Growing Thymes- May 2010 Newsletter

Posted By Jessie Nichols, on May 6th, 2010

Here chick, chick, chick, chick!!!

Thats right folks, those “peeps” are not just the sugary lingerings of Easter candy. We got our own chicks! Staff member Jessie Nichols, who has been heading up the project as mother hen has been caring for 37 young chicks in the attic of the La Favre barn. The chicks will stay up there for a few more weeks until they have fully feathered out and will then be moved into their coop in the acre. For all you chicken enthusiasts out there, our breeds include Americanas, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Delawares, Rhode Island Reds, Welsummers, Barred Rocks, Black Astralorps, a delightfully puffy Polish, and a bantam French Silkie.

Veggielution owes a special thank you to Sam’s Downtown Feed, which donated not only their knowledge and support, but also all the materials needed for the brooder in addition to necessities for the coop. THANK YOU SAM’S DOWNTOWN FEED!!!

Since young chicks are very sensitive to stress, we ask that volunteers leave them be for now. However, if you are interested in getting some face time in with our future egg laying hens, we have many volunteer opportunities! We are looking for volunteers willing to help with their care. The commitment would involve coming out once a week for about an hour to work help clean, feed and socialize (which is code for cuddle and love!) the chicks. If you are interested in getting in on this chicken-lovin’ goodness, get in touch with Jessie Nichols at JessieN@veggielution.org. One they move out to the coop, they will need to be let in and out of the coop and given fresh water daily so please email Jessie if you would like to be involved (especially on Sundays and Mondays).

Farmstand still kickin’ it!

Veggielution’s farmstand is still alive and well! After our opening in mid-February, the farmstand has been open every Saturday, 2:30-5 in the front of the park. We are selling our produce at a sliding scale fee to ensure that people of all income levels have access to our fantastic vegetables. As both the weather and production are heating up, we have all kinds of exciting things to sell. This month will bring an onslaught of both shelling and snap peas, fava beans, various herbs, broccoli and cauliflower, green onions and garlic and lettuce. We hope to see many of you out, and encourage you to spread the word about the farmstand.

VeggieYouth Paid Summer Program

Hey do you know a high schooler looking for something more exciting than facebooking to do this summer? And do they need some money? Or are YOU a broke teenager looking for something exciting to do this summer? Well, lucky for you, Veggielution has just the thing for you! We are offering PAID summer positions to high schoolers. Our summer program is a 6 week position, in which high schoolers will work Tuesday through Saturday. They will come out to Veggielution for about 20 hours a week and earn a $600 stipend. Time on the farm will include lots of hard farm work, but also lots of fun, a few field trips and an opportunity to learn about health issues, the food system, sustainable agriculture and how to cook! Of course, let us not forget the biggest bonus: hanging out awesome Veggielution youth program coordinators Jessie Nichols and Sally Neas.

Applications materials, as well as more information about the program, can be found on the website. Please feel free to email us with any questions (SallyN@veggielution.org or JessieN@veggielution.org). Applications are due May 15th, so get them done quickly!

Summer Internships available

Look for something cool to do this summer, while also getting experience in farming, working with teenagers or community outreach? Veggielution is offering internships in the fields of farming, youth programming and community outreach. The internships will allow interns the opportunity to get hands on experience in each of these fields. For many information, visit our website.

Volunteer of the Month: Cody Kraatz

He’s a hard working man… and multitalented, at that! Since Veggielution’s Prusch Park ground breaking back in 2008, Cody has been a dedicated and dynamic volunteer. Cody first got involved as a regular volunteer, coming out to workdays. After a 6 month hiatus in South America, Cody returned to the states to find Veggielution in a quick growth period. He quickly hopped back on board and started coming out regularly. Since then has become a work day leader, and is also serving on the community outreach committee. He has been a key player in fundraising efforts as well as the construction of the chicken coop.

