July 29, 2013
Blue Heron Farm Journal
So what’s happening on the farm this week?
Week
8- So here we are - As we walk the fields every day - figuring out what is
going to be ready when and for who. It
is quite a balancing act. Today, most of
you, there will be the first taste of tomatoes - our hoophouse is finally
starting to ripen and the cherry tomatoes in there look like grapes - hands
upon hands of green fat cherry tomatoes slowly ripening. We have to take you in there to check these
plants out - they are about 8 feet tall and growing - they dwarf us in their
grandeur. The first heirloom tomatoes
from the field we picked this morning - Juan Flamme - this little tomato is a
bit bigger than a ping pong ball but slightly smaller than a baseball- are
sweet and tart and orangy yellow - yummy.
And they are quite prolific - so prolific that in the middle of field
tomato season Adam always asks why do we plant to so many - it's because they
are the earliest and they just keep on producing.
Big
shout out to our volunteers this week who have harvested potatoes, tomatoes,
basil, eggplants, peppers, and more:) We had a small sheep parade up Quaker Rd
at the end of the week - we moved all the ewes and the lambs successfully up
the road to the veggie farm. The farm is
about 1/10 to 2/10 of mile apart and the impromptu run up with a grain bucket
was quite the site to see:)
The
potatoes are delicious - we are trying to eat them as many ways as we can. We
are hoping to get our fall potatoes in (we usually get them in July 4th) today
or tomorrow. The fields are all workable now and we are busy planting. I feel like we were so busy planting spring
and summer crops now planning for fall/winter?! Craziness. We have been experimenting with a nutrient
dense foliar feeding for our fruiting plants and we have notices a marked
difference - the cucurbit family crops were going down hill because of the
funky weather but Adam hooked up irrigation and our foliar feeder and things
have been perking up. We got the call
and I think our hay will be done this week - we also are buying hay off the
wagon hopefully from another farm. If
there are any able body folks out there who would like to throw hay in the next
few days please call us and we could
gladly use the help. On friday we are processing about 100 of our pastured organic
heritage meat birds - if you would like to learn how to process your own
chicken or help out give us a call. We
do have a few chickens that are not spoken for, so if you are interested give
us a call - they will be $6.00 lb and average in weight 4 to 5lbs. And to continue on the meat subject, we have
organic ground lamb and sweet italian lamb sausage now available for
$14.50lb. Oh and
if anyone wants to help with our big farm dinner coming up on August 18th, let
us know - we are looking for a chef currently and volunteers:)
We
picked 3 pints of ground cherries today:) They are coming too:) We can not wait
- Summer is flying by - On Friday will be August 2nd - it will be our 10 year
wedding anniversary. 10 years ago we
were busy picking and picking and picking from our "far-garden" for
our wedding caterer, getting ready for the feast of the year - we raised all
our own food for the wedding which is incredible feat and most of the flowers
and then we got to go picking in some of our friends perennial beds. Wow 10 years! We are so blessed for this
crazy, love filled, bountiful life with all of its adventures. It is now 10
years later and that wedding feast helped create the seed that blossomed into
this farm, this way of life - feeding our little family and so many more people
beyond that wedding feast. Some of you have been with us since before that
feast and others have just met us this year - we are so happy to have you on
this journey with us.
Peace,
your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia, Alicia and Yard
PS
Green Beans, tomatillos, more tomatoes and ground cherries;)
Special events over
the next few weeks:
"Savor
the Islands" Summer Farm BBQ @ Pomykala Farm, Grand Isle 3-5pm, 8/11/13
Join
the Lake Champlain Islands Agriculture Network and local farmers for a series
of casual summer afternoon barbeques! Local ingredients sourced from and
prepared by partner members of the network. By Donation. All proceeds to
benefit Food for Thought, Suggested donation: $12 per adult, $7 per
child.
"Savor
the Islands" Summer Farm BBQ @ Blue Heron Farm, Grand Isle 3-5pm, 8/18/13
Join
the Lake Champlain Islands Agriculture Network and local farmers for a series
of casual summer afternoon barbeques! Local ingredients sourced from and
prepared by partner members of the network. Our third BBQ will be Sunday,
August 18th at Blue Heron Farm in Grand Isle. By Donation. All proceeds to
benefit Food for Thought. Suggested donation: $12 per adult, $7 per
child.
