Editor’s Note: Our friends over at Mountain Bounty Farm will be contributing a monthly column throughout the spring, summer, and early fall to keep Moonshine Ink readers updated with what’s fresh and local and how to cook it.
Northern California has experienced a very wet spring, bringing colder than normal temperatures. Precipitation is always good for our area, but it sure does make the beginning of the growing season a bit more interesting for farmers. Having said that, let the sun shine! Our greenhouses have done their job during this challenging spring, and now the fields are planted and ready to burst with delicious food throughout the summer and fall.
The fields are alive!
In May and June we can expect the local harvest to include lettuce, beets, radishes, Napa cabbage, kale, onions, chard, carrots, spinach, zucchini, sweet Toyko turnips, scallions, broccoli, and tatsoi. Tatsoi is an Asian green similar in taste to bok choy, and can be either eaten raw or stir-fried. Some of the highlights of the spring harvest are asparagus, peas, spring greens, and strawberries.
What’s cookin’?
Napa cabbage can be chopped and served with a rice wine vinegar–based salad dressing for a tasty Asian inspired salad or lightly stir-fried. Add some toasted sesame seeds to either dish for a slightly crunchy tasty treat. Prepare roasted beets by cutting off the greens, leaving a small stem and the tail. This will help keep the juices and flavor in the beet. Roast until tender at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes in a covered pan with a small amount of water. Cool and peel off the stem, tail, and skin. Beets will be ready to eat or include in any recipe. Cut coarsely; beet greens can cook quickly in a skillet with olive oil and lemon for a nice side dish.
~ Jen Ellermeyer, CSA manager of Mountain Bounty Farm and Truckee resident
Mountain Bounty Farm provides a year-round Community Supported Agriculture program that delivers fresh, delicious, seasonal produce including veggies, fruits, and summer flowers weekly to your area. Info: (530) 292-3776, mountainbountyfarm.com
