Farm Share Newsletter July 20 2019

First garlic, last cabbage

Yes, it’s the third week in a row we are giving out cabbage. But it’s the last for awhile (probably until September/October). Cabbage will keep in your fridge for 1-2 months if in a bag. This week we are also giving out some of the freshly harvested garlic. This garlic is uncured, so keep it in the fridge. Uncured garlic really means garlic that has not been dried. When you use it, you’ll find that there is a hard layer encasing the cloves; this would eventually dry out and become papery. Just peel it off and use the cloves as you would any garlic.

Broccolini is in your share this week. It’s a cross between Chinese broccoli and European broccoli that has very tender and sweet stems, leaves and buds. The entire plant is edible and can be sautéed or stir fried.

Farm Tour

Join us at 10:00 AM on 7/27 for a guided farm tour. This is open to the public and will be a walking tour. The tour will be tailored to the interests of the attendees.

Pesto Party

Come learn to make pesto! We will make the classic and a few non-traditional types of pesto, using food processors and a mortar and pestle, then taste them all on some good bread! Potluck to follow. -Aaron

Vegetables

Green Beans or Cucumbers Lettuce Carrots or Beets Yellow Squash/Zucchini Cabbage Garlic Broccolini

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage, Basil Flowers Bachelor’s Button, Nasturtium, Fancy Pants Daisy, Cerinthe, Snap Dragon, Sweet Pea, Shasta Daisy, Poppies

Macaroni & Cheese Lite

1/2 lb dry pasta

2 tbsp butter

2 cups chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced

4 cups shredded cabbage, about 1/2 head (you could add some broccolini to this as well)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 lb cottage cheese

1/2 cup buttermilk or yogurt

2 tbsp fresh dill, minced

2 cups grated cheddar

handful sunflower seeds

Heat oven to 350, grease a 9x13 pan. Cook pasta until just tender, drain and dump in large bowl. Melt butter in a large deep skillet, add onions, cook 5 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, cabbage, salt and caraway. Cook covered until cabbage is just tender. Add to pasta. Stir in cottage cheese, buttermilk, dill, pepper, and half the cheese. Add more salt if needed, spread into pan, top with remaining cheese and sunflower seeds. Bake uncovered 20-30 minutes. from The Moosewood Cookbook

Zucchini- Crusted Pizza

2 cups packed grated zucchini

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup grated mozzarella

1/2 cup grated parmesan

fresh herbs

2 tbsp olive oil

Heat oven to 400, oil and flour a 10 inch pie pan. Combine zucchini, eggs, flour, cheeses and herbs and 1 tbsp olive oil; mix well. Spread into prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes. Remove to cool a few minutes, then loosen from pan. Top with your favorite toppings, bake at 400 until heated through. from The Moosewood Cookbook

Cabbage Salad with peanuts

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup plus 1 T rice vinegar

3 tbsp brown sugar or honey

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

7-8 cups shredded cabbage

crushed red pepper to taste

garnish: 1/2 cup peanuts

grated carrots

fresh cilantro

In a large bowl, mash peanut butter and hot water until uniform. Mix in vinegar, sugar, salt, soy sauce and sesame oil. Add cabbage in 2 cup increments, mixing well after each addition. Add red pepper to taste. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate 4 hours. Add garnishes right before serving. adapted from Still Life with Menu by Mollie Katzen

Farm Share Newsletter July 9, 2019

The July Garden

Early to mid July is a very distinct time in the garden. We’ve started to get some hot days, and the soil dries out between rains. Lots of plants have green fruits- the melons, peppers, tomatoes- that are using this heat to ripen. I’m going to head off the tomato question by saying it will be a few weeks before you get them in your share. (I won’t be any more specific than that!) So far the “peak summer” crops look healthy and vigorous. This year I’ve planted more zucchini than yellow squash since it seems to disappear faster. It’s also easier to harvest since the plants are more open, so that means fewer scratched arms for us! Last year’s problem with onion thrips appears to be a non-issue this season. The onions are now enlarging their bulbs, and we will probably give out the first sweet onions in a few weeks.

Fennel (Anise, Florence Fennel)

What to do with this anise flavored vegetable that looks like a flattened onion? The bottom is the part you eat; the stalks are usually not used, but you can use the leaves. For using raw, it’s best to slice the bulb very thin across the grain. If you’re going to cook it, make thicker slices. Cooking mellows the anise flavor, becoming soft and sweet. It pairs well with Italian sausage, makes a good pizza topping, or, if you want to try something really good, makes a delicious pesto (recipe on back). -Aaron

Vegetables

Green Beans or Cucumbers Lettuce Carrots Yellow Squash/Zucchini Cabbage Scallions Fennel

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage, Basil

Okonomiyaki

Half a small head of cabbage

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 cup all purpose flour

2 large eggs

1/2 cup water

9 slices bacon (optional, I usually don’t add it)

other shredded/diced vegetables (onion, carrot, garlic)

Finely shred the cabbage and combine with the scallions and flour and toss to distribute everything evenly. I usually mix it with my hands. Add eggs and water and whisk together until it’s all evenly incorporated. If you want to add other ingredients, this is the time to add them. Lay out the bacon in a cold pan, overlapping the slices slightly. If you aren’t using bacon then add a few tablespoons of oil. Add enough of the cabbage mixture to cover the bacon about 3/4 inch thick. Cover with a lid and cook until well browned, 7 minutes. Flip the okonomiyaki and cook uncovered another 7 minutes. I like this with tamari or a mixture of tamari, rice vinegar and sesame oil.

Roasted Fennel Pesto

1 cup chopped fennel bulb

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds

3/4 cup fennel fronds

2 cloves garlic salt

Preheat oven to 400. On a rimmed baking sheet toss fennel with a little olive oil and roast, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 12 mins. Meanwhile, scatter almonds on another sheet and toast 5 minutes. Let both cool a bit. In a food processor or blender, pulse fennel, fronds, garlic and 1/2 cup olive oil until pureed.Add almonds and 1/4 cup oil, season with salt and pulse to combine. Add remaining oil and pulse. from Serious Eats (Daniel Gritzer)

Zucchini Fritters

1 lb grated zucchini

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp lemon juice

1 large egg

1/2 cup flour

3 scallions, minced

1 tsp minced thyme

1 tsp minced basil

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup oil

Salt and drain zucchini with 1 tsp salt for 10 minutes, then press out excess water. Wrap in a towel and squeeze out water. Mix sour cream, garlic, zest, juice and pinch salt to make sauce. Mix squash with egg, flour, scallions, herbs, zest, salt and pepper in large bowl. Heat oil in large skillet until hot. Drop tablespoons of batter, flatten slightly, brown on both sides. Serve with dipping sauce. Can be reheated under the broiler. adapted from simply recipes.com

Farm Share Newsletter July 6, 2019

Slaw Season Starts

Cabbage is often though of as a cool weather crop, but I find that our early cabbage crop is in some ways superior to the fall and winter crop. The cabbage in your share has grown very quickly, and has gotten plenty of rain, so it’s extra tender, mildly flavored and juicy. I recommend making slaws with it because it really needs no cooking. The carrots and scallions are natural partners. If you want something lighter than the traditional slaw, citrus juice and herbs with a little olive oil are refreshing, and I’ve also made an Indian spiced slaw which has cumin seeds bloomed in oil that you pour over the cabbage. If you’ve still got kohlrabi kicking around, shred that and add it to your slaw. Don’t know what to do with the choi? Even that could be chopped up and added to a slaw.