What’s
in the share this week: Lettuce heads, Taste of tomatoes, Young Onions, Pickling
Cukes, Slicing Cukes, Zucchini, Summer Squash,Thai and italian basil, "Nicola"-a
buttery yellow potato, Heirloom Eggplants, Hot Peppers
Eggs for sale We have the pretty
girls’ eggs for sale – these are free-range, certified organic chicken eggs
that are brown, green and blue – with the brightest yellow/orange yolks you
ever seen. The eggs are $5.00 a
dozen.
Yarn
for sale:
We
raise Border Leicester Romney sheep with certified organic practices in the
Champlain Islands of Vermont on our small diversified, family farm. Our sheep are rotationally grazed on lush
pasture throughout the spring, summer, and fall. In the winter, they hang out in the barnyard
eating hay and playing on snow piles with our children. We think this is why
they have such beautiful, soft, cuddly fleeces.
Our Yarn is spun right here in Vermont at the Green Mountain
Spinnery. At the spinnery they use Certified Organic GREENSPUN process where the
yarns are washed and spun with vegetable-based soaps and oils rather than the
petroleum-based products standard in the textile industry. No chemicals are
used to bleach, shrinkproof or mothproof. We are proud to have an ecological
safe, organically raised yarn to share with you. Skein size is approx. 4 oz,
& approx. 240 yards - Colors: Brown Earth, Snow and Oatmeal. $16 a skein AND ...2 oz skeins that are dyed in wonderful
colors on our oatmeal yarn :)
$12/Dyed Skein
Sheepskins for sale: These woolly
sheepskins are from lambs and sheep we processed in the fall - we have white,
brown and black beautiful fleeces available.
They are $150, formaldehyde-free.
Payment plans available and we take credit cards now.
Recipes
Fragrant
Broiled and Pureed Eggplant adapted from Vegetables from Amaranth to
Zucchini by Elizabeth Schneider
This
recipe suits any large eggplants - ones with a large proportion of flesh to
skin. Season, broil until smoky and squishy, drain, and puree. Do not trim off
the stems, which act as handles during preparation. Serve as a salad course,
accompanied by olives, sliced tomatoes, and breadsticks or toasted pita
triangles. Or thin puree slightly to offer as a dip with raw fennel and other
vegetable strips. Allow to mellow overnight before serving. Mince feathery
fennel tops to sprinkle over the dip.
3 large
garlic cloves
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground anise, fennel or allspice
about 2 Tablespoons flavorful olive oil
2 or 3 eggplants of equal size (to total about 2.5 pounds)
1 teaspoon sugar
½ Tablespoon kosher salt
about 1/3 cup whole-milk yogurt or a smaller quantity of thick drained
(‘Greek’) yogurt to taste
Black pepper or ground hot pepper to taste
Preheat broiler. Cut garlic into long slivers
or slices. Combine in cup with coriander, cumin, anise, and 1/4 teaspoon oil;
mix well. With knife tip, cut deep slits in eggplants. Holding slits open with
knife, insert garlic. When garlic is used up, rub eggplants with any remaining
spice mixture. Place eggplants in a baking pan as far from broiling element as
possible. Broil, turning once, until skin wrinkles and blackens and eggplants
collapse - about 20-30 minutes, depending upon size of eggplants and type of
broiler. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand about 10 minutes. Holding stem
of one still hot eggplant, gently remove skin with a small knife. Discard skin
along with stems. Place flesh in a strainer to drain as you peel remaining
eggplant (s). Combine eggplant flesh, sugar, and salt in food processor and
pulse to barely mix. Pulsing, gradually add yogurt to taste, then add remaining
oil. Do not puree until smooth - some texture is nice. Scrape into a bowl. Add
pepper and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate overnight. Season before serving,
preferably at room temperature.
Grilled
Eggplant Panini
2
tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 1/2-inch slices eggplant (about 1 small)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
8 slices whole-grain bread
8 thin slices fresh mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup sliced jarred roasted red peppers
4 thin slices red onion
Preheat grill to medium-high. Combine mayonnaise and basil in a small bowl.
