Blue Heron Farm

Click, clack, Mooo!

2012-01-19T10:11:00.001-05:00

Have you been to City Market looking for our Eggs?

Our wonderful chickens, who make those yummy organic eggs, are a bit on strike these days. (Have you ever read Click, Clack, Moo, the children's book? We are just short of giving them electric blankets to keep them warm) For our flock of 175 - we are getting about 2 dozen or so a day. We are sorry for the inconvience. Our chickens do not live their days in a heated barn - they are out and about in the hoophouse and snow and lay eggs and roost in their traveling house. We are working to get them back up - which we think will be within 2-3weeks. We think these frigid, frigid temps have made them molt and just stop laying for a while. We have adjusted their light, giving them more treats (old winter squashes and cabbages), plenty of organic grain, plenty of clean water, lots of hay to play and scratch in the hoophouse - we just have to wait it out. Thanks for your patience. We will have more eggs soon. We will bring in what we can.

Thanks, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia and all the Pretty Girls and their Rooster Rocket at Blue Heron Farm.

Farmers Market TODAY!

2011-12-03T06:52:00.001-05:00

Hey Everbody - Farmers' Market today at the Congregational Church of South Hero from 10-2. WE'll be there with Arugula, Baby Kale (with Kale chip recipes), Sweet Salad turnips, eggs, chow chow, celery, pumpkins, acorn squash, bok choy, pickled banana peppers, wool, yarn from our sheep...and cookies - There is a cookie walk with over 100 kinds of cookies - we are bringing some too - Wine cookies and Pizelles - the cookie walk is to benefit Food for Thought - summer lunch program for kids in the Islands. See you there.

A mini journal post

2011-11-30T10:34:00.001-05:00

HI everyone-

Hope your fall and into winter is going well. This weather is truly unbelieveable. If we didn't have that real cold snap a few weeks ago we would have had shelling peas. But...the greens in the field are still growing - slowly but very sweet arugula, kale, turnips, celery, bits of chard, napa cabbage - all holdling on and ignoring that tomorrow is December 1st. The chickens are still outside - fertilizing for next year's crops for us.

We are starting to meet with mortgage companies next week to get the financing to buy this land and to build a house (where we currently live). It is exciting and daunting all at the same time. We are still plan on conserving all 30 acres with the Vermont Land Trust and selling our development rights. Hopefully if all the fundraising and financing comes through - we will be closing in March sometime.

Christine will be taking a Whole Farm Planning course over the winter for women farmers to help us plan for the future of our farm with our new land security. Delia turns one in a weeks and half and Sadie turns 4 in 2.5 weeks - time flies. We are busily getting the last bales of hay in and securing buildings and hoophouses.

You can also order produce from us at www.yourfarmstand.com and pick out Grand Isle pickup. We will also be at the SOuth Hero Farmers Market this Saturday from 10-2 with lots of goodies - and girls:)

:) Thanks,
Christine

Farmers Market SATURDAY load up for thanksgiving

2011-11-18T09:10:00.000-05:00

Farmers Market TOMORROW (Saturday)
at Congregational Church of SOuth Hero from 10-2pm. We will have loads of goodies including cabbage, arugula, bok choy, pickled peppers, piccalilly, chow chow, hot pepper jelly, celery, eggs, greens, maybe tomatoes, yarn, little cutie, and more..bring a friend:)

Journal Post for the week of October 17, 2011

2011-10-19T15:49:00.000-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL XVIII
OCTOBER 17, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Week 18- WOW- hard to believe we are on the last day of CSA season! At the end of this topsy-turvy season of extremes, we feel grateful for all of the wonderful folks who made this season possible and enjoyed the bounty! Even though the farm is totally saturated with water, and our time is being soaked up with kids, animals, and off-farm jobs (Adam's), we are excited about the growing life of this little family farm! You all are a big part this.

Even though the CSA is "officially" ending this week, we'll still have a bunch of greens such as kale, lettuce mix, and arugula, winter squash, bok choy, celery, ground cherries, eggs, yarn, and potatoes (if they don't rot in the ground!) available into the winter months. You can ALWAYS give us a call or come by the farmstand to see what's available. We will also likely have "call back" to pick up some luscious English peas that are starting to get plump. but were not yet ready for harvest- so watch your email for a note about this for next week!! We want to make sure you all get some. We are experimenting this year with growing greens in our newest, biggest hoop house (where the tomatoes and crazy basil were), so the good stuff will keep growing well into December, and possibly will start to grow again (if they survive) when they days start getting longer again. We hope it works out.

We have a few exciting last pick-up treats this week, all crops that waited for the weeds to die and for cooler weather to flourish! "Grand Isle" celery- sweet and flavorful for your favorite soups and stews. Also, we have carrots that have held out and grown and now taste wonderful. The potatoes were simply too muddy to mess with - like river going down the paths...and the green onions are taking an extended bath in the field.

ANNOUNCING: FALL HOEDOWN/FARM WORK PARTY October 29 from 8am - 12noon then a potluck lunch, pickup some potatoes and english peas and music

Meeting at the farmstand at 8am - we have various tasks to complete and would love all of your help putting parts of the farm to "bed" for the season. We will have all sorts of tasks available. From shoveling barns and chicken coops to picking peas and potatoes to cleaning stakes out of the field to planting in the hoophouses to whatever needs to be done.

We will have a list and folks that will lead each task. When you arrive at 8 (or when you can get there) you can join a "crew" and get dirty(to work). AT noon we will break for a yummy potluck lunch and music and maybe some other treats. You will all go home with farm produce including potatoes, english peas and beans and more. Families are welcome - young and old - no matter what your ability - there is a job for you. Bring work gloves, sturdy shoes, water bottle. Early next week we will be posting some of the jobs that are available to do that day. Bring the whole family - work'em, feed'em, and then nap :)

If you could, please RSVP- so we know how much desert to make:) and how many jobs we can get done. A crob mob - Blue Heron Style:) Look forward to seeing you all -

Oh and if you are on facebook - look for us. we are there - and we are posting a few times a week..

Oh yes one more thing - we are part of the Grand Isle - www.yourfarmstand.com - check it out - pickups are on Fridays.

Thanks for reading - see you all soon. Have a great week! Thanks for listening and your support. Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia

PS Please also check out our story at the Vermont Land Trust Website:
http://www.vlt.org/initiatives/active-community-projects/blue-heron

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: GREEN BEANS, LETTUCE MIX, ARUGULA, SWEET & HOT PEPPERS, CARROTS, TOMATOES, TOMATILLOS, CELERY, BABY RED RUSSIAN KALE, BABY BOK CHOY, WINTER SQUASH (THURSDAYS PICKUP- YOU WILL GET HAKERIEI SALAD TURNIPS INSTEAD OF CARROTS EAT THEM RAW - AND GENTLY SAUTEE THE GREENS)

Yarn for Sale
Yarn is available in our natural color "Island Oatmeal." Worsted Weight, double twist, soft, 220 yds, 4 ounces, Greenspun (no petroleum products used in cleaning the wool) by Green Mountain Spinnery here in Vermont. Yarn is in the farmstand. 17.00 skein. Also available wool roving, white, brown, oatmeal - $9 for 4 ounces.

Recipes, Etc...
Celery: Celery contains phytochemicals called phthalides, which some studies have shown reduce stress hormones and work to relax the muscle walls in arteries, increasing blood flow. As a result, it has long been used in Chinese medicine to help control high blood pressure. Celery is an excellent source of vitamins K and C, and a very good source of potassium, folate, dietary fiber, molybdenum, manganese, and vitamin B6. --Martha Rose Shulman
Celery and Potato Soup
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
This light puree is more celery than potato. The potato thickens the soup, a simple potage that is brought to life by the tiny amount of walnut oil that’s drizzled onto each serving.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large or 2 medium leeks, white and light green part only, cleaned and sliced
6 celery stalks, sliced (about 3/4 pound)
Kosher salt
1 medium-size russet potato, about 10 ounces, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved, green shoots removed
A bouquet garni made a bay leaf and a couple of sprigs each parsley and thyme, tied together
7 cups water or chicken stock
Freshly ground pepper
For garnish:
2 teaspoons walnut oil
1/4 cup very thinly sliced celery
chopped chives or chervil (optional)

Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat, add the onion, leek, and celery, and cook gently, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt after the first 5 minutes. Make sure that the vegetables do not color.Add the potatoes, garlic, and bouquet garni. Stir together and add the water or stock. Bring to a simmer, add salt to taste, cover and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender and the broth fragrant. Remove from the heat.Remove the bouquet garni from the soup. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup (or you can put it through the fine blade of a food mill or use a regular blender, working in batches and placing a kitchen towel over the top to avoid splashing). Then strain through a medium strainer (this step is important; otherwise the soup will be stringy), using a pestle or the bottom of a ladle to push the soup through. Make sure to scrape the outside of the strainer so that all of the puree goes back into the soup. Return to the pot, stir with a whisk to even out the texture, heat through and season well with salt and pepper.. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each bowl with a few thin slices of celery and about 1/4 teaspoon walnut oil. Sprinkle with minced chives or chervil if you wish, and serve.

Journal Post for the week of October 10, 2011

2011-10-10T07:52:00.001-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL XVII
OCTOBER 10, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL

SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Just when we all thought that fall was really closing in on us, the sun came back out and warmed up the fields! This meant that the green beans, eggplant, and peppers all got a boost and are still producing wonderfully, and the soil has dried up enough to walk through the fields without sinking. Hopefully we'll be able to hold on to this lovely warmth for a couple more weeks.
We were able to begin planting our winter greens in the tomato hoophouse this weekend. We have kale and pac choi, and soon the broccoli and cabbage will join them! The hoophouses mean that we can really extend our season, which is so important when you think about how short the Vermont growing season can be, especially this year. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to all the farmers in southern Vermont and the Intervale in Burlington who had to cut their season short due to floods and damaged produce. Despite all the complications of this summer, we are so proud to be able to see you through another two CSA weeks.
In other farm news, Texi the baby cow (who is really not much of a baby anymore) found his way into the barn with the little boy sheep on Sunday. It seems that he just wanted to play with some animals his own age, but the sheep weren't exactly interested in playing "headbutt the new guy" as much as Texi was. Luckily Ashlyn got Texi back to his mom, and he was soon distracted by all the lush grass in the pasture. The sheep seem to have forgotten it ever happened.
Once again, many thanks to all of you who have continued to support Blue Heron Farm this year, whether through your CSA share, donations, or volunteer time. We couldn't do it without you! The harvest always tastes sweetest when shared with those you love. We hope you can share this week's bounty with your loved ones! Peace from your farmers, Adam, Christine, Sadie, Delia, Ashlyn and Sophie
WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: LETTUCE MIX, ARUGULA, CHARD, POTATOES, TOMATOES, HOT PEPPERS, WINTER SQUASH, GREEN ONIONS, AND EGGPLANT. DON'T FORGET TO PICK UP A COUPLE BUNCHES OF CORNSTALKS TO DECORATE YOUR HOME FOR THE SEASON!

Yarn for Sale
Yarn is available in our natural color "Island Oatmeal." Worsted Weight, double twist, soft, 220 yds, 4 ounces, Greenspun (no petroleum products used in cleaning the wool) by Green Mountain Spinnery here in Vermont. Yarn is in the farmstand. $17.00 skein. Also available: wool roving, white, brown, oatmeal - $9 for 4 ounces.

Lori's Skillet Smashed Potatoes
(from 101 Cookbooks, a wonderful website to peruse when looking for seasonal ideas for your CSA produce! http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/loris-skillet-smashed-potatoes-recipe.html)

one bag of small potatoes
salt & pepper
1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

Start by placing the potatoes in a large saucepan. Add a teaspoon of salt and cover with water. Don't peel the potatoes, because the skin helps keep the potatoes together. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and cook at a low boil until they are tender enough to slide a knife in easily. It is important not to over-boil them, for golf ball size potatoes about 10 minutes or less. Drain the potatoes and refrigerate until you are ready to brown them in a large skillet.
Heat the olive in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Keep in mind it needs to be big enough to hold the potatoes, which double in size when they are smashed. Smash each potato with a masher or the bottom of a heavy glass. Season with salt and pepper and cook until crisp, and then turn and cook the other side. Sprinkle with chives, fresh herbs, whatever and serve.
Blue Heron Tip: Try adding some chopped hot peppers, onion and garlic to the pan before adding cooked potatoes. Chop up some arugula and green onions and add to the pan after everything is fully cooked. Top off with some Vermont cheddar and you've got the perfect meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Roasted Eggplant Soup
(http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/10/roasted-eggplant-soup/)

3 medium tomatoes, halved
about 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, halved lengthwise
1 small onion, halved
6 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme/ 1 tsp dried
4 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
3/4 cup (about 3 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange tomatoes, eggplant, onion and garlic on a large baking sheet, or two smaller ones if you, like me, have a tiny oven. Brush or drizzle vegetables with oil then roast them for 20 minutes, pausing only to remove the garlic cloves, and returning the pans to the oven for another 25 minutes, until the remaining vegetables are tender and brown in spots. Remove from oven and scoop eggplant from skin into a heavy, large saucepan or soup pot. Add the rest of the vegetables, the thyme and the chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until onion is very tender, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly.
Working in batches, puree soup in blender until it is as smooth as you’d like it to be. (Or, if you have an immersion blender, you can do this in the pot.) Back in the pot, add the cream and bring the soup back to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in four bowls, sprinkled with goat cheese. Play around with spiciness if you want (try adding some Blue Heron Farm peppers!)

Journal Post for the week of Ocotber 3, 2011

2011-10-03T18:19:00.000-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL XVI
OCTOBER 3, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Week 16- There are TWO more pickups after this one. With a possible surprise event at the last pickup. Stay tuned.
So with the change of weather, we have all gotten the sniffles. This farmer mama woke up from a nap yesterday (you know when this mama is sick - real sick- when she takes to a nap with her girls) and couldn't breathe. Very scary experience - I was having a cold induced asthma attack - I was all crinkly in my chest. Luckily, good friends (Donna Sue and Michael and Ashlyn) came over to watch the girls and Adam took me into the ER - where I got a nebulizer treatment, chest xray and inhaler. I was released with strict orders of laying low for a few days. How do you tell a mama farmers that? And how do you do it? Well with some balancing and a very patient husband, hardworking intern Ashlyn and Aimee, Charlie and Daniel to play with the girls - I was able to nap in this morning and take it easy. Thanks to all who have helped out.
It rained real well here over the weekend. Our soil can't take anymore up - its making puddles. We were hoping to pull up potatoes for you today but - um - I think we would sink into our knees and wreak havoc on the soil. We think next week - if we get sun you will get beans, celery and potatoes and more.
Thanks go out to our die hard volunteer Diantha, Gail, Cordelia, Fiona, Benjamin and our Intern Ashlyn. I don't know where we would be without all of you. On Friday last, Cordelia and Ashlyn, single handedly cleaned out the large hoophouse. This is no small feat. All out hoophouse tomatoes (days are too short for them and they started to get some diseases - don't worry we are ripening them in the barn for you), all the sweet peppers, and basil. With that being said - this is the week to make PESTO - make loads of it! We have literally buckets of basil in front of the farmstand waiting to go home with you and be turned into pesto. I have included a pesto recipe - you do not need to use pinenuts - heck you do not need to use any nuts - I usually use no nuts or use walnuts or pecans. I also freeze it with the cheese in it - I know I know the foodies in the world say put the cheese in afterwards - um...I think it tastes grand with it - knowing it is one last step I have to balance while I am cooking with two on my hip. I also freeze it in a log like shape wrapped in parchment paper and then plastic wrap then into a plastic freezer bag and slice as much as I need. Have fun with it. The more work you put in it now - true yummy convenience food come January.
Thanks for reading - see you all soon. Have a great week! Thanks for listening and your support. Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia and our Intern Ashlyn

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: BASIL, CILANTRO, LETTUCE MIX, ARUGULA, GARLIC, Eggplant, sweet peppers, hot peppers, Green Onions, TOMATOES, Winter Squash, PYO Ground Cherries, and a few other things - Best guess for the week.

Yarn for Sale
Yarn is available in our natural color "Island Oatmeal." Worsted Weight, double twist, soft, 220 yds, 4 ounces, Greenspun (no petroleum products used in cleaning the wool) by Green Mountain Spinnery here in Vermont. Yarn is in the farmstand. 17.00 skein. Also available wool roving, white, brown, oatmeal - $9 for 4 ounces.

Recipes
NUTRITION NOTES about peppers (from The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition, Sheldon Margen, M.D.): Perhaps the most surprising feature of peppers is their nutritiousness: They are excellent sources of many essential nutrients, especially vitamin C - by weight, green bell peppers have twice as much as citrus fruits (red bells have three times as much.) Hot peppers contain even more vitamin C, 357 percent more than an orange. Moreover, red peppers are quite a good source of beta carotene. Red peppers are higher in beta carotene than green peppers: A sweet red pepper provides nearly 11 times as much beta carotene as a sweet green one; hot red peppers contain nearly 14 times as much as their green counterparts. Furthermore, sweet red peppers have one and a half times as much Vitamin C as sweet green peppers; the vitamin C content of red and green hot peppers is the same.
About Basil: Researchers report that basil contains antibacterial compounds, which make the essential oil great for treating skin conditions. In India it is used in a kind of aroma therapy and is said to give people sattva, enlightenment and harmony. In Arabian countries it has long been used to alleviate menstrual cramps.
Fresh Basil Pesto http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fresh_basil_pesto-print
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts or pecans or none
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices. Makes 1 cup.
Real Basil Cheesecake from the Madison Herb Society Cookbook

2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup basil leaves, destemmed
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup crushed graham crackers or vanilla wafers

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In food processor or mixer, lightly beat eggs. Add sour cream, sugar, basil, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla. Process until smooth. Add cream cheese, 1/2 pound at a time, and process to incorporate. Spread softened butter on bottom and halfway up sides of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Cover buttered area with cookie crumbs, pressing to be sure they stick. Pour in cheesecake batter and bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Run a knife around edges of cake as soon as it comes out of oven. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes then remove the side of pan. Finish cooling. Cut with dental floss into thin wedges. Ten servings.
Tomato and Sweet Pepper Salad adapted from The Vegetable Market Cookbook by Robert Budwig

3 sweet peppers
4 ripe tomatoes
1/4 preserved lemon (or 2 teaspoons grated zest with some of the lemon's juice)
2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed pinch sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 t black pepper

Grill or roast peppers, remove skins, cut into small cubes and set aside. Blanch tomatoes for 15-20 seconds in boiling water. Drain and remove skins and stems. Cut in half and remove seeds. Cut into small cubes. Rinse the preserved lemon under running water and remove the pulp. Cut the rind into fine dice. Arrange peppers, tomatoes and lemon in a dish. Mix remaining ingredients to make a dressing and pour over the salad. Mix well.
Multi Pepper Salad with Fontina adapted from From the Cook's Garden by Ellen Ogden

1.5 pounds Sweet peppers, roasted and cut into 1/4 inch strips
12 black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and coarsely chopped
6 ounces Fontina cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 1.5 cups)
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon finely chopped cutting celery OR tarragon OR parsley
1/4 cup best extra virgin olive oil
S & P to taste

Combine the peppers, olives, and cheese. Mix the cream, lemon juice, mustard, and herb in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season with the S & P. Pour over the peppers and mix. Serve immediately.
Romesco Sauce for Crostini, Pasta, or as a vegetable dipper

4 large roasted yellow, orange, and or red peppers
1/2 cup toasted almonds
2 cloves garlic
1 ripe tomato
1 tsp salt
2 thick slices from a baguette
1 tsp paprika
½ cup or less olive oil
Fresh basil leaves if available
2-4 Tablespoons sherry vinegar

Whirl everything in a food processor.
Sweet Pepper and Lentil Soup
inspired by a recipe in Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook by Hensperger and Kaufmann
2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, or 2 leeks, chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly purchased paprika or smoked paprika
1-3 sweet peppers, depending on their size, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup dried brown or black lentils, picked over and rinsed
5 cups broth or water
S & P to taste (at least an entire teaspoon of salt for this one)
1-2 Tablespoons champagne or sherry or rice vinegar to finish the soup

Cook the onion in 1 Tablespoon oil over medium heat in a skillet until the onion/leeks begin to soften. Stir in paprika and allow it to cook for about a minute more. Add the chopped sweet pepper and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until everything begins to soften. Scrape all this into a slow cooker. Add the lentils and broth (or water) and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low until the lentils are completely soft, 7-9 hours. Season the soup with S & P (more salt if you used water, less if you used purchased broth), and last Tablespoon olive oil. Stir in 1 Tablespoon of one of the vinegars, adding more if needed. Serve hot.

Journal Post for the week of September 26, 2011

2011-09-26T14:58:00.002-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL XV
SEPTEMBER 26, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Week 15- Thanks for all the well wishes and letters of support last week. We did receive VHCB funding for conserving the farm - only two more really big hurdles to go - local fundraising for the rest of the money needed to conserve the farm and for us to get a mortgage for the land. Thanks again - you are all so wonderful!

Three more pickups after this week. Yet to come - some sweet baby carrots, celery, chard, kale, haukerei turnips, a new round of baby lettuces and arugula, young tender green beans, more potatoes, winter squash and more - I think we will finish strong. And we will have more of the other veggies too. We will be pulling out the hoophouse tomatoes and peppers this week to make room for late/fall and winter crops. The tomatoes n the hoophouse are having trouble turning red - with the cooler night temperatures and a whole lot more moisture in the air. So we are going to pick them all and let them ripen in the barn. In that very large hoophouse we are going to try to grow chard, spinach, broccoli, kale, bok choy, and a few others and see how it goes..

We are putting fields to bed and getting ready for next year already. Trying to have some good days in a row so we can get the last bit of hay off the land for the sheep, cows and chickens for the winter. This is the last week of sweet corn - we picked the last of it last night (Sunday) - not sure if Thursday folks will get some (thats why you have been getting a bit extra each week of corn just in case this was going to happen). Sweet corn is best eaten within a day or so of eating - its the sweetest then. It still tastes fine after that - you just miss that candy like window - I think - but hey, I have cooked corn up that was a week old and it still was great! You will notice you have quite a bit of eggplant this week - the eggplants have put on a flush for us this week. So I will not ramble on too long - so I can put in lots of recipes for it. Please come and PYO ground cherries and sungolds - sungolds are definitely on their way out due to the cooler temps and longer amounts of dew on the plants. The ground cherries we should keep having to until frost or so..

THe green beans in your share this week were a bit of a surprise for us. We had already picked this planting twice maybe even three times and then cut them back and then - after all that sun and then rain and then a bit more sun - bam! we have some beans - some beans to tie us over until the fall beans come in. We will be moving to a younger planting of lettuce and arugula next week.

This is Adora's last week with us. She's been interning with us since the beginning of June. She'll be leaving on Thursday. We have had a grand time with her and learned much from her and we wish her the best in her adventures that lie before her. Good Luck Adora in your travels.

Thanks for reading - see you all soon. Have a great week! Thanks for listening and your support. Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia and our Interns Ashlynn and Adora

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: BASIL, CILANTRO, SWEET CORN, LETTUCE MIX, ARUGULA, Eggplant, sweet peppers, hot peppers, PYO Sungold Cherry Tomatoes, Green Onions, TOMATOES, PYO Ground Cherries, Green Beans, and a few other things - Best guess for the week.

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
Yarn is available in our natural color "Island Oatmeal." Worsted Weight, double twist, soft, 220 yds, 4 ounces, Greenspun (no petroleum products used in cleaning the wool) by Green Mountain Spinnery here in Vermont. Yarn is in the farmstand. 17.00 skein. Also available wool roving, white, brown, oatmeal - $9 for 4 ounces.

Recipes
Eggplant Gratin "Almodrote de Berenjen" adapted from Joyce Goldstein's Sephardic Flavors
Those of you who enjoy eggplant might want to check out Joyce Goldstein's book Sephardic Flavors. It is a fascinating look at the foods and culture the Jews took with them into the Arab world when they were expelled from Spain by the Catholics in 1492. (http://mariquita.com/recipes/eggplant.html)
4 pounds largish eggplants 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 slices country bread, soaked in water, and squeezed dry, 4 eggs, 6 ounces fresh white cheese, crumbled (such as ricotta or feta) 1/2 pound gruyere or kashkaval cheese, grated 1/3 cup sunflower or olive oil 1 to 2 teaspoons salt black pepper to taste 3 Tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
Bake the whole eggplants on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. You can also broil them for 20 minutes, turning often. Transfer to a colander. When cool enough to handle, strip away the skin and remove the large seed pockets. Place the pulp on a cutting board and chop coarsely. Return it to the colander and let drain for 10 to 20 minutes to release the bitter juices. You should have 2 to 2 ½ cups pulp. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 7 x 11 baking dish. Transfer the eggplant to a bowl and mash well with a fork. Add the bread, eggs, crumbled cheese, and all but 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese, and all but 2 Tablespoons of the oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Spread mixture in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese and the remaining oil over the top. Bake until golden and set, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve hot directly from the dish.
Princess Eggplant from Julia http://mariquita.com/recipes/eggplant.html

2 pounds smallish white or purple eggplants
3 tablespoons peanut or safflower oil
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch chard, washed and roughly chopped (it's ok to leave water on the leaves)
1 bunch parsley or cilantro, chopped
sauce: Mix together with a bit of water:
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
Tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 Tablespoon black bean sauce

Cut the eggplants into large-ish bite-sized pieces. Cook them over high heat in the oil, after 2 minutes, add the garlic and stir often, until the eggplants are mostly cooked through. Add the chard and mix in until it's wilted some, about 1 or 2 minutes.Add the sauce to the still-hot eggplant mixture. STIR in the parsley or cilantro just after removing from the heat, serve with rice.
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.

Journal Post for the week of September 19, 2011

2011-09-19T21:10:00.000-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL XIV
SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Week 14- If there were such a thing as a foodie's dream share - this would be the week - the only thing that would make it perfect would a watermelon or cucumber to add to it all. Sweet Corn - crunchy bursts of butter and sweetness leaking out the corners of your mouth, late summer sweetness and saltiness of those heirloom tomatoes, the super sweetness of sungolds and ground cherries that have been ripened in the warm glow of the sun all day - just in time for you to pick them. The Lettuce and arugula - so tender and sweet and the right amount of pepperiness. Drizzle some homemade maple balsamic vinaigrette with a dash of pureed raspberries. Banana Fingerling potatoes that are so buttery when you roast them in the oven, or sauté them in the pan with a little olive oil or toss them with onions and garlic and put them on the grill. Basil that makes every person smile when they smell it, touch it, eat it over tomatoes, over pasta, over eggs or just straight up. Spaghetti Squash with its taste of fall and coziness..The hot peppers that give that kick when you need it. And those sweet peppers, that Miss Sadie loves to snack on in the field, in the car, in the house, with a mouse.. :) Okay I think I need to stop now - I think drool has hit my keyboard.

We picked over 300 ears of corn this morning - All for you. Don't worry Thursday crew - you'll get fresh corn too - yours will be picked Thursday morning. Did you know that sweet corn starts to lose it sweetness moments after it is picked..don't worry it is still plenty sweet when you will get it. Did you know that you get one ear of corn per plant? How was it last week? Did you try it raw? We love it raw - we also like to soak it for a few minutes and then grill it with the husks on - just to carmelize some of those sugars - yum! (again the drool is starting...) You can also freeze the corn, blanch it, then cut the corn off and freeze it first on a cookie sheet, then put into quart size bags. Enjoy it all winter long. We are not bringing it to market - so eat up - this is for you. I am glad we waited to plant it - I am fine with sweet corn in September especially this year - because at least we have it. It may not be in the hey day of summer - those red and white checkered tablecloths with potato salad and sweet corn in July - but hey, I like it now with the leaves starting to turn and being able to enjoy it with my family and friends. Sweet corn is sweet corn - regardless if its ready in July or September. I am not in it to win the race to have the first sweet corn or the first red tomato - we are in it to feed us and you.