Hail storm

Last week after pickup, a powerful thunderstorm dropped some hail on us. Some of the vegetables in your share, mostly the peas, squash and lettuce may have some scars or holes from the hail. The damage is mostly cosmetic, and won’t affect flavor. -Aaron

Vegetables

Snap/Snow Peas Lettuce Carrots Yellow Squash/Zucchini Cabbage Scallions Fennel

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage, Basil

Bowties with Sugar Snaps, Ricotta and Lemon

1 lb sugar snap peas, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 lb bowtie pasta

1/2 cup finely grated pecorino romano

olive oil

sea salt

black or red pepper flakes

juice of 1 lemon

few leaves mint

1 cup ricotta

Cook pasta, then add peas three minutes before it would be done. Drain, reserve 1 cup pasta water. Add back to pot with 1/2 cup pasta water, grated cheese, a few tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss over high heat for a minute, adding more water if it looks dry. Take off heat, dollop with ricotta, tip into serving bowl. Drizzle with oil, lemon juice, sprinkle with mint and extra grated cheese. from smittenkitchen.com

Roasted Fennel Pesto

1 cup chopped fennel bulb

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds

3/4 cup fennel fronds

2 cloves garlic

salt

Preheat oven to 400. On a rimmed baking sheet toss fennel with a little olive oil and roast, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 12 mins. Meanwhile, scatter almonds on another sheet and toast 5 minutes. Let both cool a bit. In a food processor or blender, pulse fennel, fronds, garlic and 1/2 cup olive oil until pureed.Add almonds and 1/4 cup oil, season with salt and pulse to combine. Add remaining oil and pulse. from Serious Eats (Daniel Gritzer)

Creamy Coleslaw

8 cups shredded green cabbage

3 carrots, shredded

1/4 sweet onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

3 tbsp cider vinegar

3 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp mayonnaise

1/2-3/4 tsp celery seed

salt and pepper

Combine cabbage, carrots and onion in large mixing bowl. Stir together buttermilk, vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise and celery seed in another bowl. Pour over cabbage mixture and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. It will be dry, but the longer it stands the wetter it will become. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. adapted from Serving Up the Harvest, by Andrea Chesman

Farm Share Newsletter June 29 2019

Mark Bittman Edition

It’s the end of June, and the garden is growing quickly in the long hours of sunshine. Tomato plants have small green fruits, zucchini are forming, beans are flowering, and we are trying to keep up with all of it. Now, I am planning fall and winter crops; we planted late season carrots and rutabaga on Monday, and the last of the winter squash gets planted this week. I need to think one season ahead, and at the same time, pay attention to the needs of the current moment. Our first “storage crop” harvest will be garlic, which is usually ready mid July. This is the garlic we have pulled the scapes from, which will be given out, once cured, starting in late August.

Gleaning/U-Pick

For certain crops, once production wanes, we open them up for gleaning. I use the word gleaning when there’s still some to harvest, but not in great quantities. I’ll say U-Pick for times when there is still an abundance of that crop to harvest. Flags or markers are set up to guide you to the right area.

Basil

Just a reminder that when picking basil, pinch off the top set of leaves. Don’t cut the whole plant. This way it will regrow for more harvests. -Aaron

Vegetables

Peas or Broccoli Lettuce Turnip or Beet Yellow Squash/Zucchini Kohlrabi Garlic Scapes Pac Choi

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage, Basil

Braised and Glazed Broccoli from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic (or scapes!)

salt and pepper

1 pound broccoli, trimmed and broken into florets

1 tablespoon lemon juice chopped

parsley leaves for garnish

Put the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Then add the broccoli and 1/4 cup of water. Cover the pan. Cook, uncovering and stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is just tender, 10 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat, and cook out all but a little of the remaining water. Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice, drizzle with some more oil, garnish with parsley, and serve.

Barley Salad with Peas - same cookbook

1 cup pearled barley

salt

1/2 pound snap or snow peas, roughly chopped

3 or 4 scallions, chopped

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons lemon juice (more to taste)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup yogurt

1/2 cup fresh chopped dill, mint, or parsley leaves, or a mix

1. Rinse barley and put it in a saucepan with water to cover by at least 2 inches. Add a large pinch of salt and cook over medium- high heat, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender, about 20 minutes from when the water boils. Drain and spread on a plate to cool (or rinse under cold water). 2. Meanwhile, chop the peas and scallions. Whisk together the lemon juice, oil, and yogurt. Set aside until the barley is cool. 3. When the barley is cool, toss it in a large bowl with the veggies, sprinkle with black pepper, and then add the dressing and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add herbs, toss all together, and serve.

Stir-Fried Vegetables, Vietnamese Style - same cookbook

1/4 cup neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn

broccoli florets in about 1 inch pieces

salad turnips, sliced

snow or snap peas, ends trimmed

1 medium to large onion, thinly sliced

2 dried chiles

1 tablespoon minced garlic (or scapes)

2 tablespoons fish or soy sauce (more to taste)

1 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)

salt

Put 1 tablespoon of the oil in a nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. When hot, add the broccoli. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about a minute, then add 2 tablespoons water. Continue to cook and stir until the vegetable is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and repeat the process with the turnips and then the peas. Put a little more oil in the pan and then add the onion. Cook over high heat, stirring once in a while, until it softens and begins to char, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chiles and garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup water, the sauce, and the pepper; return the cooked vegetables to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is combined and lightly sauces, then taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt if necessary, and serve.

Farm Share Newsletter June 19 2019

Sharing bin, Compost

I want to point out a few things that might make your time in the farm stand a bit more satisfying. When you walk in, to your right is a black bin on the floor, which is the sharing bin. If there’s something in this week’s share that you don’t like or won’t use, place it in the bin, don’t just skip over it. If you see something in the bin you’d like, take it! You don’t have to give something up to take something from the bin. Sometimes we will give you a choice between several vegetables. This will be indicated on the board when we write something like “Turnips or Radishes”. That means you can take one bunch of either turnips or radishes, not both. This is important because everything has been counted out for the number of members that day. So, you’ve found that head of lettuce from a few weeks ago in the back of the fridge... we’ll take it back! In our compost, that is. To the left of the farm stand is a black garbage can labeled “Compost”.

Cutting celery

This year I planted some cutting celery in the picking garden. It looks very similar to flat leaf parsley, but the flavor is celery. The stems are mild in flavor, the leaves are stronger. Although it’s much smaller than standard celery, it can be used when you need the flavor of celery, but not necessarily the bulk. -Aaron

Vegetables

Broccoli Strawberries Lettuce Garlic Scapes Spinach or Peas Kohlrabi Broccoli Raab

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery

Bowties ’n’ broccoli

1 lb bowtie pasta

1 tbsp chopped mint

1.5-2 large heads broccoli, stalks sliced, florets broken up

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup black olives

1 tbsp minced garlic or scapes

1 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

salt, pepper

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta, cook 5 minutes, then add broccoli stems, cook 2 minutes. Add florets, cook 5 minutes longer. Reserve 1/2 cup water, drain. Return broccoli and pasta to pot. Meanwhile, heat oil, add garlic and pepper, cook 3 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in parsley and mint. Remove from heat. Pour over pasta, toss to mix. Add olives and Parmesan, season with salt and pepper. Add reserved water if it seems dry. Recipe fom Serving Up the Harvest by Andrea Chesman

Kohlrabi fritters

2 kohlrabi

1/2 avocado

1 carrot

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 egg

1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne

scallions for garnish

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Peel kohlrabi and carrot, shred in food processor. Squeeze out moisture, mix with egg, salt and cayenne. Heat oil in large skillet medium high, fry small patties in the oil. Brown on both sides. Mix mashed avocado, yogurt, lemon juice and salt to make the avocado cream. Serve fritters with avocado cream and chopped scallions. from acouplecooks.com

Kohlrabi slaw

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tbsp fennel seed

2 tsp mustard

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 lbs kohlrabi, peeled

1/3 cup minced parsley

4 scallions, sliced

Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut kohlrabi into 1/8 inch thick slices, then cut each slice into matchsticks. Add all vegetables to dressing, toss to coat and chill 1 hour before eating.

