Morning Song Farm News

We had to do some post harvest juggling this morning as we couldn't fit everything we'd harvested into either the small or large share boxes. As I figured out what to harvest over the weekend, it didn't seem like it would be too much, but standing there in the barn this morning, we all realized I'd over estimated what we could fit in boxes.  So large shares didn't get Swiss chard, chives and basil; and small shares didn't get Lamb's Quarters as I'd hoped. But the good news is; the boxes are full of a beautiful harvest!

Come on out to Morning Song Farm’s beginning cheese making class! Come visit the farm in Rainbow (just south of Temecula and adjacent to Fallbrook) that feeds you and learn something new! We'll focus May 18th's class on a few of the fun and easy cheeses that will easily turn you into a cheese maker! Impress your friends with cheesy gifts and try out a fun and different hobby that brings dividends of appreciation. You may find that you'll discover a passion for cheese as we have here at Morning Song Farm. It's easier than you'd ever think! Follow along with handouts and easy to follow recipes so that your success is insured when you repeat the steps at home. We'll talk about which milk to use, cultures, and why certified organic milk isn't always your best choice. We'll make two or three different cheeses; Garlic Ricotta, Herbed Queso Fresca, Fromage Blanc, Paneer, Feta and Neufchatel cream cheese are among those we choose to make and sample during ...

Since the herb Purslane is so nutrient packed, we've played around with different ways to serve it and here's a farm favorite. Similar to how broccoli is often served with a dipping sauce, arrange your Purslane branches around a dip of your choice and serve chilled. Easy and fun enough for kids and veggie-haters alike to enjoy! As soon as the nights get a little cooler, we won't have anymore in the gardens...Purslane is definitely a summer herb.

Ingredients: 2 avocados 2 cup of steamed rice, chilled. Juice of one lime 1 cup of baby spinach leaves Sea salt to taste Purslane sprigs Halve two avocados and set aside. Dice spinach leaves into one inch squares, combine with broken bits of Purslane, set aside. Combine all other ingredients and then gently blend with the leafy green mix above. Scoop the finished rice mix into your avocado halves and serve immediately.

Purslane and avocados just beg to be combined! The rich creaminess of our Haas avocado is the perfect compliment to the crunchiness of Purslane. Ingredients: Purslane Mashed Avocado Sea Salt Garlic Mustard/horseradish mix (no yellow dye!) Rye bread This little bite appetizer uses Purslane in place of a lettuce or sprout filler. Combine crushed garlic,  avocado, sea salt and mash with a potato masher. Don't use a Cuisinart because it will become too smooth. Coat each piece of bread with the mustard/horseradish mix. Spatula bread with avocado mixture, and top with fresh Purslane. Cut into fours and hold in place with a decorative tooth pick.

We're enjoying perfect purslane weather here in North San Diego and our CSA boxes reflect the bounty. Ingredients: Purslane Flour Ground bread crumbs Beaten eggs Salt Cold pressed coconut or olive oil Combine a half cup of flour with a teaspoon of sea salt. Rinse your Purslane to remove any sand and then roll them in your flour/salt mixture. Now dip in the beaten eggs. Cover each stalk piece with bread crumbs Fry or sauté each stalk until golden brown, and serve with a simple dipping sauce: Ingredients: 16 oz. of unflavored yogurt 3 cloves of fresh garlic 1/2 teaspoon of salt dash of tabasco cup of chopped cilantro Combine cilantro, salt, tabasco, and crushed garlic in a Cuisinart and pulse until smooth. Add yogurt and pulse until combined. Refrigerate until serving.

Nothing new here under the sun, but I'm just so over Carl eating my stuff. I don't know what it is about money and Carl, but he seems to have an other worldly sense for when there's money in an unattended envelope. Yeah, I know I shouldn't have turned my back on Carl with an envelope of 20's on the golf cart, but the level of vigilance that is required to never, ever get your stuff eaten by Carl has proven to be beyond me. Think about how many speeding tickets you'd have by now, if you never, ever, ever, got away with speeding. Not once, not ever. As in, every time you exceeded the limit by even one nanosecond of a mile, bamm, you get a ticket.  Some times the ticket isn't too costly, sometimes it bowls you over, as in... you just can't believe the wreckage of what was formerly known as your living room.  That's what it's like caring for  Carl. There is no elbow room, no margin for error. It's never like, high five that, I'm so lucky C...