With Halloween this Saturday, many observe the spooky traditions enjoyed on this evening. One probably overlooked, however, involves a seasonal vegetable received often during the fall months: Kale.
Yes, this trendy salad green was used as a matchmaking tool in historic Scotland and Ireland. October 31 marks the last day of the ancient Celtic calendar. According to ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, the supernatural, including spirits, were free to roam the night and into the morning of November 1. This represented the blurring of lines between this world and the next. Celts believed the presence of these spirits allowed for the Celtic priests to better predict the future.  During the festival to ward off bad spirits, the youth would participate in superstitious activities that they believed to bring good fortune and predict their marital statuses. One of these festivities, Pou (Pull) the Stalks, required the young, eligible men and women to uproot kale stalks while blindfolded. After choosing their respective stalks, each stalk would be analyzed to discern information about each participant’s future spouse.

Characteristics of the stalks revealed signs about their future partner. For example, a short  and stunted stalk meant the participant’s future spouse would be just that, short and stalky. The flavor, as well, determined the disposition of the potential partner such as bitter or sweet. Moreover, the amount of dirt remaining on the stalk post determined the dowry size one was to expect from their future husband or wife’s family. If the root was clean, poverty was in store.

Today, kale is no longer viewed as a clairvoyant tool that could give websites like Eharmony a run for their money. If you would prefer to eat kale instead of utilizing its predictive powers, here’s a recipe for Colcannon , a traditional kale dish cooked on Hallows’Eve.  Remember though, if someone finds a mysterious ring in her food, she will be the next to marry. However, beware of the thimble –this forecasts a life of loneliness. The safest bet may be just to stick with candy.
Happy Halloween!
Colcannon
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 25 min.
Ingredients:
●4 russet potatoes
●2 Tbsp salt
● 5-6 Tbsp unsalted butter (extra butter needed for serving)
●3 lightly packed cups of chopped kale
●½ cup of minced green onions (about 3 green onions incl
uding their greens)
●1 cup of milk or cream
Steps:
1.Place the potatoes in medium pot. Fill the pot with cold water so the potatoes are covered by at least an inch.
2.Add salt and bring to boil. Boil potatoes until tender (15 to 20 minutes.) Drain in the colander.
3.  Set pot over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the pot, adding the greens once hot.
Cook the kale for 3-4 minutes. (The kale should be wilted and given off some of its
water.)
4.Add the green onions and cook for 1 minute longer.
5.Pour in the milk or cream and mix well.
6.Add the potatoes. Reduce heat to medium.
7.Mash potatoes with a fork or potato masher, mixing them with the kale.
8.Add more salt for taste if necessary. Serve hot with 1-2 Tbsp of butter in the middle.
Variation: Sub out half of the potatoes for parsnips. Add chives, leeks, or bacon too.

Story from Small Farm Central. This recipe was first published by Simple Recipes

Entitled “The Cromartie Fool”by Richard Waitt, this portrait depicts the jester of a
Scottish laird who presided over Halloween festivities. After men and
women pulled out the stalks of kale, they would make torches out of them by placing candles at the top. This portrait is displayed in the National Galleries of Scotland.

Did you know there’s a connection between Halloween and one of our top crops, Kale?  Its an ancient story of love, matchmaking, and potatoes. Get inspired to bring kale into your celebration, and maybe even love life, by reading the story here.

 
In other green news, Rick Martinez the founder of the farm was recently awarded the Green Godfather Award by Creative Loafing at the Best of the Bay awards!  Rick would like to thank the community for this award, “I feel this is an award for everyone who has contributed to Sweetwater over the years.  We have all been pioneers in the local food movement together, our farm teams, volunteers, and most of all, our many members who have made it all possible.  We are all Green Godfathers by doing our part in creating a better, more sustainable Tampa”.

 
Now, we are looking for a couple of folks to volunteer in our Yoga classes and at Planter’s Ball.  We need a couple volunteers who are Yoga Alliance 200 hour certified yoga teachers and who’d be interested in volunteer teaching at the farm for the karma. If you’re interested please contact Susan at susaneoliver@gmail.com

 
Planter’s Ball is coming up on November 14th and we still need a lot of volunteers to make this event a success.  Please email us at volunteer@sweetwater-organic.org if you’re able to come help.  We have volunteer tasks throughout the day that range from set up, break down, food prep, serving food, and kids activities.  You also get to come for free if you volunteer!

