Dear CSA Members:
At the end of the day,
when we are finishing the field work and preparing for the next day’s
activities, the cows are called in to the milking barn for their evening
milking. The cows follow the cow lane from their pasture, walking
peacefully and surprisingly quietly for the 800 to 1200 pound creatures that
they are. Seen from up close or from across the fields, the cows are
majestic and humble. Majestic for the incredible rhythms and
transformations they engender – from grass to milk is quite a process, for
example – and humble because those same rhythms and transformations are done as
a matter of course, with no question of the importance of their task.
On Monday, I
happened to see our herdsman, Dan, encouraging the last, slow-pokey few cows of
our 60-cow herd into the barn. There
seems to be an art to herding the cows, and although you might not see NYC
Ballerinas practicing this art, it is lovely to see. It is almost a
dance, in that it is all about gestures and sculpting the space between living
beings, but wearing rubber boots instead of ballet slippers.
Maybe Dan was tired
when I happened to see him herding the cows in, but he was so obviously kind in
his tiredness. From across the field, I could see Dan’s kindness in his
gestures. The gentleness and sureness that Dan communicates to each cow,
and to the herd itself, is apparent even from across a ten acre field.
Cows don’t understand spoken language, of course, but they do have a way of
understanding by paying attention to movement and space: how fast another being
is moving toward them, how much space is left between the cow and another cow
or person, if there is a quickness or an agitation in one’s movements, if one
is standing tall and sure or slouched and sluggish.
Dan so obviously
cares for the health and well-being of our cows that I had to admire how the
art of farming is living so vividly through our farmer Dan and our beautiful
cows.
Katy
Looking Forward to
Next Week
Anticipated for July 6th
Beets
Broccoli
on rotation
Daikon
Radish
Lettuce
Scallions
Sugarsnap
Peas
Summer
Squash or Zucchini
Add More HVF Items
to Your Share!
Since most
CSA members are unable to make it to the Greenmarkets in NYC or here to our
Farm Store, we offer you the ability to custom order some of our dairy, bakery,
and lacto-fermented items for delivery to your site.
The week
before you would like a delivery, just submit a completed Individual Pre-Order Form to your site with a check made out to Hawthorne Valley Farm. Your items will be delivered to your site the
following week.
To ensure
that your order gets processed properly, please double–check your math!
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Kale and Quinoa Pilaf 2 teaspoons vegetable
oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup thinly sliced
carrot 1/2 cup chopped red
bell pepper 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons curry
powder 1 tsp chili paste with
garlic OR 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon grated
peeled fresh ginger 6 cups torn kale 2 cups cooked brown
rice 1 cup cooked quinoa 2 tablespoons minced
fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas
(garbanzo beans), drained |
Heat oil
in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, bell pepper,
and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add curry, chili paste, and ginger; sauté 1
minute. Add remaining ingredients; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated,
stirring occasionally. Serve at room temperature. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
from Cooking
Light, JUNE 1996
Kale Salad
This simple
summer salad is seasoned with soy and sesame.
- Rinse 12 ounces
kale. Tear leaves into about 1-inch pieces, discarding tough ribs
and veins.
- In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring about 1 quart
water to a boil. Add kale, cover, and cook until slightly wilted, 3 to 5
minutes. Drain.
- When cool, squeeze excess liquid from kale and place in a
bowl. Mix with 1 ˝ Tablespoons
soy sauce and 1 Tablespoon
Asian sesame oil.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if
desired. Serve at room temperature. Makes about 6 servings.
adapted from Sunset, JUNE 2004
Turnips & Kohlrabi with
Greens
This quick and easy dish takes longer to explain than
to make!
Butter
1 bunch turnips
1 bunch kohlrabi
salt
Clean: Cut
off and wash the greens, removing damaged or yellowed leaves. Revive any limp leaves by soaking them in
cold water for a few minutes. Scrub the
turnips and kohlrabi, peeling only if the skin seems tough.
Cut: Cut
the turnips and kohlrabi in half, and thinly slice; chop the greens into 1-inch
strips.
Cook: Melt
some butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the turnips, kohlrabi, and
greens. Stir gently until vegetables are
coated in butter. Cook uncovered until
the greens are wilted and the turnips are tender. Season with salt to taste and
serve.
