Farm Notes
This week was mostly spent inside “computer farming,” and I was able to put the finishing touches on our 2021 planting plan. The planting plan I make is a visual one – it’s a master spreadsheet that maps out on overhead view of each row of the garden, and for every month I make a new “sheet” to show how the rows will change over the course of the growing season. To help you visualize what I’m talking about (and to offer you a template to use if this is helpful for you), here is an excerpt of our planting plan, where you can see our plan for the months of March and April.
In the planting plan, I also include information about how a certain crop will be spaced within the row (for example, when we plant tomatoes, I include info that we will plant one row of tomatoes down the middle, and each plant is spaced 18” apart). I also mark on the spreadsheet the expected planting date – which I’ll update after we do the actual planting, as my expected planting dates aren’t always correct! I also have a “sheet” titled Seeding Calendar, where I keep track of when I need to start seeds to have them ready to transplant into the garden at the right time. While I work with other farms/nurseries to start the majority of our seedlings, I enjoy starting my own seeds for things that are a bit funky (like edible flowers), and for seeds that only take a few weeks to start (like anything in the cucurbit family - cucumbers, zucchini, etc). Not sure when to start seeds indoors? Here’s a great guide that is customized by zip code that is an awesome resource!
I find that this process of mapping out the whole season is incredibly helpful, and means that when thousands of seedlings arrive and are ready to be planted, I know exactly where they are going to go. It’s also useful for planning out next year (ie 2022), because I make sure to rotate different crop families - ex: I’ll make sure that I don’t plant our brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale, etc) in the same place two years in a row. The reason we rotate crops is to ensure we don’t deplete the soil of nutrients, and because it really helps with pest/disease management to move the different crop families around each season. For more information about crop rotation and why it’s important, check out this article.
If you have a home garden, you can definitely still make a planting plan, even if you have a much smaller space! Just create a layout for your garden space on a spreadsheet (or even with pen on paper) and start filling in details about where certain plants will go and when you plan to plant them.
If you have questions about this process, I’m happy to help! Feel free to leave a comment below, or submit your questions here, which I’ll do my best to answer at our next Zoom Q & A session (which will be on Sunday, February 21st @ 3pm EST).
A snapshot of our April planting plan.
Kitchen Notes
Most of our dinners start with the same question: What ingredient do we have a lot of in the pantry (or fridge)? Tonight, I realized we had heaps of polenta on our hands – and while I don’t have any concerns about the polenta going bad in the pantry – I immediately went to my mental list of recipes that involve polenta. The most delicious thing that popped into my head is exactly what I decided to make… it’s my take on Shrimp & Grits, which I call Saucy Shrimp & Polenta. If you’re new to polenta… they are just like grits (and in my potentially blasphemous opinion, better than grits)! Here’s a helpful article about polenta if you’re curious to learn more.
This isn’t the most “seasonal” meal (considering it’s the dead of winter and the main veggies are peppers and tomatoes), but thankfully I had a bunch of peppers and cherry tomatoes stashed in our freezer from the height of last summer’s growing season. But even if you don’t have home-grown veggies at hand, sometimes you just gotta make what you’re craving, even if it’s not exactly in season.. ya know? I firmly believe there should never be shame when it comes to home cooking.
So here’s my recipe – which, I’ll admit, looks way longer/more complicated than it actually is! When it comes to making the saucy shrimp, it’s all about creating layers of flavor – starting by cooking the bacon, and then the seasoned shrimp in the bacon fat, followed by the aromatics and veggies, and finally adding liquid to bring it all together together. With each step, you’re creating layers of complex flavor that will be totally worth it in the end, I promise!
Saucy Shrimp & Polenta
INGREDIENTS
For the Polenta
3 cups whole milk
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 cups polenta
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Freshly ground pepper
For the Saucy Shrimp
4 slices bacon, diced
1 lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined, tails removed
2 teaspoons Old Bay (or preferred seasoning mix)
1 small yellow onion (or shallot), finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 yellow, red, or orange bell peppers, finely diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup heavy cream or half & half (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Polenta
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, water, olive oil, and salt and bring to a simmer over high heat. Be careful, as this mixture can boil-over quickly!
Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in the polenta, stirring constantly until it thickens, 10-15 minutes, adding more water or milk as needed.
Turn the stove off and stir in the parmesan cheese and butter. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If the polenta seems too thick, just add a bit more water or milk.
For the Saucy Shrimp
Begin by patting the shrimp dry and tossing in a bowl with 2 teaspoons of Old Bay (or your preferred seasoning) and set aside.
Cook the diced bacon over medium-high heat in a large non-stick skillet until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, transferring to paper towels to drain. Set aside. Pour off all but 2-3 tablespoons of bacon fat.
Add the seasoned shrimp to the skillet and cook in the bacon fat over medium-high heat until only just cooked and no longer translucent – about 2 minutes total, stirring as needed to make sure all sides are cooked. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.
If the skillet looks try, add another tablespoon or two of bacon fat (or butter or olive oil). Add the diced onions, minced garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt into the skillet and cook over medium heat until softened and beginning to brown, 4-5 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, cumin, paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and stir until well combined and fragrant, about a minute. Stir in the diced peppers and coat in the tomato paste and spices and cook for another minute over medium-high heat.
Add 1/2 cup dry white wine to the pan and use a flat wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet (this is where the flavor lives)! Once the wine has reduced by about half, stir in 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and stir in 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, but will help thicken the sauce). Allow the sauce to simmer over medium heat for 4-5 minutes to soften the peppers and reduce the liquid.
Add the bacon, shrimp, and halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet and stir to combine. Add 1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar and 1/2 cup heavy cream (if using). Simmer gently for another few minutes, or until the sauce reaches a consistency to your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
To Serve
Warm the polenta over very low heat, if needed. If the polenta is too thick, add a bit of milk or water to thin and stir well to combine.
Scoop the creamy polenta into bowls to serve an top with the saucy shrimp. Garnish with fresh green herbs (like chives or parsley) and enjoy!
Today’s Stats
Low temp: 28F
High temp: 41F
Sunrise: 7:20am
Sunset: 5:41pm
Moon phase: Waning Gibbous
Additional notes: COLD and clear all day.