Cody says he has enjoyed both learning new gardening skills as well sharing those of his own. He has also enjoyed many great friendships as well as some stronger connections. About his experience at Veggielution, Cody explained, “It has been great meeting cool people and an awesome girlfriend!” Thanks for all of the hard work, Cody!

State of the Farm Address

During the rainy, chilly winter months, it seemed like it would never happen, but spring planting is here! Veggielution staff and volunteers have been working tirelessly to get our summer crops in the ground. These crops include many members of the Solanaceae family, such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Another all-star of our spring planting is the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes cucumbers, melons and squash. In the coming months, these two plant families will come to dominate our harvest.

Speaking of harvest, many staff and volunteers are all joyously celebrating the onset of fava season. These leguminous crops play double duty on the farm: besides being an absolutely delicious source of protein, fiber and nutrition, these beans provide a habitat for nitrogen-fixing bacteria, thus doing wonders for soil fertility. While much of our fava crop was used as cover crop, meaning it was cut down before growing beans, we nonetheless have an ample supply of producing beans. Likewise, we are still harvesting a bountiful quantity of both shelling and snap peas, both of which are also leguminous crops.

As the legume, Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae crops transition in, we are all sad to slowly watch the Brassicas fade away. With increased heat and time, members of the Brassicaceae family- such as broccoli, kale, mustard, cabbage, arugula and collard greens- have started to bolt and go to seed, mandating their removal. A few are still holding on, such as the bountiful sprouting broccoli and cauliflower, but many, such as collards, arugula and kale, have met their demise. This transition from nutty brassicas to tangy and sweet tomatoes, melons, peppers and squash marks the only steady state of our farm: the constant change, happening on a large scale with crop rotations but also on the minute scale of growth, harvesting, flowering and seeding of a plant. This vibrant buzz of change both enlivens and emulates the vibrant community of volunteers and staff surrounding the farm!

Bicycle Powered Salad Spinner

Let us not let baby chicks upstage this new device as “Cool New Thing” of the Month-Veggielution now has it’s own bike powered salad spinner! A vintage Schwinn stationary bike was attached to an old washing machine. Peddaling the bike turns the drum of an old washing machine, which will spin dirt and water off of the salad greens. Besides being extremely fun and a good way to burn off some steam, the salad spinner will save Veggielution staff and volunteers tons of time in the harvesting process. The salad spinner project was headed up by Alex Miller, a volunteer and aerospace engineering student at SJSU. He started the project in late May and worked in conjunction with the help of fellow engineering students at San Jose State. Thanks Alex and to all those volunteers for their work and salad spinner design skills!

Veggie of the Month: Fava beans

Fava beans, also known as broad beans, are actually a type of vetch. Like all legumes, they fix nitrogen in the soil. Many of those planted on the farm this winter were cut down and tilled into the ground, but those left are currently producing their thick, upholstered pods. The beans have a double shell and require shelling twice, making them more work than most beans. When young, the outer shell is tender and pleasantly bitter, but it becomes more bitter with age and most prefer to remove it as the beans get larger. Boiling for one minute will loose their shells and make the shucking process quicker.

Fava beans are native to the Mediterranean and feature prominently in the cuisine of the area. The national dish of Egypt, ful medames, is a spread similar to hummus made of mature, dried fava beans. Tender green favas are a nice addition to pastas.

Pasta with Green Garlic and Favas

2 lbs favas, shucked from their pods, about 1 cup beans

4 stalks green garlic, or 2 larger leeks

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

lemon

1 lb pasta

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Boil water for pasta. If any of your beans are big with opaque shells, drop them in the boiling water for one minute, then scoop them out (don’t dump out the water!) and peel off the shells.

Slice the green garlic lengthwise and make sure there’s no dirt hiding between the leaves, then slice thinly. A minute or so before you are ready to add the pasta to the boiling water, heat the oil in a skillet, then saute the green garlic until tender. Add the beans and stir until they turn a brighter green. Toss the vegetables with the pasta and add cheese if desired. Squeeze lemon juice over it. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and drizzle with a tablespoon more olive oil.

Serves 4.