Things are coming to life again at Sweetwater!  Plants are green in the ground, our tractors and cooler are humming along again (a few tractors and our trusty cooler were exhausted– very Hollywood– after last season and have been pampered and prepped for the growing season ahead.  In fact our cooler is now a CoolBot diva. So cool. Burr.), we’re welcoming new faces and looking for some new faces at the farm.

Hailing from Georgia, Florida and Connecticut, our three Farm Apprentices for the 2015-2016 season have arrived in Tampa to learn the basics of organic agriculture and to get their hands dirty.  Sean, Marissa, and Jess are in the farm house and have been planting, laying irrigation, prepping fields and seeding like they were born to do it.  At the end of September, our Education Apprentice will join the team to hone her skills in Farm to School education.

As we get ready for the start of the season we are looking for some great volunteers to join the team on Sundays during the Farmers’ Market.  Our wonderful Yoga Coordinator, Susan, is looking for volunteers who are Yoga Alliance 200 hour certified yoga teachers.  If you are interested in volunteering for the karma please contact Susan at susaneoliver@gmail.com.

We’re also looking for people that love to cook and to share cooking knowledge!  We’re seeking a few volunteers who would teach 30-60 minute cooking demos for visitors to our market.  Specifically, recipes that are easy, healthy, and feature seasonal Florida vegetables.  We can cover supplies and have the equipment– we just need excited cooking teachers.  Please contact Kaitlin at programs@sweetwater-organic.org if you are interested.

Got a fridge you’d like to volunteer to the farm?  We are looking for a couple mini fridges and a regular sized refrigerator to help our daily operations! This donation can be used as a tax deduction.  Please contact us if you have a spare fridge.

To keep our minds focused on the good, healthy organic food that now is a few months away, I am offering you a selection of really fine books to (mentally) keep your taste buds hoppin’. Every home cook I know likes a challenge and wants new ideas. So my choices for this summer include some stretches for both my knowledge base of vegetables and the science of preservation.

Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison (Ten Speed Press) was designed to be a new standard reference for cooking vegetables. Deborah has eleven cookbooks to her name and is known for simple, seasonal vegetable cooking. This book is organized around “families” of vegetables e.g. carrot family, mint family, cabbage family, lily family and each section details the biology of the family along with varieties of vegetables in the family and some helpful kitchen wisdom. The recipes in each section are quite compelling (“Carrot Almond Cake with Ricotta cream,” “Tangled Collard Greens with Sesame”, “Chilled Beet Soup.”).

The book also provides a “Source” section, where to find hard-to-find ingredients like grains and grain products for those of us who like everything organic.

The Vegetarian Flavor Bible by Karen Page (Little Brown and Company) is a compendium of knowledge about taste. “It is an essential reference for flavor pairings and affinities to help usher in today’s emerging vegetable-driven cuisine.” What has amazed me about this book is the very thoughtful way each vegetable and spice is described. While the book is not a recipe book it references many excellent books that are easy to find. Take, for example, Kohlrabi. I have long wondered what to do with this vegetable but this book gave me many, many options and suggests that kohlrabi can be paired with apples, lemon and mustard to make an interesting and healthy slaw. Also worth reading is the history of Vegetarianism (Chapter 1) and Chapter 2, “Creating a New Compassionate Cuisine.”

The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz (Chelsea Green Publications) is, perhaps, the most challenging book in my reading list. As noted on the book jacket,  this book offers “the most comprehensive and definitive guide to do-it-yourself home fermentation ever published.” Readers will find detailed information on fermenting just about anything and everything in the food world from sauerkraut and pickling techniques from all over the world to fermenting beers and growing cultures for sourdough bread.  There is even a section on making your own herbal elixers. So, if you’d like a book to really study over the summer this one will give you hours of new information. Even the James Beard Foundation gave a “thumbs up” to this book!

Brassicas: Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables by Laura B. Russell (Ten Speed Press) is a book every CSA cook should own. This year we had a grand bounty of brassicas and with this book in hand you will never run out of delicious ways to prepare all these healthy and nutritious veggies.  The first chapter provides all the basics with flavor profiles of each vegetable, storage and prep tips, and cooking techniques. Laura Russell walks us through Kale to Cabbage and on to the leafy brassicas we have grown to love and appreciate offering new tastes like “Curried Collard Greens,” “Spanish Tortilla with Mustard Greens,” and “Garlicky Stir-Fried Bok Choy.” The book concludes with a special section on brassicas and your health.