Farm Share Newsletter June 15 2019

Picking garden tips

The picking garden can be a significant part of your weekly share. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your time in the picking garden.

1.Pick whole stems. For most of the herbs, if the leaves are still attached to the stem, they will last much longer in your refrigerator. By cutting the stem near the ground in the case of parsley and chives, or at a node in the case of basil, it will help the plant generate new leaves.

2.Drying herbs when abundant. Many herbs, especially ones with woody stems, are easy to dry. They are highest in essential oils when they are just about to flower, but can be harvested for drying at any time.

3.Don’t know what something is? Not sure if it’s edible? Ask us, we love talking about plants.

Garlic scapes

Good luck finding these in the grocery store! Garlic scapes are the flower stalk of the garlic plant. They are removed to direct the plant’s energy into the bulb. If left on, the garlic bulb will not grow more than an inch or so in diameter. These scapes are garlic flavored, and you can use them in many of the same ways as garlic. They can also be roasted as a vegetable on their own, or even pickled like dilly beans. -Aaron

Vegetables

Scallions Strawberries Lettuce Garlic Scapes Radishes or Hakurei turnips Kohlrabi Chard

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery

Garlic Scape Pesto

10-15 garlic scapes, cut in half 1

/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup sunflower seeds or walnuts, pistachios, pine nuts

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor, process garlic scapes until finely chopped, scraping down the sides as needed. Add sunflower seeds or any of the various nut options (get creative!) and blend well. While running the food processor, add the olive oil and blend well. Add more oil to give your pesto a more mild flavor. Again, scrape the sides down as necessary. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper, and parmesan cheese, mix well. Enjoy! I like to make this as my base (freeze a few cups for later) then go back and add additional flavors, such as curry or add in a few spinach leaves to make it more mild. Recipe from Stephanie Aldrich, our former livestock manager

Swiss Chard Tahini Dip

1 1/2 lbs Swiss chard

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

5 garlic cloves or 1-2 scapes, finely chopped

1/2 cup tahini

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

kosher salt

Remove ribs and stems from chard and finely chop. Tear leaves into small pieces. Set both aside separately. Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a large pot over medium low heat. Cook stems until tender 5-7 minutes, adding a little water if they start to brown. Add garlic, cook 1 minute, add chard leaves, cook until wilted and tender. Let it cool and squeeze excess liquid into a measuring glass ( should be half a cup). Add chard and 1 tbsp liquid into food processor with tahini, lemon juice and rest of oil. Season with salt and process, adding more liquid as needed until creamy.

Pickled chard stems

1 Thai chile, split

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

2 cups white vinegar

1 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

3 1/2 tbsp salt

12 oz chard stems

Trim off any bits of leaves and cut to fit in your jar. Add the stems along with the chile and garlic. Toast seeds in a skillet until fragrant, set aside. Heat vinegar, water, sugar and salt until dissolved. Cool 5 minutes. Pour into jar, add seeds and cover. Cool at room temperature for an hour. Make sure all stems are submerged. Refrigerate about 1 week before eating. Recipe from davidlebovitz.com

Farm Share Newsletter June 8 2019

Welcome to the farm And thanks for deciding to join our ‘share this year. I use this newsletter to share farm news, information on the vegetables in your share and recipes for how to use them. This has been a very wet spring so far, but we have been able to keep up with planting. Most of our soil drains well, so crops haven’t been drowning. I’ve learned to be very efficient when we get a few dry days!

Kohlrabi

By looks, it’s not obvious what to do with a kohlrabi, but its secret is hidden beneath the skin- crispy, fresh tasting flesh, mild with a slight bite. I prefer to use them raw. Think of them as a crudite, they go with many other flavors. If you must cook it, gentle sautéing or steaming is probably best.

Pac Choi (Bok Choi)

Pac choi is distantly related to turnips, and shares some of that flavor. It’s a very reliable crop for us, so I grow quite a lot of it. Choi can be used raw- it is crunchy yet tender enough for salads or as a raw element in noodle/rice bowls. If I want to cook it, I usually separate the leaves from the stems, so that I can add the leaves towards the end of cooking to keep them from getting overcooked. It can release a fair amount of water, so I would not add too much water when cooking. Quick, high heat sauteeing or stir frying are the best ways to cook choi.

-Aaron

Vegetables: Scallions Spinach Lettuce Pac Choi Radishes or baby beets Kohlrabi Kale

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint (Chocolate, Apple, Mountain), Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory

Mixed greens with cumin and paprika

12 cups mixed greens (kale, broccoli raab, chard, mustard etc)

salt

4 garlic cloves

1 cup chopped parsley

1 cup chopped cilantro

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp ground cumin

for garnish: oil cured black olives, wedges of lemon and tomato

Discard any inedible parts of greens. Set in a steamer with tougher leaves on bottom and cook until tender, or boil each type separately in salted water and drain. Chop into 1 inch pieces. Pound garlic with 1/2 tsp salt until smooth then work in herbs briefly to release their flavors. Warm oil with paprika and cumin until fragrant, be careful not to burn. Stir in garlic then add greens, cooking until excess moisture is gone. Pile onto a dish and garnish with olives, lemon and tomato. From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

Spinach salad with feta and pecans

1 cup pecan halves

6 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp honey

salt, pepper

1 lb spinach, large leaves torn (if not enough, use lettuce for half)

1 cup dried cherries or cranberries, or chopped apricots

6 oz feta

Toast pecans in a dry skillet, about 5 minutes. Combine oil, vinegar and honey, whisk to combine and season. Toss spinach, pecans, dried fruit in salad bowl. Crumble feta over the salad, add dressing and toss again.

Pickled chard stems

12 oz chard stems

1 Thai chile, split lengthwise (opt)

2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

2 cups white vinegar

1 cup water

Heat oil in large pan until very hot. Add ginger, chili and garlic, then choi stalks. Stir fry one minute. Add leaves and stir until wilting. Remove from heat, add pinch salt, soys sauce and sesame oil. Recipe from riverford.co.uk

Spring Share Newsletter May 29 2019

This is the final week of spring share, next week the main season begins. Frisee is a type of chicory that is often used mixed into salads for a bitter element. It pairs well with fruit, nuts and cheese, and can be used with hot dressings, which sweeten the bitterness.

In your share this week, you’ll find the following:

• Lettuce

• Dill

• Radishes ‘Pink Beauty’

• Beets- greens can be used like chard

• Spicy mustard

• Spinach

• Frisee

Picking garden has cilantro ready. Recipes are on reverse.

Thanks for your support! Your farmers, Aaron, Zack, Annie

Lyonnaise Salad

4 cups frisee torn into bite size pieces

1 piece thick bacon (or 2 thin), sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

1 tbsp white vinegar (for poaching eggs)

2 large eggs

1 medium shallot, finely minced

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard .

Cook bacon in small skillet over medium heat until done but not too crispy. Remove from pan but reserve fat. Poach eggs for 2-3 minutes in a saucepan. Reheat skillet with bacon fat. Add shallots (or onion) and cook for 30 seconds. Add red wine vinegar, mustard, bacon and mix together. Pour over greens and toss. Season to taste, divide between two bowls and top with poached egg. Serve immediately. (the Kitchn)

Beet risotto with greens

5 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups stock

2 tbsp basil or 1 tbsp dried

3 tbsp butter or oil

2 cups peeled grated beets

1/2 cup finely diced onion

2-3 cups beet greens chopped

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

salt and pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1/2 cup Parmesan

Have stock simmering. Heat butter in wide pot, add onion and cook 3 minutes. Add rice, cook 1 minute. Add wine, simmer until absorbed. Stir in half the parsley, the basil, grated beets. Add 2 cups stock, cook at a lively simmer until absorbed. Add stock in half cup increments, stirring until absorbed. When you have 1 cup left, add beet greens, salt, pepper, lemon juice and zest. Serve with Parmesan and parsley. (Deborah Madison)

Spring Share Newsletter May 8th 2019

This week we harvested stinging nettle from our pasture, which should be handled with gloves when raw. Stinging nettle is very high in nutrients, so it’s a good thing to eat as a spring tonic. Cooking will eliminate the sting- steam, saute or blanch them. The flavor is similar to spinach.

