By Joe Dennis, Nostalgia Farms, Walcott, IA
One positive effect of this summer’s early and intense heat has been that many crops are fairly happy about it, and produce is starting to roll into the Farmers Market . Beans, summer squash, cucumbers, sweet corn and even tomatoes are starting to show up at the market and on the menu at Fresh Deli.
When we were young, our Belgian neighbor grew the best cantaloupe. He raised rabbits and saved buckets of manure to be ‘planted’ in a deep hole for his few hills of melon. Many books now confirm this method of planting as
the best way to grow cucumbers and melons. It is labor intensive but works great — and you’ll find less stress from insects and disease when your plants have access to a deep bed of compost.
One of the newest additions to our menu at Fresh Deli has been cold soup. A refreshing bowl of cucumber and mint, beet with buttermilk or even a melon soup seems to hit a chord with european pharmacy online anyone wanting a light, cool lunch or dinner option. Cold soups are a quick way to get ready for a crowd, but since most have only a few ingredients it is essential to use the freshest ingredients you can find.
Cucumber, mint and yogurt soup
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Joe Dennis is a farmer at Nostalgia Farms in Walcott, Iowa. Together with his partner, Ed Kraklio, they sell locally-grown, organic produce at the Freight House Farmer’s Market in downtown Davenport, IA near LeClaire Park, every Tuesday (3-6 pm) and Saturday (8 am -1 pm). You can visit the farm’s website at: www.nostalgiafarms.com. Read more of Farmer Joe’s blog posts on MVHNews, or try any of the Nostalgia Farms recipes on this website. |