The rumors are true - we have discovered Late blight in the heirloom tomato field. This devastating disease is horrific - one day you have beautiful mouth watering tomatoes and the following day round brown poop spots on your tomato - you can not eat it, you can not can these tomatoes, it awful. It is sucha a waste. As I type this (while one is napping and the other nusing) the interns and Sophie are picking tomatoes that maybe able to be spared and ripen in the barn. After we pick the tomatoes, we will pull all the tomatoes up either burn them or tarp them to kill the spores. We still have potatoes in the field - yellow, kennebec, red and fingerling and we don't want them to get it. Also, we want to save the peppers, eggplants, and hoophouse tomatoes. So there maybe green tomatoes in your share this week. Also we are sorry if one day your beautiful heirlooms are beauties and the next they are brown. That's how this blight works - it may take a day or two to infect the tomato. But it could be worse. Its about 1000 feet of tomatoes at the end of September that needs to be pulled out - unlike 2 years ago when we got it - 1500 feet at the end of July - July 29th (day will live in Infamy) we hadn't harvested one dang tomato and had to kill them all to save the pepper and potato crops.. We also could have lost them a few weeks ago during the tropical storm. Late blight cannot survive in our vermont soils as long as we have a cold winter - it can only live on live tissue - so we will have to be extra vigilant on volunteer potatoes next year - because potatoes are live tissues. Seeds are not until they germ. So volunteer renegade tomatoes will not spread it next year. We could have sprayed copper on our tomatoes - but seriously - I do not want my kids or your kids or you or me eating copper. Imagine hand washing over 600lbs of tomatoes every week? Making sure all that blue copper is out of the cracks and folds which make the heirloom tomato bodacious. We kept them weeded, grass trimmed, tied up (thanks Ashlyn) and loads of air circulating. We did want we could..so we will be barn ripening tomatoes and see how it goes..

On Friday night (Adam and I have the most romantic of date nights), we picked all of the winter squash. After all the rain - that field flooded and some of the squash - well most of the squash was sitting in mud and huge puddles - I have pics if you like to see. Anyways, in the share this week will be spaghetti squash - I would eat it this week and refrigerate just in case it doesn't keep because of all the moisture it was sitting in. We have plenty of acorn and delicatas - the jury is still out on butternut and pie pumpkins. It does not look good for Carving pumpkins this year. :( Sorry - the field flooded after 5 days of nonstop rain - and other fields drain into this one. After we own this land - we will be fixing the ditch system and tiling to help elevate future flooding. Don't worry this is just field to field water - not sewer water or river water...

Folks have been asking about when we should have our shares until. Well this is week 14 so 4 more after this one - we will be going into October - with the last pickup being the Monday AFTER columbus day.

Tomorrow we go to the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board to ask for funds to conserve our farm. This is exciting and scary. We are hoping that you all could keep us in your thoughts on tuesday - while we present our farm (yours and ours) to this board to tell them what we are doing and what we hope to do with this land. Thanks to all who have written little notes. They mean a lot Your support means a lot too - we will send out an email to let you all know what happens.

Anyways.. Thanks for reading - see you all soon. Have a great week! Thanks for listening and your support. Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia and our Interns Ashlynn and Adora

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: BASIL, SWEET CORN, LETTUCE MIX, ARUGULA, Eggplant, sweet peppers, hot peppers, PYO Sungold Cherry Tomatoes, Spaghettri Squash, Heirloom TOMATOES, PYO Ground Cherries, Fingerling Potatoes, and a few other things - Best guess for the week.

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
Yarn is available in our natural color "Island Oatmeal." Worsted Weight, double twist, soft, 220 yds, 4 ounces, Greenspun (no petroleum products used in cleaning the wool) by Green Mountain Spinnery here in Vermont. Yarn is in the farmstand. 17.00 skein. Also available wool roving, white, brown, oatmeal - $9 for 4 ounces.

Recipes this week are from http://mariquita.com/recipes/spaghetti.squash.html
What on earth do I do with Spaghetti Squash? You eat it :)
Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place squash cut sides up in a microwave dish with 1/4 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on size of squash. Add more cooking time if necessary. Let stand covered, for 5 minutes. With fork "comb" out the strands. Let it cool. ( Christine's Note: You can also do it in the oven, prepare the same way but put tin foil or cover on it and cook for 15-20 minutes at 350.)
While the squash is cooking, boil the shrimp in lightly salted water. Drain and rinse in some cold water. Peel and butterfly them after they cooled. Add to Squash.
Chop the basil coarsely and add to squash. Mix until the shrimp and basil are evenly distributed.
Mix dressing into squash mixture right before serving. There is more dressing here and is needed for a 4 lb. squash. Mix in only as much dressing as needed to your desired taste. The remaining dressing can be used as a condiment for dipping meat, seafood, and vegetables or for drizzling on plain rice. The dressing will keep up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
Mix cooked spaghetti squash with a little egg and flour. Add fresh minced ginger, white pepper and sliced green onions (but no salt). Fry like a potato pancake and serve with soy sauce. Yum!
Cook Spaghetti Squash by cutting in half and cooking like a pumpkin or butternut squash in the oven until it can be easily pierced by a fork. Gently scoop out sqush 'noodles' and serve hot with red sauce or cooled like a noodle salad with your favorite dressing.
Saute garlic and butter until the garlic is soft. Cut the squash in half and steam the squash until tender. Then separate from the shell by running a fork along the length of the squash to get spaghetti-like strands. Add to the pan and toss to coat with butter and garlic. Add fresh diced tomatoes and torn fresh basil, cook for a minute or two and add salt and pepper to taste.

Need a little note from all of you - TODAY - pretty please

2011-09-18T20:20:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone-

We look forward to seeing most of you at pickup tomorrow and through out the week at farmers markets and deliveries. We just got in from putting all the animals to bed and walking the fields and wish all of you could be here with us - at twilight. This farm is a beautiful place and we are so very lucky to farm here.

On Tuesday, yes this Tuesday, we are going in front of the Vermont Housing Conservation Board to ask for funds to conserve our farmland through the Vermont Land Trust and in partnership with the South Hero Land Trust. These funds are well over 1/2 of what we need to conserve this land - a lot of state and federal dollars. As we were walking the fields this evening- we thought how we would also like all of you there with us - to tell VHCB what you like about our farm, why you are part of this farm, and why is should be conserved - and never be developed. Through selling our development rights, we can afford to buy this land - these 30 acres that we have called home for the last 7 years AND be able to have our children or other folks children farm here when we are done farming - our future.

You all can not be in that room with us - BUT you can write a little note for us - is support of us and our farm - a note of supprt - nothing long - maybe a paragraph or so..tell them why Blue Heron Farm should be conserved and why Blue Heron Farm is important to you. You can email us this note and I can print it out or we will have index cards available for you to fill out at pickup on Monday or drop them off at our house. The only kink in all of this is that I need them all by 7pm MONDAY night 9/19/11 (tomorrow for those of you reading it tonight or today for those of you reading this on Monday).

I know I know very short notice - but sometimes these Ideas just kind of pop up even at the last minute - when you are walking in a beautiful lush field listening to sheep and cows chewing grass.

Do what you can - If you can do it - great! awesome! If you can't no problem - we totally get it - short notice and all, don't worry we won't love you any less. Just think good thought s around 10:30 on Tuesday - we'll be in randolph - presenting our farm and telling them why our little farm - deserves conservation funds.

Much love to you all - call or email if you have questions-

Feel free to write a note, write a song, draw picture (kids are encouraged too), anything that gets your voice heard to all these folks - I want them to hear your voices - of why Blue Heron Farm should receive conservation funds to continue farming right here. Right here on Quaker Road - here on this Grand little Island in the middle of Lake Champlain.

Thanks everyone-

Love,
Adam, Christine, Sadie and Delia
harmonyvt@yahoo.com

Journal Post for the week of September 12, 2011

2011-09-12T17:11:00.000-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL XIII
SEPTEMBER 12, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Week 13- Thanks for all the kind words from the last journal post. Sometimes it is just good to get all that worry and all out into the world - instead of bottled up in my head. My apologies for not posting last week - the kids had colds and teething and farming and all - there was literally no time to sit and write.- Christine

Resilient - Resilience - Resiliency - to bounce back

I feel that is where we are at. The veggies, the animals, our farm, us, Vermonters, Americans, the world - we are all in sort of a resiliency phase I feel. Recovering - trying to bounce back. As I walked the fields this week - I noticed that the chard and kale are coming back after being mowed down - being dormant for over a month- being beaten by the summer drought like conditions. I kicked some weeds around and I noticed that the chard was growing - putting on new leaves - nice tender young ones. If we pull some of the weeds away, side dress with some compost, there could be some really nice chard in a few weeks. This chard was transplanted in the beginning of June when that field finally dried out - it flourished until the sun was unrelenting and the bugs made holes. Now it is bouncing back. This chard is like life - you go through some hard stuff, take stock, and you bounce back - sometimes quickly sometimes slowly sometimes more thoughtfully - but we can bounce back - life is elastic - we don't live in a vacuum.

I want to be that chard. that kale. that grass.

Folks tell me that this is one of the most challenging times in a young family's life - balancing family, buying your first home/land, farm, work, life, relationship with your partner. I am thankful that we are not alone in this. When I ask folks who have children much older than ours - they smile and then become thoughtful - and I hear them say - I remember that time, you will survive and things will get better, they will get a bit easier. Thanks for those words. They mean a lot.

Adam and I are happy to share with you our first crop of sweet corn for the season. It is so sweet and buttery. Yummers! The interns seeded this corn into flats and then transplanted it out. Over 1000 plants. We fertilized with soy bean meal (for nitrogen - corn is a very heavy eater of nitrogen from the soil) and prayed that it would grow tall before tasseling out. We picked over 130 ears last night. Each plant has only one ear. Delia was on my back as I went through the tight rows, and picked into my skirt, feeling for the bulbous fat corn cobs. Sadie followed Adam and picked as much as she ate the raw corn. Delia even got in on the eating action. I think between all of us we ate a dozen ears just sitting there. Then we locked the corn up with electric line to hopefully keep rocky raccoon out of the corn. We are hoping to have corn this week and next for all of you. The sweet corn made it through the storm because it was tucked in by a northern hedgerow. If we hadn't had planted it there - the corn would have been destroyed. Some stalks got bent from the storm but majority did well. We do not spray pesticides on our corn - so with that being said - you may find a stray corn worm - just cut that part away and eat it up.

A neighbor was telling us that many CSA farms around the state are done for the year due to Irene. We feel very blessed and lucky for the fortune of being flooded on the early part of this season and not this later part. So very blessed. Last Saturday - a week ago - we had a collection with the rest of the Champlain Islands Farmers Market and we were able to send $800 donated from the market, vendors and customers to the Vermont Farm Fund. We are still looking to do other things to help out. We will let you all know.

Also, we are not done, our CSA is still going - and we are hoping to go through the middle of October or so - mother nature willing. We still have fall potatoes, beans, shelling peas, turnips, kale, chard, spinach, winter squash and pumpkins to come and more. We like growing in the month of September - the soil is warm, the sun is kinder to our tender plants and our bodies, and the pests seem to go away- i.e. flea beetle - our arugula is out flying in the breeze - without row cover - with one or two flea beetles here or there.. potato bugs are already hibernating or moved on. What pest that likes this weather our plant diseases with the dew being heavier and the mornings being cooler. Anyways..
Have a great week! Thanks for listening and your support. Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia and our Interns Ashlynn and Adora
WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: BASIL, GARLIC, SWEET CORN, LETTUCE MIX, ARUGULA, OKRA Eggplant, sweet peppers, hot peppers, Sungold Cherry Tomatoes, Heirloom TOMATOES, PYO Cherry tomatoes, PYO Ground Cherries, Cilantro,

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
Yarn is available in our natural color "Island Oatmeal." Worsted Weight, double twist, soft, 220 yds, 4 ounces, Greenspun (no petroleum products used in cleaning the wool) by Green Mountain Spinnery here in Vermont. Yarn is in the farmstand. 17.00 skein. Also available wool roving, white, brown, oatmeal - $9 for 4 ounces.

Recipes

Sun dried (ahem) tomato candy

In our house, there is a favorite candy - tomato candy. We pick loads of sungold cherry tomatoes. Slice them in half and then put them in our dehydrator. About 145 degrees for about 12 hours - until they are completely dry. We then put them in a mason jar and put them either in the pantry or if I am not sure if they are completely dry in the fridge. We then use them in everything and anything - sometimes rehydrate them in some oil. Toss them with some pasta, put them on pizza with some soft annie cheese or goat cheese, put them in our basil pesto, or just eat them like..candy. Sadie loves them.
Slow Roasted Tomatoes - http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/slow-roasted-tomatoes/
Cherry, grape or small Roma tomatoes
Whole gloves of garlic, unpeeled
Olive oil
Herbs such as thyme or rosemary (optional)
Preheat oven to 225°F. Halve each cherry or grape tomato crosswise, or Roma tomato lengthwise and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet along with the cloves of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, just enough to make the tomatoes glisten. Sprinkle herbs on, if you are using them, and salt and pepper, though go easily on these because the finished product will be so flavorful you’ll need very little to help it along.Bake the tomatoes in the oven for about three hours. You want the tomatoes to be shriveled and dry, but with a little juice left inside–this could take more or less time depending on the size of your tomatoes. Either use them right away or let them cool, cover them with some extra olive oil and keep them in the fridge for the best summer condiment, ever. And for snacking.
Pasta with roasted tomatoes - Candance Page - Burlington Free Press - September 11, 2011

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20110911/GREEN01/109110312/-1/TOPICS0503/Localvore-Roasted-tomatoes-make-great-late-summer-treat

INGREDIENTS:
Sufficient small plum or cherry tomatoes, halved, to cover a large, rimmed cookie sheet
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
Garlic, to taste
1/3 cup fresh basil
3/4 to 1 pound pasta, ideally rombi but fusilli or penne certainly would work
Fresh Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover cookie sheet with aluminum foil and cover it with tomatoes, cut side up. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Roast tomatoes for 1 hour. They can be used as-is, or cooled and cut into smaller pieces. Slice garlic — up to 1 full head — thinly. Sautee garlic slowly in olive oil. Cook until the garlic is soft but do not allow it to brown. Cook the pasta. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta. In a large bowl, toss the pasta, pasta water, garlic/olive oil, basil and tomatoes. Divide among four pasta bowls and pass the Parmesan.

Journal Post for the week of August 29, 2011

2011-08-30T15:48:00.000-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL XI
AUGUST 29, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Week 11-As the rain picked up, things seemed to go in fast forward, our bodies moved quicker, our language moved quicker, our daughters knew they needed to listen and follow without question. On Sunday, after church the rain came down harder and harder and we still needed to get food out to the chickens and water the sheep in the barn and get the last two sheep in from the field - 21 in all. Sheep in the back of the minivan - rain pouring down - raincoat not working - why wear it - we are near our home, we will be dry soon. Sheep out of the minivan - now to get them all water - make sure the cows have plenty of hay and water inside the barn - more rain the wind is picking up - the girls go inside the house with their auntie - Adam is putting the last boards on the hoophouses to tie down the sides - did you know that insurance companies do not insure hoophouses because they are seen as not permanent buildings - even their worth is over 25K combined. Adam is in the rubber rain gear on the tractor - he looks like those fruit slice candies orange and bright yellow - he is putting the tractor's bucket up against the wall of one of our hoophouses. The wind is picking up - need to get food out to the chickens - the chickens roof has sprung a leak - the worse smell in the world is wet chicken - they were outside getting soaked and getting a little airborne. Adam t-boned their trailers together so they could support themselves in the tropical storm. Put buckets in the chicken trailers so the water can collect - jack the chicken trailer up more so the flat roof can stop collecting as much water. Gather the eggs - because chickens don't care if there is a storm outside - just like babies being born - they just come when they come - usually during or after a storm. Soaked down to our underwear - is it water, is it sweat? Go back to the barn to make sure everyone is okay - enough hay, enough water. Head inside and strip down in the doorway - heavy wet cotton right into the bathtub to drain a little before getting into the washer. And now we sit and wait - wait for this horrid storm to pass - watching the winds whip the trees and the corn around. Our livelihood on the line.
Just yesterday, the sky was blue, it was eerily calm, the air smelled different, the air felt different, the air moved around the farm differently - maybe looking for where it was all going to go when all the winds start to howl and blow. The day before the storm, friends and CSA members came and helped pick and pack all the veggies and fruit we could - we had no idea what was going to happen, tighten things down, put things in the barn, take down the intern housing - all in fast forward - praying as we did it - working into the night.
Monday morning we awoke - to sunny skies - air slightly chilly but smelled right - we walked the farm. Crossing our fingers and praying, Delia on my back and Sadie's hand in mine in her mismatched pick rubber boots - hoping as we walked up the road our farm would be okay. As we got closer to the farmstand, I saw them - I saw the hoophouses - all 4 of them standing tall - two small rips - one Adam had to make - during the storm - because nearly 15 gallons of water had already collected in some sagging plastic that would have kept on collecting - he acted like a surgeon, realizing the pressure - the water would have collapsed our little pepper house - we walked the fields - looks like the zucchini and summer squash are done, corn was tousled a bit - lettuce mix looks a little shredded - melons don't look good - we have some hail damage or wind damage on leaves of beans and tomatoes - the tomatoes are still standing and we should know in a few days if disease came in on the storm. Overall, we fared rather well - the ground took up most of the water - it was so very wet - but are soil was so very dry - not sure if it will make some hard crustiness around the farm where we just turned up soil.
Not sure, Not sure about alot of things accept that our family is healthy and okay, our little farm made it through, a little battered but no flooding - no structural damages (that we know of yet) - this mama farmer and papa farmer are exhausted from all the worrying, the stress, getting ready and getting everything undone and put back together from the storm. Who would have thought Vermont would get a hurricane (ahem tropical storm) When I see the posts of facebook or on the radio (thankful we do not own a tv since I would probably be glued to it and causing myself more stress) about the farmers in lower lying areas, the river bottom areas, I just want to be sick - this year has been such a hard year to grow anything - I just want to cry with the overwhelmingness of this business of growing food. Why does it have to be so hard? Here we are working on trying to secure our farm land - to secure our farm for the future - it has to get better there is nothing else to it - it has to get better. I am grateful that the fields are not underwater and I pray for rest of Vermont and Vermont farmers who were not as lucky as us.
In our last journal posting, I wrote about a farm being a living organism - we as the farmers help take care of the farm - the storms that rage over the farm - kind of like getting a really bad cold or flu or maybe pandemic (with this years weather) - but you have a part in this too - you are equally as important in all of this because during these storms this year - we knew you would be there for the farm - because this food that the farm produces feeds you and your family. With our CSA alone, we figure we are feeding nearly 200 people a week. Thanks for sticking with us - through sickness and in health - through storm and through sun shine, and reading through this journal post this week. I am feeling pretty overwhelmed, tired and emotional right now with all that is going on - the storm, the land purchasing, the weather and appreciate your support and love. There is a light at the end of the tunnel - and I think it might be shining right now through my window and onto this keyboard.

Have a great week! Thanks for listening and your support. Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia and our Interns Ashlynn and Adora
PS We will keep you updated on how to help farms who have flooded, folks who have been affected by Irene through our facebook, blog and this Journal. Please give of your time, resources and financially if you can. Maybe we can organize some lovin' from BHF..if anyone is interested in helping out to organize this with us, give us a call or email. 372-3420 or email harmonyvt@yahoo.com
WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: HURRICAN BATTERED BASIL, GARLIC, Cucumbers, Pears, Melons, Eggplant, sweet peppers, hot peppers, Sungold Cherry Tomatoes , Heirloom TOMATOES, PYO Cherry tomatoes, PYO Ground Cherries, Cilantro, Hurricane battered Lettuce Mix and maybe a few other things from the mystery box(like melons, ground cherries, tomatillos)

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
Yarn is available in our natural color "Island Oatmeal." Worsted Weight, double twist, soft, 220 yds, 4 ounces, Greenspun (no petroleum products used in cleaning the wool) by Green Mountain Spinnery here in Vermont. Yarn is in the farmstand. 17.00 skein. Also available wool roving, white, brown, oatmeal - $9 for 4 ounces.

Ways to help fellow Vermonters affected by Hurricane Irene (there our live links on the highlighted words online)
Thanks to Seven Days for putting this together

http://7d.blogs.com/blurt/2011/08/after-irene-how-you-can-help-vermont.html

• Text FOODNOW to 52000 to donate $10 to Vermont Foodbank. The Foodbank will turn each donation into $60 for families in need.
• You can donate to the United Way's Vermont Disaster Relief Fund online, or buy sending a donation to your local United Way. Just make sure your donation is marked for the "Vermont Disaster Relief Fund".
• You can also donate to the American Red Cross of Vermont and the New Hampshire Valley. The Red Cross set up shelters immediately after Irene hit for flooded-out families to stay in.
• The VT Irene Flood Relief Fund is raising money to help people and communities affected by flooding. 100% of all donations will be distributed to businesses and families. The fund was set up by Todd K. Bailey and is being administed through the Vermont State Employees Credit Union.
• Vermont Baseball Tours has set up the 8/28 Fund to raise money. Donations of $20 or more get you a cool t-shirt.
• The MRV Community Fund has been reestablished to help Mad River Valley farmers who saw devastating crop losses due to the flooding.
• Independent Vermont Clothing is selling a special "I'm With VT" t-shirt. All profits from sales of the shirt will go to relief efforts.
• Across the lake, upstate New York got hit hard by Irene, too. Donations are being coordinated on the Irene Flood Drive Facebook page.

VOLUNTEERING
• VTResponse.com is working to connect volunteers ready to help with those that need assistance. If you want to help clean up and rebuild, let the folks behind this site know.
• Montpelier Alive is coordinating volunteer efforts in that city through their Facebook page.
• Volunteer and cleanup efforts are also being coordinated on Twitter via the #VTresponse hashtag.
• The Vermont Flooding 2011 page on Facebook is functioning as a community bulletin board of sorts.
• Vermont Helping Hands is also coordinating relief efforts via Facebook.
• The Red Cross is in desperate need of blood donations. Stop by their donation center at 32 North Prospect Street in Burlington, or the Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital Blood Donation Center at 125 Mascoma Street in Lebanon, NH.

OTHER INFO
• If you need assistance or information from the state, dial 211 or visit vt211.org.
• The Help Vermont Facebook group is another place to share recovery information.
• Sublet.com will provide free access for people who are displaced from their homes. Call their customer service line at 1-877-367-7368 1-877-367-7368 for more information.

We are okay..

2011-08-29T10:09:00.001-04:00

We are okay - the farm and animals - no csa pickup today - letting the plants stand back up before we pick and really assess. CSA Pickup will be TUesday from 4-6pm. Thanks for understanding. More details later - fence to move, animals to move, hoophouses to open up..

Journal Post for the week of August 22,2011

2011-08-24T03:27:00.001-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL X
AUGUST 22, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Week 10- Happy Monday! When we got up this morning, it felt like fall. I grabbed a hoodie and went outside - it smelled like fall. Then it warmed up - September is next week. What a rollercoaster growing season..

There is nothing like crunching down on a crisp cucumber just picked in the field - not bitter - nice and full, crunchy, with the slippery seeds and water filled flesh - nothing beats that taste. I eat probably 3 or 4 whole slicers in a morning while doing chores, picking veggies, weeding - feel a bit of a tang for a little snack - CRUNCH! into one of those cucumbers and the hunger goes by and feel refreshed - even a little bit flush in the cheeks with all that greeness. I think cucumbers are the one vegetable I look forward to eating straight from the field and mourn their passing when their time is done with us. Don't get me wrong - I love tomatoes and eat my fill of cherry tomatoes, sun ripened and hot field heirloom tomatoes - but I can can that freshness - I can't do that to the cucumber - now you may say - what about those crunchy delicious bread and butter pickles or their sour dilly cousins? Nope doesn't do it for me - it is that freshness from that Marketmore Slicing cucumber that can only be had when you take that big bite and CRUNCH into it. The nice crunch from the skin, the little bit of resistance your teeth have and then swoosh into the soft flesh. You cannot can, freeze or preserve that. I love snapping one in half - and sharing it with Sadie and Delia. Sadie is now taking one every time we are in this field and she snaps one open for her and her sister. Delia loves the coolness on her swollen gums, working hard on that cucumber to help get her teeth to break through. Sadie likes using all those teeth in her mouth and the feeling of accomplishment when she finishes hers. Last Monday, I did not believe Sophie when she told me that a red sweet pepper was actually hot and I took a big fat bite - why wouldn't I believe her - she's never lied to me - but nevertheless my face was burning, tears and snot running down my face - guess who came to my rescue - my crunch friend the cucumber - snapped it in half and placed both ends to my lips and tongue to cool the heat. Needless to say I think I ate 6 or 7 cucumbers that day.

The other night on Netflix, I watched "The Real Dirt on Farmer John" - a documentary about a farmer who brought his multigenerational farm from the brink of doom to a flourishing nearly 1800 member CSA north of Chicago. This doc was quite poignant and real. The words that were coming out of his mouth are similar to what Adam and I say about farming - the farm is a living organism - when he said this - I smiled - this is how we explain what our farm is to our interns, to people come visit, to folks who come and volunteer. With farming, there is no punch clock, no 9-5, the farm is ever growing and changing and twisting and we as farmers need to dance with the farm as it does this - to go with it - we have found that whenever we try to lead the dance without listening to the farm - the farm puts us in our place. We have to grow and dance with the farm not against it. Right now the farm is a lot of work, it needs lots of attention while it produces all this food to feed all of us. If we keep picking, tending and weeding this farm will feed us all. We will be hosting a foodie documentary soon in conjunction with Food For thought - an heirloom tomato tasting and cheese and movie (yum)in the middle of September. I enjoy documentaries - especially foodie/farming ones - I am a bit of nerd with these kinds of films, conversations and books. I was joking with my sisters and Adam the other night that I would be a awesome customer (if I was not a farmer) at a farmers market:) I appreciate all this great food - I may not have paper wealth - but we are wealthy in food and love.

Have a great week! Thanks for listening and your support. Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia and our Interns Ashlynn, Adora and past Intern Sophie

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: BASIL, GARLIC, Cucumbers, New Red Potatoes, Eggplant, sweet peppers, hot peppers, zucchini, summer squash, Heirloom TOMATOES, PYO Cherry tomatoes and maybe a few other things from the mystery box(like melons, ground cherries, tomatillos) Lettuce mix next week!

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
Yarn is available in our natural color "Island Oatmeal." Worsted Weight, double twist, soft, 220 yds, 4 ounces, Greenspun (no petroleum products used in cleaning the wool) by Green Mountain Spinnery here in Vermont. Yarn is in the farmstand. 17.00 skein. ALso available wool roving, white, brown, oatmeal - $9 for 4 ounces.

Recipes
My sister Sue made this dish the other night - Tortilla Espanola - OH. MY. Goodness. My sister Sue spent a semester in Salamanca, Pain and they made this dish all the time - it was their go to dishe for lunch, dinner, breakfast or whenever. I love this recipe - I highly recommend making the fried tomato sauce to go with it. Great as leftovers, it is also yummy with added local organic pork, bacon, or sausage from Cochran Family Farm from right up the road on Hyde Rd, Grand Isle (734-8334)

Spanish Omelet Recipe - Tortilla Espanola http://spanishfood.about.com/od/tapas/r/tortilla.htm

No doubt about it, the Tortilla Espanola or Spanish Omelet is the most commonly served dish in Spain. It is also called Tortilla de Patata or Potato Omelet. Bars and cafés serve it as a tapa or appetizer, but it is often served as a light dinner in Spanish homes. Because it is easy to transport, the Spanish make bocadillos or sandwiches by placing a piece between two pieces of a baguette. There are lots of variations of tortillas or omelets and a few are listed at the bottom of this recipe.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes Yield: 6 Servings Main Dish
Ingredients:
6-7 medium potatoes, peeled (please don't peel the new potatoes though)
1 whole yellow onion
5-6 large eggs
2-3 cups of olive oil for pan frying
Salt to taste
Preparation: This tortilla espanola or tortilla de patata makes 8-10 servings as an appetizer, or 6 servings as a main course.
Cut the peeled potatoes in half lengthwise. Then, with the flat side on the cutting surface, slice the potato in pieces approximately 1/8" thick. If you slice them a bit thick, don’t worry – it will simply take a bit longer for them to cook. Peel and chop the onion into 1/4" pieces. Put potatoes and onions into a bowl and mix them together. Salt the mixture. In a large, heavy, non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Carefully place the potato and onion mixture into the frying pan, spreading them evenly over the surface. The oil should almost cover the potatoes. You may need to turn down the heat slightly, so the potatoes do not burn.

Leave in pan until the potatoes are cooked. If you can poke a piece of potato with a spatula and it easily breaks in two, your potatoes are done. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula and allow oil to drain.
Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat by hand with a whisk or fork. Pour in the potato onion mixture. Mix together with a large spoon.Pour 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil into a small, non-stick frying pan (aprox. 9-10”) and heat on medium heat. Be careful not to get the pan too hot because the oil will burn - or the tortilla will! When hot, stir the potato onion mixture once more and “pour” into the pan and spread out evenly. Allow the egg to cook around the edges. Then you can carefully lift up one side of the omelet to check if the egg has slightly “browned.” The inside of the mixture should not be completely cooked and the egg will still be runny.

