Picnic, parties & BBQ, oh my!

Rain, rain--go away! Not a good way to start week 2 of the market season, but Saturday is supposed to be very nice. Don't stay away; come down to the market! Sorry this update is late; Allie & I were cheering Normal West's Girls Soccer team at their sectional game last night! Allie is very into soccer and has been playing travel soccer for the past year. She and her U9 buddies were on the sidelines cheering on the "big" girls and watching some very good soccer and hopefully learning by watching. It won't be too long before they will be the "big" girls.

This is the kickoff for the summer and most people have picnics, parties and barbecues to attend, often several over the weekend. What will you take as your "dish to pass"? Why not come to the market, get some inspiration from the wonderful produce and take a dish made from local ingredients?

It's been a quiet week on the farm. Bill's dad is in WI for his annual fishing trip, so Bill has to pick up the slack with some of the little daily chores, like turning water off & on, monitoring growth progress and dog feeding. Scoot & Sam are Dad's dogs and they are full time farm dogs. Both are bigger (and stronger!) than Skipper and stay in their dog runs while we work. Boy, when we let them out--get out of the way! Skipper tries to keep up with them and they all tear off into the fields to do whatever it is that dogs do. We don't seem to have much of a problem with varmints like rabbits or deer--wonder why!

Bill reports that all the crops are coming along; albeit slowly with the cool temps. Beets, turnips, squash and peas are just on the verge of a growth spurt and we should be seeing more veggies in the coming weeks.

This week, the farm is providing us with:

• Red Sails loose head lettuce-this is the most popular lettuce we have, great taste and very pretty!
• Red Oak Leaf lettuce--we had this last year for the first time. It has a very distinctive oak-like leaf and deep burgundy color. It is a perfect counterpoint in a green salad. Nice nutty taste.
• Green Oak Leaf lettuce--just like the Red Oak, but with green leaves.
  
• Endive--new this year. We had several customers ask for endive (or ON-dive, if you prefer!).
  
• Buttercrunch head lettuce--a variety of the Bibb-style lettuce, this is also a very popular lettuce. Very soft velvety texture and great taste. One head makes a lot of salad!
• Giant Caesar romaine--this is a variety of romaine that you won't find in the store. The head is a little more open and the leaves are more tender and soft, but will still hold up well to a Caesar salad!
  
• Xena--another wonderful loose head lettuce. Xena is showy with very ruffled edges.
  
• Bok choi--one of my new favorite greens! I like it added to a salad, stems and all, or cooked down, Southern-style.
  
• Napa cabbage--this isn't your round Irish cabbage! Mild cabbage taste and smell, you can add it easily to a salad.
• Red radishes & white radishes--we have two types of red radishes this year: Cherry Belles and French Breakfast. The Cherry Belles are the round red radish that you are familiar with. French Breakfast radishes are oblong, mostly red but fading into a white tip. Yes, I've eaten radishes for breakfast. No, I don't think that's strange!
• Green onions--You can't beat fresh green onions. Perfect for eating alone or in a salad.
  
• Spinach--You all are some spinach loving folks out there! Once it warms up, the spinach will go to seed, so enjoy it while it is in season.
• Leaf Lettuce--the perfect lettuce for a spring salad--small leaves, soft and tender. Like the spinach, leaf lettuce doesn't like hot weather, so it will only be around a few more weeks.

I don't have many good ideas for using lettuces or greens, other than salads. What is easier than some fresh leaf lettuce and a little olive oil/balsamic vinegar or a milk dressing! I remember as a child the dressing my mom would make for leaf lettuce. I'm sure it has a proper name and actual measurements, but I've never run across it in any of my cook books--and I even have a cookbook that is ALL salad dressings! Combine about 1/4 cup mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip--it will not work!) with enough milk, thinning it, but not runny. Add about 1 tsp sugar and mix until the sugar dissolves. Add vinegar (cider vinegar works best) to taste--I like it pretty sharp, so I add about 1 TBS or more. TASTE AS YOU GO! You can add more milk or mayo to achieve your desired consistency. Gently mix with leaf lettuce and enjoy!

Start the first official holiday weekend of the summer right by coming to the market! See you there!