Bake a Loaf, Take a Loaf

Thursday, July 23rd, 4:30 PM

Bauer Park, Madison, CT, entrance to community plots

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Important notes from the garlic harvest at Bitta-Blue Farm

Susan said:

• garlic likes well-enriched soil. Feed your planted cloves in the fall and early spring
  • good composts to use include seaweed, comfrey, aged manure, and vermicompost
• plant your cloves deep, about the length of your extended hand or a little deeper
• clip off the scapes when they start developing (early/mid-June) to direct energy down to bulb growth
  • scapes are a delicacy–make SGS’s scape scramble, scape pesto etc. You can use scapes as you would cured garlic, keeping in mind that they have a more green, pungent taste
• in the last few weeks before harvest, don’t water much. Droughts are great. Too much water can promote fungal growth
• harvest when about half of the leaves have yellowed and curled. Do NOT wait too long to harvest or else the individual cloves will start to separate
• when harvesting, do not yank from the stem. Instead, use a fork or spade and gently dig around the bulk
• when curing, hang in a dark, dry and well-ventilated place like a garage or barn for two to six weeks
  • the less time your wait, the more green and sharp the flavor will be
  • do not remove roots or stems until you’re ready to bring your head into your kitchen, as this can increase the chances of bacterial pathogens invading

Some key takeaways from Terry Walter’s lesson:

• aim to eat all the colors of the rainbow and all five tastes–sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and pungent
  • example: hot or bell peppers, tomatoes, radishes, carrots, yellow squash, golden beets, leafy greens, blueberries, eggplants, red cabbage, dark chocolate, turnips, etc.
• make use of the good foods you’ve got in your pantry
  • create chilled energy bars packed with nutrition with nuts, seeds, cocoa nibs, chocolate, and nut butter of your choice
• focus on supporting your microbiome by eating homemade fermented vegetables, apple cider vinegar in water, etc.
  • your gut contains billions of bacteria and other microorganisms that co-exist with your intestinal cells and help with metabolism, digestion, immune function, and brain health.
• understand the differences between pickling and fermenting
  • pickling means soaking in an acidic solution to create a tangy, sour flavor
  • fermenting means reacting the food’s sugars with naturally present bacteria on the food’s exterior in a brine  solution
• be flexible and realistic but aim to fuel yourself with locally sourced, organic produce whenever possible