When the mixture has browned on the bottom, you are ready to turn it over to cook the other side. Take the frying pan to a sink. Place a large dinner plate (12”) upside down over the frying pan. With one hand on the frying pan handle and the other on top of the plate to hold it steady, quickly turn the frying pan over and the omelet will “fall” onto the plate. Place the frying pan back on the range and put just enough oil to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Let the pan warm for 30 seconds or so. Now slide the omelet into the frying pan. Use the spatula to shape the sides of the omelet. Let the omelet cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the tortilla sit in the pan for 2 minutes.Slide the omelet onto a plate to serve. If eating as a main course, cut the omelet into 6-8 pieces like a pie. Serve sliced French bread on the side.
If you are serving as an appetizer, slice a baguette into pieces about 1/2 inch think. Cut the tortilla into 1.5” squares and place a piece on top of each slice of bread.
It is simply delicious served with sofrito2, fried tomato sauce that is made all over Spain. Tomatoes, onions, garlic, green peppers and olive oil sautéed in a frying pan.

Cooking Tips
It is not necessary to slice the potatoes paper thin, and it is best not to use a food processor because most will slice the potatoes too thin, and they stick together.
How do you know when oil is hot enough to fry the potatoes and onions? Drop a single piece of potato or a bit of bread into the oil. It should sizzle. Remember to watch the heat while frying. If the oil is too hot, the potatoes will brown rapidly on the outside, but will be raw on the inside. After frying potatoes, place the potato and onion mixture in a colander for a few minutes to allow more oil to drain. If you do this, place a plate underneath to catch the olive oil and you can use it again. If you aren't sure how to flip the omelet, watch How to Flip a Spanish Tortilla3.

Variations
The following are a few of the most popular variations to the classic Tortilla Espanola.
Green Pepper - Add 1 green or red bell pepper (chopped) to the potatoes and onions and fry.
Chorizo - Slice a Spanish chorizo sausage and add to the potato and onion mixture after frying. Or, simply slice Spanish chorizo and combine with beaten eggs in the frying pan.
Ham - Using a couple thick slices (1/4") ham, finely chop them. Then add the pieces to the potato and onion mixture after frying. Canadian bacon or smoked ham that you buy in a deli work well for this variation. Be careful to adjust the salt accordingly, since ham may be salty!

Journal Post for the week of August 15, 2011

2011-08-15T14:25:00.000-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL IX
AUGUST 15, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Week 9- Happy Monday! So here I am at 1:15pm on Monday and trying to figure out what to share with you all about the past week and whats coming in the week to come. We have been quite busy - it is hard to have quiet time to write - I often things of wonderful importance or significance while I am picking tomatoes or gathering eggs. But then when I sit down - these thoughts of significance and a ha moments - are lost..maybe I will just keep typing and they will come. So here are a couple of thoughts from this week...

We planted more seeds this week for fall harvest. Adam is opening up more fields by plowing and discing them so they will be ready to go int he spring. We are also going to try making pre-made beds ao they are already made, with winterkill oats on them and around them so we can plant directly into them come April. It feels slightly weird to be talking about next year already but you have to - in farming you are always looking at the present but always need to think about the future - how will this one thing I do, affect xyz later this season, next season, etc. The corn and melons are looking great - looks like we may have them labor day or so. Even though the corn and melons are late- I'm, we're, okay with that because we are still getting the food just a month later. At least we have food - so there is no complaints here. We now need some significant rain - a good drenching rain - to help with all the seeds that were planted and the plants to keep growing - when we picked potatoes today, the earth was so dry - so dry - our hay fields are dry - the grass is short and sparse in them so we need to two wait a few more weeks to get our second cut in. It looks like the storms keep going around our little island here - please rain, come stay for a little while. On rainy days we are able to catch up on things like canning, freezing, cleaning garlic, etc and maybe even squeeze a nap in alongside the little ones. It looks like the CSA will go to the middle of October this year since we had a late start due to the flooding. That just means there will be plenty to fall harvest yumminess for all of you.

As a family yesterday we went out to Shelburne orchards and picked 83lbs of peaches! In about 20 minutes - the picking was glorious and the fruit - Oh. My. Goodness. the juice runs down your chin and get that little bit of flush in upper part of your cheek. I can not wait to can them, bake and eat all of them. It was nice to go to another farm for a while and pick some yumminess. It was great to see Nick the farmer, sitting amongst his peach trees with a scale, bags, and a small cash box - smiling from ear to ear - seeing the throngs of people who came out to pick his ripe perfect peaches. It was great to pay him for our peaches with money we earned from selling our veggies the day before at market. Keeping money local - from one farmer to another. That smile that glee - I know that feeling. Its the feeling when 4:00 comes on a Monday and all of you are starting to pull in to pick up your veggies, or on a saturday morning when there is a line at our booth to get the freshest veggies of the day - or to smell and taste all the heirloom tomatoes - there is something so profoundly wonderful in it all - where all your senses are engaged - I guess that is why we are farmers - it engages all our senses, are whole body and soul. And to see a farmer in their glory, it makes you want to smile from ear to ear too.

We are currently working with the landowners of the land that we farm to go under contract to buy the land so Blue Heron Farm has a secure land base for years to come. What has triggered this is that one of the landowners wanted to sell their land. So we have started the work to secure where we live and graze our animals and buy some of Roy's land where we vegetable farm. That will be 30 acres on Quaker Road. And we will be taking this to the next level by permanently conserving this land with the help of the Vermont Land Trust and the South Hero Land Trust and through conservation we will be able to afford this land - this land that we raise our family, our food, your food on. If we are not able to conserve this land, to sell our development rights - we would not be able to afford to buy this prime farm land here in the Champlain Islands. The Vermont Land Trust will be sending out info on how folks can help out with conserving Blue Heron Farm - so it can be farmed today, tomorrow and the future - to continue to have open land that can be farmed and not developed into house lots. At pickup today, they will be here to talk to folks who are interested in helping out.

Thanks for listening and your support. Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia and our Interns Ashlynn, Adora and past Intern Sophie

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: BASIL, Cucumbers, Buttery New Potatoes - Nicola, green beans, Eggplant, sweet peppers, hot peppers, zucchini, summer squash, TOMATOES, and maybe a few other things from the mystery box !

Recipes

You have new potatoes in your share this week - enjoy them! With limited amounts of rainfall here in the islands this summer - and we do not have irrigation out to the potatoes - these are on the small side but oh so yummy and buttery. Nicola is the potato this week - a little waxy, buttery nutty - very yummy - you could quickly steam them and then add some fresh butter to them or put them on the grill in some tinfoil with herbs and some olive oil and butter - YUM! We hope you like them - they are our favorite.

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. Great for pitas, dips, yum!

In-a-Pinch Cucumber Salad adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

1 long or two short cucumbers , 1 ripe tomato
salt and freshly milled white pepper
2 to 3 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh dill or parsley or basil or cilantro, chopped

Thinly slice cucumbers. Dice tomato up. Toss the cucumbers and tomato with a few pinches salt, pepper to taste, and enough oil to coat lightly. Add a few drops vinegar and the herb of your choice. Serves 4.

Unfried French Fries adapted from In the Kitchen with Rosie by Rosie Daley
2 pounds potatoes oil cooking spray
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon cajun spice or chile powder or curry powder....
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Slice each potato into 1/4 inch ovals lengthwise then each oval into matchsticks. Coat a baking sheet with 3 sprays of the oil spray. Combine egg whites and spice in a bowl. Add the potato sticks and mix to coat. Pour the coated potatoes onto the sprayed baking sheet (I use a jelly roll pan) and spread them out into a single layer, leaving a little space in between. Place baking sheet on the bottom shelf of the oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the fries are crispy, turning them every 6 to 8 minutes with a spatula so that they brown evenly. Serve immediately.

Patchwork Roasted Potatoes The Grains Cookbook by Bert Greene

3 T toasted wheat germ
3 T fine fresh bread crumbs
3 T fresh grated Parmesan cheese
generous pinch of grated nutmeg
4 T unsalted butter
1 pound potatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter a baking dish. Combine the wheat germ, bread crumbs, cheese and nutmeg in a shallow bowl. Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan. Remove from the heat. Peel the potatoes and cut each in half lengthwise. Then cut each half lengthwise into 4 crescents (a total of 8 slices per potato). Pat the potatoes dry with paper towels, And toss them in the melted butter until well coated. Then roll the potatoes in the wheat germ mixture, and place on the prepared baking dish. Bake until crisp and tender, 45-50 minutes. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and serve. Serves 4

Tortilla de Patatas Adapted from The Mediterrasian Way by Ric Watson and Trudy Thelander
1 large potato or 3-4 smaller potatoes, cut into small cubes
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 scallions, chopped, or ½ red onion chopped
2 gypsy peppers, seeds removed and finely diced (or ½ large red bell pepper)
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon finely chopped parlsey, or green onion tops!
½ teaspoon sea or kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Preheat the broiler. Steam the potato pieces until just soft enough to eat. (test with a fork. Start testing after about 4 minutes, depends on the size of the cubes) Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook onion and peppers, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potato and cook, stirring to combine, for another 2 minutes. Whisk the eggs together in a bowl with the parsley, salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the vegetables in the skillet, cover, and cook gently over low heat for 8 minutes. Remove the lid and place under the preheated broiler to cook for 1 minute or until the top is set. Cut into wedges and serve. This can easily be served at room temperature or cold.

Simple fresh salsa recipe - mariguita.com
red tomatoes diced fine (I use skins, seeds and all, but others like to remove at least the seeds.)
roasted jalapeños, skins removed, diced fine. (I put them under the broiler until blistering, then into a pyrex dish that has a tight fitting lid, then they steam for a few minutes, then remove the skins and they're ready to dice.)
Onion, diced very fine
garlic, also diced very fine (this is optional, just a little)
cilantro, washed and chopped up
salt to taste Mix and eat.

Big Announcement for Blue Heron Farm

2011-08-12T11:51:00.002-04:00

Hi Everybody,

We have very important news concerning the future of our farm. The land we currently farm and live on is going for sale - and we are trying to buy it. Buying this land would ensure that it is forever farmland and never developed. This purchase would secure a home for our family and Blue Heron Farm for future generations.

Recently, some of the land where we farm went on the market. This creates an urgent need to protect and purchase the farm within the next few months.

Right now Blue Heron Farm has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to permanently protect and purchase the 30 acres of productive farmland where we currently farm in Grand Isle. We are working with the Vermont Land Trust and South Hero Land Trust to secure the land on Quaker Road through conservation.

The total cost of conserving the 30 acres is $215,000. Approximately $129,650 is expected to come from a grant from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board with federal matching money from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service. This leaves approximately $80,000 to be raised within the community.

We, Adam and Christine, work endlessly each day to provide food for our family and neigbors. Fostering the relationship between our farm and the community is something we believe very strongly in. We would like to continue that relationship for the years to come. Protecting this farm will make this farmland affordable for us to own.

For more information about this conservation effort, please contact Elise Annes at (802) 262-1206 or elise@vlt.org

Journal Post for the week of August 8, 2011

2011-08-08T12:00:00.001-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL VIII
AUGUST 8, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Week 8- Happy Monday! We are excited to be picking green beans today with loads of help from our interns, old interns, volunteers and CSA members. Green Beans are quite yummy but it takes quite a number of them to fill a pound and to pick enough for CSA members. People at market sometimes put their noses up to five dollars a lb for beans - but really - they are time consuming to pick and there is loads of bending over - and quite honestly not sure if beans ever make us money due to the time it takes to pick, weed and fight off the deer. The deer like to eat the tops of the plants - after we have weeded. This year we are trying out Irish Spring Soap around the whole bean row (approximately 450 ft with two rows in the bed) - It could be a wise tale but we have heard from other farmers to put this soap out and it deters deer. We will see if it does it. We can't be row cover on it like we do lettuce because the wetness and heaviness would pass diseases around the bean plants. So please enjoy these beans this week. They are yummy and many hands and backs brought them to your table - and we are grateful for that.

We are taking a break from lettuce this week - we are in between crops and the heat has been tough on the head lettuce. And I have a feeling that folks could use a bit of break from lettuce :) So this week we have the beans that are new and slicing cucumbers are just starting to come in. Adam has been diligently planting fall (?!) crops this week. All the melons and corn are growing strong - we are thinking labor dayish for both of these crops. The pastures are taking a while to grow back because of the lack of rain. We have moved up the lambs to the vegetable part of the farm and they are grazing right by Roy's house. Feel free to visit them when you come by. Pick your own Sungold cherry tomatoes should start next week.

The field heirloom tomatoes are starting to ripen. We picked a few Juan Flamme, Rose de Berne, and Rosso Sicilians (3 out of the 25 varieties we have planted out there) this past weekend and made amazing salsa with our hot peppers and cilantro. Yum! I can not wait for the bread trays full of sun ripened warm colorful tomatoes - I would take the soft skin, fragile heirloom over our hoophouse tomatoes any day. The hoophouse tomatoes are good- they are even great, especially since you have waited a long winter and spring, they are firm and don't mind being caressed with their smoothness but there is something to be said about a tomato that has witnessed the rain, the hail, the sun, the mist, the stresses of summer that makes it tastes so delectable. Now that we have Annie, and the fresh cheeses I am making with her milk - wowee...bring those tomatoes on.

Speaking of heirlooms are treasured crop - there is a confirmed case of late blight in Jericho - at a home garden. It is interesting that there is one - because we have been so dry. The only thing I can think of is that they watered at night. It is very important that everyone - when you are overhead watering - water early in the morning not at night - so the plants have the opportunity to dry off quickly and not stay wet - which promotes disease. The best way to water tomatoes is not to wet their leaves at all and water them with drip line or soaker hose. If you suspect late blight or not sure what disease is on your plants - UVM plant diagnostic lab can diagnosis the problem. Send your samples of any suspected plants ASAP for a positive ID to: Ann Hazelrigg, UVM Plant Diagnostic Clinic, 201 Jeffords Building, 63 Carrigan Drive, UVM, Burlington, VT 05405. If we all take good care and be vigilant - that we can save our tomatoes and potatoes. Home gardens are what brought it to VT the last time and dsestroyed many small farms (including ours) tomato crop. Late Blight is air-borne and travels on the wind and spreads in moist wet weather. Please pass this info on to other home gardeners. What Late Blight looks like: http://www.longislandhort.cornell.edu/vegpath/photos/lateblight_tomato.htm#images and http://www.longislandhort.cornell.edu/vegpath/photos/lateblight_potato.htm.

Here are some other tomato diseases that are showing up on Tomatoes now but are not nearly as devastating as late blight. IDENTIFYING DIFFERENT TOMATO DISEASES (adapted from UMass Extension vegetable notes from Vt vegetable and berry assoc)
Late blight. Classic symptoms are large, at least nickel-sized olive-green to brown spots on leaves with slightly fuzzy white fungal growth on the underside when conditions have been humid. Sometimes the lesion border is slightly yellow or has a water-soaked appearance. Leaf lesions begin as tiny, irregularly shaped brown spots and quickly grow larger: spots that are consistently small are not typical. Brown to blackish lesions develop on upper stems and leaf petioles. These stem lesions are a fairly distinctive sign of late blight and should definitely raise a red flag. Firm, brown spots develop on tomato fruit.
Septoria leaf spot. This destructive disease of tomato foliage occurs wherever tomatoes are grown. It can destroy most of a plant’s foliage resulting in sunscald, failure of fruit to mature properly, and low yields. Once infections begin, they can spread rapidly from lower to upper tomato canopy. Symptoms consist of circular tan to grey lesions with a dark brown margin that appear on lower leaves first, after the first fruit set. If conditions are favorable, lesions can enlarge rapidly, forming fruiting bodies that look like black specks, and turn infected leaves yellow then brown. With a hand lens, the specks can be seen in the center of the lesions. Fruit infection is rare, but lesions occur on foliage, stems, petioles, and the calyx. The pathogen overwinters on infected tomato debris or infected solanaceous weed hosts, and can also survive on stakes and other equipment; it is spread by splashing water, insects, workers, and equipment.
Early blight. This common disease occurs on the foliage, stem, and fruit of tomato everywhere the tomatoes are grown. It first appears as small brown to black lesions on older foliage. The tissue surrounding the initial lesion may become yellow, and when lesions are numerous entire leaves may become chlorotic. As the lesions enlarge, they often develop concentric rings giving them a ‘bull’s eye’ or ‘target-spot’ appearance. As the disease progresses, plants can become defoliated, reducing both fruit quantity and quality. Fruit can become infected either in the green or ripe stage through the stem attachment. Fruit lesions can become quite large, involve the whole fruit, and have characteristic concentric rings. Infected fruit often drop and losses of 30-50% of immature fruit may occur. On potato, foliar symptoms are quite similar though complete defoliation rarely results. The concentric rings in the lesions are fairly diagnostic for this disease, and help to distinguish it from either late blight or Septoria.
Management of Septoria leaf spot and early blight. Adequate nitrogen fertility throughout the season can help delay disease development; lower leaves become more susceptible as the nitrogen demand increases with fruit load and older leaves decline in nitrogen. Protectant fungicide sprays at regular intervals (depending on weather conditions and disease pressure) will delay onset of the disease. Many of the fungicides that are labeled for the control of late blight will also provide control of early blight and Septoria leaf spot. See the New England Vegetable Management Guide for recommendations. Both pathogens survive between crops on infected plant debris, soil, and other solanaceous host weeds and can be carried on tomato seed. Early blight can be transmitted in infected potato tubers. Rotate out of tomato crops for at least two years, control susceptible weeds, and incorporate debris after harvest. Reduce the length of time that tomato foliage is wet by using trickle irrigation, wider plant spacing, and staking. Keep workers and equipment out of wet fields where possible.
Leaf Mold. This disease can occur in the field but is most common in poorly ventilated greenhouses. Symptoms look somewhat like late blight. The high temperatures in the greenhouse make late blight less likely, but growers on hyper-alert for late blight have been concerned. Infections begin on older leaves with yellow areas visible on the upper leaf surface. Corresponding to these, on the underside, are areas of olive-green to grayish-purple fuzzy growth where the fungus is making spores. Leaves turn yellow, then brown. The disease can spread rapidly as spores disperse throughout a greenhouse on air currents, water, insects, and workers. Management: Start with certified disease free seed. Improve air circulation by adequate row/plant spacing and removal of lower leaves. Avoid the formation of water droplets on leaves by watering in the morning. Reduce relative humidity by a combination of heating and venting, especially at night. Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilization. Remove diseased leaves, place in plastic bag, and destroy. At the end of the crop cycle, remove all plant residue and destroy and disinfest the entire greenhouse.

Thanks for listening and your support. Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: BASIL, Cucumbers, Arugula or Chard, Okra GREEN BEANS, Eggplant, sweet peppers, hot peppers, zucchini, summer squash, TOMATOES, and maybe a few other things !

Recipes
Calabrian Bruschetta from Verdura by Viana La Place

4 small Asian eggplants
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 ounces provolone or caciocavallo cheese
6 thick slices country bread
2 garlic cloves
3 red tomatoes, cored and thinly sliced
Extra-virgin olive oil

Trim the eggplants and slice them 1/4 inch thick. Arrange the eggplant slkices on a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush them with olive oil. Bake the eggplant slices in a preheated 376 degree oven for 10 minutes. Turn the slices over, brush with oil, and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Using the large side of a four sided grater (or a potato peeler...), grate the cheese into long, thin strips. Grill or lightly toast the bread. Rub with the cut side of the garlic cloves and drizzle with olive oil. Place a few slices of eggplant on each bruschetta, top with some sliced tomato, and sprinkle a little shredded cheese over the top. Place the bruschetta under a preheated broiler and broil until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

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

Journal Post for the week of August 1, 2011

2011-08-01T16:13:00.001-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL VII
AUGUST 1, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Good day Sunshine! Good Day August 1st! Happy 2 month Birthday to our boy calf Texi and Happy three month birthday to our 11 lambs (well give and take a few days for each of them). As the manure trucks are racing up and down our quiet road, my mind is full of stories and thoughts from the past week I would like to share with all of you. I wish I had more time in the week that was carved out for writing and thinking about what to write about. Luckily we have this newsletter that is supposed to go out each week - so that carves a bit of time - albeit last minute time where I am rushed and mostly scattered and trying to figure out what to write. Both girls are napping now, and the smells of raw manure are wafting through my window - deep breath and here goes. t-minus 1/2 hour to pickup time...please excuse typos, grammatical errors and run-on sentences - this is writing in the raw - blog like, free thought like, a harried mama like, the way it is right now..enough excuses...here goes..

Adam went out to Oklahoma for the funeral of his dear grandmother Nelda Morris from Shawnee, Oklahoma. Sadie and Delia's great-grandmother. Nelda is/was (I have a hard time talking about people in the past tense, they are still who they are, they have just passed on, anyways) amazing woman. She loved life and all her family in it and she welcomed me with open arms. Her memorial that was in the paper just exudes who she is. A woman who cared for her family, helped her neighbor and was genuine. Nelda was a very important part of Adam's life. She is an inspiration for all on how to love all people.

Here is a bit of her memorial that was in the Shawnee News:
"She was born Oct. 31, 1926, in Belmont to John Hilry Gwin and Effie Mae Terrell Gwin of Econtuchka. She grew up a farm girl and graduated from Centerview High School. She married Albert James “Jim” Morris on Sept. 7, 1944, in Garden Grove. From that marriage, three daughters were born. Nelda was a faithful Christian and member of Liberty Baptist Church, Shawnee. She was a homemaker who devoted her time and energy to the successful love and nurturing of her husband, their three daughters, four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. When she worked outside the home, Nelda was a retail department manager. She also volunteered for many years at the Colonial Estates Nursing Home in Shawnee, always reminding us of the importance of volunteer work and the value of something as simple as a kind word and a gentle touch in lighting up the day of someone with needs greater than our own. She made a difference. After living in Shawnee and Garden Grove her entire life, Nelda retired to Lake Eufaula in 2007 to be closer to family. She was a gifted piano player who not only read music, but could listen to a piece of music once or twice and sit down and play it flawlessly. She enjoyed many pastimes in addition to piano, including flower gardening, needlepoint, sewing, crossword puzzles, collecting dolls, traditional gospel music, her dogs, and family and friend gatherings. She made lifelong friends and never knew an enemy. Nelda was a giver. She gave love and she gave of her time and from her heart. And she and husband Jim never turned away a hungry stranger. Her heart and soul were pure, compassionate and generous, and visitors were always welcomed. She was kind and gentle and had a keen sense of humor."

The memorial goes on to list all of her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren. When I read this memorial I could have sworn she was right there with us. Nelda grew up during the depression, raised a family, and was active in her community. She did simple, non-extraordinary things - to help her neighbor. And there was always enough and always just made do with what she had. What an extraordinary woman.

My grandma was the kind of grandma that taught you things (where my love of knitting/handwork, cooking, growing tomatoes, etc) and did fun things with me and my brothers and sisters even though she couldn't move around too well because of her arthritis and asthma. When Nelda came into my life, she reminded me of my Grandma Kroll and how she just loved life and loved her grandchildren and would do anything for them. Two extraordinary women - now they get to meet - and gloat over their beautiful great grandchildren and see their grandchildren work the land to feed their family and community as they once did.

Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: Lettuce, Basil, Bok Choy, Cucumbers, Arugula, Eggplant, sweet peppers, zucchini, summer squash, TOMATOES, and maybe a few other things !

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.

We still have frozen, Certified Organic Pasture raised Heritage Chicken for sale. $6.00lb and they range between 3.5 - 5.25 lbs. Let us know if you are interested. We will have another batch - ready in the first week of August.

PICK YOUR OWN RASPBERRIES - right here on Quaker Rd - Our neighbors Meg and Jim now have their pick your own raspberry field open - please call them for hours. The raspberries are so yummy - Sadie needs to pick a few each night - to make sure they are still yummy. You can reach Meg at 343-5497. THE PICKING IS WONDERFUL! They are 3.50 pint for PYO. At the farmers market they sell for 4.00 1/2 pint. Also Meg has some of her delicious Raspberry Jam - made with just a touch of sugar and raspberries.

PICK YOUR OWN BLUBERRIES - right here on the corner of Quaker and Adam Schools Road - Kathy and Steve now have their blueberry patch open - usually Thursday through Saturday - its best to call them for times. Their number is 372-5656. If you get their answering machine just listen to the message it will tell you if they are open or not for the day.

Recipes

Sauteed Greens with Cannellini Beans and Garlic - from Kristen and Matt Bartle - BHF CSA members
*as an option, this is delicious served over rice*

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 large bunch greens (such as spinach, mustard greens, kale, or broccoli rabe; about 1 pound), thick stems removed, spinach left whole, other greens cut into 1-inch strips (about 10 cups packed) *i used mostly Kale, some Swiss Chard, and a little Boq Choy*
1 cup (or more) vegetable broth or low-salt chicken broth
1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
1 teaspoon (or more) Sherry wine vinegar

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and dried crushed pepper; stir until garlic is pale golden, about 1 minute. Add greens by large handfuls; stir just until beginning to wilt before adding more, tossing with tongs to coat with oil. Add 1 cup broth, cover, and simmer until greens are just tender, adding more broth by tablespoonfuls if dry, 1 to 10 minutes, depending on type of greens. Add beans; simmer uncovered until beans are heated through and liquid is almost absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, and more vinegar if desired; drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and serve. Bon Appétit. April 2008. Molly Stevens

Sara's Great Frittata Recipe (www.twosmallfarms.com)
2 lbs summer squash
Salt
Green onions(healthy fistful chopped)
Basil leaves(fistful again)
2 garlic cloves
4 eggs
1/4 Cup oil
1 Cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 Cup parnesan/pecorino cheese

The summer squash, green onions, and basil make a wonderful frittata.
In the main bowl of a food processor, grate about two pounds of summer squash. Put the squash in a colander and lightly salt. Leave to drain, and put the chopping blade in the food processor. Add a healthy fistful of onions and the leaves from a bunch of basil. Toss in a couple garlic cloves if you have them, and pulse until well chopped. In a big bowl, mix around a cup of flour with a couple teaspoons of baking powder and about a half cup of grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese. Lightly beat four eggs and a quarter cup of oil (if you're feeling decadent and there are no vegetarians in the crowd, add a couple spoonfuls of bacon grease). Put the grated squash in a thin clean dishtowel or heavy duty paper towel and squeeze out excess liquid. Combine all the ingredients in the big bowl. You should have a thick, fragrant batter. Pour the batter into a greased 13x9 baking pan and sprinkle a little more cheese on top. Bake at 375 degrees until golden, about 30-45 minutes (it depends on the moistureleft in the squash). When cool, cut into squares and serve.
These make great appetizers or savory treats at a tea or coffee!

Journal Post for the week of July 25, 2011

2011-07-25T16:20:00.002-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL VI
JULY 25, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Greetings from the farm! Well here we are the last week of July. Wait a second, JULY?! The summer is blowing by us. And now dare I say here is August next week? Wow! The girls got lots of swimming in the ocean and the pool last week - I don't remember when our toes were so clean:) It was great to see the girls laugh and splash and have fun - especially missing the heat wave that was here - on the ocean it was at most 80 degrees and very breezy and no mosquitoes. We were very lucky, big thanks to Nana for having us down and the aunties and uncle who played so much with Sadie and Delia. We are happy to be back though - the weather on Sunday was divine! And I hear there will be rain hopefully tonight and into tomorrow - all the crops could use some rain.

We had the Great Garlic Harvest today. 1.5 weeks earlier than normal - it is usually a harvest that occurs on or very near our wedding anniversary - August 2nd. Either way - the GARLIC IS BEAUTIFUL! We have it drying in the barn - in bread crates and hanging from the ceiling of the barn. Big thanks to Gail, Diantha, Sophie, Adora, Ashlynn and Tracy for getting it all out. WAHOooooooo! Also a HUGE thanks to our friends of the Congregational Church of South Hero who trucked out here for a morning in November who helped this very pregnant mama and papa to plant 30 lbs of garlic. Over 25 folks showed up to help - we had it all planted in 15 minutes. Wow! And todays harvest took 45 minutes! Way to go.

We are picking the firsts of tomatoes, zucchini and summer squash this week. It is just a taste and more to come - I promise - but we wanted to make sure you all got some. The great thing with these is that when they first come in - we treasure their yummy greatness. They are so tasty - you can taste all the goodness from the soil, the rain, the sun, the wind, and dare I say snow in them. Everything we do to the soil, makes our food taste the way it does. I am glad we did not push our soil too much this spring - it was worth the wait. To feel those tender, young summer squash being cut from the vine and laid so gingerly in the basket this morning - so delicate but full of flavor. The tomatoes from the hoophouse are turning red, orange, yellow and purple - they drip with sun ripeness - we appreciate each and everyone that comes. We appreciate them even more because we had many friends come and help put up this new hoophouse this past fall and early winter - being very pregnant and then with a little one tucked in my coat. These tomatoes are full of lovin' from lots of people near and far. And those super sweet cherry tomatoes - we picked a few pints today - well 8 pints - it was hard not to gobble them all up - some of you may choose to have cherries over full size tomatoes. These tomatoes we spoke to, we cared for, transplanted and told them to have patience while we waited for the ground to warm and water to recede. They are all the better tasting for all that waiting. The field heirloom tomatoes (all 1000 feet of them) are growing robust and green - flash tape flickering in the breeze to keep them from being gobbled up by crows. You can hear them growing - cheering each other on. Soon we will have over 25 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes for your table and your bellies.

