MOUNTAIN BOUNTY FARM NEWS
Week 24/52 of 2022
Dear Farm Members,
I'm reaching back into the archives this week for one of my favorite newsletters of all time from our beloved farmer, Kale Blevins:
My question for you all this week; does everyone really still hate fennel? Before moving here to farm in 2017, my only understanding of fennel was that it was a vegetable that I did not buy, and therefore a vegetable that I certainly would not grow. I’d eaten it a grand total of... one time (I know, shocking), in an italian wedding soup lovingly crafted by a fennel-savvy companion. Hindsight 20/20, I just didn’t realize exactly what I was missing out on.
Growing the diversity of vegetables that we do for a CSA of this scale means that there’s a place for almost everything, novelty and staple alike, all in their own time. Fennel, to my knowledge, has mostly fallen into the category of ‘novelty item’. Over the years, we’ve gotten a lot of feedback that folks either don’t like it or just don’t know what to do with it. So we play it cool and tone it down, sneaking it in every once in a while, alternating between boxes, hoping to gradually indoctrinate hordes of unsuspecting CSA members one season at a time. A couple years ago, we even grew fennel for Sierra Harvest’s “Harvest of the Month” program. Mountain Bounty fennel was distributed to classrooms across the county for students to taste, which we all thought felt like Real Progress.
So is it working? Are all of you finding a way to let fennel into your hearts? Personally, I love fennel, and I don’t really get all the hype. There’s the licorice-y flavor, but it’s mild and sweet, and honestly, part of the draw. It’s versatile, and you can eat it raw, roasted, caramelized, even pickled. It keeps well in the fridge, so you can go ahead and ignore it for a little if you want-so forgiving! And it’s a champion in the field, an ‘umbelliferae’, not much of a rabble-rouser, eventually producing an umbrella-shaped inflorescence that beneficial bugs and pollinators love.
Do you love fennel? Want to see more of it in your boxes? Let us know! And if not, don’t sweat it. We’re happy to be your official fennel support system.
Your boxes this week are making their way to you packed with loads of amazing vegetables, and even a little bit of fennel. We hope you’re all enjoying the good-ness this season has to offer, soaking up sunny days, and keeping your bellies full. See you next week!
Enjoy your shares this week,
Kale
THIS WEEK'S CSA CONTENTS
REGULAR BOX:
Fennel
Turnips
Romaine Lettuce
Little Gem Lettuce
Zucchini
Basil
Cauliflower
Arugula
Cilantro
Red Russian Kale
SMALL BOX:
Fennel
Turnips
Little Gem Lettuce
Zucchini
Basil
Cauliflower
SUMMER FRUIT SHARES (provided by Frog Hollow Farm)
Please double check the delivery list to confirm you are signed up for this share. You can sign up for shares starting next week here:https://mountainbounty.csaware.com/summer-fruit-share-wnc-C23344
Please do not take a Summer Fruit Share if you are not signed up for one.
Golden Sweet Apricots (A smaller apricot that makes up for whatever it lacks in size with its rich flavor. Another California born and bred variety, it has a brilliant golden orange skin with a soft blush. Goldensweets typically harvest from late mid-June to early July.
June Honey Peaches (One of our early varieties, the June Honey peach brings in June with a bang. Red blush all around, these clinging peaches are tame in acidity, but have a nice sweetness and juiciness that are perfect for eating out of hand, in drink and in salads.)
Santa Rosa Plums (Santa Rosa plums are something special. Famous for their beautiful dark skin and yellow flesh. Named for its birthplace, this plum was bred by the famed California horticulturist Luther Burbank in his Santa Rosa plant research center. Red-skinned with a purple bloom, the Santa Rosa's amber flesh gets flushed with red as it ripens. This fruit is plump perfection with a bit of tartness in the skin that balances out the sweet and juicy flesh.)
SUMMER FLOWER SHARES are available now and you can join here.
RECIPES
Savory Parmesan-Fennel Italian Wedding Soup
Shaved Fennel Salad with Croutons and Walnuts
Caramelized Fennel - the Best Fennel You'll Ever Eat
Whole Wheat Lemon Roasted Broccoli Pizza (Broccoli, substitute Arugula Pesto for regular pesto)
Warm Cheesy Garlic and Kale Dip (Kale)
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