Morning Song Farm News

Many years ago we bought a mulberry tree whose fruit you've seen in baskets recently. Since then we have bought several other trees only to discover their fruit isn't as fantastic. Last week Farmer Donna searched through invoice archives from 2002 and found the purveyor of the exact trees we are enjoying this season. In horticulture, a cultivar (culivated variety) is always the same. By that I mean an Anna apple from Home Depot and an Anna apple tree from Stark Brothers produces the same, identical fruit. I haven't found that to be true with the mulberry. I bought every last mulberry tree he had, with confidence, because the trees are in fruit this month and I was able to identify for certain I was getting the right trees. I'm told it may be 4 or more years before more planting size trees are available from them! So next year, we can all expect more fruit, and every year after that a little more.

Hey, it's getting hot out here, and I think as the heat approaches it's time to change the Temecula drop off to a later time so greens aren't wilted. We've been getting to Temecula on Tuesdays by 1:00, but would like to put it out there we'd like to change it to much later, say after 4:00 to avoid the worst of the day's heat. That way your baskets haven't been sitting there waiting for the majority of you who pick up after work anyway. Any comments would be appreicated!

The licorce flavored ferny looking herb that could easily be mistaken for dill, is wild fennel. There are two kinds of fennel; one is grown for the bulb, the other is the one in your basket, grown for the ferny top. I tried something interesting that should definately be tried for St. Patrick's Day next year: I followed a standard sugar cookie recipe. I cut maybe a fourth of the fennel bunch tops into the cuisinart with all the sugar required and hit blend. What resulted was a bright (and I do mean shockingly bright) green sugar. I then made those cookies with that sugar. The result was a gently licorce flavored cookie that was so green it looked like it had to be dyed. Try it! Chef Mark Mcdonald says he's using the fennel in a pasta dish.

The wierd looking black-berry kind of fruit is Pakastani Mulberries. Enjoy them fresh right out of their little baskets! Many of our avocados that were burned in October will come back in the next couple years. One hundred of them won't. We plan to replace those 100 with the mulberry tree, which has less water needs. Tell me what you think!

Those little apricot looking fruits in the baskets are loquats. Save the seeds of a particularly good tasting one, and try growing it in a little pot. They do make decent house plants for a few years. they're as easy to start and grow as corn! Also, if you throw the seeds in your garden, many with sprout and grow without even being buried. They make an amazing fruit pie; follow a standard apricot recipe. Last night I made a tropical stir fried chicken with loquats. Here's the receipe: I used Trader Joe's frozen breast meat. I boiled several pieces in a shallow pan until just cooked through. Drain the water (or save for soup later) and cut into strips. Pour a kumquat reduction (recipe again below) over chicken, seed all loquats and leaving skins on, cut in pieces and add to chicken. Slice a few whole kumquats and scatter the rings. Heat again and serve. Finish with a little wild fennel sprig. Kumquat Reduction: Throw all washed kumquats you have in the blender. Add water to ...

I have received an e mail from a much appreciated long-standing supporter about our price increase of March, and would like to share my response. My guess is, many farm members would like to know why in this economic climate Farmer Donna would increase prices. Donna: What is going on with the dynamic invoicing price swings and increases? Are these rates expected to be stable for the next several months? Also, it seems like you just raised the rates.......... Here's my response: Hi ____, I really appreciate your support and understand price increases effect everyone. Two and a half years ago, when diesel fuel was half what we’re paying today, the large basket was 40 a week. Now it’s 44.50. Since fuel costs are a critical component of our produce delivery program, I don’t know what the future holds. Rumors of diesel going to $6 a gallon would certainly effect our weekly basket price, as well as everything else for sale in this country. The basket’s recent price increase was at the en...

1 cup pureed kumquats 2 cups butter 1 TBS vanilla 3 cups sugar 10 large eggs 4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. ginger 1/4 tsp. nutmeg Cream butter with half the sugar. Then add the other half of the sugar, ginger and nutmeg. Beat at high speed for 4 minutes. Add eggs two at a time. At low speed, add flour until blended. Stir in kumquat puree. Turn into greased and floured 10" tube pan. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Invert and remove from pan and cool. Serve with strawberries and freshly made whipped cream.