grumpy with big hair blowing in your eyes.
Or when your clothes rumple around.
Or the trees lean down as you pass.

Leaves rustling.
Paper blowing.
Flags flapping.
The wind adds music to my day.
Listen.

Ah, yes,
The wind will blow in
springtime tomorrow,

Time to buy a kite.
Release the limits
on wishes and dreams.
Find the answers which
I am told
are blowing there.

Rainbow Connection

Rainbow Swiss Chard.

That's the cool thing I picked up at the Farmer's Market this week.
Oh my, my. I love this stuff.
I grew it a few years ago when I had a "real" garden. It is such a beautiful, cheerful thing to grow. The only picture I could find from that "real" garden era doesn't show off the colors of the stems much. Can you tell how gorgeous this is?

The stems are brightly colored in reds, pinks, yellows.

It is so delicious as well.
I really must find a spot in my current yard to grow another patch of Rainbow Swiss Chard.

A word about greens like Swiss Chard.
If you're a green-cooker, then you already know how much greens cook down.

You begin with this gigantic bunch that you think surely will feed an army.
But, greens get smaller and smaller and smaller as they cook.
And soon you realize that you didn't cook nearly enough.
Such is life with greens.

Swiss Chard is quick to prepare. It's delicious to simply saute in olive oil with a bit of chopped garlic.

Or if you have a bit more time, saute, drizzle with olive oil, and then top with Parmesan cheese. Pop into a 350 degree oven for a few minutes.

But if you have a bit more time....
Well, I have a recipe that will knock your socks off.
So hang on.....to your socks....cause you're about to lose them.

Rainbow Swiss Chard

1 bunch Rainbow Swiss Chard
1 TBSP (or more) olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 TBSP onion, chopped finely
1 TBSP water
Zest of 1 lemon, grated
1/4 cup currants
1/4 pine nuts
salt and pepper

Toast pine nuts in 350 oven for about 8 minutes, stirring every few minutes to keep them from browning too much. Set aside.

Rinse the chard and cut the stems off the leaves. Chop the stems.

Cut the leaves into strips, keeping them separate from the chopped stems.

"Zest" the lemon.

(Is that the right verb for it? Zest?)

Heat olive oil and add the chopped stems, garlic and onion.

Cook uncovered about 5 minutes until soft.

Add the leaves and cook another minute, stirring often.

Add 1 TBSP water, lemon zest and currants.

Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until chard is tender, about 5 minutes or so.

Remove from heat, add pine nuts and season with salt and pepper.

This is yummy like you wouldn't believe.
And WAY healthy.
So there ya go.

Y'all. We've got to plant some Rainbow Swiss Chard this year.

So we can make the Rainbow Connection, what'd'ya say?

Post Note:
Just found this great looking recipe from The White House for Couscous with Chard, Sardines and Tomatoes. I'm totally going to try it. Totally without the sardines....

Refreshingly Weird

Speaking of PURPLE.
And weird.
Oh, I wasn't speaking of weird?
Well, I guess I am now.
Because there's no other word for it.

If you've tried it, then you know that of which I speak.
Purple Kohlrabi.
I picked up a bunch of organic for $4 from the Farmer's Market.
They said it tasted somewhere between a turnip and an apple.
I like turnips.
I like apples.

The Purple Kohlrabi sat in my refrigerator most of the week, while I made my way around the greens and other familiar vegetables I had picked up that same day at the Market.
Then a gardener friend emailed me a recipe to try.
(I changed the name to better suit it.)

Refreshingly Weird Purple Kohlrabi
6 or so kohlrabi bulbs
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBSP olive oil
Freshly grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
3 TBSP fresh lemon juice
Sprinkle of sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove the stalk and leaves from the bulbs.

Peel the bulbs. Here's what they look like nekkid.

Grate in food processor.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.
Add garlic and sautee briefly.
Add kohlrabi, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar.
Stir constantly for about 5-7 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.

Okay, so bottom line on the Purple Kohlrabi.

Q: Will I pick it up at the Farmer's Market again this week? Q: Will I buy seeds to grow some in my garden?
A: No. A: No.

I like apples. And I like turnips. And I like Purple Kohlrabi just fine.
It was indeed crisp, refreshing, and light.
But.
Just kinda
Eh....You know?
Lacking.
I definitely wanted more flavor than it gave me.

I want to like it because I generally like refreshingly weird things.

I'm headed to the Farmer's Market this chilly, rainy Saturday morning.
Hmm...We'll see what refreshingly weird things I come home with today.
Now. If you happen to know a recipe that knocks your socks off with Purple Kohlrabi, I will try it again.

Purple Lawn

Purple Cow. Burgess.
Purple Rain. Prince.
Purple Haze. Jimi.
Purple Lawn. Me.

The weather here has been nothing short of glorious.
This, from the snow-lover, the snow fancier, the snow-envier.
The green-eyed one.

The days have been sunny and warm.
Which makes all kinds of things wake up from their winter's slumber.
Luckily, I have not spotted The Snake yet. The one who lives under my timber stairs and comes out with the sole purpose of freaking me out. No, no, catching dinner is not his intent. It is to freak me out. And he does it so well.

What I am seeing are weeds in my lawn.
We've been chemical free for several years in the lawn department.

Which means that my lawn is not the greenest, nor the pest free-est.
And, yes, it has weeds.
Pretty ones.

This I must say. I've learned to pick my battles.

And quite frankly, my lawn looks lovely.

Purple.

I believe the weed is a variety

~Creeping Charlie~

Planting Sugar

Y'all come on over to http://www.maryjanesfarm.com/ where I write The City Farmgirl Blog.
I put up a fun post about planting sugar.

All kinds of sugar.
First kisses.
Wedding kisses.
Sugar Snap Peas....