In your share this week, you’ll find the following:

• Lettuce ‘Black Seeded Simpson’ and ‘New Red Fire’

• Dill

• Bok Choi ‘Shuko’

• Stinging Nettles

• Mild Mustard ‘Vibrant Joy’

• Arugula

• Scallions

Radishes not quite ready Recipes are on reverse. Thanks for your support!

Your farmers, Aaron, Zack, and Annie

Nettle Omelette with sharp Cheddar

4 oz stinging nettle leaves

1/4 tsp salt

3 eggs

2 tbsp cream or milk

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp chives

1 oz sharp cheddar, thinly sliced

Drop nettle leaves into a small pot, sprinkle with salt and a few tablespoons water. Set over medium-low heat and cover. Allow nettles to wilt until they release their juices, about 5 minutes. Strain off juices, set aside. Beat eggs and cream until loosely combined. Warm butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add eggs, swirl to get an even layer and cook until edges begin to set. Turn heat down and cover for 30 seconds until eggs set. Fill with nettles, chives and cheese, fold and cook covered another 30 seconds.

Lemon Garlic Bok Choi

1 lb bok choi

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

pinch red pepper flakes

salt

half a lemon, cut into wedges

Rinse bok choi, trim ends then slice in half lengthwise, or if large cut into quarters. Pat dry. Combine oil, garlic and pepper in a wide cold skillet. Place over medium heat until it just starts to bubble. Add choi in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and cook without stirring until the bottom is starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook 2 minutes until wilted. Squeeze lemon juice over just before serving.

Spring Share Newsletter May 1 2019

Thanks for participating in spring share this year! We welcome our two apprentices Sarah and Avery to the farm, who will be with us throughout the season. We’re really getting into the swing of things now and our plantings are slightly ahead of schedule so far.

In your share this week, you’ll find the following:

• Baby spinach- mild, good for salads

• Cilantro

• Cress- tangy, adds zest to sandwiches & salads

• Turnips- succulent greens

• Mildly spicy mustard greens- they’re just a little hot •

Arugula- a big bag, pesto recipe on back

• Scallions

Coming up next week: lettuce, radishes and stinging nettles Recipes are on reverse. Thanks for your support! Your farmers, Aaron, Zack, Annie

Pasta with arugula pesto

8 cups arugula leaves

1/2 cup pine nuts or other nut/seed

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

8 oil packed sun dried tomatoes, minced

1 lb vermicelli or other pasta

1/2 cup pitted cured black olives

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Blanch arugula 30 seconds. Shock in ice water, then drain. (Keep hot water for pasta). Drain and squeeze water from arugula. Chop nuts and garlic in a food processor. Add arugula and chop. Add oil and cheese, process to thick paste. Scrape into a bowl and add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper. Return water to a boil. Cook pasta, reserve 1/2 cup water. Mix pesto and olives with pasta in heated serving bowl. Serves 4. from Serving Up The Harvest by Andrea Chesman

Stir Fried Mixed Greens

1 tbsp peanut oil

1 tsp roasted peanut oil (opt)

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp ginger

1/2 tsp red pepper

2 tbsp chopped scallion

10 cups greens, ribbons 3/4 inch

1/2 cup stock, any kind

2 tsp dark sesame oil

1 tsp rice wine or sherry

1 tsp cornstarch in 3 tbsp water or stock

Heat wok/pan and add peanut oils. When hot add garlic, pepper, ginger and scallion, stir fry 30 seconds then add greens and stir fry 1 minute more. Add stock, cover and steam until tender, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt, sesame oil and mirin or sherry. Remove greens from wok and add cornstarch to remaining liquid and boil until thickened. Pour sauce over greens and serve. from Deborah Madison

Winter Share December 20th, 2017

Thanks to those who decided to get the last two Winter Shares! We all hope that you are enjoying your delicious storage vegetables, and that they are storing to your satisfaction.

Aaron and I promised to share some good recipes for these veggies, particularly the Celeriac, so here goes:

Celeriac Recipes

Roast Chicken and Vegetables.

I just made this one-dish meal for the crew’s lunch the other day: simple, hearty, tasty.

Peel and cube 1 butternut squash into ½ inch cubes. Chop onions roughly – I had small onions, so I halved or quartered them. Peel a whole head’s worth of garlic, leaving the cloves whole or cutting them in half. Wash and roughly chop 4 or 5 carrots. Peel and chop 2 celeriac into ½ inch cubes. Put all the cut veggies on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle generously with oil (I use sunflower, because I can get NY-raised sunflower oil at the co-op!), and sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon salt and a generous dose of black pepper. If you have it, you can mince about 2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary or thyme. Mix until homogeneous, and then spread the veggies into a single layer – for me, this took two baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut a thoroughly-thawed chicken into parts – drumsticks, thighs, wings, and breasts, with the breasts cut into halves or thirds so they are about the same size as the other pieces. Spread the chicken pieces on top of the veggies, skin side up. Put the trays in the oven. Let bake for about 15 minutes, then pull them out and stir the veggies around as best you can, to unstick any that are getting caramelized onto the pan. I always switch the two trays top to bottom at this point, to assist even baking. Bake for another 15 minutes, then stir again. I would expect all to be done after a third 15 minute stint, for a total of 45. This was enough to feed five farmers.

Celeriac Latkes with Apple Creme Fraiche

1 small onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil +2 tbsp 1 celeriac, trimmed, peeled, qtr
4 potatoes, peeled, halved 2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 egg salt and pepper
for the creme fraiche:
1 cup creme fraiche 1 apple, peeled, grated
juice of 1/4 lemon 12 chives, snipped

Saute onion in 1 tbsp oil with salt and pepper for 2 minutes. Add garlic. Saute 5 minutes until soft.

Use a food processor to grate potatoes and celeriac. Wring out as much liquid as possible using a kitchen towel. Tip into a bowl, season and add onion, garlic, and parsley. Add egg and mix well.

Heat 2 tbsp oil and press half of the mixture into the pan, spreading it out. Cook on medium heat 15 minutes. Place a plate on the pancake and flip, then slide pancake back into pan cooked side up. Cook another 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining pancake mixture.

To make apple creme fraiche, toss apple with lemon immediately to prevent browning. Chop as fine as you can. Mix into creme fraiche and season with salt, pepper, and chives. seriouseats.com

Celery Root & Potato Soup

3 large or 6 medium leeks (or 1 large onion), finely chopped
3/4 lb potatoes, well scrubbed, quartered and sliced
3/4 lb celeriac, trimmed and peeled, quartered and sliced
2 tbsp butter
salt and freshly milled pepper
milk, or water to thin the soup

Melt butter in a large soup pot, add leeks, potatoes, and celeriac and cook over low heat, covered, 10 minutes. Add 7 cups water, 1 1/2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes and celeriac are soft and falling apart, about 35 minutes. Crush some to give the soup body. Thin with milk if needed. Season with salt and pepper. To add richness, use cream instead of milk.
Vegetarian cooking for Everyone, Deborah Madison

ALSO:

here is my favorite celeriac recipe I have made this year. Time consuming, and not the most visually stunning meal you will serve, but VERY worthy of company.

