Monday, July 28, 2014

Journal POst for week of July 28, 2014


Volume IX, JOURNAL 7
                                                                                                                          July 28, 2014
       Blue Heron Farm Journal
So what’s happening on the farm this week?
Week 7: Busy, Busy, Busy.  The rain has been nice.  It has been raining all day - a nice contemplative rain.  There has not been much sun since Saturday- rain and sun help veggies grow a lot in a few days - we were hoping for more cukes and more cherry tomatoes but both need the sun to plump up and to turn colors. We are growing this new cherry tomato "Indigo Rose" it is taking forever to ripen - we picked our first one today - we can't wait for you to try it.  It is a deep blue where the sun touches it and the underside turns this orangey red.  This particular cherry tomato is filles with Anthocyanins - which are powerful anti-oxidants - like what is found in blueberries. It was developed by Jim Myers at Oregon State University using traditional plant breeding techniques. These are crazy looking tomatoes and we can not wait for them to be ready for all of you.
 
This week looks like the cucumbers are finally coming in and we are picking our first eggplants.  The squash blossoms are delicious and we hope that you enjoy them as much as we do.  We have enclosed are recipe.  The napa cabbage is a great cabbage for slaw, kim chi, sauerkraut, stirfry or eat raw and toss with a sesame dressing or a maple balsamic recipe.  We are in between lettuce plantings right now - lettuce should be back next week.  Need to finish weeding the lettuce mix, cilantro, and salad turnips - those should be on your table next week too. 
 
Yesterday we took a family field trip to the Wilder homestead in Burke, NY.  Sadie and Delia - well I guess all of usJ are huge fans of all the Little house books - we have read them at least 3 or 4 times each and have probably have listened to the audio books multiple times.  The favorite right now is Farmer Boy and it was great to see the barns and home that Almanzo grew up in and to even see the black polish mark behind the wall paper that Eliza Jane covered up. The wash tub that the whole family washed in on a Saturday night. The pantry! The pantry - oh I could have stayed in there for hours.  The barns - small and compact and efficient.  Sadie remembered every little bit of the book and looked on in awe actually seeing everything in person.  She even pumped the water - like Almanzo did.  She couldn't believe that he would have to pump for two hours at a time to fill the trough for the cows and horses.  Delia squealed and jumped up and down in Star and Bright's stalls.   It took four of us to hug the large sugar maple in the front yard which Almanzo could hug at the age of 9 and his arms fit all the way around. The cellar where all the potatoes and milk and cream were stored.  The dining room where all those amazing meals were celebrated and shared.  The simplicity.  It was a deep breathe of fresh air. It was an amazing trip - what a humble farmstead, hard work and passion. When you walked the grounds and the buildings - you could feel the farm families of the past there with you.  So amazing and so comforting.
 
The Social that was scheduled for tonight is rescheduled for Sept 8 from 4:30 to 6:30. 
 
This Sunday is the Second Savor the Island Dinners at Snowfarm Vineyard in South Hero from 3:00-5:00 pm
190 West Shore Road, South Hero By Donation. All profits from these farm dinners will be donated to Food for Thought, a local organization providing fresh healthy food to children in low income families during the summer, to facilitate local food purchases. Suggested Donation $17 per person, children under 13 free.
 
We look forward to farming with you this season.   
Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia, Carly and Todd
 
 What’s in the share this week:
This  list is what is in a  full share this week.  Things may change between Monday and Thursday and Individual and Salad share will get differing amounts and may not get everything on the list. Zucchini, Summer Squash, Green Onions, Sweet Peppers, Squash blossoms, Red Russian Kale, Heirloom Eggplant, Cucumbers, Napa Cabbage and maybe cherry tomatoes
 
 
Farm Fresh Raw milk for Sale
We are very lucky to have two milking cows - Annie and Maggie - both give us plenty of milk each and every day and we would like to share that with you and anyone else would like to have raw milk.  We sell it $5 a half gal.  We also can do a sliding scale if needed for the milk.  You can buy milk at CSA pickup or anytime out of our barn fridge next to our house at 34 quaker.
 
