The view from the barn on the last morning of 2009. The tiles on the table seem to glow.

The farm crew is gearing up to go to a potluck at a nearby farm – stir fry and vegan cookies are in the works, but there’s talk of leaving early. In the first morning of 2010, duty calls. We’ll be packing boxes with oyster mushrooms, tomatoes, bee pollen, and callaloo.

But anyways, Happy New Year.

We picked the ingredients early, before it got hot – crate upon green crate of red mustard, tatsoi, black kale, yukina savoy, and komatsuna. When it came time to pack half pound bags for the csa in the afternoon, Muriel mixed all the greens on two long tables, arms like salad tongs. Asian mix is my favorite for salads. Most people braise it to take the edge off, but I rather like the the slightly chewy texture, the peppery mustard bite. Unfortunately, there was none left over. I think I will be heading back out to harvest for dinner.