Butternut Squash "Lasagna"

https://www.mynewroots.org/site/2012/12/butternut-squash-lasagna/

As I type this in the darkness of the longest night of the year, I have no fear or sadness in the darkness, because I am warmed and my heart lighted by the friendship of our FarmShare family, of our upstate NY family, of our blood family, no matter how far away. We lighted candles this evening, as the last rays of sun melted away, and my little light felt a bit like a self-portrait. Thank you all for feeding my flame, for supporting me and Zack and Willa and Aaron and all of the more ephemeral but just as essential creatures - human and otherwise - that spend time with us on this farm to help us learn to better care for this land. May our hands feed this land that it may feed you, our community, in turn. May our love for you help us to better love this land, and make us more able to say thank you to it in tangible ways. Happy Solstice, and happy cooking.

FarmShare October 14th, 2017

Frost is coming..?

We are getting close to the end for the frost tender crops, so I encourage everyone to harvest as much as they can from the picking garden. Hot peppers- there are lots of cayenne, which
easily dry for making crushed red pepper. The small red Matchbox peppers, Jalapeños and orange Bulgarian Carrots can be frozen or turned into hot sauce or pickled. Other crops that
won’t survive frost: tomatillos, ground cherries, lemongrass.
Expect some green peppers, eggplants of all sizes, and a few green tomatoes in next week’s share. Even if frost doesn’t come, it’s time for them to go!

Fill out a survey, get a Delicata

Did you complete the member survey? If not, please take one home and fill it out. It’s important for us to gauge how we’re doing year-to-year and identify areas where we can improve. It’s a good way to anonymously tell us what you did and did not like about the season. And, you get a prize for returning your completed survey!

Garlic planting day

Garlic planting will be on Thursday, October 19th at 2 PM. Join us for the afternoon or just an hour. We’ll be planting the garlic cloves, and covering it with straw mulch.
-Aaron

Vegetables
Peppers/Eggplant
Yellow Onions
Tomatoes
Acorn or Spaghetti Squash
Napa Cabbage
Carrots
Watermelon Radish

Herbs
Mints, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Dill, Summer Savory, Marjoram, Parsley, Cilantro, Lemongrass

Flowers
Amaranth, Zinnia, Dahlia

Important Dates
October 25: Last Wednesday CSA, last fresh chicken
October 28: Last Saturday CSA

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Casserole
This is my favorite way to use spaghetti squash. You can add any pizza toppings you like to this. Beware that many squash are much larger than what this recipe needs.
1 large spaghetti squash (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1 lb Italian sausage (bulk)
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 cup pizza sauce (or tomato sauce)
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste
3 eggs, whisked
mozzarella cheese (optional)
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Halve spaghetti squash lengthwise. Brush a little oil on the cut sides and place on baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes until the skin gives when pressed. Remove from oven and turn down to 350.
Let squash cool a little then fork out the threads into a greased 8x8 dish.
In a large pan, cook sausage and onion over medium heat. Add pizza sauce, herbs and seasoning. Add to the squash and mix well. Add the eggs and mix thoroughly.
Bake 1 hour until a slight crust forms on top. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. recipe from PaleOMG.com

Carrot-ginger soup
3 tbsp butter
1 1/2 lbs carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cups chopped onion
salt
1 tsp minced ginger
2 cups chicken or veg stock
2 cups water
3 large strips orange zest
chopped chive, parsley or dill
Melt butter in a soup pot and cook onions and carrots until onions soften. Don’t let them brown. Add a teaspoon of salt while they cook.
Add stock, water, ginger and zest. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until carrots are tender, 20 minutes. Remove the zest strips and puree the soup. Add more salt to taste.
Garnish with chives, parsley or fennel leaves.

"She had only to stand in the orchard, to put her hand on a little crab tree and look up at the apples, to make you feel the goodness of planting and tending and harvesting at last."
- Willa Cather

FarmShare September 27th, 2017

Summer’s last hurrah

With temperatures 15 degrees above normal, it feels like an endless summer this year. This warmth has helped fuel a rebound in tomatoes, so if you want to make sauce but haven’t yet, this is your last chance. The dryness is keeping tomato diseases from spreading quickly, but once we have cool, wet weather they will be done.
Green and yellow wax beans are prolific, so we have another week of U Pick beans. Beans are easy to freeze, blanching is optional, so this is a good chance to stock up for winter. If you don’t have time to pick today, come on Saturday during pickup (10-1). No limits on how much you can pick!

Our pork at Brunswick BBQ Oktoberfest

They’ll be smoking a whole pig at Brunswick BBQ for Oktoberfest on September 30th. Go enjoy some delicious food and drink and celebrate!
-Aaron

Vegetables
Peppers
Eggplant or Green Beans
Garlic
Tomatoes
Acorn or Carnival Squash
Lettuce
Beets
Celery

Herbs
Mints, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Dill, Bronze Fennel, Summer Savory, Marjoram, Parsley,
Cilantro, Basil, Lemongrass

Flowers
Bachelors Buttons, Amaranth, Sunflowers, Black-Eyed Susans, Cleome, Zinnia, Pincushion
Flower, Dahlia

Important Dates
October 11: Fresh chicken
October 25: Last Wednesday CSA, last fresh chicken
October 28: Last Saturday CSA

Refrigerator Pickled Beets
4 or 5 beets (1 bunch)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dry mustard

salt & pepper
Scrub beets until clean and trim off leaves. You can either boil or roast them. To boil, cover with an inch of water in a saucepan, bring to a boil then simmer 30-45 minutes until easily pierced with a fork.
To roast, rub beets with olive oil and wrap in foil (they can all be wrapped together). Roast at 400 for an hour until easily pierced with a fork.
Peel the cooked beets. Quarter or slice them. Combine the vinaigrette ingredients with a whisk and add salt and pepper to taste. Let beets marinate in vinaigrette 30 minutes at room temperature. Store in refrigerator.
recipe from SimplyRecipes

Beetroot & Feta Burger
3 cups grated raw beets
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 small onion
7 oz feta or firm tofu
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs
handful fresh basil
salt/pepper
Grate the beets, onion, and garlic using a food processor or box grater. Transfer to large bowl with olive oil, eggs, and oats and mix well. Add cheese, basil, salt, pepper and stir to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes so oats absorb juices. Form 6-8 patties. Grill a few minutes per side or fry a few minutes per side in a greased pan. Serve with bun or grilled sourdough and toppings of your choice.
recipe from greenkitchenstories.com

Acorn Squash and Cashew Sorbet
Since it is still summery, how about something frozen? You can probably use any kind of squash.
3 1/2 cups acorn squash puree
3 tbsp cashew butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
salt, to taste
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until very smooth. Taste and add more
sugar or salt if it needs it. Chill for 4-6 hours and then churn in an ice cream machine. Freeze
for 2-3 hours until firm.
from Serious Eats (Ethan Frisch)

"Beauty is excrescence,
superabundance, random
ebullience, and sheer
delightful waste to be
enjoyed in its own right."
- Donald Culross Peattie, An Almanac for Moderns

FarmShare October 18th, 2017

Fall planting

Though we are near the end of our growing season, we are still busy with the those important tasks we do every fall. One very important thing we do is cover crop seeding. Each fall we
typically plant about 20 acres of cover crop.
Oats and peas are planted in early to mid September. These are the same kind of oats that we eat for breakfast. We plant them in open areas of the garden and they grow all autumn to about 1-2 feet tall. They winter kill and leave a protective layer of mulch that keeps the soil from eroding during winter and spring melts. Winter rye and hairy vetch, the same kind rye bread is made from, is another very important cover crop. Rye is seriously cold hardy, and can germinate at temperatures in the 30s. Unlike oats, rye lives through the winter, its massive root system holding on to soil and nutrients. Next spring rye begins growing rapidly and can
produce up to 10,000 lbs of biomass per acre. It’s really a weed that we have put to work for us.
Besides their soil-holding qualities, cover crops also provide some other important farm products. We can harvest straw for mulching the garden from the rye, and hay for feeding animals throughout the winter. With our combine harvester, we can also harvest the seeds, which we can use to plant for the next season.

