Pickling Cukes!
The Farm is a-buzz with visions of pickles, and the time is now for making them. Pickling cukes are crawling out of their beds and into the rows, lending their spiny green skins to harvesting hands, revealing cool cucumbery flesh… but more so they are ready for pickling!
Did you know? Pickles are loaded with Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Potassium, and are a good source of dietary fiber (the skins!). The combination of hydrating flesh with fibery skins containing silica, K , Magnesium and other minerals make for an awesome, and nutritious snack.
Mmm, Mmm. Pickles, gherkins, baby dills. In a sandwich, on a stick, or by the jar full! These days a majority of pickles are store bought and available in countless vinegar-based varieties. You may have tried your hand at preserving your own or had a generous friend pass on a home-canned jar. Ever had a sour or brined pickle? I remember a kosher deli in the neighbourhood I grew up in, I’d order a bowl of soup, and most of all enjoy the never ending bowl of brined pickles and beets on the counter – YUM! Fermented pickles are easy to make and offer the additional benefits of fermented foods – contributing to a healthy digestive system for starters.
This week the farm has two opportunities for you to engage with Pickling Cukes! Come on over to the Saturday market for pickling cukes, fresh garlic and herbs, in addition to the many other farm fresh offerings. Extra special this week is a free Fermentation Demonstration at the Saturday market! Explore further with the popular Food Preservation by Fermentation workshop on the evening of August 17th. Join Chef Andrea Potter as she guides participants to create cucumber pickles, sauerkraut, and demonstrate kimchi making (check out the previous blog post about Growing Seasons workshops or http://fermentaugust2011.eventbrite.com/ to register).
To avoid finding yourself in a pickle, come learn how to make your own – see you at the farm!
Please join us for our fall 
Since garlic is planted in the Fall, the first harvest is actually in early spring. Garlic greens, around a foot tall, can be used like scallions. The second harvest is late June/early July when the scapes are ready. Scapes are the delicious, curly flower stalks on hardneck varieties. The third harvest, and main event, is of the bulb itself.
Curing prepares garlic for winter storage. It’s the process of allowing excess moisture in the bulb to dry turning the outer skin into a protective papery covering, preventing molding, and sealing in the aromatic oils. We’ve been curing our garlic by hanging bunches in dry, well-ventilated sheds away from direct sunlight. In about two weeks’ time, they’ll be ready! After curing, garlic is best stored in a cool (but not refrigerated), dark, relatively dry environment.