I got the opportunity to work without a babe on my back and by my side last night and I pulled at the power weed whacker out. I stood amongst the cucurbur field - in all of its glowing, luscious greenness - and took back paths to all the plants: cucumbers, zucchinis, summer squash, melons, watermelons, tomatoes (tomatoes are a night shade do to field conditions this year they got to get cozy with their cousins - they don't seem to mind) - it was a site of beauty - I could feel the cucurbit family let their hair down and start filling in the spaces I just made clearing the weeds and grasses. Our farm at dusk - is beautiful - you can see everything growing - if you are still and present - and it opens its world to you.

We still have frozen, Certified Organic Pasture raised Heritage Chicken for sale. $6.00lb and they range between 3.5 - 5.25 lbs. Let us know if you are interested. We will have another batch - ready in the first week of August.
Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: A Variety of Lettuce Heads, Basil, Napa Cabbage, Bok Choy, Arugula, maybe some more oriental eggplant , garlic, a couple of hot peppers, sweet peppers, zucchini, summer squash, TOMATOES, and maybe a few other things !

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.

PICK YOUR OWN RASPBERRIES - right here on Quaker Rd - Our neighbors Meg and Jim now have their pick your own raspberry field open - please call them for hours. The raspberries are so yummy - Sadie needs to pick a few each night - to make sure they are still yummy. You can reach Meg at 343-5497. THE PICKING IS WONDERFUL! They are 3.50 pint for PYO. At the farmers market they sell for 4.00 1/2 pint. Also Meg has some of her delicious Raspberry Jam - made with just a touch of sugar and raspberries.

PICK YOUR OWN BLUBERRIES - right here on the corner of Quaker and Adam Schools Road - Kathy and Steve now have their blueberry patch open - usually Thursday through Saturday - its best to call them for times. Their number is 372-5656. If you get their answering machine just listen to the message it will tell you if they are open or not for the day.

Recipes:

GRILLED BUTTER LETTUCE SALAD WITH BUTTERMILK-CHIVE DRESSING
(adapted from Fine Cooking #105)

1 butter lettuce, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/8 cup creme fraiche (I substituted sour cream)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs thinly sliced chives
1/2 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil for the grill

Prepare a gas or charcoal grill at medium-high heat. Whisk the buttermilk, creme fraiche, olive oil in a bowl. Add the chives, lemon juice and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve. Brush the grill with a light coating of vegetable oil, place the lettuce, cut side down, and grill for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the grilled lettuce to a serving plate, cut side up, and drizzle the dressing over it. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper, and serve.Grilling the lettuce intensifies its flavor, and changes the texture ever so slightly, making each bite have its own character: closer to the edge a bit smokey, a crisper and brighter taste as you indulge deeper. The buttermilk dressing is very flavorful – it will certainly go well over other roasted or steamed veggies. I can see myself grilling lettuce during the whole Summer!

Crunchy Bok Choy Slaw
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/crunchy_bok_choy_slaw.html
From EatingWell: August/September 2006

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 cups very thinly sliced bok choy, (about a 1-pound head, trimmed)
2 medium carrots, shredded
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Whisk vinegar, oil, sugar, mustard and salt in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add bok choy, carrots and scallions; toss to coat with the dressing.

Bok Choy, Carrot and Apple Slaw
http://healthy.food.com/recipe/bok-choy-carrot-and-apple-slaw-94458

3 heads baby bok choy
1 teaspoon coarse salt ( divided)
1 apples, peeled and cut into matchstick pieces (I hear Hacketts has early apples starting today)
1 carrots, peeled and cut into matchstick pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
freshly grated pepper
Cut bok choy in half lengthwise. Cut stem off as well as any bruised leafy tops. Rinse each half thouroughly to remove any grit. Slice each half crosswise into thin strips. Place all in a colander. Rinse lightly and shake until most of water has drained. Coat top with 1/2 tsp salt, and cover with a plate that fits inside the colander. Place a canned good on top of the plate to weigh it down. Meanwhile place apple and carrot matchstick pieces in a medium bowl. Add lemon juice, canola oil, and ginger. Add bokchoy to the bowl with the apple and carrot. Add 1/2 tsp coarse salt and some freshly grated pepper to taste. Stir and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving.

July 18th CSA Newsletter :)

2011-07-18T14:33:00.000-04:00

SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Greetings from the farm!

The usual author of these notes is away this week to Cape Cod for some fun with family. Christine, Sadie, and Delia left yesterday to spend a few days with 'Nana' and the aunties and uncles in Falmouth, MA. So, I (Adam) am here with Adora & Ashlyn holding down the fort (Tracy is away, too). Things are much more calm this week on our farm. We are still tending the summer veggies I know you are all looking forward to- cukes, tomatoes, squash,potatoes, etc. These crops are doing well and we should see some yields soon! We still appreciate your support and patience with this feast/famine season. I even get a bit jealous and self-doubting when I see farms pulling into market with the goods I have not been able to harvest yet, and I wonder what others must think. But then I remember that we have our way of growing things and that we respect our soil and we know you support this approach by being members of our CSA. Thank you!

And besides, the produce we do have is top notch .

One thing we have been thinking a lot about lately is having a summer "Hoedown" party- you know, potluck, lots of music, or just hanging out in the shade. We would love to have our farm family friends here for a work session (weeding, planting, cleaning up stalls, etc.), tours of the farm and hayrides, and enjoying the company! Let us know if you have ideas or talents to add!

We still have frozen, Certified Organic Pasture raised Heritage Chicken for sale. $6.00lb and they range between 3.5 - 5.25 lbs. Let us know if you are interested. We will have another batch - ready in the first or second week of August.

Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: A Variety of Lettuce Heads, Basil, Napa Cabbage, Heirloom Rainbow Chard, Bok Choy, Arugula, maybe some more oriental eggplant , garlic, a couple of hot peppers, onions, and maybe a few other things !

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.

PICK YOUR OWN RASPBERRIES - right here on Quaker Rd - Our neighbors Meg and Jim now have their pick your own raspberry field open - please call them for hours. The raspberries are so yummy - Sadie needs to pick a few each night - to make sure they are still yummy. You can reach Meg at 343-5497. THE PICKING IS WONDERFUL! They are 3.50 pint for PYO. At the farmers market they sell for 4.00 1/2 pint. Also Meg has some of her delicious Raspberry Jam - made with just a touch of sugar and raspberries.

PICK YOUR OWN BLUBERRIES - right here on the corner of Quaker and Adam Schools Road - Kathy and Steve now have their blueberry patch open - usually Thursday through Saturday - its best to call them for times. Their number is 372-5656. If you get their answering machine just listen to the message it will tell you if they are open or not for the day.

Recipes
ARUGULA PESTO SAUCE eat with artichokes, noodles, toast, carrot sticks...
3 cups packed arugula (about 3/4 pound), washed well and spun dry 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted golden and cooled 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 large garlic clove, chopped 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup hot water plus additional if desired In a food processor pulse together all ingredients except oil and water until arugula is chopped fine. With motor running add oil in a stream, blending mixture until smooth. Sauce may be made up to this point 1 week ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap. Bring sauce to room temperature to continue. Stir in 1/4 cup hot water plus additional for thinner consistency if desired.
ARUGULA SALAD WITH LEMON-PEPPER DRESSING
1/4 cup
1/4 cup
2 tsp.
1/2 tsp.
6 cups olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
fresh lemon juice
grated lemon peel
dried crushed red pepper
coarsely torn arugula
Whisk first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add arugula to bowl and toss to coat.
BRUSCHETTE CON PESTO DI RUCOLA, adapted from The Simple Grande Gardening Cookbook by Jean Ann Pollard
Makes about 1 cup
The Bruschette: Cut into squares: slices of sturdy bread. Brush with olive oil and rub with a clove of garlic. Then grill or broil until light brown.
The Spread: In a food processor or blender, combine til smooth:
A handful of arugula or wild arugula (the wild will be spicier) S & P to taste
2 small garlic cloves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts
1/4 cup olive oil
Blend together to make a thick paste. Add:
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Top the bruschette.
SHITAKE BOK CHOY SOUP WITH NOODLES
Editors' note: The original recipe calls for Chinese wheat noodles, but we also like this soup made with somen (Japanese thin wheat noodles) or soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles).
1/2 lb.
1/2 lb.
6
8 g.
6 oz. bok choy
fresh shiitake mushrooms
scallions
katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes; about 2/3 cup) (I've used chicken or vegetable broth instead)
thin Asian wheat or buckwheat noodles
Cut bok choy crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Discard stems from mushrooms and cut caps into thin slices. Cut scallions diagonally into thin slices.
In a 5- to 6-quart kettle bring 6 cups water to a boil with katsuobushi and boil 1 minute. Pour stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl and discard katsuobushi. Return stock to kettle and add bok choy, mushrooms, and noodles. Simmer soup, uncovered, until noodles are tender, 2 to 5 minutes, depending on type of noodle. Season soup with salt and pepper and stir in scallions.
Gourmet, February 1999
Bok Choy:
from a CSA member:
Bok choy: (the bok choy in the box was amazingly good!)
1 T oil
1.5 lbs bok choy
1 T light soy sauce
2 T chicken stock or water
Heat wok over moderate heat. Add oil and then bok choy. Stir fry 3-4
minutes, until leaves have wilted a little. Add soy sauce and chicken stock/water.
Continue to stir fry for a few more minutes, until the bok choy is done until still slightly
crisp.
Very easy, very good.
source: Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery
(very good recipes, clear instructions, and excellent taste)

Farmers Market TODAY!

2011-07-13T05:56:00.000-04:00

At the South Hero Farmers Market today - SUGAR SNAP PEAS,bok choy, napa cabbage, summer lettuce mix, lettuce heads, kale, chard, basil, peppers, and OUR CERTIFIED ORGANIC Pastured Heritage Chicken. Wooohooo! From 4-7pm at St Rose on Rte 2. Oh did I happen to mention we'll have SUGAR SNAP PEAS :)

Journal Post for the week of July 11, 2011

2011-07-11T16:12:00.001-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL IV
JULY 11, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Greetings from the farm! So here is Week 4. Three words for you - SUGAR SNAP PEAS! After crazy week it has been for our family, farm and community - we have for you the sweet candy of early summer - SUGAR SNAP PEAS. They are better than candy - you can eat the whole bag and not feel guilty - they are a protein (legume), sweet (like candy) and juicy (yum). With SSP, eat the whole thing - don't just eat the inside - eat the whole thing - you can even eat the stem. Well maybe thats pushing it - and maybe I am just lazy so I eat the whole thing. Kids love them, Adults love them - I have never met anyone who doesn't love these - oh and if you are one of those people, please don't tell me - but pass these luscious peas on to someone who will take great pleasure from them. They are great right from the field, chilled, dipped into hummus, tossed at the very end of a stir fry, chopped and put in a salad or mixed into rice. Maybe I should try them with ice cream. Did you know that the SSP was "invented" in the 1960's with the cross pollination of snow peas and english shelling peas. I am glad they came up with them. Sadie loves them and Delia likes hearing the crunch when she pierces one of them with her two little teeth. :)

Also in this week share is some Orient Express eggplants that we are growing in the hoophouse. Eggplants come on in flushes - so probably in another two weeks you will get more - we are growing threes kinds of eggplants in the front hoophouse - orients, listada de gandia - Italian heirloom, and Ping tung. Also new in the share this week is Napa Cabbage - we love this cabbage (hmmm...I love all my veggies - I hope they don't know that I am professing my love to each of them - hope they don't get jealous). It is big, juicy and you can eat it raw or cooked in a stir fry. Use the whole thing. Don't worry about the little holes in them - the flea beetles like taking their nibble from them - but they don't harm the taste. This cabbage grows fast - our other cabbages are just starting to ball up and we planted them the same time. We should have summer squash, zucchini and cukes in about 2 or so weeks. Tomatoes about the same time.
Bok Choy and Arugula next week.

We have Fresh, Certified Organic Pasture raised Heritage Chicken for sale. $6.00lb and they range between 3.5 - 5.25 lbs. We processed them on Friday. They are available at pickup. After Tuesday, they will be going in the freezer. Let us know if you are interested. We will have another batch - ready in the first or second week of August.

Thanks to everyone who came to help us out while Adam was gone. So many people came to help and support us. I felt truly overwhelmed with Adam's absence but thankful at the same time with all our friends in our community to help process over 120 chickens, move 600 bales of hay while I put my babes to bed, clean up the barn yard, for building a barn for Annie, for washing eggs, for holding and playing with my babes while I had to work in the fields, for brining my diaper wipes because I ran out, for doing errands for me, for doing things without even being asked, for bringing me more ice for the chickens, for teaching our interns how to process chickens, for an ear to listen to me while I debriefed, for laughter, for pizza, for the ourpouring of love and support . We love living here and being part of this community. When I was filling Adam in about the last 5 days last night, he was so appreciative and he thought this kind of support is what farming communities are supposed to be like - like they were in years past - when we didn't live in gated communities and people knew their neighbors. When the hay is ready it is ready - it can't wait a day or two - and thats when you call everyone and their sister for help - and wow did you all come out - it a true honor to have this farm with all of you and to know that you are there to help move 600 bales on a warm friday evening. This is community. And you know what, if you ever need help, just call, we'll be there too.

Food for Thought was this past weekend - where families can pick up healthy food for their families for breakfast and lunch. We were able to donate over 40 heads of yummy lettuce. And next week we will be giving them Sugar Snap Peas thanks to a generous community donor who gave us money to supply some fresh vegetables to the program.

Yesterday was the Blessing of the Animals, Adam was supposed to go and play guitar but ...anyways Sadie and Delia and I went and Sadie brought her picture of Annie the cow. She told me that "I think Annie would make too much of a mess in the church so we should just take her picture." Then we walked up to the crowd that were sitting under the old maples a the church and Sadie held her picture out for all to see - proud as proud can be. Cordelia greeted her - and Sadie said "This is my cow Annie and I brought her to get blessed - I only brought the picture because she wouldn't fit in the Saturn." My eyes watered with my smile because through all this chaos this week for us and our community - here is this little precious child - who loves life so much and all around her - is so incredibly amazing and thoughtful. We are blessed.

Thanks for being part of our farm and giving us all this lovin'. Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: Green Leaf and Butterhead Lettuce Heads, Basil, Napa Cabbage, Heirloom Rainbow Chard, Red Russian Kale,Orient Express Eggplant, SUGAR SNAP PEASand maybe a few other things ! In the recipes - you can use kale and chard interchangeably.

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.

PICK YOUR OWN RASPBERRIES - right here on Quaker Rd - Our neighbors Meg and Jim now have their pick your own raspberry field open - please call them for hours. The raspberries are so yummy - Sadie needs to pick a few each night - to make sure they are still yummy. You can reach Meg at 343-5497. THE PICKING IS WONDERFUL! They are 3.50 pint for PYO. At the farmers market they sell for 4.00 1/2 pint. Also Meg has some of her delicious Raspberry Jam - made with just a touch of sugar and raspberries.

PICK YOUR OWN BLUBERRIES - right here on the corner of Quaker and Adam Schools Road - Kathy and Steve now have their blueberry patch open - usually Thursday through Saturday - its best to call them for times. Their number is 372-5656. If you get their answering machine just listen to the message it will tell you if they are open or not for the day.

Recipes
BASIL WALNUT VINAIGRETTE - this recipe was a big hit at the Wednesday Farmers Market with Matt from Wally's Bagels and Emily from South Hero Land Trust

1 tsp.
20
1/2 tsp.
1/2 tsp.
2 tsp.
4 tbsp.
1/2 cup chopped garlic
basil leaves
salt
pepper
Dijon mustard
white wine vinegar
olive oil
Whirl together the above ingredients, and toss with lightly steamed green beans and/or cooked potatoes, or? Then toss with: chopped walnuts and 3 sliced scallions.

Kale or Chard Pesto - www.iheartkale.blogspot.com - as seen at the farmers market this past wednesday featuring our kale

1 bunch (4-5 cups) red Russian kale, stemmed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
1/4-1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts or any kind of nuts or you can leave this out
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place kale and garlic in a strainer over the sink and pour about 5 cups of boiling water over: this will blanch any bitterness from the kale and mellow the raw garlic. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet until they are touched with golden brown. Combine small batches of kale, garlic, olive oil, parmesan cheese and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse well until you have a smooth paste. Stir your batches together and salt to taste. Toss with hot pasta, spread on crackers or bread, or use to top baked potatoes.

Light Ginger Citrus Napa Slaw - http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com
vegan, serves 4

3-4 cups Napa Cabbage, chopped into thin 2 inch strips
1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup orange slices or mandarin segments
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp Vegenaise
1-2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp agave syrup
1 tsp paprika
dash of salt as needed
optional add-in: 1/2 cup chopped flat parsley

Directions:
Add cabbage, bell pepper and citrus slices to large bowl. Add vinegar, oil, vegenaise and agave syrup. Toss well. Add in salt, pepper, ginger, paprika and lemon juice.Toss well again. Chill until ready to serve. A few hours in the fridge will assist in marinating the cabbage. *for a creamier slaw simply add more vegenaise. Serve as a side dish or salad. More optional add in ideas: cayenne, garlic, sliced almonds, pea shoots, sliced fennel, cold snow peas, bean sprouts, toasted sesame seeds.

Eggplant
The Oriental Eggplants can be eaten with the skins on, not saleted, just slice and put olive oil on it and grill or bread and fry, or put in stir fry, lasagha, eggplant parm, etc. It is a sweeter egg plant with a non-bitter skin.

Journal Post for the week of July 5, 2011

2011-07-05T14:53:00.001-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL III
JULY 5, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Greetings from the farm! So here is Week 3. We have been busy. Actually, when have we not been busy - it feels like we are constantly running from one thing to another, but I think we are basically caught up. A funny thought this week, when we had been going through and looking at crops, words came out of my mouth: "Oh and by the 15th we will be planting for fall crops". Really?! Our intern commented, didn't we just finish planting spring/summer crops? Well yes, and we still are, and picking, and choosing what we will grow and how many rotations of things. We were hoping for two rounds of zucchini and cukes and a few other things - now just one beautiful one, with the weather and late start. Sweet corn transplants will be going in this weekend. Winter Squash and pumpkins all got planted in over the holiday. We will have fall shelling peas because the ones we seeded mid-may did not come up BUT we will have Sugar Snap Peas next Monday, and this Thursday for those who are Thursday deliveries (lucky ones:) ) It looks like we may have napa cabbage, bok choy, and possibly eggplants next week too. The tomatoes are getting big and should start turning any day now. We will be planting those sweet salad turnips and more radishes. Everything is growing and is looking amazing. If you would ever like a tour of it all please let us know - we'd gladly walk you around.

At the end of the week - Friday and Saturday we will be processing over 130 meat birds - if you would like one or 10 let us know and we will save them for you. Those who pre-ordered them - you will get them on Monday. Our new pullets are starting to lay, yummy smaller eggs - we will have them available at pickup for a reduced price of 3.00 dozen.

Today we had our Organic Certification visit with the Inspector from VOF. Everything went excellent. This particular inspector has been to our farm over the last 7 years 3 times and she is amazed with how much we have grown and how true and committed we are to organic farming for animals, poultry, pastures, and vegetables. New to our certification this year is our lamb, sheep and their wool. Our friends at Green Mountain Spinnery are excited to process the fleeces for us - they are certified organic processor. Our inspector was impressed with all of our record keeping, including a brilliant spreadsheet that had everything we picked last year (can we say over 3,000 lbs of heirloom field tomatoes) - It took 8 pages to print it out - but well worth it - a HUGE shout out to Fiona for putting all our chicken scratched notes into a spreadsheet form. We passed with flying colors. There will be a full report and you are welcome to see it when we get it, just ask us.

This week we are headed to a pasture management workshop down in North Middlesex with the interns. It should be great. Annie the cow and Texi are doing wonderful. Annie is producing 3-4 gals of milk a day. We have been working with Texi and handling him and taking him for walks to halter train him- which is an interesting feat - but it is getting better - Texi decided to get out of the barn last night and while I was straining milk - he ran around the house twice and then I ran after him. Thank goodness for electric fence - he is starting to get big enough so the single wire fence is getting him zapped when he touches it. It was kind of funny because Annie was trying to help me get him back into the barn with her low guttural mama sounds - and it worked.

This week Blue Heron Farm is on the Heart of the Islands Bike Tour. We are on the medium and long route. This bike tour is riding along the islands and stopping at farms for tours and such. Maybe some of them will want to process some chicken with us. :) For more info on the bike tour visit www.vermontfarmtours.com

Our neighbors Meg and Jim now have their pick your own raspberry field open - please call them for hours. The raspberries are so yummy - Sadie needs to pick a few each night - to make sure they are still yummy. You can reach Meg at 343-5497. Also, I ahve noticed that up the street on the corner - the blueberry bird netting is up and the sign is out - so PYO blueberries should be soon too:) Oh heaven on this road, one end raspberries, we're in the middle with veggies, chicken, eggs, lamb and milk and then the blueberries at the end of the road. Yum-O!

In this week's share you have smaller bunches of Kale and Chard - we wanted to make sure everyone got some - don't worry the bunches will get bigger. This is just a tender taste of what is to come. Thanks for being part of our farm and giving us all this lovin'.

Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: Green Leaf and Butterhead Lettuce Heads, Basil, Garlic Scapes or Garlic, Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers, Sweet Green Peppers, Heirloom Rainbow Chard, Red Russian Kale ! In the recipes - you can use kale and chard interchangeably. Note for Thursday folks - there maybe some sugar snap peas in your bags :)

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.

Recipes

Guadalajaran Swiss Chard Quesadillas (food.com)

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 small onions, chopped ( 3/4 C)
2 garlic cloves, minced ( 2 tsp)
1 hot pepper, minced
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/8 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup tequila (you can skip this just you broth or water)
12 ounces swiss chard, trimmed
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1 cup light monterey jack cheese, grated

Heat oil in pot over medium heat; add onion and saute 5 minutes, until golden. Stir in garlic, chile, cumin and oregano, and saute 2 minutes. Add tequila and simmer 1 minute, or until liquid has evaporated. Stir in chard; cover; reduce heat to medium low, and steam 5 minutes, or until chard wilts. Uncover, and cook 3 minutes or until liquid has evaporated.
Place 1 tortilla in skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle with 1/4 C cheese; top with chard mixture and second tortilla.
Cook 2 minutes per side, or until browned. Repeat with remaining ingredients.Slice into wedges and serve.

Swiss Chard & Goat Cheese Frittata (food.com)
"Serve this hot, warm, or at room temperature. Serve with slices of heirloom tomatoes. The amount of garlic can be decreased (or increased) according to tastes."

8 large swiss chard leaves, with stems
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
8 large eggs
fresh ground black pepper
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled ( soft type)

Wash the Swiss chard; cut off stems, dice finely, and set aside. Chop the leaves. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick 9-inch skillet with an ovenproof handle. Add onion, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and rosemary. Sauté 10 minutes over medium heat, until the onions are very soft and just starting to brown. Stir in the Swiss chard leaves and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and sauté 1 to 2 minutes, or until the greens are just wilted. Remove from heat, stir in garlic and Swiss chard stems, and set aside. Whisk eggs in a bowl. Add the Swiss chard mixture and goat cheese, and stir to combine.
Wash and dry the skillet and return to stove top. Preheat the broiler unit in the oven. Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, pour in the vegetable-egg mixture and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the eggs are set on the bottom. Transfer the skillet to the preheated broiler and broil for about 3 minutes, or until the frittata is firm and golden on top.

Penne with Swiss Chard & Asiago Cheese
2 cups penne pasta
8 cups coarsely chopped swiss chard and kale
1 (19 ounce) cans cannellini beans or 1 (19 ounce) cans other white beans, drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese
1 clove garlic, smashed
salt & freshly ground black pepper
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne 8 to 10 minutes or until tender but firm. Add 8 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard, cook 1 minute; drain well. In a large serving bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add pasta mixture; toss well. Season to taste.

Roasted Kale Chips with Sea Salt and Vinegar - kalynskitchen.com

one small bunch of kale, about 6 oz.
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T vinegar
sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300F/150C. Cut away inner ribs from each kale leaf and discard, then tear the kale leaves into same-size pieces. (I made my pieces about the size of a small potato chip.) Wash torn kale pieces and spin dry in a salad spinner or dry with paper towels until they're very dry.Put kale pieces into a large Ziploc bag (or use a bowl if you don't mind getting your hands oily.) Add half of the 1 T of olive oil, seal bag, and squeeze the bag so the oil gets distributed evenly on the kale pieces. Add the other half tablespoon of oil and squeeze the bag more, until all kale pieces are evenly coated with oil and slightly "massaged." Open the Ziploc bag and sprinkle the 1 T sherry vinegar over the kale leaves, then seal bag and shake to spread the vinegar out over all the leaves.Arrange kale leaves in a single layer on a baking sheet, then roast until they are mostly crisp, about 35 minutes. I checked every 10 minutes or so and turned some pieces over. I also found I didn't mind if there were a few softer parts on some of the kale leaves, I liked the combination of crisp and softer parts.
When chips are done to your liking, sprinkle with a generous amount of sea salt and eat immediately.

Come visit us on your bike this weekend

2011-07-04T20:30:00.002-04:00

Take a bike tour of grand isle farms this coming weekend and see our farm Blue Heron Farm! Check out it out at www.vermontfarmtours.com - There will also be a delivery service so you can buy things like farm fresh organic chicken, eggs, veggies, wool and it will be delivered back to snow farm vineyard for you. We will also have tours available, see how chicken are processed on the farm, look for eggs, picked some veggies and see us at the farmers market. Whew!

Just a Reminder -CSA pickup is moved to TOMORROW - TUESDAY - Happy 4th!

2011-07-04T07:27:00.000-04:00

Taste of Place

2011-07-03T07:51:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone - wanted to blog quickly about a thought I had - well reoccuring thoughts I have had about "Taste of Place." Not sure if I will finish it in this post or not - due to the need to go out and move and feed animals and feed and change the sleeping ones when they wake up..so here goes..

I never really understood "Terrior" - the french word of taste of place - many people have referred to wine, coffee, oils and such and it is usually in grandiose places like California, France, Italy and so on. Never knew, until recently when I started to think about it - it could mean right here - on Quaker Road - in this little town of Grand Isle. Right here on our farm. Really?! I could have this right here on these 30 acres and not have to speak a different language or grow an exotic crop? I do believe - and I maybe going out on a limb here - but yes.

When I googled terrior - at first it sent me to the dogs and the google folks thought I wanted to see those and that I don't know how to spell - then I added in taste of place and then I got something from Wikipedia. Now, I am not that old - hmrph - I did not grow up with wikipedia but found and I know to take things with a grain or mountain of salt but I thought this definition was pretty good..