Tomorrow: Garlic planting day
Garlic planting will be tomorrow, Thursday, October 19th at 2 PM. Join us for the afternoon or just an hour. We’ll be planting the garlic cloves, and covering it with straw mulch.
-Aaron

Vegetables
Peppers/Eggplant
Tomatoes
Pie Pumpkins/Squash
Potatoes
Beets
Celery
Leeks
Mustard or Napa Cabbage

Herbs
Mints, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Dill, Marjoram, Parsley, Cilantro, Lemongrass

Important Dates
October 25: Last Wednesday CSA, last fresh chicken
October 28: Last Saturday CSA

Pumpkin Cornbread

1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup milk
1 tbsp butter
Heat oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the middle position. Whisk the dry ingredients and set aside. Mix everything else but butter and stir in dry mix. Add butter to a cast iron skillet and
heat in the oven for 2 minutes or until melted. Once melted, pour in batter and bake until golden and cracked, about half and hour. seriouseats.com

Chipotle Pumpkin Soup

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo
8 cups cooked pumpkin
4-6 cups chicken stock, depending on thickness desired
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp lime juice
garnish: pepitas, cilantro, sour cream
Saute onions over medium high heat in a large pot in the oil. Add garlic, cumin and chipotle and cook another minute. Add pumpkin, stock, oregano, salt. Bring to a simmer, and cook
20 minutes partially covered. Remove from heat and puree soup. Add lime juice and more
seasoning to taste. Thin with more stock if needed. Serve with toasted pumpkin seeds, sour cream and cilantro.
SimplyRecipes.com

Celery soup

A good use for those tougher outer stems.
3 oz butter
1 tbsp olive oil
10 oz chopped celery
4 oz diced onion
4 oz diced potato
2 pints chicken stock
salt, pepper
heavy cream
Gently stew celery and onion in butter and oil in a covered pan 10 mins. Add potato and coat
well. Don’t let anything brown. Add stock and bring to a boil then simmer 30 minutes until very
tender. Blend the soup and season well. Ladle into bowls and swirl in a little cream.

"O Autumn, laden with
fruit, and stained
With the blood of the
grape, pass not, but sit
Beneath my shady roof;
there thou may'st rest,
And tune thy jolly voice to
my fresh pipe;
And all the daughters of
the year shall dance!
Sing now the lusty song
of fruit and flowers.
- William Blake, To Autumn, 1783

FarmShare October 7th, 2017

Extend the season

We’re looking forward to a bountiful winter share this year. If you aren’t familiar with Winter Share, it’s a little different from the summer season. Instead of a weekly pickup, we have four dates that you can choose to sign up for. You’ll get a 30 pound box with a selection of the following (varies from date to date):
Carrots, Beets, Potatoes, Kohlrabi, Rutabaga, Onions, Leeks, Celeriac, Daikon, Turnips, Watermelon Radish, Butternut Squash, Shallots, Garlic, Cabbage

Thanksgiving share

Beginning this year, the Thanksgiving share has become a separate share. It is not included in the main summer share. For only $25.00, you get a generous share of our late season garden. It might include:
Brussels Sprouts Kale Lettuce
Onions Garlic Beets
Turnips Carrots Rutabaga
Pie Pumpkins Butternut Squash Radish
Leeks Buttercup Squash Potatoes

Forms with complete details are available at pick-up and on our website. Shares are steadily declining in number so don’t wait too long!
Garlic planting day will be in 2-3 weeks. Exact date coming soon.
-Aaron

Vegetables
Peppers/Eggplant
Red Onions
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Kale or Collards
Carving Pumpkins & Gourds
Fennel or Turnips
Bok Choi

Herbs
Mints, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Dill, Bronze Fennel, Summer Savory, Marjoram, Parsley, Cilantro, Basil, Lemongrass

Flowers
Bachelors Buttons, Amaranth, Sunflowers, Black-Eyed Susans, Cleome, Zinnia, Pincushion Flower, Dahlia

Important Dates
October 11: Fresh chicken
October 25: Last Wednesday CSA, last fresh chicken
October 28: Last Saturday CSA

Orecchitte with Caramelized Turnips & Kale

1 lb orecchiette
1/4 cup canola oil
2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 lb kale, stems and center ribs removed, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
8 tbsp butter
2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reddiano cheese
Bring 6 qt salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and reserve 3/4 cup pasta water. Meanwhile, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add turnips and
reduce to medium. Cook until tender and golden, about 6 minutes. Add kale and cook until very tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Add pasta water, season, add butter and stir until melted.
Add pasta and toss until well coated. Stir in cheese and season to taste. recipe from Serious Eats

Turnip ‘risotto’

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, cut into 1/8 inch dice
1 1/2 lbs turnips, cut into 1/8 inch dice
2 cups hot chicken stock
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
Warm the chicken stock over medium low heat. Add oil to skillet and heat to medium. Toss in onion and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add turnips and cook 2 minutes. Ladle in some stock and cook until absorbed. Continue until all stock has beed added. Season, add butter and cheese and stir for a minute. Remove from heat and garnish with parsley.
recipe from Serious Eats/ Nick Kindelsperger
 

Roasted Fennel Pesto
1 cup chopped fennel bulb
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
3/4 cup fennel fronds
2 cloves garlic
salt
Preheat oven to 400. On a rimmed baking sheet toss fennel with a little olive oil and roast,
stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 12 mins. Meanwhile, scatter almonds on another sheet and toast 5 minutes. Let both cool a bit.
In a food processor or blender, pulse fennel, fronds, garlic and 1/2 cup olive oil until pureed. Add almonds and 1/4 cup oil, season with salt and pulse to combine. Add remaining oil and pulse.
from Serious Eats (Daniel Gritzer)

"Look at your feet. You
are standing in the sky.
When we think of the sky,
we tend to look up,
but the sky actually
begins at the earth."
- Diane Ackerman

FarmShare September 23rd, 2017

Living with pests

What does it mean to farm organically? If it means blindly using
whatever pesticide or fungicide the NOP (National Organic
Program) has approved for all of our problems, then there is not
much that differentiates us from conventional farming. When we
have a serious pest or fungal issue, there is more to consider than
whatever approved product is available.
One example is the popular, organic-approved insecticide BT
(Bacillus thuringinsis). This is a naturally derived insecticide
based on a bacterium which is lethal to caterpillars, but perfectly
safe for mammals and insects. Most organic farms spray this on
broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and other brassica to control those
little green caterpillars we call cabbage worms. It is also widely
used on sweet corn. While BT does kill the pests, it also kills any
other caterpillar in the area, such as wooly bears and monarch
caterpillars. Although we are allowed to use BT, we have decided
not to because it is too broad spectrum.
As a result, we do have more cabbage worms in our broccoli than
other farms. (I suggest soaking the broccoli in salted water for 30
minutes before using it to remove them.) But we also have a huge
diversity of caterpillars. I don’t know what they are, or what they
grow into, and I am reluctant to wipe them all out. Surely they
have roles on the farm that I have yet to understand.
-Aaron

Vegetables
Peppers
Eggplant or Green Beans
Red Onions
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Lettuce
Fennel
Broccoli Raab

Herbs
Mints, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Dill, Bronze Fennel, Summer Savory, Marjoram, Parsley,
Cilantro, Borage, Basil, Lemongrass

Flowers
Bachelors Buttons, Amaranth, Sunflowers, Black-Eyed Susans, Cleome, Zinnia, Pincushion
Flower, Dahlia

Important Dates
September 27: Fresh chicken

Ziti with fennel and sausage

2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 lb sweet or hot bulk Italian sausage
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed quartered and sliced
1 small onion, diced
28 oz can tomatoes with puree
1/4 cup red wine
2 large garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
1 pound ziti or other short pasta
Heat oil and cook sausage. Remove from pan. Add additional oil
if dry, and sauté fennel and onion until tender-crisp. Return
sausage to pan and add tomatoes, wine, garlic, salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to low and simmer while pasta cooks.
Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Add
pasta to the sauce and mix well, adding pasta water if it seems dry.
Garnish with fennel fronds and serve with Parmesan.
recipe from Serving up the harvest by Andrea Chesman

Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan

1 to 1 1/2 lbs broccoli, cut into florets of even size
3-4 tbsp olive oil
juice of half a lemon
salt
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Preheat oven to 425. Soak broccoli in salted water at least 20
minutes before use to remove any cabbage worms. Toss broccoli
with everything but Parmesan. Arrange in a single layer on a
baking sheet that has been oiled or lined. Roast 15-20 minutes
until cooked through and lightly browned. Toss with Parmesan
and black pepper.
recipe from simplyrecipes.com

Salsa Verde

I like to cook chicken in salsa verde. You can use a crock pot or the oven. It really tenderizes the meat.

