The recent harvest slow down has given time to pause and check out the farm’s newest crop—sunn hemp. We have added this legume to our cover crop mix, as it is suits our climate and soil. It grows fast, provides nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil, and it made a good stand.

The USDA says it originated in India and has been grown since the dawn of agriculture. Its uses and benefits are many. We are glad that it came up so well this first attempt.

On the culinary side of things, we feel that the pause gives us all a good reason to clear out the fridge. Below are a couple of recipe options that take into account many items from the last several weeks.

The first is a greens and beans recipe we had a few days ago. We chopped and steamed some roma beans, tossed them with salt, pepper and butter, and then topped it all chive flowers. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan we sautéed onions, garlic and kale.  We then tossed it with pasta and topped with grated cheese and sunflower seeds.

Chances are you have some hot peppers stashed in the crisper drawer. Member Merri Dillinger posted a recipe for candied jalapenos on our Facebook page. Another option is roasting.

I used to roast my peppers by cutting them in half, cleaning out the seeds and membrane, and broiling until charred. A much better way is to put away the knife initially and simply roast the peppers whole. Turn them once when they start to blister. When both sides are done put them in a bowl with a plate over it. Let them steam about 5 minutes and peel. They are great on sandwiches, in potato salads, or to spice up some greens and beans.