Newsletter #390 April 4th, 2007

Two Small Farms Newsletter
Issue Number 390, April 4th, 2007
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Table of Contents:

1) In your box this week
2) A WINTER TALE ABOUT OWLS, GOATS AND GRASSLANDS AT HIGH GROUND
ORGANICS
3) Friday Route
4) Photos
5) Recipes
6) Which Farm?
7) Unsubscribe
8) Two Small Farms Contact Information
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1) In your box this week: Baby Carrots, Fennel, Parsley, Beets, Mushrooms, Spinach, Thyme OR Mint, Broccoli, Lacinato Kale

This week's vegetable list: I try to have it updated by Monday night, sometimes by Mon. am:

Quick notes on this week's box begins the recipe section: #5.

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2) A WINTER TALE ABOUT OWLS, GOATS AND GRASSLANDS AT HIGH GROUND
ORGANICS

By: Laura Kummerer/ Grassland Restorationist at High Ground Organics

On a cool January night, High Ground Organics was visited by a rarely seen, short bodied, large eyed and feathery migrant, a Burrowing Owl. Records from the Santa Cruz Bird Club show that up until the early 1990's this owl regularly visited and even nested in the uplands of the Watsonville Slough System, which is home to High Ground Organics Farm. Unfortunately,
current sightings of these owls in Watsonville have dwindled to almost none. Their decline in Watsonville is mirrored by a decline in the Western Hemisphere, placing the Burrowing Owl on the list of "National Birds of Conservation Concern". With a boon of housing developments in the few remaining grassland areas in Watsonville and across the country, the habitat that these owls depend upon for forage and nesting has shrunk down to a few small parcels of land. High Ground Organics is a steward to one of these parcels. This parcel is located on a slope that connects the farm to the wetland.

Last year we began an ambitious project to restore the ten acres of grassland under our care from a weed choked field to the thriving coastal prairie grassland it once was just 200 years ago. Our restoration methods are not quite conventional. We are re-introducing cattle and goat
grazing to the grassland to mimic the herbivory of elk and deer that grasslands evolved with. Researchers studying grasslands in coastal California have shown that with a carefully managed rotation of animals through grasslands, the native species that once thrived can return again.

As many of you know, we spent most of last year laying down the foundation for the restoration project. We pulled upon the expertise of local range land managers and ecologists, collected baseline vegetation and soils data, gathered and grew up seed from nearby native grasses and built a fence to contain a herd of goats and cows. This winter, as the first rains began to fall, we put our idealistic plans for the project in to practice.

At the end of November we began our rotational grazing with a herd of goats and now have mixed the herd with cows. We have been carefully moving the herd through one acre paddocks to control the proliferation of weeds that are choking out the islands of native grasses, rushes, sedges and wildflowers. In just a short time the animals have transformed the landscape. Early in the season, they ate down the 6 foot stalks of old thistle and radish clearing space away for the germination of new seedlings. Now, they are devouring the invasive grasses that have been crowding out the native California Oat Grass (Danthonia californica) and shading out the
endangered Santa Cruz Sunflower (Holocarpha macradenia).

Like all processes of transformation, the grazing has its downsides. Although the animals are doing a great job of removing the weeds, they have also had some negative impacts on the native plants we are working to restore. In the early winter before the annual grasses had gained their stature, the goats devoured the native California Oat grass like it was an ice cream treat. With thoughtful cross fencing and continually reminding ourselves that native grasses have thrived for thousands of years with grazing, we continue on.

In conjunction with the rotational grazing program, we are working to replenish a local stock of native grass and wildflower seed, by creating permanent seed harvest beds on the farm. This past spring, we collected seed from the four main grassland species growing in small pockets
throughout the Watsonville Sloughs. We grew this seed up in the greenhouse through the winter and planted seedlings in to the permanent beds. The well tended beds are in their full glory right now, adorned with fresh and wispy flower heads. In about a month we hope to collect about 20 pounds. of seed from these beautiful plants. This seed will then be infused into
degraded parts of the grassland on a yearly basis. As the years unfold, we plan to maintain our seed beds and augment them with rhizome producing grass species and a myriad of annual wildflower species. In time, the re-introduction of large quantities of seed into the degraded grassland coupled with the grazing for weed control will create a healthy and diverse grassland
community. My deepest hope is that this grassland will not only provide habitat for the Burrowing Owl, but for a diverse array of rare and endangered plants and animals that depend on open grassland for their very survival.