"Terroir (French pronunciation: [tɛʁwaʁ]) comes from the word terre "land". It was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea used to denote the special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestowed upon particular varieties. Agricultural sites in the same region share similar soil, weather conditions, and farming techniques, which all contribute to the unique qualities of the crop. It can be very loosely translated as "a sense of place," which is embodied in certain characteristic qualities, the sum of the effects that the local environment has had on the production of the product. Terroir is often italicized in English writing to show that it is a French loanword. The concept of terroir is at the base of the French wine Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) system that has been the model for appellation and wine laws across the globe. At its core is the assumption that the land from which the grapes are grown imparts a unique quality that is specific to that region. The amount of influence and the scope that falls under the description of terroir has been a controversial topic in the wine industry." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terroir)

Hmm..could we be on to something here. People have told us that our chicken, milk, vegetables and eggs here are the best they ever had - this feedback was unsolicited - someone even found me in city market to tell us that the other day (while i had two kids strapped to me) could this be because our pastures are full of living, growing organic manner that the chickens eat up - because they get to be real chickens who scratch and peck and fly and jump and walk and squak? Our soils are full of organic matter - tons and tons (this can be scientifically proven through the various soil tests we have done) - thanks to our heavy soils - and they are really rich in calcium - because of this - so...if we were to raise the same birds on different land - would they be they taste the same? What if we picked up our whole farm and put it on sandy loam soil? riverbottom soil? what if we raised them on non-organic grain? (Well I think the grain would make a difference in taste for sure - organic grain is much better quality than conventional grain but that is a conversation for a different post)

We have worked with this soil - giving it food like cover crops, crop residues, organic ammemdments, composted manures, rotational grazing, pasture management - could all of this give our animals and vegetables the taste of place that foodies all over the world talk about? I could totally be going out on a limb here or stretching this idea of taste of place - but I think we are on to something here.

okay ...Sadie is up - more later..feel free to leave comments

Fresh Certified Organic Chicken Available now:)

2011-07-02T07:03:00.001-04:00

At our farm we pasture all of our birds and feed them only certified organic grain and our organic veggies. We do not the white cornish cross birds - those one do not do well on pasture and have meat mostly only on their breasts. The birds we raise for meat are a slower growing (ready in 10 - 12 weeks vs 6-7 weeks), excellent foragers, and do what chickens do best, fly, flap their weeks, dust bathe, peck, scratch, play, get picked up by 3 years old, etc :) These chickens get to be real chickens - like they should be. We raise them in open pasture with electric flexi-netting to keep the predators out and they have mini hoop house structures for rest and shade. These birds are the tastiest you will ever have, and there is quality meat all over the bird, not just in the breast. We strive for highest quality of food for your table and ours.
Our chicks come from Pennsylvania Dutch Country from a small family farm who is committed to raise real quality chickens. The breeding stock is imported from the regions of Burgundy and Brittany (France). The genetic stock is derived from the American and European old heritage breed of chicken and was developed in the early 1960’s to meet the highest standards of the French Label Rouge Free Range program. Currently, these chickens are used by non-factory farm (like our farm) production models (alternative) all across Europe and also by small pastured poultry producers in search of a traditionally raised farm chicken - just like the "oldies", healthy and with a succulent flavor and texture.
Since these chickens are a slower growing breed, they are naturally better suited to the higher welfare and all true natural rearing systems (full pasturing, free range, organic, certified, backyard etc.…). In the United States most modern poultry industrial production models use fast growing breeds (hybrid white synthetic Cornish crosses).
Natural instinct and behavior is preserved in the selection and growing methods of thee chickens and it goes without saying that our birds love foraging in pastures, free ranging outside, always looking for natural sunlight and fresh air, as well as ground scratching and dust bathing. At the hatchery they strongly believe in traditional and environmentally friendly farming methods, and we are convinced that allowing the chickens to do what comes naturally ensures an incredible meal for your table!
We are pleased to offer you these birds. We will have fresh birds (not frozen)for sale the weekend of July 4th, weekend of July 9th and again in mid August. Other times they maybe available frozen.
Certified Organic Chickens are $6.00lb and range in weights from 3- 6lbs.

SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?

2011-06-27T15:35:00.000-04:00

VOLUME VI, JOURNAL II JUNE 27, 2011
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
Greetings from the farm! So here is Week 2 of 18 weeks. When I saw the green onions the interns and Adam picked today - I had a grin from ear to ear - they are B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L! It made my heart sing - these onions were planted during the flooding and now look at them - please eat every bit of it - including the long luscious green tails.

Thanks for hanging in there with us this spring and now into summer. It feels like it should be the beginning of June not the beginning of July. With the rain we had last week and all that we got planted and transplanted things are looking up. I am no longer going to make excuses for this year. It is what it is and we all have been affected. You know and I know that we are all working hard to get the most of this summer's harvest. So I am done with making excuses...and we are going to run now with what we have. We are thankful that we have not had to go through a tornado, sever flooding that could wipe out our home, tsunami or other weather related tragic events - we are thankful that it was just flooding and cold wet soil - my family and friends are safe - and we have a roof over our heads and we have to wait for a few extra weeks to get the goods of the land - I'm okay with that - we can roll with mother nature and be thankful that we can still produce food and are healthy and safe.

Many things are going on the farm right now - fields are well planted - feel free to ask for a tour - we'll take you on one. The hoophouse are starting to get fruits like tomatoes, peppers and eggplants on them - still immature for us to pick but they are growing. We have over 20 varieties of mouth-watering heirloom tomatoes planted in the field and plenty of saucing heirlooms too. The Cucurbit family loved all the warm moist air and sun - they are growing under the remay. The potatoes are up and growing with the first hilling just days away. The Sugar Snap Peas are getting ready to flower. The chard, kale, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbages are getting big -

We bought some new equipment this spring - one is a tine weeder - I call it "finger" weeder - you drag this behind the tractor and it massages the soil to break up the crust and to kill weeds at their fine hair stage. We can use this over some of our hardier crops like potatoes and brassicas - and it helps us with the weeding. The other piece of equipment was a Jang seeder - its a precision push seeder that has 3 hoppers for seeds. No more thinning beets, turnips, carrots. Thsi seeder spaces individual seeds out - it is amazing - it saves time and money becasue we are not needing to thin and do not use as much seed. We still use the earthway seeder for something while we get the hang of this new seeder.

We have 3 interns on the farm this year. Tracy who is from Troy, NY and graduated from Marlboro College who joined us in the middle of all the flooding (May 1) and has stuck with us through it all and is now finally seeing green and growing vegetables and no puddles. Ashlynn who joined us two weeks ago - who drove all the way here from Texas. And Adora who hails from the Upper Valley who arrived 3 weeks ago. All three are eager to learn about organic diversified family farming and are looking forward to meeting all of you. If you have any cool things going on - all three are new to this are and to Burlington - please let us know - so we can spread the word to them. Since we are a mama and a daddy and two kids - we don't always hear what the latest and coolest things to do are in B-town or here in the islands. A big public thank you to all three of them for sticking with us and having patience with these two farmers - while we are trying to play catch up.

Everything is growing...including Ms Delia Mae - who at her 6 month appointment weighed in at 20lbs 4 ounces - they say you are supposed to double your birth weight by this time and being 10lbs and 1 ounce at birth - she is right on target. If you get to see her - wave to her - she loves it and she will wave back and if you are lucky she might even burst into a little ditty "Dadadadadadadadadada" :) Sadie is also growing being all of 3.5 years old - she is a wonderful big sister to Delia and always watches out for her.

Sadie and Delia love the new additions to our farm this year. We had 11 lambs from 7 ewes - 4 boys and 7 girls. We are keeping 3 of the girls, raising the 4 boys for lamb meat or rams for other people, and 4 of the girls are going to new homes once they are weened. We sell the roving and yarn from these mamas in the farmstand. We will be dyeing some of it soon with natural dyes from our trip to Maine last fall. We have over 250 layers now - selling eggs at the farmstand, farmers market and at City Market - we have them in 6 and 12 packs. Still at 5.00 dozen or 2.50 half dozen with pullet size eggs for sale soon for at a reduced cost. We have about 200 meat birds on pasture - we are going to be starting to process them this week - so if you haven't placed your order now is the time. They will be $6.00lb with them ranging in weight from 4-6lb. All of our chickens - layers and meat - are certified organic and on our pastures. This year will be the first year we will be certfying our Sheep and lambs too.

Another large addition this year is the new hoophouse that was finally completed over the winter months - I believe the beginning part of January - and that is where our early tomatoes, sweet peppers, and basil will be coming from. This hoophouse will allow us to grow into the winter greens and start earlier in the summer. This hoophouse was made possible from a generous grant from the USDA - NRCS EQIP program. All of our peppers and eggplants are undercover this year in the hoophouses - so we can have better yields and healthier plants - nightshades - like these love the heat and boy oh boy do those hoophouses get warm.

Hmm..oh yes, we now have a family cow - yes a real live cow - she is a brown swiss/ jersey cross, her name is Annie and she is about 7 years old. She is from our dear friends Jonathan and Meg who live in Washington, VT and we are honored to have Annie and all of her cowness with us. Annie gave birth to a bull calf on June 1st - Sadie named him Texi - short for Texas. He is a cutie - more jersey than brown swiss. We will keep him and raise him up to about 16-17 month and then have beef. We have been milking Annie since then - or I should say Adam has been milking her everyday twice a day since the 1st. We started out handmilking her but have bought a bucket milker and pump- with the help from some community members/friends - Annie likes the milker better and Adam's arms are not going to fall off. :) In a few years we would like to have a couple of cows and have a micro raw milk dairy. We share the milk with a few families who have invested their time/money and energy to make us having a cow a reality. We do have a bit of extra milk - if anyone is interested please let us know. I have been making the most unbelieveable cream top yogurt.

A big shout out goes to Diantha, Gail and Fiona for helping to weeding the carrots, planting, and other various farm tasks. To Cordelia for all the seeding of transplants and words of encouragement. To Sophie and her Burlington gang for mobbing us when we needed it for help. Also a big thank you to Julia and her girls Riley, Grady, Paige and Mavis and Donna Sue for all the treats, child care, and sprucing up while this mama was out working in the fields. To Missy and Rudd and all their help planting and weeding all the brassicas, potatoes and getting ready for Annie to come. A big thank you to Michael and Cooper, Will and Peter for all their work in /on the barn. And to our dear neighbors Meg and Jim for letting us do laundry and helping with the girls and lending an ear, to Gloria for holding babies when needed and taking care of Penny the chicken and Pippin. For David, Roy and Sharon for all your support and rhubarb:) And to the numerous other folks who have helped us this spring by your thoughts, prayers, food and support. Thank you!

We will be updating our blog more with pictures and we are alive and well on Facebook - so please "like" us so you can know the daily goings on of the farm. Okay, well, in true Christine fashion I have rambled long enough - more to come in the next addition. Thanks so much for being part of our farm - we really appreciate it. Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: Red Leaf, Green Leaf, Butterhead, or Romaine Lettuce Heads, dill or cilantro, Basil, Green Onions, and Garlic Scapes!

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.

What is a Garlic Scape?
Garlic Scapes are the false flower head that forms on quality, stiff-neck garlic. It whirls into swirls and are quite tender to eat in their curly-que stage. These scapes form about a month before the garlic is ready to harvest. We pick them off so the garlic bulb, which is under ground, can be nice and plump. We think of these scapes as our hold over until the bulbs are ready. They are a once a year treat usually available starting mid June. You can eat the whole scape - have fun with them. Enjoy!

Garlic Scape Ideas:
You can add sliced scapes to any stir fry recipe.
Slice and sprinkle over any pasta, or slice and cook them in almost any sauce recipe.
Great in guacamole and fresh salsa, too.
Chop & add to softened cream cheese.
Add chopped fresh scapes when serving a light garlic soup; can also add them to buttered, french bread floated on the soup. Use them as you would green onions, they're just better.
An excellent addition to stocks....and much Asian cuisine. Put in Thai chicken/basil/coconut soup. Good in salads, on bruschetta, pizza.

Garlic Scape Pesto
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice (optional)
1/4 lb. scapes
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt to taste

Puree scapes and olive oil in a food processor until smooth. Stir in Parmesan and lime or lemon juice and season to taste. Serve on bread, crackers or pasta.

Fried Scapes (from dakotagarlic.com)
Cut scapes to green bean size and saute them in butter and salt for six to eight minutes. During the last minute of cooking add about 1 tsp. of balsamic vinegar.

Spinach and Scape Frittata (adapted from dakotagarlic.com)

3 Tbsp. olive oil
10 eggs
1 cup (1/2 lb.) chopped raw spinach
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley or basil
1/2 c. finely chopped garlic scapes
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl mix all ingredients except oil and scapes. Heat oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet on the stove. Add the scapes and saute until tender on medium heat for about five minutes. Pour egg mixture in skillet with garlic and cook over low for three minutes. Place in oven and bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until top is set. Cut into wedges and serve.

First Pickup - tomorrow Monday, June 13

2011-06-12T07:43:00.000-04:00

Hello Everyone-

Sorry for the late notice but after talking to a few members at market on Saturday and since the spinach did not bolt this week - we will be having a a pickup this MONDAY at the farm from 4-6pm. We wanted to make sure you got spinach and rhubarb before it went by. For those folks on Thursday, we will dropoff to you on Thursday (more info to follow for the CCV, Winooski, Colchester, Essex info in different email).

We plan on pickup this week, Skip the week of the 20th (unless some thing grows really fast between now and then), Start the week of the 27th and from there forward.

In this week's share will be: Spinach, Green Garlic, Rhubarb, Basil Plant, tomato plants if you like and a jar of bread and butter pickles.

Don't worry there will be recipes..and a a newsletter..

Thanks again for sticking with us us as we negotiate this tricky weather this year. We are working hard each and everyday to make sure you will have the food you need this summer and fall. PLease email with any questions, feedback, etc.

Also, this is a short notice, sorry again for this, if you are at the pickup on the farm on Mondays and you can not make it - we will have all this in the cooler and shelf and you can help yourself on Tuesday and then just check off your name on the clipboard.

Look forward to seeing you all -

Peace, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia

We need help planting on Tuesday June 7th:)

2011-06-06T14:50:00.001-04:00

We are looking for a MOB of people to descend on our farm TUESDAY- yes TOMORROW - to help us gt caught up from flooding - we are looking for a short bit of time - meet at 8 until noon or whatever you can give. We will feed you yumminess. Our fields and hoophouses were flooded and are now finally ready to plant into - call us or email if you have the time. Thanks so much!

Thought for the day courtesy of Sue

2011-05-31T12:48:00.001-04:00

My sister Sue is out in Kalcutta, India working/ doing service at Mother Teresa's homes and Brother Xaviers. This is what she posted on her update today and wanted to share it with all of you - because love is hard - whether it be with people, animals, farm, land, weather..

Love you Susie - you are amazing for doing what you are doing!

"True love is love that causes us pain, that hurts, and yet brings us joy. That is why we must pray and ask for the courage to love." -MT

Looking for two apprentices for this growing season

2011-05-19T16:27:00.003-04:00

Hey everybody - we are looking for 2 apprentices (we just had to positions open up unexpectedly) to start ASAP for this growing season - room (wonderful yurt like tent in the middle of a pasture),board and small stipend - we have a dairy cow, sheep, lambs, chickens, meat birds, and tons of vegetables - come learn about small family farming in the middle of beautiful lake
champlain - you can check out our full description of a farm apprentice below.

Apprentice Period: May 21, 2011 - October 15, 2011(maybe later)

Work Period Detailed Explanation:
We would like to have three apprentices come sometime in May and finish in October. The work will include all parts of vegetable production for a small csa and both wholesale and direct markets. Work will include planting, cultivating, harvesting, and marketing vegetables. Work will also include helping with farm/CSA events, working on community growing of vegetable donations to the local food bank, caring for our small herd of sheep (not for meat), caring for pastured broilers and hens, caring for and milking our family cow, and putting up hay.

Farm Type:
Diversified (integrating crop/livestock)
This farm is Certified Organic
This farm has a CSA
This farm runs a farm stand
Stipend Available: Small stipend, room and board

Work Schedule:
The work week would basically be Sunday through Friday, 5 1/2 days a week. Friday evening through Sunday morning would always be free. We are extremely flexible and would hope apprentices would be too. We expect to provide a weekly stipend, probably about $50/week. Its negotiable. We feel that remuneration in the form of room, board, and education should be considered by any applicant.

Room and Board: Room and Board

The apprentices will live in Sibley tents (like a yurt) we will be placing on the edge of a hayfield. Our hope is that apprentices will have their own tent. The meals, bathroom, and shower arrangements will be in our small home. We have a 3 year old daughter (and a 5 month old daughter) who love to share meals! We would provide three meals a day, vegetarian if requested. We are not vegetarians. Meals on off times would not be provided, but food and amenities would always be available. Any potential apprentice would need to be willing to share the yurt with the other intern.

Trial Period Information:
We do require a visit with potential interns. It seems only fair to all involved that we meet and get a feel for the "fit".

All Organic:
All crops are raised organically. The sheep are not certified organic, but they may as well be because they eat only hay/grass and are managed to reduce parasite loads, and thus reliance on wormers. The sheep gave birth to 11 lambs in the month of May 2011.

Farm Background:
We (Christine and Adam) have been married since 2003. We started our farm in 2004. We started our family in 2007 when our daughter Sadie was born. On December 10th, 2010, Delia Mae was born. Our farm grew out of our desire to grow good food for our wedding, and we caught the farm bug. So, we are in our 7th year of organic farming and our 5th year with a csa program. It was the dream of landowners Roy Newton and Ev Grimes to bring the land back into active farming use. They supported us in starting Blue Heron Farm on their land. We are working on our dream of creating a diversified, sustainable, family farm with produce, grazing animals for fiber, poultry, apprenticeships, and eventually, as an educational/therapeutic youth farm worker program.Why educational and therapeutic? We both have a background in education, counseling, and social work (3 Masters degrees between us!). We both love to see people grow and learn. We both believe deeply that it is important for our world to have an organic, local food system, and we know working with your hands and seeing the fruits of your labor is profoundly good for the spirit.Another aspect of our farm is the attempt to make organic affordable, and to give back. We participate in NOFA's supported csa share program, and the senior-share programs, both of which help low income community members afford fresh, organic food. We also sell food at a reduced cost to the"Food for Thought" program which helps families in Grand Isle County with food during the months kids are out of school.Currently, Adam works full time off the farm. Eventually, we want our farm to be our sole income source, but that takes time. Our farm will always be organic.

Farm Setting:
Blue Heron Farm is located in Grand Isle, which is one of the islands of Lake Champlain. Its is a beautiful place. Quaker road is named for the original farmers (after the First Americans, that is) who settled here. Several original barns and farm houses still stand. To the west, the sun sets over the Adirondacks, with Lake Champlain in between. We are surrounded by mostly hay and corn fields, average amounts of rural development (such as houses), wildlife, and great neighbors. Up the street, a family grows pick your own blueberries, and next door, our friends are growing 300 raspberry bushes!Our farm consists of 15 acres on one side of Quaker road, and 15 on the other side, just a bit down the street from each other. All are in the organic certification. All of our land is either pasture or in veggie cultivation. The veggie side of the farm is on the land of our friend Roy Newton. On this property, we have a "amish style" shed for a farmstand, a 21x48 greenhouse, a 24x60 hoophouse, a new 30 X 72 hoophouse for season extension crops, a small 14 X 48 pepper hoophouse, and all of our cultivated fields. Roy's house is also on this land.Just down the way, we have our more modern barn that houses our tractor, tools, equipment, etc., as well as hay and sheep at certain times of year. Behind this, to the north, is the remaining pasture land that the sheep graze and where we cut hay. This where the yurt like tents will be going. We also have a small patch of woods on this land.

Farm Operation:
Adam works full time, but during the summer is able to take considerable amounts of time off. Christine works full time on the farm and always has Sadie and Delia tagging along. We grow a fairly wide variety of mixed veggies as you would expect for a csa. We love to grow garlic, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, lettuce, spinach, pac choi, kale, basil...well...we love growing it all. Each year we try something new or to improve how we grow things. We have about 3.5 acres under cultivation. This is increasing as we try to incorporate longer cover crop rotations for soil health. We do everything either by hand or with the help of our 30 hp tractor and borrowed equipment here and there. We use a lot of tractor- formed raised beds. We will be trying to do more weeding with the tractor this year.We have a 50 family CSA and sell at two local farmer's markets, as well as a local natural foods market. We also have an honor system farmstand on site.We have about 170 pastured certified organic laying hens, and we usually do at least one round of pastured broilers per summer. We hope to increase our numbers of both eggs and pastured poultry as we improve our systems.In addition, we have 9 sheep: one icelandic ewe, one shetland ewe, and 7 border-leceister romneys. We raise them for their fiber and their positive effect on the land. We will grow this herd to about 20 in the coming years. We are hoping to build some grant funded fencing and water infrastructure this year to help facilitate rotational grazing and hay land management.We are also hoping to build a new hoophouse designed to extend our seasons at both ends. The fencing and hoophouse would both be through a large NRCS grant.

Work Expectations:
We are looking for apprentices who are able to lift at least 50 lbs on a daily basis. We need people who are able to put their heart in to their work and do their work with integrity and at at a pretty good pace. Farm work is strenuous, hot, and at times very tedious. Interns need to be able to pace themselves, take care of their bodies, and communicate when they need a break. Our work pace/day is sane, and we want the experience to be sustainable for everyone. Most of all, we want to have fun and have a team/community approach to our work.

5 Topic Areas of Expertise:
1. Starting and growing a community supported agriculture program.2. Soil fertility management. (crop rotation, cover crops, testing, planning).3. Growing crops from seed to harvest, including seed selection, greenhouse culture, bed preparation, transplanting/direct seeding, fertility, cultivation, harvesting, and post-harvest handling.4. Direct and wholesale marketing of organic produce and the "business side" of farming.5. Raising chickens for meat and eggs using organic methods.6. We are not "experts", but we will be caring for our sheep, having them bred, and putting up hay for them. Apprentices will learn about basic animal care.7. Canning for home use 8. Learning how to put up (and actually can, freeze and dehydrate) all your own food for the winter.

Instruction and Training:
Much of the work and learning of apprentices will be side by side with us, through conversation, shared ideas around planning a day or a crop, and through a whole lot of demonstration of what we do and how we do it. This will be hands-on learning most of the time. We will supply apprentices with reading materials that have been useful to us, provide opportunities for "Q&A" sessions, conduct impromptu field meetings, and arrange for apprentices to learn about any special area of farming they are interested in. We want apprentices to have the freedom to take initiative once they feel they "get it" so that they are able to take on a few responsibilities on the farm. Overall, they will find us to be supportive, available, and concerned about the quality of their learning on our farm. Two likely additional projects: installing fence/water system for the sheep and building a new gothic style hoophouse.

Support for Learning:
Attend NOFA Vermont workshops as part of paid work
Time off to attend NOFA Vermont workshops
Attend other organizations’ workshops
Provide transportation
Support and create local networking opportunities for apprentice
Host an apprentice workshop

Interested applicants should send us an email at harmonyvt@yahoo.com and fill out the apprentice application at www.nofavt.org. We can provide academic credit if needed. We are currently looking for 2 interns that can stay through the end of the season

Why We Raise Pastured Certified Organic Chicken and Eggs

2011-04-13T15:07:00.001-04:00

Blue Heron Farm is a small diversified certified organic family farm in Grand Isle, Vermont surrounded by Lake Champlain. Our farm has always been certified organic since its conception in 2004- vegetables and animals- including our eggs. We are a mama and a daddy raising our children and farming. Our family, including our young daughters, eat all of our food and other local farmers' food - and they know where all their food comes from. We want to grow clean food for their little, growing bodies - food that is free of synthetic fertilizers, harmful pesticides, genetically modified organisms (gmos). The animals on our farm are treated with respect and dignity. They get to be the animals they are to their fullest potential.

Our chickens get to graze - get to be a true chickens - out running around the tall pasture grasses, dust bathing, eating bugs, worms, occasionally a field mouse-being the true omnivores that they are and eating clean certified organic grain. These chickens are a vital part of our farm, working as mini tillers in our pastures, waking up pasture grasses and tilling in nutrients. When the chickens, are done with an area we move them to the next pasture in their refurbished travel trailer where they lay their eggs.

We believe we are what we eat: We don't want our children to be the guinea pigs for GMOs.

We eat these chickens and these eggs - so why wouldn't we want them to have clean feed - free of pesticide residues, synthetic fertilizers, and genetically modified corn and soybeans (which is in all conventional feed)? Studies are still out on what exactly GMO's will do to our bodies and our children's developing bodies .
We make choices each and every day on how we feed our family and what we spend our limited resources on. When we buy organic feed, we know exactly what is in there and we are supporting other organic family farms. People ask if we make a lot of money off our egg sales. Currently, we have about 170 layers, 2 roosters, Rocket and Ramone. We certainly make a much slighter profit on our eggs as a trade off for sticking with certified organic feed, but the tradeoff is worth it. Many local organic farms have split operations - they have organic vegetables but not organic chickens. Organic Chicken feed is expensive - it is more expensive than conventional feed - that is one of the big reasons why local organic vegetable growers will produce eggs with pastured hens that eat non-organic (conventional) feed.

We have partnered with City Market to make local, pastured, certified organic eggs available here for you. We hope you enjoy our chickens' eggs and know that we are grateful that our family is one of the many local farmers on your table feeding you and your family. Feel free to get in touch with us and give us your feedback. We do farm tours, have a farmstand, have a CSA with pickup on the farm and with dropoffs in Essex, Colchester, and Winooski (including chicken and egg shares), at the Champlain Islands Farmers Market in Grand Isle and South Hero.
Peace,

Christine Bourque, Adam, Sadie and Delia Farris

Winter Journal Post and CSA Letter

2011-03-06T20:14:00.001-05:00

February 28, 2011

Hello to all returning and potential CSA members, neighbors, friends and family!

As I type this, Sadie is napping and her little sweet sister, Delia Mae is laying by my side watching me type. Sadie can spell her name now and is very excited to be a big sister and she is a huge helped in all the winter shores with the sheep, bunny and all the chickens.

This winter has been quite eventful- Sadie turned 3, Delia Mae was born December 10, the 30 x 72 hoophouse is built, and we have started the process to buy the land that we farm - on both sides of the road - 31 acres of land. At the end of the growing season, we were notified that the land that we live on and graze the sheep on was going to be put up for sale. This was the catalyst to get things in motion with the Vermont Land Trust and their partners to try to buy this land and some of Roy's land - where we grow all of your/our vegetables. To make this more affordable, we will be conserving the land - so it will always be in agriculture - open land - a small diversified, organic family farm - in Grand Isle, right here on Quaker Road. This is very exciting and we will share with all of you as we go through this process in conserving and buying this land - so Blue Heron Farm will have a stable land base into the future.

We feel very blessed for all the support we received from our CSA members and community from last growing season. We were very blessed with a beautiful summer, the energy and excitement of 4 interns (who rocked and learned so much about organic farming (and potty training a then 2.5 year old), luscious heirloom tomatoes that had juice that dripped down your cheeks, more watermelon and melons than we knew what to do with, harvesting pumpkins and watermelons in September together- all the glory and abundance of a prolific growing season. We are looking forward to another great growing year with the hopes of extending this growing year into December with our new hoophouse - which many hands helped us build.

CSA: nitty gritty, work shares, drop offs, and Supported Shares
This year we are staying at 50 shares and making sure we have enough variety and quantity for all of you. After a very successful fifth year with the implementation of the sliding scale fee structure for the CSA, we will continue that this year. We want to continue to make organic produce affordable to all and be able to pay our costs. With members buying upfront their vegetables for the season, it helps our costs immensely and we can budget for the rest of the season. We would like to get payment by April 15th. If any of you can pay sooner than that, that would be great since most of our buying is right now through March (I know, I know I should have mailed this in January). Shares will start the first or second week in June. **For those who pay by March 15th – you will be entered to win 5 dozen of eggs.

Also, we will be having a working option along with your share which can help with cost of the your share – more info in the brochure. We will also have CSA member work days scheduled once a month where you can come out to the farm and help us with big labor projects that are family friendly. Also, this year we will continue to work on and post on our farm blog www.blueheronfarmvt.com.

Also, we will be delivering to Fort Ethan Allen, Pinewood Manor (thanks so much Beth) in Essex Junction right past 5 corners in Essex off of Rte 15 across from IBM, and CCV in Winooski on Thursdays. If you know anyone in that area that maybe interested please feel free to pass a brochure to them or give us their name and number and we will send them a brochure. There will be a small one time delivery drop off charge of $35 for the Colchester/Essex drop off sites (to cover our fuel and time costs).

We value your support and friendship. If these costs are a hardship, please call us and we can come up with a payment plan. We are also hoping to provide 3-4 supported shares for families who are in need of this. If you are in need of financial aid this year please let us know and we will get you the financial aid info for a supported share. Also we are accepting donations for the Farm Share program that supports our farms supported shares. Last year we were able to give financial support to 4 families from our community and provide extra food to the Round Barn through generous donations from our members. Our goal is to raise $500 for supported shares so NOFA-VT will match it and make a share more affordable to families in our community. If you would like more info, please give us a call. You can send the donation in with your registration form or send it directly to NOFA-VT with “Blue Heron Farm supported share” in the memo.

Our Community Service (Yours and Ours):
Because of you, our CSA members, we are able to outreach to our community here in Grand Isle County with food and goodwill.

Last year, we had our second year with the Senior Shares at the Round Barn here in Grand Isle. We delivered fresh veggies to 20 residents at the barn and have had community dinners with them once a month since October. We are looking to expand this for this upcoming year and look forward to having them out at the farm with us. If you would like to join us for our monthly lunches, just let us know and we will let you know when they are. We will continue this program again this year with the hopes of expanding it.

Also, we donated and sold a bunch of food for the Food for Thought program last year, which fed over 125 children in Grand Isle County for 12 weeks. This was started by Kaight Althoff (one of our CSA family members) and Melissa Hood and they are doing it again this year with the goal of feeding even more children countywide during the 10 – 12 weeks of summer vacation. Last year, Sadie and Christine, along with some of the interns, would go and help pack boxes on Sundays and bring leftover produce from market or extra veggies that CSA members donated while they were away on vacation. Each week, Blue Heron Farm was able to donate or sell (at a reduced rate) fresh veggies. Our farm plans to help out again with this year by donating veggies and if any of you would like to help with volunteering on those Sundays, delivering food to families, growing veggies here at our farm or your own place, buy a CSA share for this program or with financial support please call Kaight at 372-5843 or give us a call.