1 1/2 lb tomatillos
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves (or more) garlic
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 tbsp lime juice
2 Jalapeño Peppers
salt to taste
Remove husks from tomatillos. You can either roast them in the oven, or in a pan, or simply boil. To roast in the oven, cut tomatillos in half and place on a baking sheet with the garlic
cloves. Broil 5-7 minutes.
To pan roast, coat your skillet with oil and heat over high heat. Brown tomatillos on both sides
To boil, cover tomatillos with water in a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.
Once tomatillos are cooked, add them with all other ingredients to a blender and pulse until finely chopped. Add salt to taste.
from Simply Recipes

"Earthworms are the intestines of the soil."
- Aristotle

FarmShare September 13, 2017

Celery

Celery is one vegetable that I had been pretty indifferent toward in the past. It was watery, bland and what little flavor it has often got lost once it was cooked. The celery that we grow is miles apart from the grocery store stuff. It’s got a very strong celery flavor that adds another dimension to anything you use it in. The outer dark green stalks tend to be more fibrous and better for cooking. The inner light green stalks, known as the heart, are tender enough to eat raw with a bright celery flavor.
Although it’s available year-round in stores, celery is only a late summer-early fall crop for us. We start it in the greenhouse in March and transplant late May. It’s a slow grower that needs
consistent moisture to do well.

Potato harvest day

Hopefully it won’t rain tomorrow morning for our potato harvest! We’ll start around 9 and go to noon but come when you can. We will be in the field next to Bulson road and route 2.
-Aaron

Waldorf slaw
1 small green cabbage, shredded
4 sticks celery, sliced
2 apples, peeled and diced
handful grapes, halved
6 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, celery, apples, and grapes. Mix mayonnaise and vinegar and season. Stir into the vegetables so they are well coated. Top with walnuts. Keeps up to 3 days refrigerated.
recipe from BBC Good Food

Caponata
100ml olive oil
3 large eggplant, cut into cubes
2 shallots or 1/2 onion, chopped
4 paste tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp capers, soaked if salted
50g raisins
4 celery sticks, sliced
50ml red wine vinegar
handful toasted pine* nuts and basil leaves
*sunflower seeds or walnuts can be substituted
8 slices ciabatta or Italian bread
olive oil
1 garlic clove
Heat olive oil in a large heavy saucepan and add eggplant. Cook 15-20 mins until soft. Scoop
out of the pan. Add shallots and cook 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add tomatoes and
cook slowly until they break down. Return eggplant to pan with capers, raisins, celery and
vinegar, and salt to taste. Cover and cook over low heat 40 minutes until all vegetables are
soft. Stir gently to avoid breaking it up too much.
When caponata is done, leave it to cool while you make bruschetta. Using a griddle pan
or your broiler, drizzle bread with olive oil and grill until lightly charred on both sides, rub with a cut clove of garlic and season.
Serve with warm caponata scattered with basil leaves and pine nuts.
from BBC Good Food

Kale salad with roasted delicata squash
1 medium delicata squash
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
12 cups clean torn kale leaves
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1/2 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup toasted walnuts, pecans or pumpkin seeds
Preheat oven to 400. Cut delicata in half, scoop out seeds and trim ends. Slice into half moons 1/2 inch thick. Toss with oil, salt and pepper then spread on baking sheet and roast 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway.
Meanwhile toss kale with dressing in a large bowl. Add hot roasted squash and toss. Divide among four plates and top with cheese, cranberries and nuts.
from www.naturallyella.com

"Youth is like spring, an over praised season more remarkable for biting winds than genial breezes. Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits."
- Samuel Butler

FarmShare September 9, 2017

Summer into fall

It’s September, and we say goodbye to some of the summer crops, such as summer squash, zucchini, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and melons. Eggplant, peppers and tomatoes still have a few more good weeks. The winter squash are starting to ripen, and Delicata squash is the first one.
Delicata is a 19th century heirloom variety that has recently become popular again, for good reason. It has a very thin skin which means no peeling! It’s edible, and that makes Delicata quick to prepare.
The older planting of basil is looking like it really needs to be harvested completely, so this is a good week to make some pesto.
This week’s wet weather has really impacted the tomato harvest. Hopefully we will get a stretch of warm, dry days for a few more good tomato harvests.

Potato & Squash harvest days

Due to wet weather we’ve postponed the potato harvest to Thursday next week. You’re welcome to come help, we will start at 9:00 and go to noon. Come anytime and stay as long as you like.
-Aaron

Maple Roasted Delicata Squash with Red Onion
2 Delicata squash, halved seeded and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 large red onion, halved and cut into 1/2 inch rings
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3 fresh thyme sprigs

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss vegetables and herbs with oil and maple syrup, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread vegetables evenly onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake, tossing and rotating partway through cooking until tender and browned, 25-30 minutes.
recipe from epicurious.com

Ginger Bok Choi Soup with Ramen
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 bunch scallions
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups water
1 bok choi
4 oz ramen noodles (not the instant kind) or other kind
salt
sesame seeds
red pepper flakes
In a large pot, heat oil over medium low. Use the light green part of the scallions along with the garlic and ginger and cook just 2 or 3 minutes.
Pour in the broth and water, bring to a boil then simmer 5 minutes. Trim the base of the bok choi. Cut the stems and leaves into thin strips. Add noodles, and choi and cook 4-6 minutes.
Taste and add salt if needed. Top with chopped scallion greens, sesame seeds and red pepper flakes. I might add some tamari to this.
from www.naturallyella.com

Romesco Sauce
1 slice country style white bread
olive oil for frying
3/4 cup almonds, roasted
1/4 cup hazelnuts, roasted and
peeled
3 garlic cloves
1-2 tsp red chile flakes
4 paste tomatoes
1 tbsp parsley
salt and pepper
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 red bell pepper, roasted
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp extra virgin
olive oil
Fry the bread in a little olive oil until golden and crisp. When cool, grind with the nuts, garlic
and chile in a food processor. Add everything but vinegar and oil and process until smooth.
While running, gradually add vinegar then oil. Taste and make sure it has enough salt and
vinegar.
This sauce is great with warm chickpeas or large white beans or any grilled vegetable. Spread on garlic rubbed bread with sliced green olives and parsley for a delicious appetizer!
from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

"Monotony is the law of nature. Look at the monotonous manner in which the sun rises. The monotony of necessary occupations is exhilarating and life-giving."
- Mahatma Gandhi

Vegetables
Peppers or Eggplant
Red Onions
Tomatoes
Delicata Squash
Kale
Cantaloupe or Watermelon
Lettuce or Bok Choi
Corn or Potatoes

Herbs
Mints, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Dill, Bronze Fennel, Summer Savory, Marjoram, Parsley, Cilantro, Borage, Basil, Lemongrass
Flowers
Bachelors Buttons, Amaranth, Sunflowers, Black-Eyed Susans, Cleome, Zinnia, Pincushion
Flower, Dahlia

FarmShare September 2, 2017

Preserving the harvest

This cool weather has got us thinking about putting food away for the winter. Now’s a great time to do some canning, freezing or drying.
1.Make some dried tomatoes! Cherry tomatoes, when split in half, dry quickly. Paste tomatoes also work. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use a slow oven, or even a car parked in the
sun all day. Once dried, pack them in airtight jars or olive oil for a midwinter treat.
2.Dried herbs- most herbs with woody stems are a snap to dry. Just hang bunches in a cool, dry, airy place out of direct sun until dry. Then store in airtight containers. For parsley or basil you need to use a dehydrator. Cayenne peppers can be dried as well and make great hot red pepper flakes.
3.Salsa! Whether it’s tomato or tomatillo based, I love having some on hand in the winter. Jalapeño, Bulgarian Carrot or Matchbox will add a kick to your salsa.
4.Pesto! The best way to preserve basil is to make it into pesto and freeze it. Even a simple basil and olive oil puree can be frozen to give winter meals a taste of summer.