As you can see, this project is a long term endeavor. It has come to life with a whole lot of community support and will require the patience and commitment of many hands and hearts now and in to the future. In closing, I'd like to recognize the incredible amount of hands that have carried the project this far. We have received funds from the Natural Resource Conservation Service, The Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District, and the Open Space Alliance. The perimeter fence for the grazing was raised with the good humor, creative minds and strong backs of Noe Reyes, Edilberto Cruz, Uriel Toledo, Aurelio Lopez, Ken Moore, Jerry and Patrick Thomas, Tom Schroeder and Freddy Menge and Ellen Baker. Billy and Laura Noblin have been lending a hand with whatever detail needs tending from seed collection to electric fence maintenance. Mariquita Farm has once again formed an integral partnership with us, by providing a well cared for and sweet herd of goats to work their magic. Rochelle and Marcel Beerli, the landowners of Mariquita's Hollister farm, have generously lent us their horse
trailer giving us the ability to move goats whenever we need to.

In the months to come we will need many more hands to assist with weeding, collecting seed, tending goats, working in the greenhouse, monitoring and just enjoying the grassland. I will put monthly announcements in the newsletter for Saturday volunteer events. I can also use help during the week for regular grassland maintenance projects. Call Laura Kummerer at
(831) 761-8694 if you'd like to get involved or learn more about this project.

GRASSLAND RESTORATION EVENT:
Come join us for seed collection and grassland tending on SATURDAY May 5th, from 10am-1pm. Families with children are welcome. Contact Laura Kummerer (831)761-8694 for details.

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3) NEW FRIDAY ROUTE!
We have several new sites and more to come for Friday delivery:
Mountain View 2: San Pierre Way- near intersection of West Middlefield Road and North Shoreline Blvd., 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

West Menlo Park - near the Alameda and Valparaiso Avenue, 11 a.m. to 7p.m.

Menlo Park Coleman - on Coleman Avenue near the intersection with Willow Road, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Palo Alto Bryant Street - intersects with Embarcadero Road. Near Town and Country Village., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Palo Alto Cornell Street - (starts April 20th!) near Stanford's Escondido Village, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

If you are a member in the Los Altos, Los Gatos or Cupertino/Santa
Clara/Saratoga areas, and have interest in being a host, please let us
know.

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4) Photos:

Baby Carrots

Fennel

Red Beets

Italian Parsley

Lacinato Kale

Thyme

Mint

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5) Recipes from Julia

first notes on some of the vegetables:

BABY CARROTS: just eat them! They of course work for any cooking whole side dish thing too.

MINT or THYME: you will get one or the other of these. If you get mint and know what to do with it: Great! If you're not sure, click here for a photo essay of the best mint tea ever. Just steep fresh mint in boiling water: it has a different taste from the dried mint tea. Thyme: this is an all around great flavoring in so many savory dishes.

FENNEL: This can be used anywhere celery is (just about. My kids balk at the idea of fennel and peanutbutter in their lunches. Oh well.) If your family isn't excited about the taste of freshly chopped fennel in their salads you can cook it and the fennel anise taste is so far in the background noone will notice! I often saute fennel with my onions in a red spaghetti sauce.....

BEETS: eat the greens in the first day or two. You can use them anyway you use/eat chard, they are very closely related. You can also cook them up with the kale. The beets themselves? Try them grated raw in a pink salad (raw they will turn everything pink in their wake!) Or roast them then dress with olive oil, feta cheese and chopped onion with some parsley for color, a
great make ahead salad!

KALE: this is my favorite kind of kale: and it's dark dark leafy greens make it one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. And it tastes good, especially with garlic.