Eggs for sale We have the pretty girls’ eggs for sale – these are free-range, certified organic chicken eggs that are brown eggs– with the brightest yellow/orange yolks you ever seen.  The eggs are $5.00 a dozen.  $3.00 half dozen
 
 
 
 
 
Recipes
 
Christine's Squash Blossoms
The squash blossoms that are in your shares this week are the male blossoms from a summer squash or zucchini plant. You can eat the female ones, but we figure they are pretty busy making fruit and they kind of fall apart when you pull them off the fruit.  Some say pull them stamen out but I don't.  These plants create a plentiful amount of squash blossoms to make sure that the female blossoms are pollinated to make fruit.  We take the excess off and enjoy these only summer time treats.  We pick them all when they are wide open and they will gradually close on their own.  It is important to pick only wide open ones, so they open later for you.  Shake out any stray bugs, fill a ziploc bag with some soft cheese (chevre, ricotta, cream cheese, really any kind) cut a little hole in the corner and pipe the cheese into each blossom.  Dip in egg, then roll in flour or cornmeal or panko or regular bread crumbs or a combo of all the above - and in a hot skillet with oil (we have used canola, coconut or organic vegetable shortening) cook until one side is golden brown and then the other.  You can fry them without filling them but oh my - are they delicious filled! Sadie can sit and eat plates of them.  You can also eat squash blossoms just in salads or just the way they are.  Some CSA members are chopped them about put them into fritattas.  They are best used within the first few days of having them if you are going to stuff them.
 
Squash Blossom Frittata http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipes/squash-blossom-recipes/


3-4 blossoms
1-2 baby squash
4 eggs
Dash of milk
2 green onions
Asiago cheese or cheddar or what you have on hand
Chopped parsley and snipped chives (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste


Pick 3 to 4 blossoms per person and 1 or 2 baby yellow or green summer squash.  Beat 4 eggs with a little milk. Add fresh chopped parsley and snipped chives, if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste. In a non-stick pan, saute a little butter and cook 2 green onion and thinly sliced baby squash just until soft. Then quickly saute the blossoms for about 30 seconds and remove from pan.  Pour egg mix into pan, sprinkle and arrange the onions, squash and blossoms on top and cook over low to medium heat until almost set. Sprinkle with Asiago cheese and put under the broiler until lightly puffed and browned.
 
Sesame Cabbage www.marquitafarm.com


1/2 cup raw sesame seeds
1/4 tsp salt
1 dried red chile flakes
1 head Cabbage, chopped
3/4 cup water
1 tsp salt

"Popu"
1 1/2 tbsp oil (olive, sesame, canola, etc.)
1 dried red chili, cracked
1 pinch fenugreek
1/4 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp cumin seed



Dry roast sesame seeds and dried red chili in a pan over medium heat. Stir often until majority seeds are brown. Remove from heat and cool. Once cool, grind in a food processor or blender with 1/2 tsp of salt. Excess ground sesame can be stored in the refrigerator for further use. To cook cabbage over medium heat, add chopped cabbage to 3/4 cup boiling water + 1 tsp salt. Cook until cabbage is desired texture. Once cooked, drain excess liquid. Add 1/4-1/2 cup ground sesame. Turn off heat.Prepare the "popu" in a separate pan by combing all ingredients, heating over medium heat, and waiting for mustard seeds to crackle. Once ready, add to cabbage, stir and heat over low heat for 1 minute. The "popu" can be prepared when the cabbage is nearly finished.
Montreal Slaw
from The Way We Cook by Sheryl Julian and Julie Riven



1 large green cabbage, quartered and cored
2 Tablespoons coarse (kosher or other) salt
4 carrots, grated
1 green pepper
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced (
3-6 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
3 Tablespoons olive oil or another mild salad oil


Shred cabbage and transfer to a large colander, sprinkling the layers with salt. Set the colander in a large bowl and set aside for 30 minutes.

