Our third child, Graham (look left), was born this April with much to-do. I'm still not sure his birth fit into the growing season well or not. It was good that he came before too much fieldwork got going, but it got us off our game a bit at the beginning of the season when getting on top of things is really important.
I'm often asked how we actually operate Lida Farm with now three kids and myself with a full-time job. And the only way to explain it is teamwork. Maree and I learned a while ago that both of us trying to do work outside just makes our marriage suffer because we are always arguing about who's "turn" it is to hold the crying baby or catch a kid before he or she drives their trike into the township road. So, we do a constant trade off. When I get home from work, Mar is often in the mood to get away from kids, so I watch them and make dinner as she works outside. Then she does the same for me on other nights and on harvest days. A definite balancing act!
In the box:
Stonehead green cabbage
Broccoli
Silver Rose Garlic
Small amount of braising mix (mix of greens bound with a rubber band)
Arugula (oakleaf-looking green that has a peanut-y taste)
Parsley
Red Norland Potatoes
Chives (to go with the potatoes)
Yellow beans
Summer squash mix (some zucchini, some yellow)
Arugula Pesto
From How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
2 cups arugula, washed and dried
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 T. walnuts or pine nuts, lightly toasted
salt and pepper to taste
Remove any tough stems from the arugula. Place it in a food processor or blender with the garlic, nuts, salt and pepper.
Add a 1/4 cup olive oil and pulse a few times. With motor running add additional olive oil to make a creamy sauce. Use within a day. Goes well with grilled chicken or shrimp.
