Journal post for week of August 4

Volume IX, JOURNAL 8

                                                                                                                          August 4, 2014

       Blue Heron Farm Journal

So what’s happening on the farm this week?

Week 8: What crew we had this morning!!  Thanks to Carly, Todd, Sadie, Gail, Diantha, Gretchen, Patrick and Garren for harvesting out of our jungle of a farmJ It is thanks to them that all of these yummy veggies are for you todayJ Commitment is what I have to say when they picked all those cherry tomatoes out of the jungle of the hoophouse - I need to get in there with my clippers.  The carrots that the girls have been nibbling on are finally ready - hmmm weren't these supposed to be spring carrots? The fall carrots and beets are up and growing.  Everything is loving this rain we got last night - I think we received about 1/2 inch.  A couple of folks asked about potatoes - I think next week - we have a bunch growing.  That field was too wet to get into and its not good to play with clay soil when its wet ;) The first crop of corn is looking good.  We are just waiting for it to bulk up maybe next week maybe the week after.  The cucumbers are in full force finally.  The tomatoes are starting to ripen more with all the clipping and trimming we did in the middle house - you get the first of these todayJ The ground cherries might be ready next week but definitely the week after. Oh and the lettuce should be back next week - if we picked it today we would have had to pick so many baby heads that we would have wiped out supply .  So we are going to let them get a little bit bigger.  They love this weather. 

 

We had a wonderful Savor the Islands dinner at Snowfarm yesterday.  I was on topping duty for flatbreads.  It was great fun to make all these fun creative pizzas and have Matt cook them in the wood fired oven.  So tasty.  Such a great fundraiser for Food For Thought - Farmers slinging pizzas and desserts J So much fun! Our farm is the next one on August 17 from 3-5.  Hope many of you can come - it is by donation and all the food is local.  I think I might even make a few ricotta cheesecakes too;) We will be looking for volunteers who would like to help with our event - everything from cooking, cleaning, setting up, collecting tents and tables, oh the list goes on - if you are interested let us know.  We will feed you really well.  We had over 140 people last yearJ

 

Have a great week.  

 

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, Carrots, Basil, Cilantro, Onions, Squash blossoms, Cucumbers, Pickling cucumbers, Green Cabbage, cherry/full size heirloom 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.

 

Tzatziki Cucumbers from the Madison Area CSA Coalition

1 medium cucumber, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. lemon juice
8 oz. yogurt
1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint

Combine all ingredients, chill and serve. Makes 2-3 servings.

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.

Squash Pancakes - marquita.com

2 eggs
1/2C milk
4 medium summer squashes, grated
1/2C bread crumbs
1/2C grated cheese
1/3C each chopped fresh parsley, basil and cilantro
2T minced shallot or green onion
4T butter
1/4C flour

Mix together eggs and milk. Add squash, herbs and shallots. Then mix in the cheese. Add slowly the bread crumbs and flour and mix well. In a large, heavy, non-stick skillet, melt 1T butter until it starts to brown. Spoon about 1/4C of mixture into the pan and flatten a bit with the spoon. You might be able to fit 2 pancakes into the same pan at once. When the edges show a little browning turn with a spatula. Cook the other side until it is also golden brown. Keep pancakes warm in the oven until they are all cooked.