This summer we will be working with area churches and community groups to put in community gardens in our community. We will also be working on growing certain crops for the food shelf here in the county. If you would like to help with any of this, let us know.

Chickens, Eggs, Bread, Pasta, Pork and Turkeys (Oh My…)
So we are going to try out having add-ons this year of our chickens, eggs, and food from fellow CSA members Gloria, Daniel, Matt, Aimee and Eric. We are excited about this and we think it will help lighten your grocery shopping having these items available. Later in the season, we will let you know about organic pork and turkey shares from Aimee and Eric. Their pigs get a ton of veggie scraps from our farm, and their pork is quite yummy.
Blue Heron Farm Certified Organic Pastured Chickens & Egg SHARES These chickens are a heritage breed from France (not the Cornish crosses that many producers use). There is more meat all around the bird and the birds are great foragers on pasture. There is a deposit of $50 and then the chickens will be $6.00lb when they are finished. Shares are 5 or 10 birds - fresh or frozen. Egg shares are: $90 for 18 weeks for 1 dozen a week or 1/2 dozen for $45 for 18 weeks. This year we have partnered with Wally's Place(Matt) and Grand Isle Pasta (Gloria and Daniel) to offer weekly deliveries of fresh bread and fresh pasta with your share.
Thank YOU!

We couldn’t do this without all of you. It is because of you, we made it through last year with the hope for this growing season. Adam, Sadie, Delia and I look forward to walking out to the chickens with you and your children, meeting our sheep and their lambs in the pasture, picking sungold cherry tomatoes and ground cherries, uncovering treasures of potatoes and carrots from the earth, and enjoying that you know where your food comes from.

When we sit and plan this year and reflect over the last 7 years – we are truly blessed to have this as our work. We are honored that we are one of your farmers and you are our community. Whew – that’s a lot of writing – well, there was a lot to fill you in on too Hope you are all well. We have enclosed this year’s CSA brochure. We have also enclosed an extra one to pass to a friend. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you walking in the fields - smelling the basil, having tomato juice run down your cheeks and eating fresh lettuce again .

Peace,
Christine Bourque, Adam Farris, Sadie Farris and Delia Farris.

2011 Blue Heron Farm CSA now taking members

2011-02-28T14:48:00.004-05:00

Hi Everyone-

We have our CSA brochure done and are now selling shares. We are selling 50 shares this year and we have on the farm pickup here in Grand Isle, and drop offs at CCV in Winooski, Pinewood Manor in Essex Junction and Fort Ethan Allen in Colchester, VT. We will gladly drop off anywhere else as long as there are 5 share holders there and within the greater Burlington or Grand Isle area.

You can email us at harmonyvt@yahoo.com for the application and I am also going to try to figure out how to put it up here for you to download. I think i figured it out here it is - just copy and paste in the address bar: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0By3U03bbE9hiODA0ZDFmMDYtZTFjMi00MGYzLTlmYzgtN2ZiNThiNTZiMmNl&hl=en

Sorry for the hiatus from this blog this winter - we have been busy with our new little one Delia Mae who is now 11 weeks old...we will try to catch you up on all the farm happenings over the next week or so and try to be more regular in this space. Peace and warm thoughts, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia

Welcome little sister!

2011-02-01T21:28:00.000-05:00

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Winter Farmers Markets start this weekend!

2010-11-04T20:47:00.001-04:00

Farmers Market this Saturday at the South Hero Congregational Church on South St from 10-2 - inside - come see us - we'll have lots of organic salad greens, sweet kale, brussel sprouts, winter squash, pie pumpkins, red and white potatoes, pickles, jellies, and of course our eggs and a few other things - and Sadie dancing around the hall. Also, there will be lots of baked goods, breads, crafts, soap, meat, more produce, yarn, and much more - Come stay for a while and visit - there will be a kids table for activities and places to sit and chat. Next one will be November 20th - Just in time for Thanksgiving.

Christine Bourque, Adam Farris and Sadie Farris
Blue Heron Farm
372-3420
www.blueheronfarmvt.com

Journal Post for the week of Ocotber 4, 2010

2010-10-04T14:59:00.000-04:00

VOLUME V, JOURNAL XVII AND XVIII
OCTOBER 4, 2010 - LAST PICKUP
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL

SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Week 17 and 18: Hello Everyone, this week is the last pickup/drop off for the CSA for this season. This is a double week - 2 pickups in one with storage vegetables and fresh. The potatoes we picked fresh this morning - keep them dirty and put them in your crisper - they will last longer. Keep the winter squash in a coolish spot - not freezing and they will keep long into winter. Onions will keep well in your crisper drawer too - we had ours into May. You can also freeze the Kale, Onions, Green/Red Peppers - just chop them and put them in freezer bags - no need to blanch them. The herbs you can chop and out a little bit of water in them into ice cube trays and freeze them or you can dry them - hang them up or put them in your oven at 140 degrees for a few hours. Tomatoes also freeze well - you can puree them or put them in whole and then slip the skins off when they defrost. Frozen Kale is a great in soups, pasta sauce, omelets - really anything in the deep darkness of January...

This CSA season marks our 5th year with a CSA. We had nearly 50 families and 14 senior shares this season. With each season we learn more and more. With each season, we are excited that the food we grow for our own small family will be nourishing yours too. This 5th season has been quite the full and abundant year with most crops unlike last year - we are thankful for the hard work of our crew of interns and volunteer CSA members and mother nature for such a tremendous harvest year. There are still veggies in the field and the farmstand will be open at least until Christmas. We will be at winter farmers markets here in the Islands and possibly in the Burlington area. We hope you have enjoyed the bounty of this year. In the next few weeks, we will be sending you all via email and mail a survey to fill out - please fill it out and return it so we can use your feedback in planning for the 2011 season.

So with the last pickup comes the end of our internships here at the farm for the year. Eric and Emily are leaving tomorrow - they wanted to stay until the last pickup and see it through - like picking potatoes this morning in the very moist, cold clay soils and sinking in the mud while picking green beans and oh, one last time of gathering eggs and getting the sheep moved to a new pasture and many more endless chores that happen here at the farm. We are thankful for their time here and all that they have taught us. We think having interns helps us be better farmers, better stewards of this beautiful land that we are blessed to farm here on Quaker Road. A few things off of Eric's list of things he has learned include tractor work, knitting, spinning, sheep wrangling, egg production, advocating for small farmers, educating people about local food, marketing, chicken raising from baby chick to processing them into food and much more. We have appreciated his steadfast work ethic and care he has for our farm and little Sadie, oh and of course his buddy Oscar, our cat. Eric also learned how to can and preserve his own food for the winter months - with a trunk is his apartment full of canned tomatoes, jellies, sauce, and pickles and his freezer full of fruit, veggies and chicken. One big thing, we heard him say, was how he now more aware and thinks about how is food is raised (which he did before coming here but now with a more hands on experience to back this awareness) - especially meat after helping with the processing of our chickens for meat. And now for Emily, Emily who has been here since May - during the heat wave tying up hoop house tomatoes and transplanting the millions of transplants we had that you are all eating from now. She was so patient with us in those early weeks - never having a farm intern before and how she helped figure out how to get the plastic to lay flat and tight - how many years have we had the mulch layer (5 yrs?!). Emily's creative eye and hands have turned some of our chicken scratch handwritten posters and dull displays to displays that our vegetables feel proud to be in. Emily's caring touch have nourished our greenhouse crops, Mr Pippin's life, and her little rascal Sadie - to name a few. A few things that Emily has learned how to sell what she grows, has seen things she planted from seed, turn to fruit, harvest it, eat it, preserve it (so many canned yumminess in her and Joe's apartment for the fall), and then pull out the crop residue - full cycle. And the countless stories she and Eric have read to Sadie...thank you.

We were very lucky to have 4 dynamic, caring, enthusiastic interns join our small family farm this season. You have set the bar high for interns to come and we wish you all good luck and prosperity in all that you will do. It has been an honor to be along with you all on your journey this summer - from understanding why organic eggs are $5 dozen, seeing seeds grow, the hard work and hard decisions that are made on a farm from sun up to sun down and why farmers do what they do. And of course how to potty train a squirelly two and half year old - Thanks.

We hope you have a great week, a great fall and winter -Enjoy the veggies, and see you soon! You can keep in touch through our blog www.blueheronfarmvt.com or email us. We will let you know when little baby arrives:)
Peace, Adam, Christine, Sadie, Eric and Emily
NOFA VERMONT'S SIXTEENTH ANNUAL SHARE THE HARVEST: OCTOBER 7TH, 2010!
The sixteenth annual Share the Harvest fundraiser will be held this Thursday, October 7 to benefit NOFA-VT's Farm Share Program. The Farm Share program is a great way that limited-income Vermonters can afford to purchase CSA (community supported agriculture) shares of fresh produce from their local farmers. NOFA Vermont believes that all Vermonters should be able to eat local organic food, regardless of their income level, while also making sure farmers get a good wage for their hard work.
In 2010, the Farm Share Program served over 1,300 people statewide and 60 Vermont farms participated (including Blue Heron Farm - 4 local families). Demand for Farm Share Program support was more than NOFA-VT could financially accomplish and a waiting list was established. The Farm Share Program is funded by donations and by the annual Share the Harvest fundraiser.
On Thursday, October 7th, restaurants, coops, and food stores will participate in Share the Harvest by donating a portion of their day’s sales to the Farm Share Program. NOFA-VT thanks these participants and all of the people who will dine or shop at participating establishments on this date. If you are not able to participate on October 7th and would like to make a donation please go to nofavt.org for a coupon to make a straight donation or see a list of restaurants who are participating.Thank you for your support!
Local Grassfed Beef and Certified Organic Beef Shares
Rob Rousseau in North Hero will have grass-fed beef for sale by the 1/4, 1/2 or whole - cut wrapped and frozen - available this fall. You Can call Rob at 372-4884 for more info. We also have info on grassfed certified organic beef shares available from Maplewood Organics in Highgate. Call Hannah or Eric at 868-5083 if you are interested or need more information- they also sell individual cuts of meat including hamburger..

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: CILANTRO OR PARSLEY, GREEN BEANS, ONIONS, RED POTATOES, SWEET RED PEPPERS, LETTUCE MIX, MUSTARD GREENS, ARUGULA, RED RUSSIAN KALE, 10LBS OF WINTER SQUASH DELICATA, BUTTERNUT, OR ACORN, PIE PUMPKINS, PYO GROUND CHERRIES, PYO SUNGOLD CHERRY TOMATOES, PYO TOMATILLOS, PYO FIELD TOMATOES AND A FEW OTHER THINGS...

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com - or harmonyvt@yahoo.com/372-3420

Pictures of our farm can be seen and shared on the following website: http://blueheronfarmvt.shutterfly.com/

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. Or pullet sized eggs are $3.00 a dozen or 2 for $5.00.
RECIPES
Following recipes are from: www.twosmallfarms.com
FINISHING TOUCHES FOR BEANSThe Victory Garden Cookbook by Marian Morash
After steaming or blanching, try one of these:
With Butter & Lemon Juice: toss beans with butter in a hot frying pan. Sprinkle with lemon juice, and season with salt & pepper.
With Onions: lightly brown chopped onions in butter, add beans, and toss until thoroughly coated in butter and onions.
With Oil and Garlic: Heat 2 tablespoons oil per pound of beans, add 1 clove finely shopped or pureed garlic, cook 30 seconds, add beans; toss until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
With Mushrooms: Saute 1/4 pound sliced mushrooms per pound of beans in butter until lightly browned. Add green beans and heat through.
Master Recipe for Boiled Green Beans from The Best Recipe by the editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine
We find that green beans respond better to boiling than to steaming. A pound of beans in a standard steamer will not cook evenly. Boiling is simpler - just add the beans and cook until tender - and permits the addition of salt during cooking. Unlike other vegetables, green beans do not become soggy when boiled, because their thick skins keep them crisp and firm. Leave beans whole when boiling; cut beans will become waterlogged. Boiled beans can be flavored with some butter or oil, dressed with a vinaigrette, or sauteed briefly in a flavorful fat. 1 pound green beans, ends snapped off, 1 teaspoon salt, Bring 2 ½ quarts of water to boil in a large saucepan. Add beans and salt and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and season.

Journal Post for the week of September 27, 2010

2010-09-27T14:53:00.001-04:00

VOLUME V, JOURNAL XVI
SEPTEMBER 27, 2010
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?

Week 16: Hello Everyone, holy busy week. When fall comes things are supposed to be wind down...I feel like all we did this week is run from one project to another from morning to night. We are especially thankful to our interns for sticking with us over these last few hectic weeks and thanks to Nana for hanging out with Sadie while this mama ran around the farm after all the projects we had to get done. This week we had our last markets in Islands for the season, 3 days of chicken processing, CSA pickups on Monday and Thursday, harvesting, working on the hoophouse, and the hoe-down. We are in the home stretch but that homestretch seems to be about a month long - but thats okay. Next week is LAST pickup - we will have plenty of veggies for you including storage crops like winter squash and potatoes. Today we were grateful for the help of Eric, Gail, Fiona and Ben to getting everything picked for all of you today. We harvested all of the winter squash and it fills the back of our 8 ft truck bed - I am purely guessing now but I think it is between 1000 and 2000lbs of winter squash. Yesterday, Sophie, Eric, Eireann, and Todd harvest 247 pie pumpkins from the field (in between driving the 38 ground posts for the hoophouse). All of which will be curing in the greenhouse for the next week or so.

The hoe-down was a lot of fun - with pyo jack o'lantern pumpkins, impromptu Sadie singing along with some friends playing music, a long hay wagon ride with families and the food was de-li-cious! Thanks to all who came out - it was a bit brisk but it was fun. Thanks for the extra hands with raising of the bows and help with clean-up. Adam, Sadie and I really enjoyed visiting with all of you. Pictures from the hoe-down will be on our blog soon and you can see them and share them on our photo sharing website: http://blueheronfarmvt.shutterfly.com.

In this week's share there are some white bulbs with greens attached - these are Hakerui Turnips - they are a sweet salad turnip that should be eaten raw, chopped in a salad or lightly sauteed - but our handsdown way to eat them is raw - Sadie loves them!

You can also freeze the Kale, Onions, Red Peppers - just chop them and put them in freezer bags - no need to blanch them. We hope you have a great week -Enjoy the veggies, and see you next week! Peace, Adam, Christine, Sadie, Eric and Emily

Local Grassfed Beef and Certified Organic Beef Shares
Rob Rousseau in North Hero will have grass-fed beef for sale by the 1/4, 1/2 or whole - cut wrapped and frozen - available this fall. You Can call Rob at 372-4884 for more info. We also have info on grassfed certified organic beef shares available from Maplewood Organics in Highgate. Call Hannah or Eric at 868-5083 if you are interested or need more information.

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: CILANTRO OR PARSLEY, ONIONS, HAKERUI SWEET SALAD TURNIPS, HOT PEPPERS, SWEET RED PEPPERS, LETTUCE MIX, MUSTARD GREENS, ARUGULA, RED RUSSIAN KALE, EGGPLANT, WINTER SQUASH, PIE PUMPKIN, PYO GROUND CHERRIES, PYO SUNGOLD CHERRY TOMATOES

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com - or harmonyvt@yahoo.com/372-3420

Pictures of our farm can be seen and shared on the following website: http://blueheronfarmvt.shutterfly.com/

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. Or pullet sized eggs are $3.00 a dozen or 2 for $5.00.
RECIPES
Following recipes are from: www.twosmallfarms.com
Tagliolini con la Zucca -Pumpkin Pasta adapted from the Top One Hundred Pasta Sauces by Diane Seed

1 pound fresh pasta or less of dried (she calls for tagliolini, I used whole wheat thin spaghetti)
3# piece of pumpkin (or about 1 butternut squash? 1 sugarpie pumpkin? I used a whole mess of yummy puree I'd made from a butternut squash.)
4 Tablespoons butter (I used olive oil, butter would likely be divine here.)
1 leek (I used 2 leeks) well chopped
1 stick celery well chopped
chicken stock
S & P to taste
Grated Nutmeg to taste
2/3 cup heavy cream (I used whole milk)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Melt half the butter and add the chopped leek and celery. Peel the pumpkin (or butternut!) and remove seeds and any stringy fibers. (none in these puppies, don't worry.) Cut the pumpkin into thin slices. (or skip the peeling/cutting and roast and puree the whole thing like I did. see notes below for that option.) Add pumpkin in slices or as a puree to leek and celery and stir for a few minutes. Add a little stock and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin slices are cooked through. OR cook for a shorter while if using the puree. Add more stock from time to time if necessary to keep moist. Check the seasoning and add S & P and nutmeg to taste. Process in a food processor (I used my stick blender!). Return to the pan to keep warm. Cook the pasta according to directions, and avoid overcooking. Fresh pasta will only need a few minutes, so add the cream to the sauce as soon as you have thrown the pasta into the boiling water.
Drain the pasta and place in a heated dish. Stir in the freshly grated cheese and then the pumpkin sauce. Mix well, add the rest of the butter, and serve at once.
LAURA'S GLAZED PUMPKIN GINGER BARS Adapted from Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Shepherd and Raboff

1 3/4 cup unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup cooked, pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup chopped candied ginger
GLAZE:
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
3 to 4 tbsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10x15-inch baking pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy then add brown sugar, beating until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin, beating well. Add dry ingredients, mixing until batter is smooth. Stir in nuts and candied ginger. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan. Combine confectioners' sugar with lemon zest. Add lemon juice gradually to confectioners' sugar, adding just enough to give the proper consistency for spreading. Spread on the warm bars. When cool, cut into diamonds or squares and store covered for a day to let flavors blend before serving. Makes 4 dozen.
Simple Pumpkin Bread
2 cups mashed/pureed pumpkin or winter squash
Mix and make a well in the center:

3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups sugar

Add to the center along with the pumpkin and stir just until all is mixed in:
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
Then if you like:chocolate chips, optional
Pour into 1 large and 2 small oiled bread pans (or muffin tins). Bake at 350 for one hour. (Or less for muffins.)

Journal Post for the week of September 20, 2010

2010-09-20T15:21:00.000-04:00

VOLUME V, JOURNAL XV
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?

***ANNUAL BLUE HERON FARM HOE-DOWN is THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2010 starting at 3:00 pm. We will have hayrides touring the farm including the sheep, Potluck food and music (please bring a dish and instrument to share), bon fire, warm cider, visiting with neighbors and friends, and more... We'll supply dishes, glasses, utensils and some yummy food too and some of the entertainment. We will have some kid things to do to - like pumpkin decorating, little fall crafts, riding on all the ride on toys, chickens and sheep to see...Last year's event was well attended even though it was over 90 degrees out. We thought we would have it a little later into September - Last year we had guitars, accordion, harmonica, banjo, drums...any instruments are welcome - bring family and friends - everyone is invited :) If you could or remember drop us a quick email or call so we know how many to expect, 372-3420 or harmonyvt@yahoo.com.*****
P.S. IF ANYONE WANTS TO COME EARLY AND HELP WITH BUILDING THE NEW HOOPHOUSE - GIVE US A CALL -

Week 15: Hello Everyone, I think this is going to be a quick note today because it is Emily, Sadie and I running the show today. We are grateful that Fiona and Ben came out to help out this morning - cutting lots of luscious greens for the share today. I think this is the last week for watermelons, next week we will turn into winter squash and maybe some pie pumpkins:) We have never had watermelons this late in September. This week will probably be the last of the Basil due to the cool temps tonight. The tomatoes are slowing down and but the hoophouse ones keep on going - while we were washing greens this morning - Emily and I heard two of the crash to the ground - they are getting pretty heavy - towering over 10 feet. Many of the Rose tomatoes are over 1.5 lbs each! The storage potatoes are sizing up and the fall green beans are flowering with picking starting next week we hope. We have had a few cool days and tonight it is supposed to get cool - not frost but very close - lucky for us we have the lake as an insulator until the lake gets cooler. The lake allows to grow for a longer period in the fall. With this cooler weather, everything starts slowing down a bit - the tomatoes take longer to ripen, beans take longer to get big, lettuce mix stays nice in the field longer, hot weather plants start dying off due to the cold or virus fthat they catch from the prolonged wetness of dew on those cold, dewy mornings The winter squash is looking beautiful - we will have acorn, delicata and butternut. We will also have New England Pie Pumpkins and hopefully some large pumpkins for families who would like one.

We are processing our pastured raised, 100% certifed organic heritage chickens this week on Thursday and Friday. If you would like to see the process or want to help out - give us a call.

We are 30 weeks along now - 10 or so weeks to go and we get to meet "little baby." Baby is very active and making her/his presence known with an even more pronounced belly on this mama. Sadie is so sweet with taking care of her mama - making sure I drink my water, have enough to eat because "mama you are eating for you and little baby", sharing her reading with baby, making sure she shares her nursing with little baby, making sure little baby will have her clothes that have gotten too small and much more. Sadie is a great big sister and very patient with this mama who has millions of things to do these days. Sadie and I are working on her fall sweater right now - it is yarn from our sheep that we had spun at Green Mountain Spinnery - it is like an oatmeal color - our white and brown mixed together. I figured I would knit her sweater first then little baby's. Sadie likes that idea and is making sure I save some yarn for the baby.
Enjoy the veggies, and see you next week! Peace, Adam, Christine, Sadie, Eric and Emily

***LAST CALL****CERTIFIED ORGANIC TRULY PASTURE-RANGED CAGE FREE CHICKENS FOR MEAT FOR SALE
We will have Certified Organic Pasture raised French Heritage Chickens for sale. They will be ready September 23. We are taking order now and expect to sell out quickly. They will be between 3.5lbs -6lbs each. We are taking deposits of $50. They will be $6.00lb and you can get them fresh or frozen - after September 25th they will all be frozen.

Local Grassfed Beef and Certified Organic Beef Shares
Rob Rousseau in North Hero will have grass-fed beef for sale by the 1/4, 1/2 or whole - cut wrapped and frozen - available this fall. You Can call Rob at 372-4884 for more info. We also have info on grassfed certified organic beef shares available from Maplewood Organics in Highgate. Call Hannah or Eric at 868-5083 if you are interested or need more information.
WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: SLICING HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, SWEET RED PEPPERS, LETTUCE MIX, SPICY MESCULIN MIX, PEPPERY ARUGULA, BABY RED RUSSIAN KALE, TOMATILLOS, BASIL, PYO GROUND CHERRIES, PYO SUNGOLD CHERRY TOMATOES, WATERMELON

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com - or harmonyvt@yahoo.com/372-3420

Pictures of our farm can be seen and shared on the following website: http://blueheronfarmvt.shutterfly.com/

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. Or pullet sized eggs are $3.00 a dozen or 2 for $5.00.

QUAKER ROAD RASPBERRIES ARE BACK! - A NOTE FROM MEG
Good greetings to some of our family and friends - Our fall raspberries are "in"! They are magnificent, quite large and firm in structure, and sweet and delicious. This year we have expanded our operation to include Pick Your Own, in addition to our picking and selling for the two local farmers' markets. If you have any interest in picking, and would like to know if the berries are ready to be picked (they do not like to be wet when picked), then please call us at either 343-5497 or 343-5975. Please come and pick, or tell your friends about our berries. $3.50 a pint for the PYO berries.

RECIPES

How to store fresh arugula: in a plastic bag in the fridge. Try to use within 5 days. This is an herb, vegetable or salad green, depending on the recipe. Try it torn up as a salad on it's own with chopped apples & blue cheese, or just add to a lettuce salad for a zip. A wonderful salad is made with spicy arugula, shredded radiccio, a few seeded and sliced cucumbers and a simple vinaigrette. Or as a lettuce-replacement on a sandwich. It can also replace spinach in many cooked spinach recipes. (How about that famous American appetizer: spinach dip?) (from twosmallfarms.com)
Pasta with Arugula and Goat Cheese Sauce from A Complete Menu Cookbook for All
a bunch of fresh arugula
4 springs fresh parsley
1 8 ounce container low-fat yogurt or sour cream
1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
S and P to taste
1 pound fusilli noodles
Grated parmesan cheese, as garnish

Before preparing sauce, fill a large casserole with water, and bring the water to a boil. Wash and clean well the arugula and parsley. Dry thoroughly. Trim and chop both the arugula and the parsley. Place the arugula and the parsley in a food processor. Add the yogurt or sour cream, goat cheese, salt, and pepper. Blend the ingredients thoroughly. Keep the sauce at room temperature until ready to use. Add a pinch of salt to the boiling water, and cook the fusilli noodles following the instructions on the package. When the noodles are cooked, drain them, and place them in four serving dishes. Pour the sauce evenly over the top of each serving and add some cheese to each dish. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
ARUGULA PESTO SAUCE eat with artichokes, noodles, toast, carrot sticks... 3 cups packed arugula (about 3/4 pound), washed well and spun dry 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted golden and cooled 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 large garlic clove, chopped 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup hot water plus additional if desired In a food processor pulse together all ingredients except oil and water until arugula is chopped fine. With motor running add oil in a stream, blending mixture until smooth. Sauce may be made up to this point 1 week ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap. Bring sauce to room temperature to continue. Stir in 1/4 cup hot water plus additional for thinner consistency if desired.
ARUGULA SALAD The Victory Garden Cookbook, Marian Morash .Wash and dry the arugula. Chop garlic and toss with arugula. Use a good strong green olive oil and red wine vinegar. Dress with oil, a bit of vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.
ARUGULA AND TOMATO SALAD from Debbie's kitchen Wash and dry the arugula; tear into bite size pieces. Toss arugula with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Add chopped tomatoes and serve.
PUTTANESCA WITH ARUGULA www.twosmallfarms.com

1-2 onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoons basil, roughly chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
pinch hot red pepper flakes
S & P to taste
2-3 anchovies, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives (many stores now sell them already pitted) at least 2 32 ounce cans chopped tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
grated or crumbled parmesan-type cheese
1/3 tightly packed cup wild arugula (wall rocket), or young arugula, mesclun, or tender curly endive leaves, chopped Hot cooked noodles (orichette or other)

Cook the onions in a large pot with the oil until transluscent. Add the garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes and cook for another 20 seconds or so. Add the tomatoes and sauce and cook for 15-20 minutes on medium low, stirring once in while. (now would be a good time to cook up the pasta!) Add the basil, S & P, and olives and cook for another few minutes while you set the table and perhaps throw together a salad. Add the wild arugula just before serving and pass the cheese for eaters to add or not as they choose.

Journal Post for the week of September 13, 2010

2010-09-13T13:19:00.001-04:00

VOLUME V, JOURNAL XIV
SEPTEMBER 13, 2010
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Week 14: Hello Everyone, As I type this, Sadie is napping, it is raining, the sheep just got out, folks are picking for pickup today in the rain, the chickens are laying eggs, we have loads of tomatoes, peppers and tomatillos to preserve, Adam is back at work at VAL, and things are still growing at the farm. With all the things that we are balancing and juggling we are forever grateful for the community that helps make all that we grow - grow. It takes a farm to feed a village and it takes a village to grow a farm. The past couple of weeks have been stressful and we have received unbelievable help and support and we are thankful.

We are thankful for this rain,
thankful for our crew who know what to do and can finish picking while I bring Sadie back home to nap to
prevent meltdown,
thankful for our new account at City Market to sell our certified organic eggs,
thankful for the beautiful weeded Red Russian Kale,
thankful that the crew knows how to get the sheep back in their fence and move them to new pasture independently, thankful to the wonderful CSA working members who come out and help in the rain to pick and weed - your help is priceless,
thankful for nana who came to visit this weekend, rolled up her sleeves to help us on the farm/home,
thankful for the lovely dinner out with nana, Auntie Susan, our family to a lovely dinner in Burlington - a special treat,
thankful for pre-natal yoga and Sadie yoga,
thankful for having pumpkins and watermelons in our stand at the same time,
thankful to neighbors who stop and help brainstorm, fix fence, unload hay, lend an ear,
thankful for the crates of tomatoes in our barn that our sorted by ripeness,
thankful to know exactly how many eggs the chickens are laying everyday,
thankful for generosity and support of our "family/neighbors" here on Quaker Road.

This week we say goodbye to Joe, one of our interns. He is heading back to Dartmouth in New Hampshire on Thursday. We will miss his good humor, hard work ethic, cooking, sorting of the tomatoes, the compassionate care of Pippin our Angora bunny, the great care of taking care of the colored rangers - the meat birds, the building projects - the list could go on. Oh and his latest, canning and preserving a few cases of farm veggies - including ground cherry jam - for him and Emily to have this winter. We wish him luck in his endeavors.

