It has been a terrible year so far for planting.  snow, rain, snow, rain.  thank goodness for the greenhouse.  

Tomatoes should be ready by May 1

June 14, 2012

Eggplant are ready to pick.

 Fresh cilantro ready for some delicious salsa!

 The Blackberries will be ready in a few weeks.  I have never seen so many berries on the bushes.  There is going to be a bumper crop if we can just keep them watered.

 The onions are really growing.  We have started harvesting the sweetest onions, the Candies and the Alsa Craigs.  They are so sweet you can just sit and eat them right in the field.

 Rich has a wonderful crop of Red Peppers ready to pick in the greenhouse.

 Many people have never seen a Kohlrabi growing in the field.  I have hundreds ready to start picking this week.

 Here is one of those White Candy onions.  It will double in size in the next 2 weeks.

 I have a small crop of yellow raspberries, but more than I can eat myself.  So I will be taking some of those to the markets.

 The potatoes are really growing.  I have started digging some of the small red and Yukon gold potatoes without killing the plant.  They will keep on producing for weeks. 

 This is a new crop in the greenhouse this year.  Orange peppers.  Beautiful!

 And we've added yellow peppers.  They are so pretty at the Farmer's Market we hate to sell them!

Bumblebee Farms

Rich and Lila Brock

Bumblebee Farms Platte Center

Here are some pictures of what's growing right now and will soon be available in the market!

 

ZUCCHINI

GREEN BEANS

EUROPEAN CUCUMBERS

TOMATOES!!

More recipes will be posted as the season goes on.

What can I do with a leek?

*You could slice them lengthwise and grill them with other veggies, like peppers, then serve with a nice vinaigrette alongside a steak.

 *There’s only two parts you can use on the leek, and that would be the white part and the pale green part. ... The leafy green part is too tough.

*Cut them lengthwise, washed them well, drizzled & rubbed in a thorough amount of olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and roasted them in the oven. Eat them with your fingers and be delighted.

* Try chicken wrapped in leeks and grilled. It was very tasty and quite a nice looking dish. Blanch the leeks beforehand and sear the chicken breasts. You can stuff the chicken with whatever you want or even wrap it in bacon. Then wrap with the leeks and grill up!

*Make potato/leek soup garnished with some deep fried leek rings. Better than onion rings!

*Potato leek soup with some crispy bacon to garnish and potato au gratin layered with leeks

*You could caramelize them (as you would onions), then top burgers with them, have them on cheese and crackers, use them as a base for soup, whatever you would use caramelized onions for. They'll also last longer that way.

*Use leeks as part of the stuffing when you stuffed peppers or sauté them for a little while, mix with cream cheese and use as a topping for a baked potato.

*Tomato Leek Frittata

·      3 teaspoons olive oil               2 cups sliced leeks (white parts)    Coarse salt and ground pepper

·      1 cup chopped tomatoes        6 egg whites                                   4 egg yolks

·      4 ounces cheese, feta, cheddar, or your favorite variety

Directions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium. Add 2 cups sliced leeks (white parts); season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Cover; cook 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup chopped tomatoes. Cover; cook 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

1.    In another bowl, beat 6 egg whites with salt and pepper to stiff peaks. Whisk in 4 egg yolks.

2.    Brush skillet with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add eggs; sprinkle with vegetables and 4 ounces cheese, pushing slightly under surface. Cook over medium until sides are dry, 3 minutes. Transfer to oven; bake 15 to 20 minutes.

*Caramelized Leek and Potato Gratin

•  2 tablespoons olive oil                                  1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly       3 sweet onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper                                               3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• 2 cups heavy cream

Directions. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Heat oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper and cook until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sage. Let cool slightly. Make a layer of potato slices in a 10 by 10 by 2-inch casserole, season to taste with salt and pepper, spread 1/12 of the onion mixture over the potatoes and coat with 2 tablespoons of the cream. Repeat each step to yield 12 layers. Press down gently on the layers, place the dish on a sheet pan and bake, covered for 25 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and golden brown on top. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

*Leek and  Potato Soup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter                         4 cups young, tender leeks, sliced into thin coins

4 cups new potatoes, sliced into thin coins   6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet or dutch oven. Add the leeks and potatoes and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. Add the stock bring to a boil, cover and cook for 35 minutes. Add salt to taste and serve immediately.

From: Bumblebee Farms, Rich and Lila Brock, Platte Center, NE