SPINACH: this is Stephen's excellent, trustworthy spinach. Eat it
confidently in salads and cooked dishes. Enjoy!

MUSHROOMS: these are grown organically at our neighbor's mushroom farm in Watsonville. They are great in most recipes where the button mushrooms are called for.

The Recipes!

SPINACH FENNEL SOUP

2 pounds fennel bulb (sometimes called anise), chopped (about 5 cups)
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
3/4 pound spinach (about 1 bunch), coarse stems discarded and the
leaves
washed well and drained

In a heavy kettle cook the fennel bulb and the onion in the oil, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, add the broth, the water, and the fennel seeds, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fennel bulb is tender. Stir in the
spinach and simmer the soup for 1 minute, or until the spinach is wilted. In a blender or food processor puree the soup in batches. The soup may be served hot or chilled.

Makes about 8 cups, serving 6 to 8.

Gourmet May 1993

SPINACH, FENNEL AND FETA SALAD

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1 large shallot, minced
1 6-ounce package baby spinach leaves
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, cored, thinly
sliced
crosswise
1 bunch radishes, sliced
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Whisk oil, lemon juice and shallot in small bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Combine spinach, fennel and radishes in large shallow bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle feta cheese over salad and serve.

Serves 4.

Bon Appetit

BABY SPINACH AND MINT SALAD WITH BLACK-EYED PEAS
Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 30 min

1 cup frozen black-eyed peas
1 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
5 oz baby spinach
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint, stems removed

Special equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder

Simmer peas, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a 1-quart saucepan, uncovered, over moderate heat until peas are just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water, then spread peas out on a paper towel and pat dry.

Grind fennel seeds with cayenne and black pepper to a powder in grinder, then transfer to a small bowl. Add peas to spice mixture and toss to coat. Whisk together juices, broth, honey, oil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and add spinach and mint, tossing to coat. Serve salad sprinkled with spiced peas. Each serving contains about 89 calories and 2 grams fat. Makes 4 servings.

Gourmet September 2002

Ribollita

This is a little like a winter minestrone, and you can use whatever you have in your fridge to make it. You can skip the first dried bean step and use two cans of white beans. This is a simple, satisfying soup that can and should be adapted to what you have on hand when making it. (other vegetables, other colors of beans, etc.)

2/3 cup dried Great Northern beans
10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 large russet potato or turnip, peeled, sliced
2 large carrots, peeled, sliced or grated
1 red or other onion, sliced
1 bunch kale or chard, stems and ribs removed, leaves sliced (the lacinato kale leaves have lots less ribs, I often just slice the whole thing. -j)
4 ounces savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk or small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 4-ounce slice pancetta or bacon
10 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth

Place Great Northern beans in large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover beans by 3 inches; let soak overnight. Drain. Return to saucepan. Add enough fresh cold water to cover beans by 3 inches. Simmer until beans are tender, about 1 hour.

Drain beans. (rinse if using cans) Puree 1 cup beans in processor. Set aside pureed beans and whole beans. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and parsley; saute 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add remaining vegetables and pancetta; saute 3 minutes. Add 10 cups chicken broth, pureed beans and whole beans. Cover; simmer until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours. Season with salt and
pepper. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold. Cover; chill overnight. Bring soup to simmer. Remove pancetta. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle remaining oil over soup and serve.

Makes 10 servings. Bon Appetit May 2000

Shaved Fennel with Parmesan
adapted from Healthy 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold

1 large or 2 medium fennel bulbs
3 Tablespoons white balsamic or sherry or champagne vinegar
3 ounce piece Parmigiano-Reggiano

Trim the feathery fronds from teh fennel bulb and set aside. Remove any brown pots and trim root end. Slice fennel as thinly as possible, cutting through the root end. Place in a bowl.