Using 1 tablespoon oil, lightly brush both sides of eggplant and sprinkle each
slice with garlic salt. With the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, brush one side of
each slice of bread. Grill the eggplant for 6 minutes, turn with a spatula, top
with cheese, and continue grilling until the cheese is melted and the eggplant
is tender, about 4 minutes more. Toast the bread on the grill, 1 to 2 minutes
per side. To assemble sandwiches: Spread
basil mayonnaise on four slices of bread. Top with the cheesy eggplant, red
peppers, onion and the remaining slices of bread. Cut in half and serve warm.
Submitted by April Stearns
Layered
Eggplant Casserole from Recipes from America's Small Farms
2-3 TBS
vegetable oil
1 large egg
2 TBS milk
¼ cup all purpose flour, more if needed
1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into ¼ inch thick slices
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large tomatoes, cut into ¼ inch thick slices
4 ounces Monterey Jack or other cheese, grated
1 TBS unsalted butter
Preheat
the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart casserole. Beat the egg and milk in a
bowl and spread the flour on a plate. Heat 1 TBS of the oil in large skillet.
Dip each slice of eggplant into the egg mixture, and then flour on both sides.
Place the slices in the skillet in a single layer and fry until golden on both
sides. Continue frying the eggplant in batches, adding oil as necessary, until
done. Layer the fried eggplant, the onion, the tomato, and the cheese until
they are all used up; the final layer should be the eggplant. Sprinkle any
remaining flour (or use another 2 TBS of flour) over the top. Dot with the
butter. Place in the oven, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, until bubbling and
the eggplant is tender. Note: instead of frying the eggplant slices, you can
drizzle them with oil and bake them on a cookie sheet for about 30 minutes in a
350 degree oven.
Eggplant
Pulp Facts from Recipes from America's Small Farms No one ever said
eggplant pulp was pretty, but it's a beautiful base for spreads and salads. To
make it, just puncture a large eggplant in a few places and wrap it loosely in
aluminum foil. Place it in a 400 degree oven until it's soft and mushy – it's
usually ready in about an hour, but longer baking won't hurt it. Let it cool
completely, then scrape all the flesh off the skin. You'll get about 1 ½ cups
of pulp from a medium eggplant. Add whatever other vegetables and herbs you
like – the eggplant's mild taste and pleasant texture blends and binds other
ingredients.
Eggplant
Rounds with Cheese and Tomato Sauce adapted from D. Madison's
Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
6-8
eggplant rounds per person, grilled, broiled or fried (from the skinny asian
eggplants, reduce number of slices if using the large purple ones.)
3/4 cup grated or sliced mozzarella
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola or goat cheese
about 4 cups favorite tomato sauce
chopped parsley or basil
Place the
eggplant rounds on a sheet pan and cover with the cheeses. Bake at 375 degrees
until the cheese melts. Serve with 2 or 3 spoonfuls of the sauce on each
serving and garnish with the parsley or basil.
Baked
Summer Squash with Pesto Crumbs
from More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Renee Shepherd
This can be served as a whole meal, over wild rice and garnished with toasted
pecans.
3 lbs.
Mixed summer squash
3 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive
oil
1/4 cup half-and-half
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. mace
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 shallots, minced
4 scallions, finely chopped
½ cup Pesto Bread Crumbs Recipe(see below)
Preheat
oven to 400F. Lightly oil a 2 ½ to 3 quart casserole dish with cover. Trim
squash and cut into large chunks (about 1 ½ inches). Arrange squash pieces in
casserole and set aside. Melt butter and olive oil together in a small
saucepan. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients, blending thoroughly.
Pour sauce mixture over squash, tossing until squash is coated. Cover casserole
and bake 40 minutes. Toss squash gently and spoon juices and seasonings from
the bottom of dish over squash. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake uncovered
for 10 minutes longer, until squashes are tender when pierced with a knife.
Pesto
Bread Crumbs
1 cup dry
bread crumbs
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
3 Tbs. roasted pine nuts
1 ½ cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Combine
all ingredients in a food processor until thoroughly blended. After using,
refrigerate any leftovers. Makes 2 cups.