Rinse the cabbage a bit and then With your hands, press the cabbage to remove the excess moisture and transfer to a large bowl. Add the carrots, green pepper, and scallions and toss thoroughly.

Sprinkle the vegetables with 3 Tablespoons of the sugar, vinegar, and oil.
Toss again. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, sugar, or vinegar if you like. Cover bowl and refrigerate slaw for at least 2 hours or for as long as overnight. Toss again just before serving.


 

 

POSTPONED Celebrate the Farmer Social Today

POSTPONED Celebrate the Farmer Social Today
Due to the rain and muddy fields, the Celebrate the Farmer Social Today at Blue Heron Farm is rescheduled to September 8 from 4:30-6:30.CSA pickup will go on as usual from 4-630 today.
Sorry for the inconvenience.

Monday, July 21, 2014

CSA Journal Post for week of July 21

Volume IX, JOURNAL 5and6
July 21, 2014
                                                                                                    
   Blue Heron Farm Journal
So what’s happening on the farm this week?
Week 6: Sorry there was no journal last week- The girls and I went to Cape Cod for a few days to hang out with my mom, sisters and brothers.  My mom gets the "cape cod house" (what delia and Sadie call itJ) for one week in July, the week of her birthday and then all over kids and their partners and her two grand kids descend to the Falmouth timeshare. The girls had a blast - regular little fish they are - between the two pools and the bay.  They loved playing in the water and hanging out with all of my sisters and brother (I'm the oldest of 6J) We got to ride our bikes on the Shining Sea Bike Way along the beaches of the cape.  Sadie with her new two wheeling skills (no training wheels) pedaled for 9 miles on one of the daysJ We are grateful to Adam, Carly, Todd and our wonderful volunteers that kept everything going while we were gone.  Now its Carly's turn - and she is off to Paris tonight for a week with her grandmother. 
 
We should have potatoes and cucumbers for you all next weekJ And maybe even tomatoes.  We say good bye to the peas for now and hopefully they will make another appearance in the fall.  The beans are quite tasty and we mixed them this week so you will get all three yellow, green and purple.  The summer squash and zucchini are in full steam now and the ground cherries are closing in to be ready.  Also next week lettuce mix should be back and cilantro and basil.  This past Sunday we delivered 49 heads of lettuce and 33 bags of beans for Food for Thought. Families were quite excited about the fresh purple beans.  The purple beans will turn green when you cook themJ
 
It's amazing how much has grown in the week we were away - it gives you perspective.  Cucumbers that were barely there a week ago - Sadie is finding and munching on.  The onions that were barely bulbing are now bulbing up. the tomatoes - oh the tomatoes they are growing by leaps and bounds - they most grow a foot a day. So all the veggies are growing and so are the weeds - we could use some help with mulching and weeding over the next week or two - if you have a few hours you would like to offer we would gladly have you - we will reward you with a bag of fresh farm yumminess.
 
Savor the Islands Dessert Tasting - This Sunday!
Join Hackett's Orchard and the Lake Champlain Islands Agriculture Network for an extravaganza of desserts made by local chefs and farmers, featuring islands fruits and other local ingredients. There will be an ice cream sundae bar, cookies, cupcakes, and more! Stop by the orchard from 1-4 pm for this buffet of sweet treats on Sunday, July 27, 2014 at 86 South Street, South Hero

Orchard tours every half hour. This is a family friendly event, great for all ages! Rain or shine (we have inside space).
Admission by donation. Suggested donation of $8/person, children 8 and under eat free. 
All profits from this event will benefit LCIAN and Food for Thought. For more information call 372-4848.
 
Ohhh!! And before I forget - Next Monday during pickup - NOFA Pizza Oven will be here to celebrate CSA.  This event will be open to the public - so bring a friend - bring someone who might be interested in finding out more about joining a CSA..free Pizza - Dinner on us and NOFA- VTJ
 
Celebrate Your Farmer Social at Blue Heron Farm
July 28, 2014 - 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Join us for farm-fresh pizza and a celebration of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms! Blue Heron is a certified organic, diversified family farm offering produce and poultry products, plus fiber from their grazing livestock. Come and enjoy the feast from NOFA-VT's wood-fired oven, and learn more about this thriving CSA farm and how they're addressing food access in their community.
 