Tomatillos, ground cherries and hot peppers

These three crops have made a late appearance in the picking garden, but better late than never! This year we have purple tomatillos. Look for fruits that have split the husk with a deep
purple color. Ground cherries are ripe once they fall on the ground. What hot peppers are ready? The Jalapeños are still green but may be picked this way. Bulgarian Carrot should be
bright orange when picked. Matchbox and Cayenne turn fully red when ripe.

Potato & Squash harvest days

Help us harvest this year’s potato crop! The date is Thursday, September 7th, time is to be determined. We will send an email out with the exact time. Squash harvest day will tentatively be the following Thursday.
-Aaron

Baked Chicken with cherry tomatoes and garlic
2 lbs bone in skin on thighs
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups cherry tomatoes
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp dry
1.Place thighs in casserole dish and sprinkle with salt, leaving a little room in between.
2.Preheat oven to 375.
3.Halve the cherry tomatoes, and toss with garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
4.Nestle cherry tomatoes in between chicken thighs. Leave skin exposed so it can brown. Lay sprigs of rosemary over the tomatoes.
5.Bake uncovered 45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and skim off excess fat. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices.
recipe from simplyrecipes.com

Braised green beans with tomatoes
5 tbsp olive oil
1 onion halved and sliced
1 1/2 lbs green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise on the bias
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup chicken or veg broth
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
salt and pepper
In a large skillet or pot, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add all other ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and
then simmer, covered, stirring occasionally until beans are very tender, 18-20 minutes. Stir in
remaining oil and season.
from marthastewart.com

"the air is different today
the wind sings with a new tone
sighing of changes
coming
the harvest gathered
a flower, a nut
some mead, and bread
a candle and a prayer
returning the fruits
in thanksgiving
to the grove
and receiving
its blessing
again"
- Rhawk, Alban Elfed

Vegetables
Cucumbers or Eggplant
Scallions
Tomatoes
Green Beans
Potatoes
Peppers
Cantaloupe /Watermelon
Lettuce
Corn

Herbs
Mints, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Dill, Bronze Fennel, Summer Savory, Marjoram, Parsley, Cilantro, Borage, Lemon Basil, Basil, Lemongrass
Flowers
Yarrow, Calendula, Bachelors Buttons, Amaranth, Sunflowers, Black-Eyed Susans, Cleome,
Zinnia, Pincushion Flower, Dahlia

Newsletter: The Too Much Produce Edition - August 23, 2017

So, it’s 3:30 on Wednesday and we haven’t started a newsletter yet, because we are JUST getting done harvesting all the produce. Doesn’t get any fresher, eh?

So, instead of Aaron’s usual carefully designed newsletter, you get me and my pile o’ recipes.   — Annie

Ratatouille—this week we are giving you all the ingredients!

7 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium eggplant, diced

1 onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 small zucchini, diced

2 small yellow summer squash, diced

4 to 6 ripe tomatoes, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and season with salt and pepper. Saute until browned, juicy, and cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a medium saucepan with a slotted spoon. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add 2 more tablespoons olive oil. Saute the onion and bell peppers in the oil until tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the saucepan with the slotted spoon. Return the skillet to the medium-high heat again and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the zucchini and the summer squash and season with salt and pepper. Saute until tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the saucepan and add tomatoes and garlic. Simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat. Taste and adjust seasonings. The flavor will improve if the ratatouille sits at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Serve at room temperature or warm.

Chilled Watermelon Soup—adapted from Martha Stewart

6 cups watermelon chunks, seeded

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded

Salt to taste

Put the jalapeno in the food processor and process until finely chopped. Add in the watermelon chunks and salt and process until smooth. Serve with minced mint for garnish. Alternatively, pour the finished soup into popsicle molds and freeze until solid, then enjoy! You can also make the popsicles with cantaloupe and mint instead of watermelon and jalapeno.

Roasted Green Beans—My favorite way to eat them. If you have the Dragon Tongue beans, this is a good way to cook them to preserve their color!

1 pound green beans                             

1/4 cup olive oil                                    

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Trim the beans and arrange them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or shallow roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the top, and roll the beans to coat them. Roast them for about 15 minutes, until they’ve started to brown. Remove them to a serving dish, and sprinkle on coarse salt.

Zoodles with Meat Sauce—This is what I served the crew on our last chicken processing day. It was very popular! You don’t have to use a spiralizer, you can also slice the zucchini using a food processor with the slicing attachment, a mandoline, or a knife, if you are good at slicing thinly.

1.5 lbs zucchini or summer squash

3 lbs tomatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 large onion, chopped roughly

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 lb of ground beef

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon fresh oregano

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

Brown the beef in a large saucepan. Once it’s brown, add the onions and cook until they are tender. Then add the garlic, tomatoes, and herbs and cook on low for as long as you can—I have done it as little as half an hour and as much as 4 hours. Longer will get you a thicker sauce. While the sauce is cooking, use a spiralizer or other tool of your choice to cut the zucchini and/or summer squash into noodles—long thin strips. The spiralizer is nice because the curls help it hold the sauce, but that is not necessary. I served the noodles raw, and let the hot sauce cook them a little. You could also brown them quickly in a dry skillet. Serve the noodles with the sauce on top, and add shaved parmesan on top if you wish.

Manifesto:
The Mad Farmer Liberation Front

by Wendell Berry

Love the quick profit, the annual raise,
vacation with pay. Want more
of everything ready-made. Be afraid
to know your neighbors and to die.

And you will have a window in your head.
Not even your future will be a mystery
any more. Your mind will be punched in a card
and shut away in a little drawer.

When they want you to buy something
they will call you. When they want you
to die for profit they will let you know.
So, friends, every day do something
that won't compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.

Denounce the government and embrace
the flag. Hope to live in that free
republic for which it stands.
Give your approval to all you cannot
understand. Praise ignorance, for what man
has not encountered he has not destroyed.

Ask the questions that have no answers.
Invest in the millenium. Plant sequoias.
Say that your main crop is the forest
that you did not plant,
that you will not live to harvest.

Say that the leaves are harvested
when they have rotted into the mold.
Call that profit. Prophesy such returns.
Put your faith in the two inches of humus
that will build under the trees
every thousand years.

Listen to carrion -- put your ear
close, and hear the faint chattering
of the songs that are to come.
Expect the end of the world. Laugh.
Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful
though you have considered all the facts.
So long as women do not go cheap
for power, please women more than men.

Ask yourself: Will this satisfy
a woman satisfied to bear a child?
Will this disturb the sleep
of a woman near to giving birth?

Go with your love to the fields.
Lie down in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is nighest your thoughts.

As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn't go.

Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.

"Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front" from The Country of Marriage, copyright ® 1973 by Wendell Berry