Here in Boonville, the weather made a quick turn from cool and wet spring into full on summer. It happened fast and we're trying to keep up.
We've spent the mornings this week pulling the first flush of strawberries off the plants (it hasn't been warm enough for them to actually produce sweet fruit so we don't sell any of the first round of berries) and have the sore leg muscles to show for it. Nacho and Alejandro are almost done setting up irrigation in all of the fields and we're planning on getting the first chiles in the ground on Saturday!
The next few weeks will be spent getting every chile plant and every bean seed into the ground - a truly giant task. We did purchase some new equipment to help us out that I really hope helps with efficiency.
As always, we're incredibly grateful to have such an enthusiastic and food-centric community of people like you who support our farm. As a treat, scroll on down to see the absolutely incredible show that the Northern Lights put on for us above the farm last weekend. I'm taking it as a good sign for a great growing season ahead.
And with that, I should probably go stretch so I can plant chiles on Saturday!
- Krissy and the Boonville Barn Team
- Piment-y Fruit Salad is always a favorite for me. You can swap the fruits for what looks best at the store and use any chile powder you want!
- A definite crowd pleaser? Piment-o Cheese. It is quick to make and can be served with crackers or with an array of raw veggies.
- Looking for something to feed a crowd? Make a double batch of Hot Honey Comapeño Wings. These chicken wings are so full of flavor and are really well balanced between hot and sweet. I might have to make these before the weekend.
- Make a big pot of Boonville White Bean Chili. Have friends bring different toppings and warm up with a big bowl of soup. If you have our beans on hand, use them! And if you don't, a can of white beans will work just fine.
- Whip up some Boonville Boil Shrimp and Grits. It's a warm and cozy meal full of flavor that still feels special.
- And my favorite go-to: Your favorite take-out pizza with plenty of Calabrian chile flakes on top. Eat it with a big green salad and enjoy a board game with friends. And yes, I will drive an hour and fifteen minutes to get my favorite pizza from PizzaLeah in Windsor, CA. If you live in the Marin/Sonoma/Napa/Mendocino county area, go eat PizzaLeah!
Like I said, incredibly right? I took this photo on my phone right outside our house. While it didn't look this vibrant with the naked eye, it is something I will never forget.