Add vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Break cheese into very small pieces and add to salad. Toss again. Let sit for 1 hour before serving. Scatter finely chopped fennel fronds on top. (or parsley, if you're not offended to add a 4th ingredient! she doesn't count S & P as part of
the 1-2-3 -julia) serves 4

This week's Cookbook from the Library: Healthy 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold

I admit I was dubious about a cookbook where each recipe only has three ingredients. (Salt and Pepper don't count.) But I like this cookbook because it *is* simple, and it uses good ingredients. (It's not one of those "take-one-box-of-cake-mix and then..." cookbooks.) I can also start with her ideas and add to them. Another recipe I'd like to try is the 'beet 'carpaccio' with lemony tonnato sauce. Your public library might have it! Hint: most/all public libraries let you request books online. Mine then sends me an email when the desired book is available.

Pickled Fennel with Orange from The Joy of Pickling by Linda Ziedrich
(Julia suggests using these on a sandwich, on a cheese board/cracker
platter, or tossed in a green salad.)

2 fennel bulbs, sliced thin
1 t pickling salt (kosher or other uniodized salt) zest from ½ an
orange, in
strips
1 or 2 small fennel fronds (optional)
6 T white wine vinegar
6 T orange juice
1 T sugar
4 black peppercorns, cracked

In a bowl, toss the fennel slices with the salt. Let them stand 1 hour. Drain the fennel slices, and toss them with the orange zest. Pack gthem into a pint jar, placing a fennel frond or two against the side of the jar, if you like. In a saucepan, heat hte vinegar, orange juice, sugar, and
peppercorns to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the hot liquid over the fennel. Cap the jar, and let cool to room temp. Store the pickle in the fridge . It will be ready to eat ina day or two, and will keep for at least several weeks.

Shaved Fennel Salad with Almonds and Mint

Though you can serve it immediately, this salad is best if it stands an hour before being served. To get the thinnest slices from your fennel bulb, quarter it before slicing to create more manageable sections that lie flat on the cutting board.

3 1/2 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb (about 1 medium bulb)
1 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well to combine. Let
stand at room temperature 1 hour. Sprinkle with nuts.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1/3 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 46 (51% from fat); FAT 2.6g (sat 0.3g, mono 1.7g, poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 1.2g; CARB 5.4g; FIBER 1.8g; CHOL 0.0mg; IRON 0.4mg; SODIUM 217mg; CALC 31mg;
Cooking Light, MAY 2004

FENNEL AND OLIVE SALAD
Best of Southern Italian Cooking, J.C. Grasso

2 heads fennel
1 tbsp. parsley
1 tbsp. wine vinegar
1 tsp. oregano
24 green olives
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic
pepper

Cut fennel bulb into chunks, combine with olives in a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together all other ingredients. Toss with the fennel and olives.

SOME FENNEL IDEAS from The Victory Garden Cookbook

Sprinkle chopped fennel leaves on hot baked oysters or clams.
Add cooked fennel to omelets, quiches, stuffings or sauces.
Add stalks to stocks for their flavor.
Add sliced sauteed fennel to fish chowders.
Cook fennel in your favorite tomato sauce.
Place stalks and leaves on barbeque coals as they do in France. The fennel scent permeates the grilled food.
Slice steamed or blanched fennel, cover with a vinaigrette and serve chilled.
Chop raw fennel and add to tuna fish sandwiches.
Slice fennel thin and layer with raw potatoes, cream and cheese to make a potato au gratin.

Fennel and Cheese for Dessert
adapted from The Victory Garden Cookbook
by M. Morash

Fennel bulbs
One great cheese, such as blue cheese or a local goat cheese
best olive oil
S & P

Wash and trim fennel bulbs. If small, cut in half; quarter larger ones. Serve with slices of cheese and pass the oil, salt, and pepper.

TAGLIATELLE WITH SHREDDED BEETS, SOUR CREAM, AND PARSLEY

1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups (packed) coarsely grated peeled uncooked beets (about 3 large)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 ounces tagliatelle or fettuccine
1 8-ounce container sour cream
6 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided

Melt butter with oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; stir until pale golden, about 1 minute. Add beets and cayenne; reduce heat to medium-low and saute just until beets are tender, about 12 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta and return to pot. Stir in sour cream and 4 tablespoons parsley, then beet mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and serve.

Test-kitchen tip: Surgical gloves (sold at drugstores) are ideal for protecting hands from staining when working with beets. Regular kitchen gloves work well, too, but they are a little more cumbersome.

