Tuesday, May 19, 2020

We worked in the school garden today.  Farmer Hummingbird came with us to weedeat down all the grass, so if you pass by on one of your walks, you'll see it looks very different now.  Without weekly mowing, the grass had grown very thick.  He also took down the barley field. Cob-weaver and Mosquito saved some plump barley heads, but overall it was a poor crop.  While Farmer Hummingbird worked a mama Scrub Jay and her two babies followed closely behind, picking off any little critters left stranded.  The mama sat on the sundial- the spot I've seen her at for many of my visits- and the babies whined and begged and to their credit tried to forage on their own. It was a delight to watch them.  Crow came also and two Western Bluebirds.  Their was quite a feast in all that tall grass.  When we stood in the newly mowed barley field, we could see tiny spiders- little cob and funnel-weavers running in every direction, ladybugs too.  It was a sad sight, really.  The birds were going after snails and bigger prey.

The two big storms that moved through only added up to 0.44 inches of rain by our rain gauge, so we watered.  The fava bean crop is almost done, at least the one by the garden classroom.  The other one, over by the water tanks was slower because it is shaded all winter by the redwood.  Next Tuesday is s fruit day, so we'll remove the fava beans by the classroom and plant it with corn, squash and beans.

Fava beans are a delicious winter crop and they make the most succulent meal imaginable.  But, they are very difficult to prepare.  I only make it once or twice a season and I need lots of helping hands.  Here is may all time favorite fava bean dish.

Fava Bean Ragout

from Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse Vegetables.

3-4 lbs fava beans
1 large clove garlic
1 sprig rosemary
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
½ lemon
Gnocchi, cooked to package directions

Shell fava beans.  Bring pot of water to boil and add favas, simmer for 1 minute.  Drain and cool immediately with cold water. Pierce outer skin with thumbnail and squeeze each bean out of its skin. Chop garlic fine and strip rosemary leaves and chop fine.  Put fava beans in a pan with ½ water and ½ olive oil, enough to barely cover. Add garlic and rosemary, season with salt and pepper as desired. Bring to simmer, cover and cook until beans are tender, about 5 mins. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with gnocchi.

Farmer Ladybug🐞