We look forward to farming with you this season.   
Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia, Carly and Todd
 
 What’s in the share this week:
This  list is what is in a  full share this week.  Things may change between Monday and Thursday and Individual and Salad share will get differing amounts and may not get everything on the list. Green,Yellow and Purple Beans, Lettuce, Pea Tendrils, Holey but damn tasty arugula or kale, Sweet Salad turnips or Spicy Spanish Radishes, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Green Onions, Sweet Peppers
 
 
Farm Fresh Raw milk for Sale
We are very lucky to have two milking cows - Annie and Maggie - both give us plenty of milk each and every day and we would like to share that with you and anyone else would like to have raw milk.  We sell it $5 a half gal.  We also can do a sliding scale if needed for the milk.  You can buy milk at CSA pickup or anytime out of our barn fridge next to our house at 34 quaker.
 
Eggs for sale We have the pretty girls’ eggs for sale – these are free-range, certified organic chicken eggs that are brown eggs– with the brightest yellow/orange yolks you ever seen.  The eggs are $5.00 a dozen.  $3.00 half dozen
 
Recipes
 
The arugula is holey but tasty - we forgot to cover it - but we eat it - so we figured we would offer it all to you too.  You could make pesto with it if you like.  Or just put it in eggs Or on pizza Or…hmmm

Chocolate Summer Squash Cake http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/chocolate-summer-squash-cake.htm make this when you have a lot of zucchini or other squash. It is a very moist cake. I grate and freeze 3 cup portions of squash to use later in breads and cakes.



1/2 cup oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup lowfat yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk or sour milk
3 cups coarsely shredded squash
2 cups flour ( I use fine whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cyanne pepper powdered (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)


blend dry ingredients except sugar in a large bowl, mix wet ingredients and sugar, add to dry and stir until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Oil a 9 x 13 inch pan (oil and flour if using a bunt pan) bake in a 350 deg oven for 45 min test cake for doneness, It may need more time if squash is very wet. Note if batter seems too thick add a little more milk or yogurt.
Yellow Squash Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/08/yellow-squash-cupcakes-with-chocolate-icing-recipe.html
For the Cupcakes


Baking spray
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (about 5 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup (about 5 1/4 ounces) packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest from 1 orange
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup coarsely grated yellow squash, from about one 8-ounce squash 


For the Frosting


4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled



For the Cupcakes: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Line 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Spray tin with baking spray.In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Set aside. In large bowl beat butter, oil, sugar, and orange zest on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and sour cream and beat until incorporated. Stir in flour mixture, then squash. Divide batter equally in prepared tin.Bake until tester inserted in center of cupcakes comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tin to cooling rack and cool cupcakes in tin 10 minutes, then transfer cupcakes directly to rack to cool completely, about 45 minutes. For the Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in confectioners’ sugar just until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Return speed to medium and continue beating until light, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla, salt, and chocolate, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Frost cupcakes and serve.
 
Marinated Zucchini and Summer Squash http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/marinated-zucchini-and-summer-squash-recipe.html


2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound zucchini (about 3 large), trimmed and sliced diagonally about 1/4-inch thick
1 pound yellow squash (about 3 large), trimmed and sliced diagonally about 1/4-inch thick


Whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and thyme in a large bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil. Spoon 3 tablespoons of the marinade into a small bowl. Cover and set aside. Add the zucchini and yellow squash to the remaining marinade in the large bowl and toss to coat. Transfer the mixture to a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Cover and marinate at room temperature at least 3 hours or cover and refrigerate up to 1 day. Prepare the barbecue for medium-high heat. Grill the vegetables until they are crisp-tender and brown, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a platter. Drizzle with the reserved marinade and serve hot or at room temperature.