Makes 6 first-course or 4 main-course servings.

Bon Appetit
April 2004

BEET AND PARSLEY SALAD
Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

2 medium beets without greens
1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Special equipment: a Japanese Benriner or other adjustable-blade slicer

Trim and peel raw beets, then cut into very thin slices (1/16 inch thick) with slicer. Make small stacks of slices and cut each stack with a sharp knife into very thin strips (1/16 inch thick).

Toss beets with parsley, salt, sugar, and pepper in a serving bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle vinegar on salad and toss again. Serve immediately.

Each serving conatains about 63 calories and 3 grams fat.

Makes 4 servings.

Gourmet


* For traditional pickled beets, boil a vinegar/sugar mixture (use a cup of vinegar and 1/2 cup of sugar for each pound of beets). Add a pinch of cloves and allspice or chopped fresh dill, if desired. Add sliced, cooked beets to water and bring to a boil again. Serve warm, or pour the mixture into sterile canning jars and seal.

* Peel raw beets and grate them over the top of a salad for a nice color/texture addition

* Pure 2 cups cooked beets with 2 tablespoons orange juice and a few pinches of spice (cinnamon, ginger and cloves work well) for a colorful and low-cal alternative to mashed potatoes.

* Roast a multi-colored assortment of beets, then peel, slice and toss with a vinegar/oil dressing for a colorful stand-alone salad. If desired, steam the greens with a touch of lemon juice or vinegar and serve the salad on top of them.

* For a dense, moist, flavorful sweet bread, use beets instead of zucchini. Combine 2 cups peeled, grated raw beets with 2 tablespoons canola oil, 6 egg whites, 3/4 cup buttermilk and 1/2 cup maple syrup. In a separate bowl, combine 3 cups flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg
and ginger. Make a well in the dry ingredients and stir in beet mixture until just blended. Coat a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and bake at 350°F for 50 minutes to an hour, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

* To make an easy borscht, peel 6 medium-sized beets and cook with 4 cups vegetable stock until tender. Remove beets from cooking liquid and slice into julienne strips or grate coarsely. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of sugar in 4 tablespoons of lemon juice. Add sugar mixture and prepared beets to stock; chill. Top each serving with nonfat yogurt or sour cream, if desired.

beet fennel ginger soup
serves 4

* 2 1/2 cup vegetable broth, reduced-sodium
* 1/4 head savoy cabbage, chopped
* 3/4 cup beets, about 1 large beet, peeled and chopped
* 1/2 medium fennel bulb(s), trimmed and chopped
* 1 medium garlic clove(s), minced
* 1 tsp ginger root, fresh, minced
* 1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice
* 1/4 tsp table salt
* 1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
* 4 Tbsp plain fat-free yogurt

Instructions

* Combine the broth, cabbage, beet, fennel, garlic and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered until the beet is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

* Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and puree, working in batches if necessary to avoid overflows. Pour the soup into large bowl.

* Season with the lemon juice, salt and pepper. If necessary, thin the soup with enough cold water to reach a pourable consistency.

* Refrigerate, covered, until chilled, 3-4 hours or overnight. Serve,
topped with the yogurt.

Roasted beet salad serves 4; 2 points

* 2 pound beets, stems and roots removed
* 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar* 2 tsp vegetable oil
* 1 tsp Dijon mustard
* 1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
* 1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
* 1 Tbsp fresh oregano

Instructions

* Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place beets on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes or until tender.

* Allow to cool, then peel and slice. Place in bowl.

* In food processor, combine vinegar, oil, mustard, salt and pepper. Process 1 minute. Pour over beets and toss to coat. Sprinkle with oregano and serve.





Honeyed Beet Quinoa Summer Salad, with variations from Fresh from the Farm and Garden by The Friends of the UCSC Farm and Garden

julia's note: I make many variations of this salad, with whatever vegetables/alliums/dressing I have on hand. I love using quinoa, but brown rice and couscous also work nicely. Likely other grains too. For this much salad I usually use half the amount of cheese they recommend and half
the amount of nuts. Any mixture of the below herbs work well: just parsley, just
cilantro, just basil, or any combo... chives, tarragon for a different flavor..... the possibilities are endless and having a salad like this on hand makes healthy lunches/dinners much easier.