Oh and one more thing, the ANNUAL BLUE HERON FARM HOE-DOWN is SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2010 starting at 3:00 pm. We will have hayrides touring the farm including the sheep, Potluck food and music (please bring a dish and instrument to share), bon fire, warm cider, visiting with neighbors and friends, and more... We'll supply dishes, glasses, utensils and some yummy food too and some of the entertainment. We will have some kid things to do to - like pumpkin decorating, little fall crafts, riding on all the ride on toys, chickens and sheep to see...Last year's event was well attended even though it was over 90 degrees out. We thought we would have it a little later into September - Last year we had guitars, accordion, harmonica, banjo, drums...any instruments are welcome - bring family and friends - everyone is invited :) More info coming soon.

Enjoy the veggies, and see you next week! Peace, Adam, Christine, Sadie, Eric, Emily, and Joe

CERTIFIED ORGANIC TRULY PASTURE-RANGED CAGE FREE CHICKENS FOR MEAT FOR SALE
We will have Certified Organic Pasture raised French Heritage Chickens for sale. They will be ready September 23. We are taking order now and expect to sell out quickly. They will be between 3.5lbs -6lbs each. We are taking deposits of $50. They will be $6.00lb and you can get them fresh or frozen - after September 25th they will all be frozen.

Local Grassfed Beef and Certified Organic Beef Shares
Rob Rousseau in North Hero will have grass-fed beef for sale by the 1/4, 1/2 or whole - cut wrapped and frozen - available this fall. If you are interested please let us know - we will have order forms soon. We also have info on grassfed certified organic beef shares available from Maplewood Organics in Highgate.

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: SLICING HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, SWEET RED PEPPERS, SPICY MESCULIN MIX, PEPPERY ARUGULA, RED RUSSIAN KALE, JALAPENOS, TOMATILLOS OR EGGPLANT, BASIL, GROUND CHERRIES, SUNGOLD CHERRY TOMATOES, WATERMELON

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com - or harmonyvt@yahoo.com/372-3420

Pictures of our farm can be seen and shared on the following website: http://blueheronfarmvt.shutterfly.com/

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. Or pullet sized eggs are $3.00 a dozen or 2 for $5.00.

QUAKER ROAD RASPBERRIES ARE BACK! - A NOTE FROM MEG
Good greetings to some of our family and friends - Our fall raspberries are "in"! They are magnificent, quite large and firm in structure, and sweet and delicious. This year we have expanded our operation to include Pick Your Own, in addition to our picking and selling for the two local farmers' markets. If you have any interest in picking, and would like to know if the berries are ready to be picked (they do not like to be wet when picked), then please call us at either 343-5497 or 343-5975. Please come and pick, or tell your friends about our berries. $3.50 a pint for the PYO berries.

RECIPES
SIMPLE SALAD - BHF DINNER TABLE
Mix arugula and mesculin together. Make some Maple Balsamic Vinegarette (maple syrup, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and shake - voila). Sprinkle some goat cheese, walnuts and dried cranberries - YUM! We have been eating this lunch and dinner. Easy peasy.

BEAN AND KALE SOUP
Soup: A Way of Life by Barbara Kafka

1 bunch kale, trimmed
1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus additional to taste
2 flat anchovy fillets
1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves or dried
1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 cup (225 g) cooked small white beans or drained and rinsed canned
beans
4 cups (1 liter) chicken stock
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup (60 g) small shell macaroni
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

In a medium saucepan, cook the kale with 1/2 cup (125 ml) water and the salt over medium heat until tender. Drain the kale, reserving any liquid that remains. Coarsely chop the kale. Very finely chop anchovies together with the rosemary. In a medium saucepan, stir together the oil and garlic over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is pale gold, about 10 minutes. Stir in the anchovies and rosemary. Cook, stirring for 1 minute. Discard the garlic. Stir in the kale and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to thoroughly coat it with the oil. Stir in the beans. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the reserved cooking liquid and the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and stir in the macaroni. Boil for 6 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
Pass Parmesan cheese at the table. Makes about 5 cups (1.25 liters); 4 first-course servings.

RICE WITH KALE AND TOMATOES Gourmet 1990

1/2 cup long-grain unconverted rice
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1lb tomatoes, drained, seeded, and chopped
2 cups finely chopped rinsed kale leaves

In a small heavy saucepan bring 1 cup water to a boil, add the rice and salt to taste, and cook the rice, covered, over low heat for 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. In a heavy skillet cook the garlic in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is golden, add the tomatoes and the kale, and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the kale
is tender. Fluff the rice with a fork and in a bowl combine well the rice, the kale mixture, and salt and pepper to taste.

FRESH TOMATO AND CORIANDER SOUP GOURMET | JUNE 1991

Makes about 4 1/2 cups, serving 4
2 pounds tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup tomato juice1 drained pickled jalapeño pepper, seeded (wear rubber gloves), or to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons minced fresh coriander (cilantro)
sour cream as an accompaniment if desired

In a blender blend the tomato juice, the jalapeño pepper, and the sugar until the mixture is smooth. Strain the mixture through a sieve set over a bowl, discard the solids, and stir in the orange juice, the coriander, and enough water to thin the soup to the desired consistency. Season the soup with salt and pepper, chill it, covered, for 1 hour, or until it is cold, and serve it with the sour cream. Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fresh-Tomato-and-Coriander-Soup-12177#ixzz0zQjupOwC

Journal Post for the week of September 6, 2010

2010-09-06T09:44:00.000-04:00

SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Hello Everyone, Happy Labor Day! We hope you are enjoying some time off this week from school, work, or just a small piece fo time to relax and bask in this crisp cool air - bringing fall in. This cooler weather is a nice break for us and the crops - now we just need a little rain:) The heat did well by the watermelons and the nightshade family crops...we watered the lettuce and planted more seeds down for more fall greens and crops. We did loads of watering last week and have been working on canning lots of tomatoes and pickles. We have been having a little skunk attack for a few nights in arow with our pastured heritage birds - well we think it is a skunk could be a raccoon. I will spare the gory details. But they only take one at a time. With the help our neighbor Todd, we were able to sure up their fencing and put some very powerful "light up your pants" kind of electric around the birds - so far - two nights in a row - nothing is missing. We are hoping to start working on the hoophouse this week. Adam starts teaching at CCV this week on thursday afternoons. Fall is coming or is it here?

We are excited to see most of you at the PYO today - enjoy the hay wagon rides - Sadie loves them:) Since there hasn't been much room for recipes lately I figured I would give you a bunch - especially around ground cherries and eggplant:) Oh and we are hoping to have a Hoe Down at the end of this month - stay tuned for more details next week or via email.

We are also still accepting monetary donations for a little season extension for the Round Barn - to give them another week or two of veggies. Just let us know..Hope you enjoy your transition into September.. Enjoy the veggies, and see you next week! Peace, Adam, Christine, Sadie, Eric, Emily, and Joe

CERTIFIED ORGANIC TRULY PASTURE-RANGED CAGE FREE CHICKENS FOR MEAT FOR SALE AND ORGANIC BEEF
We will have Certified Organic Pasture raised French Heritage Chickens for sale. They will be ready September 23. We are taking order now and expect to sell out quickly. They will be between 3.5lbs -6lbs each. We are taking deposits of $50. They will be $6.00lb and you can get them fresh or frozen - after September 25th they will all be frozen. Also, Rob Rousseau in North Hero will have grass-fed beef for sale by the 1/4, 1/2 or whole - cut wrapped and frozen - available this fall. If you are interested please let us know - we will have order forms soon. We will also have more info on grassfed certified organic beef shares available from Maplewood Organics in Highgate next week.

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: SLICING CUKES, SLICING HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, ROMA TOMATOES, JALAPENOS, GREEN AND RED LETTUCE, TOMATILLOS, BASIL, PYO GROUND CHERRIES, PYO SUNGOLD CHERRY TOMATOES, ITALIAN AND ORIENTAL EGGPLANT, WATERMELON!

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com - or harmonyvt@yahoo.com/372-3420

Pictures of our farm can be seen and shared on the following website: http://blueheronfarmvt.shutterfly.com/

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. Or pullet sized eggs are $3.00 a dozen or 2 for $5.00.

QUAKER ROAD RASPBERRIES ARE BACK! - A NOTE FROM MEG
Good greetings to some of our family and friends - Our fall raspberries are "in"! They are magnificent, quite large and firm in structure, and sweet and delicious. This year we have expanded our operation to include Pick Your Own, in addition to our picking and selling for the two local farmer's markets. If you have any interest in picking, and would like to know if the berries are ready to be picked (they do not like to be wet when picked), then please call us at either 343-5497 or 343-5975. Please come and pick, or tell your friends about our berries. $3.50 a pint for the PYO berries.

RECIPES
About the Ground Cherry description and recipes from - www.harmonyvalleyfarm.com
Ground Cherries remind me of those glowing orange Chinese lanterns that appear in dried flower arrangements around Halloween. They are in the same family but ground cherries have a secret within-a small, sweet, fruit that is a revelation to the taste buds. Other members in the nightshade family ( ), include tomatillos and Cape gooseberries as well as the more familiar tomatoes, eggplant and peppers. The 3000 members of this family are distributed worldwide but originated and continue to be concentrated in tropical America. Ground cherries, tomatillos, and Cape gooseberries all share the genus ‘physalis’ which means bladder in Greek and accounts for the dried calyx that protects the fruit. There are over 100 species in this genus and several grow wild in the United States. American Indians used a relative of the ground cherry to make sauces.Today, tomatillos have reached new levels of popularity due to the increased interest in authentic Mexican cuisine. However, ground cherries are still very rare. This is unfortunate because they are fairly easy to grow and one plant can produceup to 300 fruits! They can bestored in a well-ventilated place with their calyx attached for up to 6 months with good results. With their calyx removed, they freeze well for year-round use. Ground cherries are also very versatile in the kitchen because they can be used in savory as well as sweet applications. Ground cherries can be included in fruit salads, quick bread or muffin recipes, dipped in chocolatefondue, dried like raisins, made into salsa verde, or simply used as a garnish for a plate of summer heirloom tomatoes. Just pull back the calyx and use it as a handle to pop the berry in your mouth!

How to store Ground Cherries
The papery calyx must be removed before use. If you find the berries inside to be a bit on the green side, leave in shallow container, uncovered for 1 - 5 days, in warm, dry place, to ripen. They can be stored in a well-ventilated, cool place with their calyx attached for up to 6 months with good results. With their calyx removed, they can be stored refrigerated for weeks. They freeze well for year-round use. To freeze, remove husk, rinse,
pat dry and freeze on cookie sheet in 1 layer. When frozen, loosen and store in ziplock, freezer weight bag. Frozen ground cherries can be used like fresh in any cooked application. Ground cherries can be dried.
Halve and place individually on drying rack until dry but not brittle. Store in air-tight container for up to 3 months.

GROUND CHERRY GAZPACHO

1 ½ c. husked ground cherries (about 3 pints)
enough water to cover
1 small white onion (cippolinis would work)
2 medium cucumbers
¾ tsp. green peppercorns
1 small bunch of cilantro, stems removed
¼ c. basil leaves, lightly packed
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. salt
small red cherry tomatoes, halved for garnish

Place the cleaned ground cherries in a sauce pan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Cool ground cherries. Peel and quarter the onion. Peel, seed and chunk the cucumbers. Combine onion, cucumber, green peppercorns, cilantro and basil in a blender or food processor. Puree until almost smooth. Add ground cherries with their liquid and the lime juice and salt. Puree. Chill until ready to serve. Adjust seasonings and garnish with tiny basil leaves and halved cherry tomatoes.

ALMOND AND GROUND CHERRY TORTE

2/3 c. unsalted butter
¾ c. granulated sugar
1 c. almonds, ground
1 c. flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 egg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pint ground cherries

Sift flour baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Stir in the almonds and flour. The dough will be stiff. Spread half the batter into a greased and floured eight inch cake pan.
Cover with the fruit and dot with remaining dough, almost covering fruit. Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve dusted with powdered sugar.

Make an Eggplant Bruchetta - www.organicgardening.com
Slice eggplant in 1/2" slices, brush with olive oil and put in a 375 oven for about 20-30 minutes. In the meantime, mix up chopped tomatoes, chopped fresh basil leaves and combine with feta cheese. Top the eggplant with this mixture and return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes until the cheese has melted.

Eggplant with Baked Pasta - www.earthbox.com

1 cup ricotta cheese beaten with 1 egg
3 cups marinara sauce
1 large eggplant
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb penne or ziti
1/3 cup basil
¾ cup parmesan
8 oz mozzarella, coarsely grated

Wash eggplant, peel if desired and cut crosswise into ½” thick slices. Preheat oven to 375. Place eggplant on baking sheet in one layer, brush both sides with olive oil and roast for 8-10 minutes or until tender .Warm the ricotta / egg mixture. Cook pasta, drain and immediately stir in ricotta / egg mixture and all but ½ cup tomato sauce.Spread a third of the pasta in the bottom of an oiled baking dish. Cover with half of the eggplant, a third of the parmesan and half the mozzarella. Scatter basil leaves on top. Spoon on another layer of pasta, the rest of the eggplant, a third more parmesan and rest of mozzarella. Spread on the remaining pasta, drizzle the top with the reserved tomato sauce and the remaining parmesan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until pasta is tender and cheese is melted.

PICK YOUR OWN Cherry tomatoes and Ground Cherries

2010-09-04T16:08:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone-

To all Blue Heron Farm CSA members -

This Monday - Labor Day - there will be hay wagon rides out to the cherry tomato and ground cherry field. We wanted to give you enough notice - so you can take the time to go and pick if you like. We are hoping that folks have more time being that it is Labor day.

For those who are not CSA members and would like to take part of the PIck your own cherry tomatoes and ground cherries on Monday- prices will be 2.00 pint for cherry tomatoes and 3.50 pint for ground cherries.

Just a reminder pick up is from 4-7pm. See you soon! Enjoy the cooler weather. Oh and we will have WATERMELONS for Monday:)

Oh, and we will have Roma Paste/Sauce tomatoes for sale - 2.50 lb/ 2.00 lb for 10 lbs or more, 1.50lb for 25lbs or more.

Pullet eggs (smaller eggs) are 3.00 dozen or 2/$5.00 - they fry up to english muffin size - and there are a few double yolkers in there too.

Peace, Adam, Christine and Sadie, Joe, Emily and Eric and all the animals at Blue Heron Farm.

Farmers Market Today

2010-09-01T06:59:00.000-04:00

Come visit us at the South Hero Farmers Market today - loads of veggies including LETTUCE - hopefully bringing 50-70 heads! And over 35 dozens of eggs - the new ladies are laying and they are laying a lot (we have about 200 new pullets coming into egg laying). These eggs were laid Monday, Tuesday and Today.

Egg special - Full size eggs are $5 a dozen, the pullet eggs (smaller, perfect eggs, fry up perfect for an english muffin) are $3 a dozen or 2 for $5. All certified organic, all free ranging on pasture - no factory farm eggs here:)

Journal Post for the week of August 30, 2010

2010-08-30T15:16:00.001-04:00

Drawing by Roy Newton, in honor of our Italian Heirloom Eggplant - Listada da Gandia

VOLUME V, JOURNAL XII
AUGUST 30, 2010
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Hello Everyone :) Is it really August 30th? Where has this summer gone? We are welcoming September with a mini heat wave...I hear 90's this week for the first week of September - for kids going back to school this week - I hope there are fans in the classrooms. Speaking of classrooms - we make our first delivery to Grand Isle School tomorrow - heirloom tomatoes, carrots, cukes, zucchini, summer squash, and a few others...they plan on ordering from us once a week until we run out of produce. (Funny side note - Sadie just took out of the fridge a large bowl of goat cheese we made last week and is having a picnic in the living room - with her babies and a nice little conversation - thank goodness for vivid imaginations and free play, so this mama can write to all of you- okay back to the newsletter).

This week we have PYO Cherry tomatoes and ground cherries - there are many - we can give you a lift out into the field at pick up time or you can walk out there. Our last drop off to Food for thought was this past Sunday - we sold them at a discount 70 pints of sungolds and 60lbs of cucumbers. The FRESH screening last Tuesday had nearly 50 people in attendance and over $1,200 was raised for Food for Thought. Thanks to all those who came out to see it and enjoyed all the yummy food. We are hoping to show it again this winter as another fundraiser/awareness too. The movie made people question where is their food coming from and if it from VT how is their food treated - and to be activist for their food - to ask the farmers how they grow their food they are feeding to their families.

Also what ended last week was the Senior Farm Share with the Round Barn. We had money allocated for 14 people and $60 each. With the bounty of this year's harvest the seniors were able to receive shelling peas, cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, melons, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, lettuce, chard. Blue Heron Farm has already donated 2 extra weeks of veggies - just because Christine couldn't help herself in sharing all the yumminess this year. We are looking for monetary donations if CSA/community members would like to contribute to help pay for additional weeks of produce for the Round Barn this year. $60 for 1 week would provide $5 worth of veggies for 14 seniors at the Round Barn. We would take whatever donations you would like to give. If you would like to make it tax deductible - let us know and we can work that out for you. We are trying to raise more money so they can continue to receive fresh veggies through the fall. Whatever you can give would be great!

Last Wednesday, we took delivery of our 30 X72 hoophouse!! Wowee!! Let the building begin. We are hoping to have greens in there until December or so...this is part of the USDA NRCS grant that we received earlier this summer. We are excited to build it. We need to build it, get it approved by our field agent then we get reimbursed for 90% of the cost of the hoophouse. This new hoophouse will go up behind our other ones, perpendicular so we can get the most winter sunlight for it. It is a passive solar hoophouse with the no heater or electricity in it. We will have some building days coming up and we will let you all know so if you would like to come out and help build you can.

The watermelon was a little teaser last week. Some were a pale pink and some were the bright pinkish red that we are all used to. We are not giving out watermelons this week in your share but probably next Monday on Labor Day (yes we have pickup on Labor Day) so the heat can sweeten and redden them up. And corn....ugh...so we picked about 3 dozen last week - and we are not getting enough to give to all of you or to sell. Sorry about that...mother nature wanted to grow us melons and watermelons this year and not the sweet corn. If we have the opportunity to buy in some organic sweet corn we will but many of our neighboring farmers our having similar issues....The winter Squash - Acorn, butternut, and delicata are sizing up nicely and the pie pumpkins - I think we will have a harvest of 300-400 just in pie pumpkins. We harvested nearly 300lbs of onions this past Friday and they are drying out - they are in your share this week. Yum...There are some good ingredients for salsa making this week - tomatillo salsa and tomato salsa or a mixture of both - Don't be afraid of the tomatillos - if you have ever had green sauce or green salsa - that is what is in it - tomatillos.

So Adam and I were looking at the calendar and figuring out when the last pickup will be. The Last pickup will be the week of October 4th - with weeks 17 and 18 together with storage crops and fresh produce equivalent for two weeks of CSA shares. We figured the 4th would be good because the following Monday is Columbus day and many people go away for that weekend - including - hopefully - fingers crossed - these farmers. We are hoping to leave after pickup and delivery and go to Maine and camp at Hermit Island for a few days and bask in the Maine October air, ocean and seafood and be tourists and campers and players for a few days a family. This worked well for us last year and we find it is important for us to get a way just for a short time - to play, as a family - especially this year - before the little baby arrives at the end of November. And boy oh boy - or should I say girl oh girl - Sadie is the cutest running up and down the beach and playing in the sand at the beach right outside of our tent. Oh did I mention there is a harvest festival while we are there and lots of sheep farms. One sheep farm in particular, Romney Ridge Farm in Woolwich is what inspired me/us to get our yarn spun at Green Mountain Spinnery. We love the fall, when things naturally start to slow down and we can reflect on the year and enjoy it the cool, crisp air.

Okay - I think I should hit send/print now or there won't be any room for recipes. Hope you enjoy your transition into September.. Enjoy the veggies, and see you next week! Peace, Adam, Christine, Sadie, Eric, Emily, and Joe

CERTIFIED ORGANIC TRULY PASTURE-RANGED CAGE FREE CHICKENS FOR MEAT FOR SALE
We will have Certified Organic Pasture raised French Heritage Chickens for sale. They will be ready September 23. We are taking order now and expect to sell out quickly. They will be between 3.5lbs -6lbs each. We are taking deposits of $50. They will be $6.00lb and you can get them fresh or frozen - after September 25th they will all be frozen. Also, Rob Rousseau in North Hero will have grass-fed beef for sale by the 1/4, 1/2 or whole - cut wrapped and frozen - available this fall. If you are interested please let us know - we will have order forms soon.

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: SLICING CUKES, SWEET RED PEPPERS, SLICING HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, ROMA TOMATOES, JALAPENOS, GREEN AND RED LETTUCE, GARLIC, ONIONS, TOMATILLOS, BASIL, PYO GROUND CHERRIES, PYO SUNGOLD CHERRY TOMATOES

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com - check us out and/or leave a comment or harmonyvt@yahoo.com/372-3420

Pictures of our farm can be seen and shared on the following website: http://blueheronfarmvt.shutterfly.com/

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. Or pullet sized eggs are $3.00 a dozen or 2 for $5.00.

QUAKER ROAD RASPBERRIES ARE BACK! - A NOTE FROM MEG
Good greetings to some of our family and friends - Our fall raspberries are "in"! They are magnificent, quite large and firm in structure, and sweet and delicious. This year we have expanded our operation to include Pick Your Own, in addition to our picking and selling for the two local farmer's markets. If you have any interest in picking, and would like to know if the berries are ready to be picked (they do not like to be wet when picked), then please call us at either 343-5497 or 343-5975. Please come and pick, or tell your friends about our berries. $3.50 a pint for the PYO berries.
RECIPES
Preparing Tomatillos - www.twosmallfarms.com
Before using, peel off the husks and rinse to remove the sticky residue. Other than peeling off the husk, do not peel the green skin.Tomatillos are traditionally used in three ways — raw, boiled/blanched, or roasted/grilled:
Raw - Uncooked tomatillos add a fresh, tangy citrus-like flavor and are often used raw in Mexican table sauces. Finely dice or puree them. Blanching - Mellows the flavor. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the whole tomatillos (husks removed and rinsed) and boil for about 5 minutes, until soft. Drain and crush or puree as directed in a sauce recipe.Fire roasting - Leaving slightly blackened skins on enriches a sauce with a smoky, woodsy flavor. Can roast under the broiler, with a propane torch, or over an open flame such as a grill or a gas burner. Make sure the heat is quite hot, otherwise the tomatillos will turn mushy before being charred.
Dry roasting - Produces an earthy, nutty flavor. Place the tomatillos in a heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron). Turn heat to low. Roast for about 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally, letting each side take on a rich, burnished golden color before turning.Finally, tomatillos can be quite inconsistent in flavor, with some being intensely sour and others tasting mild and sweet. Some cooks use a pinch of sugar to balance the taste of very tart tomatillos. The recipes below are typical Mexican tomatillo recipes, but the lively flavors of this perky little fruit lend themselves well to rounds of experimentation, from stir-fries to soups to salad dressings. (from Kate's Global Kitchen)
All about Tomatillos from Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini by Elizabeth Schneider. Basic use of tomatillos:Tomatillo is traditionally cooked, but the raw fruit, chopped or diced and used in moderation, adds freshness to vegetable salad, guacamole, and sandwich fillings.Storage: They should keep at least a week or three in the fridge.

All about Ground cherries
Ground Cherries were recorded as early as 1837 in Pennsylvania and even earlier by Native people. This outstanding Polish variety is prized for its clean flavor. Fruits are ½ to ¾" in diameter and are encased in a papery husk that turns brown when the fruits ripen. Stores 3-4 weeks in the husk. Extremely productive plants have a sprawling habit and grow 18" tall and 24" wide. Excellent citrus flavor, can be used for preserves, pies, over ice cream or in fresh fruit salads. Starts fruiting by the end of July and continues until frost and a little beyond, extremely productive.
Tomatillo Salsa - twosmallfarms.com

2 pounds Fresh tomatillos
1 cup Onion -- chopped
1 Or 2 hot peppers, cored Seeded and chopped. (you can also use dried chiles, leave seeds in either dried or fresh for more heat)
1 cup Fresh cilantro -- minced
1/4 cup Fresh lime juice
1-2 cloves garlic
salt to taste

Remove husks from tomatillos, wash throughly, dry and halve or quarter. Combine tomatillos, onions, chiles, and garlic in a non-reactive pan. Over med-high heat bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 mins. Cool a little or a lot then put into blender with cilantro and lime juice, blend away, salt to taste, and you have some GREAT salsa verde Mexicano.
Ground Cherry Pie - www.hubpages.com

2 ½ to 3 cups Ground Cherries Washed
2/3 cup Brown Sugar
1 heaping Tablespoon Flour
2 tablespoons Water
3 tablespoon Sugar
3 tablespoon Flour
2 ½ tablespoons Butter

Place ground cherries into an unbaked pie shell. Stir together the brown sugar and the 1 tablespoon of flour-put this evenly over the ground cherries and then sprinkle water-again evenly-over all. Stir together the 3 tablespoons sugar and the 3 tablespoons flour. Cut in the butter until it is crumbly-Place on top of pie. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Then turn down to 375 degrees and bake another 25 to 28 minutes.

"FRESH" Screening-A Wonderful Success!!

2010-08-25T13:49:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all who attended the FRESH screening at the South Hero Congregational Church on Tuesday evening. More than $1200 was raised for "Food for Thought", the summer program providing wholesome food to more than 125 Grand Isle County children, stemming hunger issues right here in our community! We also deeply appreciated the warm, thankful expressions of gratitude for what we do here at Blue Heron Farm. Our hearts are filled with joy that we can do what we do for such a truly appreciative and supportive community of families, friends, and citizen organizations.

The film helped us all put in perspective how important all of our own local efforts are to creating a healthy, local, safe food system that embraces farms and makes farms an important part of every community. Thank you all who came, helped, provided food, and to those who still have not seen Fresh, please see it :).

Adam, Christine, Eric, Joe, Emily, and (in absentia) Sophie :)

Journal Post for the week of August 23, 2010

2010-08-23T13:09:00.000-04:00

SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
********************** FRESH - THE MOVIE - COMING SOON TO SOUTH HERO *******
THIS TUESDAY, AUGUST 24 AT 6PM
COURTESY OF BLUE HERON FARM AND FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Come see a public screening of Fresh - a film about the farmers, thinkers, and business people re-inventing our food system in America! As seen at the the Roxy theater in Burlington! Featuring urban farmer Will Allen, world famous sustainable farmer Joel Salatin, and food journalist Michael Pollan. Tuesday, August 24th @ South Hero Congregational Church 6:00 Heirloom Tomato, Local Apple, Cheese and Bread Tasting followed by movie screening with a discussion with local farmers and producer following. Donations are welcome for the Food For Thought program.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -- - - -
Hello Everyone :) It has been a whirlwind of activity these last few weeks here. The summer has flown by - we cannot believe it is already the end of August. Last week Adam seeded down more fall greens and herbs, the watermelons are starting to ripen (we are hoping to have some for you today), the sweet corn is almost ready (not sure how much we will have for all of you - we had to plow under about 3/4 of the field earlier - over 4000 plants - so this year's corn just might be just a taste. We are not selling any at market, just grew it for CSA members - next year it will be better). The farmers markets in the islands have been very, very busy - the best we have ever seen them in the last 7 years. I hope the rush of people goes through the fall, but it may have been the tourist bubble that comes onto our little island. Once school starts, attendance of people at the markets goes down - hopefully that won't happen this year. Folks have been loving the melons (our best year ever - they are almost done but we have been picking 200+ lbs of melon every few days for the last two - three weeks. The peppers are turning their fine red sweet color. Grand Isle School will be purchasing veggies from us once a week starting the first day of school - look for our colorful heirloom tomatoes on your child's or your plate:)

Thanks for all the well wishes over the last week. Christine and the "little baby" are good. We are at week 26 and the baby is very healthy, we passed the glucose test and the small bout of Christine having tiny kidney stones has passed. We appreciate all the extra help that came out to help us get ready for CSA and market. Christine is back to work (after a very short rest because she cannot sit still for long) trying not to lift too many heavy crates of veggies:)

The last few weeks and probably the next couple are/were quite heavy on the food end - definitely more than Individual share and full share monetary value of $25 and $40 worth. We want you all to get everything at the peak of freshness and so in the middle of the summer - lots of things come ready at once. So instead of picking and choosing what you may or may not get - we try to give you a taste of everything. This time makes up for the leaner times of early summer and later in the fall. This summer has been full of bounty for us and we are happy to share it all with you - especially the infamous truckload of tomatoes:) that was sorely missed last year.

The new pullets are starting to lay. They like living in their travel trailer which will soon be coming up to the veggie part of the farm to graze. Adam, Emily and Eric moved the older birds up to the farm, right behind the pines - so you can visit the pretty girls. I am thankful to be raising our own eggs and have healthy organic eggs to sell and share with our community - I was reading in the newspaper - over 1/2 billion eggs have been recalled from a factory farm in the midwest dating all the way back to May due to over 1000 people getting sick with salmonella! Wow....Eggs from May?! Our eggs last maybe 3 days tops before getting sold/eaten - big difference between small farm vs mega farm. Okay stepping off soapbox now..

