Farm Notes
What a difference a new month makes! After a brutal August, the first few days of September have already felt like a very much needed breath of fresh, cool(ish) air. Our fall plants have rebounded from the intense heat over the past few weeks, and we’re continuing to plant heaps more fall greens, carrots, radishes, turnips, beets, etc for a bountiful season ahead.
Thursdays are still our main workday here at the farm, when I’m joined by my friend/fellow farmer Erin all day, and together we knock out some big to-do lists! Erin and I have been farming alongside each other for so long that we’ve established such a strong and smooth rhythm – we can anticipate what the other person needs without saying a word, we know and respect the other person’s strengths and weaknesses, and we both genuinely love farming… even on the toughest, hottest, and dirtiest days. I’m incredibly grateful to have Erin, and several other good friends + neighbors, who are going to step in big time while I’m on maternity leave, and I have full confidence that our little farm is in the very best hands.
Among other tasks, today we “flipped” (ie prepared and planted) 250 ft of bed space – here are some photos that show the progression of some of the beds that we flipped today! These beds started the morning covered by a tarp (as we had recently cut down and smothered a buckwheat cover crop on these beds) and ended being planted in lettuce seedlings and carrot seeds:
Wondering what you can be planting in your fall garden right now? For most climates in the US, now is a great time to plant the following (send me a message if you have questions about how to plant any of these crops): broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, fennel, scallions, leeks, beets, carrots, radishes, turnips, lettuces, cilantro, dill, parsley, etc!
Kitchen Notes
As we prepare for our baby boy to arrive, one thing that I’m whipping up in the kitchen and stashing in our freezer is some delishhh date + almond energy balls! These petite treats are awesome to have on hand, as they are full of healthy fats, protein, and omega-threes and antioxidants… not to mention they taste so dang good. Below I’m sharing my basic recipe for homemade energy balls, but feel free to mix it up and use whatever nuts, spices, etc that you have on hand.
Date + Almond Energy Balls
INGREDIENTS
1 cup pitted Medjool dates (10-12 large dates)
2 cups whole almonds
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder (plus extra for dusting)
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt
Optional toppings: chopped nuts, shredded coconut, cacao powder
INSTRUCTIONS
Soak pitted dates in hot water for 5 minutes, then drain.
Place almonds in a large food processor and process until nearly the consistency of almond meal. Add the dates and pulse until the dates are in very small pieces and fully combined with the ground almonds, and the mixture comes together in a sticky ball.
Add all additional ingredients and process, stopping occasionally to push the mixture down. Process the mixture until it is very smooth and fully blended. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Transfer mixture to a bowl and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. With a spoon or tablespoon, scoop the mixture then roll it into roughly 1-ounce balls.
At this point, you can also roll the balls into an assortment of toppings: finely chopped nuts, shredded coconut, cocoa powder, etc.
Enjoy immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for several months.
Today’s Stats
Low temp: 68F
High temp: 81F
Sunrise: 6:50am
Sunset: 7:43pm
Moon phase: Waning Crescent
Additional notes: Sunny, breezy and beautiful