6 beets, roasted
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cups orange juice
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup fruity olive oil
3 cups cooked quinoa, or another grain such as brown rice or couscous
1 cup crumbled feta cheese, or shredded parmesan, or??, optional
1 cup toasted walnuts or almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped basil OR cilantro
1/2 cup chopped parsley
6 minced green onions or 3 shallots or other mild allium
lettuce greens, ready for eating as salad

Dice roasted beets and marinate in orange and lemon juice and honey at least one hour. (Julia's note: I warm up my honey a bit before mixing it in the juices/oil... but don't make it too hot or it will 'cook' the juice and fruity oil!)

Combine with other ingredients except salad greens. Chill at least one hour to allow flavors to blend. Serve on bed of salad greens.

Roasted Beets with Walnuts and Blue Cheese from California Home Cooking
by Michele Anna Jordan

1 pound small beets, golden, white or chioggia (or red!)
1 T olive oil
½ cup walnuts, toasted
2 T extra virgin olive oil

preheat oven to 350 degrees

Wash and trim beets but do not peel them. Toss them with the olive oil in a bowl, and transfer them to a baking sheet. Roast them until they are tender when pierced with a fork, 40 to 90 minutes, depending on their size. Remove the beets from the oven and set them aside until they are cool enough to handle. Using your fingers, remove and discard the beet skins. Cut the
beets into wedges, and place the wedges in a small serving bowl. Add the walnuts and extra virgin olive oil, toss ad several turns of pepper (from a pepper mill), and toss again. Scatter the blue cheese over the beets, and serve.

Rochelle's Beet Salad
We love it, it's fast, easy and healthy.

I just threw it together, so it's a simple one. trim ends off beets, then steam until soft rinse with cold water, so that the skin peels right off. dice up, mix with thinly sliced onions, (red, white or yellow), add crumbled crostini, and plenty of balsamic vinegar, salt/pepper to taste with a dash
of extra virgin olive oil. Toss, EAT.

NORWEGIAN BEET SALAD
Sunset Magazine

1 beet
1 apple
1 carrot
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. minced ginger
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt
Peel and shred the beet, apple and carrot. Combine in a bowl. Add nuts, coconut, lemon juice, ginger and oil. Stir and salt to taste.

Chocolate Beet Brownies
from: http://www.plantea.com/chocolatebeetbrownies.htm
These brownies are rich, chewy and secretly nutritious!

1/2 cup butter (or 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup applesauce)
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
4 eggs
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 cup applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 15 oz. can beets packed in water, drained and mashed; or 1 cup cooked
beets
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1/2 cup wheat germ

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until light in color and foamy. Add sugar and vanilla and continue beating until well creamed. Stir in chocolate mixture, followed by applesauce and beets. Sift together flour, salt, spices and baking
powder and stir into creamed mixture. Fold in wheat germ and almonds. Turn into greased 9x13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool before cutting into squares.

Recipe Index
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6) Which Farm?

>From High Ground: spinach and flowers
>From Mariquita: Carrots, Thyme, Mint, Parsley, Beets, Fennel, Kale
Far West Fungi: Mushrooms, all organic!
>From Lakeside Organic Gardens: broccoli and lettuce

Where is High Ground's produce?? Stephen has lots coming on, he's thin on vegetables ready for harvest right now because of winter planting conditions. yes, strawberries are coming! -julia

To see a picture of the 2 farm families

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7) Unsubscribe/Subscribe From/To This Newsletter
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8) Two Small Farms Contact Information

Two Small Farms
Mariquita Farm/High Ground Organics
Organically Grown Vegetables
831-786-0625
P.O. Box 2065
Watsonville, CA 95077
csa@twosmallfarms.com
http://www.twosmallfarms.com
http://www.mariquita.com
http://www.highgroundorganics.com