Transition from Spring to Summer at Native Hill

Hello Folks!

This week officially marks our transition from spring to summer at Native Hill and of course change can be  hard.  Saying goodbye to our spring friends is never easy but the heat will bring summer fruits that will be sure to satisfy just as much as spinach and arugula.  We will have a slight lull variety as we wait patiently for said summer fruits. I often think of July as a vegetable purgatory, in which it is too hot for spring crops, but the summer stuff isn't quite ready
yet.  There will be some main stays heading our way over the next few weeks.  Expect carrots for the 4th of July, walla walla sweet onions the week after that, and beans bringing up the rear (they got hailed on two times, so are a bit later than we hoped).

Head lettuce is back...although it is a little bit shaggy after the hail.  Head lettuce is a personal favorite of mine as I love the colors and textures and robustness of a nice head.  It makes a
fabulous picnic salad, perhaps with some fresh basil, oregano.  Add some feta and olives and perhaps some tender flank steak and commune with the dragon flies who are also feasting this late week in June...but on other things than salad. Or perhaps take that flank
steak and top it with a kale chimichurri sauce.  Serve it with a side of grilled broccoli and a bottle of cold prosecco and you have the perfect meal for a hot evening.  When it gets hot in our house, we like to skimp on the cooking.  Falafel waffles are a quick and easy way to pack in the veggies without turning on your oven.  We make ours with turmeric soaked chick peas and top it with a fresh cucumber and kohlrabi slaw.  Serve with tahini or yogurt sauce and your kids will
ask for seconds.

A quick note on processing head lettuce.  When you are ready to use the head, chop it up and place it in your salad spinner.  Fill salad spinner with water, swish around lettuce, and then pick up the hoper with the leaves and dump out the water.  Repeat.  Then spin it dry and store in the spinner.

Stay cool out there!
Katie

This Week's Harvest

Kale
Collards
Chard
Head Lettuce
Kohlrabi
Turnips
Beets
Spring Onions
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Broccoli
Basil
Ugly Cauliflower