The photos in this book are fabulous, too.

The Gardener and the Grill by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig (Running Press) is a book that provides great tips and recipes for grilling just about anything that comes from the garden. Many people I know shy away from grilling as vegetarians thinking that the grill is reserved for carnivores but these two women show us ways to make grilling a technique that works for most veggies. The book provides recipes for many sauces and “accompaniments”. There is even a special section on how to gripp flatbreads and pizzas. And, if you’ve never eaten a grilled carrot, you are in or a treat!

Hope to see all of you at the farm come November!

Ahhh, and now we are at the end. The finish of each season reminds me of when I was back in school– saying goodbye to all the new friends you’ve made and people you’ve gotten to know, reflecting on the work you’ve done over the year, and looking forward to planning the next year. It is amazing how many people put work into this farm and all of its programs. We would like to thank the following individuals for the time, skills, and good vibes they have dedicated to our farm this season.

Caroline Garber, Casey Boduch, Hallie Bruckner, & Nat Ratchen– thank you for your endless work in the fields and humor as our farm apprentices!

Kristie Babbage, Zak Eubank, & Jenise Carr– thank you all for being such amazing farm interns!

Tracy Copes and Caitlyn Corrao– thank you for your beautiful design work and being a huge part of our grassroots network!

Emily Petrilli, Debra Fournier, Katherine Alexandria, Rachel Naeyaert, Anna Spasov, Lisa Streater, and Luke Goodwill– thank you for thoughtfully teaching students where their food comes from each week!

Suzanne Young– thank you for jumping in with both feet for outreach events and workshops and helping in so many ways!

Michi Wischenewski– thank you for being the first line of contact for our volunteers!

Mike Handley, Papos Frassica, and Jerrod Simpson– thank you for bringing the market the best music the bay has to offer each Sunday!

Becky Ashby, Katherine Alexandria, Brian Mason, Erin Saucer, Leah Vicencio, and Sarah Simmons– thank you for your committed work in the produce stand for the entire season!

Susan Oliver, Gururas Khalsa, and Katherine Ciuba– Thank you for teaching a variety of yoga each Sunday!

Deborah Garber, Nancy Greenless, Virginia Overstreet, Any Lab Test Now!, and Deborah Sullivan– thank you for going a step further and opting to be a Friend of the Farm. Your generous contributions and membership allow us to keep growing and educating our community on where their food comes from.

Farm and Events volunteers– thank you to all the individuals who came out to the farm and participated in our annual events this year. Thank you for battling the rain, heat, bugs, and helping to make it all come together.

We look forward to seeing everyone next season and we’d love to see you at one of our TLC 4 TNC volunteer days this summer.

With less than two weeks of our harvest season left we are starting to batten down the hatches for summer. As we clear the fields we are starting our till and compost routine to prepare the land for the cover crop. This summer’s cover crops are Sunn Hemp and Sesbania. The purpose of a cover crop is to replenish the soil with nutrients, add organic matter to the soil, and to keep weeds at bay during the off-season.

A friendly reminder to our CSA members that 05/31 is the last day to renew at the discounted rate, which you can do by clicking here.

While our normal volunteer schedule will end June 7th please keep an eye out for special volunteer days throughout the summer. If you would like to be put on the volunteer mailing list, please input your email in the white box at the bottom of this screen.

The peppers are poppin’. We’ve got red ones, green ones, and lime green ones too. As you continue to see another new variety of pepper this week, let’s do a little pepper identification.

Ace Bell Peppers: Your classic dark green bell pepper.

Lunch Box Peppers: Small dark green peppers. The sweetest pepper in the bunch, great raw or cooked.

Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers: Lime green, elongated pepper. Not as hot as its name makes it sound, this pepper has mild heat. Very good thinly sliced in salad, wraps, or on pizza.

Capperino Pepper: Red, round peppers. Moderate heat, and best known for being good for stuffing or pickling. Can be cooked or eaten raw. One farmer is looking forward to stuffing their capperinos with goat cheese and baking them.

Remember, this Sunday, May 24th is the finale market. We’ll have yoga, a farm tour & open house with founder Rick Martinez, Herbal Safety workshop and all your favorite vendors from 12-4pm. To see where your market vendors will be this summer please check out our Summer Vendor Listing.

CSA members please check the pick up schedule as the CSA share continues after the market closes for the season.

Thank you for coming out to the market this season and supporting local agriculture and our nonprofit’s educational programs!