We will have Certified Organic Pasture raised French Heritage Chickens for sale. They will be ready September 23. We are taking order now and expect to sell out quickly. They will be between 3.5lbs -6lbs each. We are taking deposits of $50. They will be $6.00lb and you can get them fresh or frozen - after September 25th they will all be frozen. Also, Rob Rousseau in North Hero will have grass-fed beef for sale by the 1/4, 1/2 or whole - cut wrapped and frozen - available this fall. If you are interested please let us know - we will have order forms soon.
Enjoy the veggies, and see you next week! Peace, Adam, Christine, Sadie, Eric, Emily, and Joe

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: SLICING CUKES, SWEET MELONS (SUN JEWEL OR CANTALOUPES),SUGARBABY WATERMELON, ZUCCHINI, SQUASH, SWEET PEPPERS, RED POTATOES, SUNGOLD CHERRY TOMATOES, SLICING HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, ROMA TOMATOES, LETTUCE, GARLIC, BASIL, PYO GROUND CHERRIES, MAYBE: SWEET CORN,
Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com - check us out and/or leave a comment

Pictures of our farm can be seen and shared on the following website: http://blueheronfarmvt.shutterfly.com/

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.

QUAKER ROAD RASPBERRIES ARE BACK! - A NOTE FROM MEG
Good greetings to some of our family and friends - Our fall raspberries are "in"! They are magnificent, quite large and firm in structure, and sweet and delicious. This year we have expanded our operation to include Pick Your Own, in addition to our picking and selling for the two local farmer's markets. If you have any interest in picking, and would like to know if the berries are ready to be picked (they do not like to be wet when picked), then please call us at either 343-5497 or 343-5975. Please come and pick, or tell your friends about our berries. $3.50 a pint for the PYO berries.

RECIPES
Zucchini Latkes - smittenkitchen.com
Makes about 4 dozen 1 1/2-inch latkes

1 pound medium zucchini
1 large baking potato (3/4 pound), peeled
1 small onion (4 ounces), peeled
1/2 cup matzo meal
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying

Halve the zucchini crosswise. Cut the zucchini flesh off the seedy center and coarsely grate it in a food processor. Or grate it on a box grater until you reach the seedy center. Discard the center. In a food processor or on a box grater, coarsely grate the potato and onion. Transfer the grated zucchini, potato and onion to a colander and squeeze dry. Let stand for 2 minutes, then squeeze again. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Add the matzo meal, egg, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir to combine. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until shimmering. Drop packed teaspoons of the zucchini mixture into the skillet and flatten them with the back of a spoon. Cook the latkes over moderately high heat until the edges are golden, about 1 1/2 minutes; flip and cook until golden on the bottom, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining zucchini mixture, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.Do ahead: The fried latkes can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours. Reheat them on a dark baking sheet in a 375°F oven for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp.

Heirloom Tomato Tart in a Parmesan Crust - www.101cookbooks.com
This recipe will make one 9 or 10-inch tart OR five 4 1/2-inch tarts.
Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

6 heirloom tomatoes - washed and sliced 1/6-inch thick
1 t. fine-grain sea salt
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsalted organic butter, well chilled + cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 cups loosely packed parm. grated cheese. 2 T. ice cold water
2T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup slivered basil

Prep the tomatoes: To avoid a soggy crust later on, you need to rid the tomatoes of some of their liquid. Clear a space on your counter and put down a double layer of absorbent paper towels. Place the tomatoes in a single layer on the paper towels and sprinkle them with about 1 teaspoon fine-grained sea salt. Top the tomatoes with another layer of paper towels and press gently. Let the tomatoes sit here until you are ready to use them. Make the tart crust(s): Place both flours, butter, and Parmesan in a food processor and pulse quickly about 25 times. You are looking for a sandy textured blend, punctuated with pea-sized pieces of butter. With a few more pulses, blend in the 2T of ice water. The dough should stick together when your pinch it between two fingers. Pour the dough into the tart pan. Working quickly, press the dough uniformly into the pan by pressing across the bottom and working towards the sides and up to form a rim. Place in the refrigerator and chill for 15 minutes. Bake the tart crust: Pull the tarts out of the refrigerator and poke each a few times with the tongs of a fork. Cover the tart with a square of aluminum foil and fill generously with pie weights. Place on a baking sheet and slide the tart onto the middle rack in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, pull the shell out of the oven and very gently peel back and remove the tinfoil containing the pie weights. Place the uncovered tart back in the oven, weight free, and allow to cook for another 10 minutes, or until it is a deep golden brown in color. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with a little shredded Parmesan (this will act as another barrier to the tomato liquid). Let cool to room temperature before filling. Assembling the tart: Just before serving, arrange tomato slices in a concentric pattern inside the tart shell. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with the slivered basil. Serve at room temperature.

Journal Post for the week of August 17, 2010

2010-08-17T05:16:00.000-04:00

VOLUME V, JOURNAL X
AUGUST 16, 2010
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?

Hi folks, welcome back! Interns Joe, Emily, and Sophie here--Adam is in the field, Christine and Sadie are delivering produce, and Eric is on his way back from Putney, where he's picking up the 120+ skeins of gorgeous Green Mountain Spinnery-spun wool from our sheep. We're all excited to hand dye it and have it for sale in the near future.

It's been a pretty crazy week here, on and off the farm. The field and hoophouse have been producing insane quantities of tantalizing tomatoes, the melons are marvelous, and the watermelons are well on their way. We've finally caught, transported, and released the red squirrel who was terrorizing our farmstand tomatoes, so tomatoes will at last be available throughout the week. In other animal news, the 175 pullet chickens who arrived last week are feeling much more at home and are starting to produce adorable little eggs. We're really glad that they've learned to go to sleep inside their coop, rather than underneath, so no more evenings spent crawling underneath and transporting them one by one to their roosts. We're also homestead-sitting for a friend, milking goats twice a day and learning lots about ducks and turkeys.

Mark your calendars! We're excited to announce that on August 24th there will be a screening of the documentary film "Fresh," a film about the farmers, thinkers, and business people re-inventing our food system in America. Eric has headed up the organization of this event, which will include a tomato tasting at 6 pm followed by the film at 6:30. The event will be held at the South Hero Congregational Church, and donations will benefit the Food for Thought program.

Lastly, we're sad to be saying goodbye to Sophie, whose upbeat attitude and culinary talent have brightened our summer and will certainly be missed. :( CSA members may recognize her excellent handwriting and decorations on your weekly pickup list, but we will remember her as a inquisitive and devoted intern who was a great friend to the sheep, and to us. She'll continue her journey at UVM this fall studying religion and art, and we hope she visits soon.

Enjoy the veggies, and see you next week! Peace, Sophie, Emily, Joe, Eric, Sadie, Adam and Christine

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: SLICING CUKES, SWEET MELONS (SUN JEWEL OR CANTALOUPES), ZUCCHINI, SQUASH, SWEET PEPPERS, SUNGOLD CHERRY TOMATOES, SLICING HEIRLOOM TOMATOES,ORIENT OR LISTADA DA GANDIA EGGPLANT, RED POTATOES, PARSLEY, BASIL, PYO GROUND CHERRIES.

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com - check us out and/or leave a comment

Pictures of our farm can be seen and shared on the following website: http://blueheronfarmvt.shutterfly.com/
From Fiona - one of our working members - On Monday we were chatting about photos. Seems that several people have been taking photos of the farm/farm stand/wonderful veggies etc. etc. People enjoy sharing their photos (its another good way to build community). So I agreed to set up a photo sharing site for the farm. Take a look and see what you think.

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.

QUAKER ROAD RASPBERRIES ARE BACK!
Our neighbor, Meg Pond at 36 Quaker will be having PYO organically raised raspberries. PLease give her a call at 372-3019 for times and availability.

FRESH - THE MOVIE - COMING SOON TO SOUTH HERO - COURTESY OF BLUE HERON FARM

Come see a public screening of Fresh - a film about the farmers, thinkers, and business people re-inventing our food system in America! As seen at the the Roxy theater in Burlington! Featuring urban farmer Will Allen, world famous sustainable farmer Joel Salatin, and food journalist Michael Pollan. Tuesday, August 24th @ South Hero Congregational Church 6:00 Heirloom Tomato Tasting sponsored by Blue Heron Farm followed by movie screening with a discussion following. Donations are welcome for the Food For Thought program
RECIPES

Stuffed Striped Cavern Tomatoes
A gorgeous dish starring the farm's own striped cavern tomatoes! The hollow nature of these tomatoes make them perfect for stuffing.

9 striped cavern tomatoes
1 1/2 cups goat cheese (chevre)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 350. Slice the tops off tomatoes and scoop out seeds using a finger or a spoon. arrange in an 8x8 pan and bake for 5 minutes to soften. While baking, mix all other ingredients (except breadcrumbs) in a bowl. When the tomatoes come out, carefully scoop a few spoonfuls of the mixture into each one. Top with a little more basil and breadcrumbs. Put back in the oven for 10 minutes or so, then finish in the broiler if you want your breadcrumbs crunchy.

Maffé aux Legumes Arachid
A Senegalese stew of beef or lamb* in peanut butter sauce, served over rice. Intern Emily brought this one back from a term abroad.

2 large onions, chopped
3-6 cloves minced garlic
1/2-3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 lb stewing beef or lamb cut into cubes (*optional; this dish is easily made vegetarian by omitting the meat)
1 cup tomato sauce
2 tomatoes, cubed
1 cup beef or vegetable broth (use more or less to achieve desired thickness)
1 tbsp coarse black pepper

1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
pinch cumin and/or coriander
4-6 carrots, thickly sliced
3-5 sweet peppers (red or green), chopped
2 Hungarian Hot Wax peppers or 1 Jalapeno, minced
3 large potatoes (sweet or regular), cubed
2 medium eggplants, cubed
1/2 cabbage, cubed
1 cup peanut butter
Rice, prepared as directed

Preparation:
Heat the oil in a large pot and add the onions, garlic and meat. Cook the meat until lightly colored, then mix the tomato sauce, tomatoes, and beef along with the chili, black pepper, salt, thyme, and cumin. Add the carrots and peppers and simmer until a fork pierces a carrot slice but it is not fully cooked, about 10-20 minutes (depending on thickness). Add potatoes. Cover and simmer until the potatoes can just be pierced by a fork. Then add the eggplant and cabbage, continue to simmer until the eggplant is cooked through.
Place the peanut butter in a separate bowl, add some ( about 1/2 cup) of the pan stock into the peanut butter and mix to a smooth paste before adding into the pan while stirring. Cook for a further 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Serve over a bed of rice. Yields about 8 servings.

Ground Cherry-Rhubarb Crumble (adapted from smittenkitchen.com)
For the topping:
1 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons Demerara sugar (or turbinado sugar aka Sugar in the Raw)
Zest of one lemon
1/4 pound (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 quart ground cherries, husks removed
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Prepare topping: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugars and lemon zest and add the melted butter. Mix until small and large clumps form. Refrigerate until needed.
2. Prepare filling: Toss rhubarb, ground cherries, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and a pinch of salt in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.
3. Remove topping from refrigerator and cover fruit thickly and evenly with topping. Place pie plate on a baking sheet, and bake until crumble topping is golden brown in places and fruit is bubbling beneath, about 40 minutes. Yields 6 to 8 servings.

Journal Post for the week of August 9, 2010

2010-08-09T15:57:00.001-04:00

VOLUME V, JOURNAL IX AUGUST 9, 2010
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?

We started picking melons today. They are sweet and juicy. The varieties are Sun Jewel - Yellow football like asian melons that you can eat right down to the skin - and the skin too if you like. I really like how these ones smell before you cut into them - they have a sweet mellow smell that is...wonderful. The other melon is a cantelope or musk melon either Athena or PMR Delicious or EarliQueen. These we pick when they fall off the vine and turning orange tan - their juice is so sweet as it runs down your cheeks. The watermelons still need a few more weeks - we had crows come and visit them and they tasted over 20 of them for us....grrrr...flash tape, pie plates and owls going up today in the watermelon field. I think Aimee's pigs will be happy with the watermelons....The heirloom tomatoes - are in full force - we hope you enjoy them. Oh and the sungold cherry tomatoes - are so sweet. The eggplants are bigger now - and the Italian heirloom ones with purple and white streaks are so beautiful you just want to paint or photograph them...

Some folks have asked for a description of our peppers. We have two hot kinds - Hungarian Hot Wax and Jalapenos. Two sweet kind Carmen and Lipstick. Hungarian Hot Wax- Yellow hot pepper with 5 1/2" x 1 1/2" smooth, waxy fruits tapering to a point. Easy to stuff and to peel after roasting; thick-fleshed for frying. Its sunset-ripening peppers change from yellow to orange to red, and make the prettiest pickled peppers. Early and widely adapted. Definitely, but not overly, hot. Jalapeno- 2-2 1/2" x 1", sausage-shaped, blunt fruits mature early; dark green changing to red. Carmen - A beautiful new pepper of the Italian "bulls horn" (corno di toro) type from Johnny's owners and plant breeders Janika Eckert and Rob Johnston. Carmen has a lovely sweet taste for salads and roasting, especially when partially or fully red-ripe. To be selected as a 2006 All-America Selections winner, Carmen was judged superior by official AAS judges across the U.S. and Canada. Tapered fruits avg. 6" long x 2 1/2" wide, 5 oz. (142 gm), and ripen from green to deep carmine red. Maturity is early on an upright, medium-size plant. Lipstick - Many consider Lipstick the most delicious sweet pepper. Heavy, attractive, dark green fruits are about 4" long and taper to a blunt point. They ripen to a glossy, rich red. Thick, juicy, and sweet for salads and cooking, and perfect for roasting and salsa. Dependable, early, heavy yields.

There was a lot of building over the last few days. The interns - full credit goes to them - for gutting and retrofitting a 24 foot camper trailer from the seventies to make room for our little araucana chicks and the new Pennsylvania Pullets we got on Friday. With these two new flocks we have nearly 200 chickens about to lay eggs. Currently we are getting little pullet eggs from the araucanas...so very cute - light blue and green little eggs. When Sadie saw the new pullets (they are about 5 months old) she looked in their coop and said "Mama, I'm going to be their new mama - I'll take good care of them." Oh my what a cutie - she is the most caring little farmer I have ever met...

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: SLICING CUKES, GREEN BEANS, SWEET MELONS (SUN JEWEL OR CANTELOPES), ZUCCHINI, HOT PEPPERS, SUNGOLD CHERRY TOMATOES, SLICING HEIRLOOM TOMATOES,ORIENT OR LISTADA DA GANDIA EGGPLANT, RED POTATOES, PARSLEY.

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com - check us out and/or leave a comment

Pictures of our farm can be seen and shared on the following website: http://blueheronfarmvt.shutterfly.com/
From Fiona - one of our working members - On Monday we were chatting about photos. Seems that several people have been taking photos of the farm/farm stand/wonderful veggies etc. etc. People enjoy sharing their photos (its another good way to build community). So I agreed to set up a photo sharing site for the farm. Take a look and see what you think.

Island Blueberries is Open - This maybe the last week!
We are lucky on this little road of ours. Raspberries next door, veggies and eggs in the middle and blueberries up the street on the corner of Quaker and Adam School Road. Kathy and Steve have their blueberry field open usually Thursdays through Saturdays and sometimes other days of the week - 9-5. Call before you go to pick, 372-5656 for open details. PYO is 2.80lb- bring your own container or they have containers you can purchase there.

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.

RECIPES
Cherry Tomato Salad - www.allrecipes.com

10 cherry, grape, or small heirloom
tomatoes (or mix thereof)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper

Halve tomatoes and toss with oregano, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Let sit for a minute or two to let flavors develop. Enjoy

Penne, Tomato, and Mozzarella Salad - www.allrecipes.com

1 (12 ounce) package penne pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
5 ounces mozzarella cheese, diced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 ounces fresh basil
12 large black olives, halved

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water as directed on package, until just tender. Drain, and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a small saucepan. Add green onions and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Add pasta, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat to warm through. Stir in mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Coarsely tear basil leaves in halves or thirds; add to pasta with olives, and serve immediately.

Fresh Tomato Gazpacho - www.twosmallfarms.com
Julia's note: I love cucumbers and red bell peppers in my gazpacho, if you prefer the bitter tang to a green bell pepper you can add that as a garnish or in the blender stage. Adapt this recipe to what's in your garden/fridge. -julia

5 pounds ripe tomatoes, any color
1-2 cloves garlic
2 Tbs. lime juice
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried or 1 TBS fresh oregano, chopped
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1 sweet bell pepper, red or yellow, finely chopped
1/4 c. finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped, seeded cucumber
1-2 jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced

Accompaniments: seeded, chopped red bell pepper, diced avocado, fresh chopped cilantro leaves, garlic croutons, thinly sliced radishes, thinly slivered cabbage, lime wedges, creme fraiche. Seed and finely chop 1 tomato; reserve. Coarsely chop remaining tomatoes. Combine these w/ garlic in a blender (you may need to do this in two batches)-process until smooth. Press through a sieve into large bowl; discard seeds. Whisk lime juice, oil, vinegar, salt and oregano into tomato mixture. Stir in reserved chopped tomato, green onions, red pepper, celery, cucumber and chilies. Refrigerate, covered, at least 4 or up to 24 hrs to blend flavors. At serving time: Stir soup well and ladle into chilled bowls. Pass accompaniments to be added according to individual taste.
CHICK-PEA, GARLIC, AND PARSLEY DIP Gourmet-July 1995

a 19-ounce can chick-peas, rinsed and drained (about 2 cups)
2 garlic cloves, chopped and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves, washed well and spun
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Accompaniment: toasted pita wedges or toasted French bread slices In a food processor blend all ingredients except oil until smooth. With motor running add oil in a slow stream. Season dip with salt. Serve dip with toasts. Makes about 2 cups.

Thoughtful Voyeur: Woman and Cantaloupe by Cindy Gregg (Courtesy - The Writers' Almanac.)

Watch her select it
over sassier summer
fruits, carved offerings
of purple, yellow,
red in a supermarket
stunned with
fluorescent light.

Seeing her slice it open,
ponder how the melon
secrets its exquisite
pastel beneath a rough,
webby exterior, silent
protest to the showy
outer life of
its every former
neighbor – apple,
banana, strawberry, grape.
Later on, recall
the knife's decisiveness,
the sudden exposure of
such a pleasing hue,
its juicy glisten
brightening, gladdening
her stark white kitchen
with a brief and mod

Late blight in Lamiolle County, VT

2010-08-04T07:32:00.002-04:00

We got this email today from Vern Grubinger from UVM Extension - Things look okay here so far. We are taking as many precautions as possible...Feel free to pass info to other gardeners/farmers...

The UVM Plant Diagnostic Clinic has confirmed late blight on tomato from a home garden in Lamoille County. The disease has also been confirmed in eastern NY and western MA. In NY the strain has been identified as the same one we had last year, US22, which is more aggressive on tomato than potato.

Organic growers wishing to protect their tomato/potato crops should apply an OMRI approved formulation of copper such as NuCop 50 WP or Champ WG at least weekly, following label instructions. Comprehensive recommendations for late blight management in organic tomato are at: http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/NewsArticles/Tom_LB_OrganicMgt10.html

For conventional late blight management, this from Jude Boucher at UConn Extension: Some of the most effective products which have proved themselves against late blight in the past include: Revus, Revus Top, Ranman, Presidio (not registered for potatoes), Previcur Flex, Tanos and Curzate. If the weather moves from dry to wet, you should consider alternating between two of these products. Remember to include a protectant fungicide such as a Bravo or a copper type product for resistance management purposes and observe the days-to-harvest restriction listed on the label.

Excellent late blight information and photos can be found at: http://www.longislandhort.cornell.edu/vegpath/photos/lateblight_tomato.htm

If you suspect the disease on your crop please send a sample asap to:
Ann Hazelrigg
UVM PLant Diagnostic Clinic
201 Jeffords Hall
63 Carrigan Drive
Burlington, VT 05405

thanks,
Vern Grubinger
UVM Extension

Some more silly pictures from the farm...

2010-08-02T13:53:00.001-04:00

Journal Post for the week of August 2, 2010

2010-08-02T13:50:00.002-04:00

VOLUME V, JOURNALVIII AUGUST 2, 2010
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?

This weather has been wonderful. Everything is growing and growing strong. We are truly blessed with the help and eagerness of our apprentices and working members, the weather that is making everything thrive and family and friends who have come to help out. Today is our 7th wedding anniversary - and we are blessed with so much - we are grateful. It is an amazing trip these last seven years - an organic farm with produce, sheep, a bunny and chickens, land, Sadie and now a little healthy baby on the way due to grace us at Thanksgiving time, our CSA friends and family, and our community we live in. When Adam and I met 10 years ago this December, who would have ever thought we would be here, in this moment with all of you. Wow. Thanks for being part of our dream. Thanks for being part of our journey here on Quaker Road.

The melons are getting bigger by the minute. I think this year will be the best year we have ever had for melons - we have 3 kinds. I think they should be ready in a week or two - the early ones the Sun Jewels - they are yellow and shaped like a football. The field heirloom tomatoes are ripening faster and we have 3 kinds of tomatoes for you this week - sungold cherry tomatoes, Romas, and variety of slicing heirloom tomatoes. Hmmm...Basil, Tomato and Mozzarella sandwich anyone? Some of the romas and slicers maybe a little underripe when you get them - just put them on your counter and let them ripen up. the heirloom slicing tomatoes are ripe when their bottoms are little soft and a deep yellow, burgundy, red or rose - depending on the variety. Below is a description of all the tomatoes we are growing:
Sungold - Hybrid Exceptionally sweet, bright tangerine-orange cherry tomatoes .
Cherokee Purple: Heirloom. Medium-large, flattened globe fruits. Color is dusky pink with dark shoulders. Multilocular interior ranges from purple to brown to green. Relatively short vines. Indeterminate.

Moskovich: Heirloom. Fruits are early, deep red, and cold tolerant. Rich taste. Smooth and globe-shaped, 4-6 oz. with a small stem scar.
Rose: heirloom. Rose is a deep rose-red color, usually smoother than Brandywine, and every bit as large and meaty. Normal-leaf plants out-yield Brandywine.
Striped Cavern: heirloom. A striking, unique variety. Small, bell pepper-like tomatoes, red with gold stripes, avg. 8 oz. Hollow inside except for a small cluster of seeds. Perfect for stuffing, cooked or raw.
Valentino- a San Marzano type. Heirloom. Seed saved from a friend from her Grandfather from Italy from 1906. Large paste tomatoes that are slightly more pear-shaped . The 4-6oz. fruits are tasty and make good sauce.
Roma: producing heavy yields of picture-perfect, thick-walled fruit with deep red color and mild flavor - . Fruits average 4-6 oz.

Black Krim: Heirloom. Named for the Crimean peninsula in the Black Sea. Slightly flattened 4-5" globes with dark greenish-black shoulders, turns almost black with enough heat and sun. Excellent full flavor.

Mexico Midget: Heirloom. Very prolific plants continue producing throughout the entire growing season. Hundreds of round ½" fruits give an incredible flash of rich tomato flavor, great for salads or selling in pints. One of the best.
Great White: heirloom. Big yellow-white fruits with mild taste. Fruit is meaty with few seeds, a mild non-acid taste, and creamy texture. The medium-tall plants are less viney and mature earlier than other "whites".

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: SLICING CUKES, PICKLING CUKES, ZUCCHINI, YELLOW SQUASH, HOT PEPPERS, GREEN PEPPERS, ROMA TOMATOES, SUNGOLD CHERRY TOMATOES, SLICINGTOMATOES, EGGPLANT, SANGRE RED AND NICOLA YELLOW POTATOES, LOTS 'O' BASIL.

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com - check us out and/or leave a comment

Pictures of our farm can be seen and shared on the following website: http://blueheronfarmvt.shutterfly.com/
From Fiona - one of our working members - On Monday we were chatting about photos. Seems that several people have been taking photos of the farm/farm stand/wonderful veggies etc. etc. People enjoy sharing their photos (its another good way to build community). So I agreed to set up a photo sharing site for the farm. Take a look and see what you think.

Island Blueberries is Open
We are lucky on this little road of ours. Raspberries next door, veggies and eggs in the middle and blueberries up the street on the corner of Quaker and Adam School Road. Kathy and Steve have their blueberry field open usually Thursdays through Saturdays and sometimes other days of the week - 9-5. Call before you go to pick, 372-5656 for open details. PYO is 2.80lb- bring your own container or they have containers you can purchase there. I think we have about 20 qts frozen already. They are so sweet. Also, they are raised organically - they are not sprayed with pesticides.

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.

RECIPES
Fresh Tomato Storage: I know I know - In the grocery store you buy tomatoes and they are sometimes in the cooler section - but PLEASE Keep these fresh tomatoes on the counter until you use them. Don't put them in the fridge! It makes them mealy, mushy and less tasty. Just keep them in a bowl or line your counter with them - very festive for this August.
Pesto Tortellini – Terrific for Summer Entertaining - shared by Caroline BHF CSA member
by Dawn on June 22, 2010

2 packages (9 ounces each) refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 small garlic clove, crushed with garlic press
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, each cut in half or into quarters if large

In sauce pot, prepare tortellini in boiling water as label directs. Drain tortellini, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Return tortellini to saucepot. In blender, combine basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and reserved pasta cooking water and blend until mixture is smooth, stopping blender occasionally and scraping down sides with rubber spatula. Add basil mixture and tomatoes to tortellini; toss until evenly mixed. Top with shaved Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Preparation Time: 15 min. Cooking Time: 25 min. Serves 6

Ricotta and Tomato Toast from Everyday Food

1 thick slice whole-wheat bread, lightly toasted
¼ cup part skim ricotta cheese
½ small heirloom or beefsteak tomato, sliced
Fresh basil leaves
¼ teaspoon olive oil
S & P to taste

Spread bread with ricotta; top with tomato and basil. Drizzle with oil, and season with S & P.
Fudgy Zucchini Muffins - The Washington Post, August 29, 2007
These are worth making even when you don't have too many zucchinis on hand.The muffins are best eaten within 2 days. They can be individually wrapped, gathered into a heavy-duty resealable plastic food storage bag and frozen for up to 1 month (expel as much air from the bag as possible before sealing). Makes 12 large muffins

2 1/2 cups flour (may combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup corn oil or other flavorless vegetable oil
2 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, in pieces or coarsely chopped
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 pound zucchini, peeled, trimmed and finely chopped (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup low-fat or nonfat vanilla yogurt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup chocolate morsels

Position a rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking oil spray or line with paper muffin cups.In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking soda and mix well; set aside. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the oil and chocolate just until the chocolate has melted, stirring to combine. Remove from the heat and add the sugar, zucchini and yogurt, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the eggs, stirring vigorously until well blended. Add the flour mixture and chocolate morsels just until evenly incorporated. Use a large spoon or half-cup measure to divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups; they will be full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the center muffin comes out clean -- except for the bottom 1/4 inch, which should look wet. Transfer the muffin tin to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Journal Post for the week of July 26, 2010

2010-07-28T07:14:00.001-04:00

SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?

This week we had some wild weather, a wonderful visit from "Auntie Shelly" who spent loads of time with Sadie, and a great wool opportunity. On Wednesday when severe weather moved through, we received almost three inches of rain in under an hour- all when we should have been setting up for market in South Hero! The weather did calm down enough for a short but fruitful market day. We needed the rain, and we are glad that we continue to have weather that helps keep late blight from getting established in the region the way it did last year.

The seed of the mentioned wool opportunity was planted back in May when Christine put our name in for having 50 lbs of raw wool from our sheep spun into yarn at Green Mountain Spinnery in Putney, VT. David Ritchie, one of the original founders, called to say that we were next in line and that our sheep's wool is beautiful. It turned out that he has family in the area he was visiting over the weekend, and he still had no ride back to So. VT because he was driving a car to his daughter in Burlington. So, he came to visit our sheep and chat about all things wool, and today, Christine, Sadie, Sophie, and Eric are all on a trip to deliver David and our raw wool to get processed into yarn skeins (they won't process David into yarn, I should say). While at Green Mountain Spinnery, they will all get a chance to experience wool processing first hand! Everyone has been excited to make the connection with the spinnery and has pitched in to "skirt" the wool (make it free of debris and unusable yarn) so its ready for processing. This means that soon we'll have our wool for sale to all you knitters (a good gift for knitters you know ).

Other news...the Auracauna pullets have started to lay little green and blue eggs (so cute), and our new hen house is getting started in preparation for 175 (yikes!) new pullets arriving in 2 weeks. Thanks to Joe and Emily, we have been able to reclaim a bunch of great usable materials from the very first henhouse we had that has been down and out for three or four years. They have been doing a great job dismantling the old house.

We have finally reached the "lull" in lettuce that we have promised, and its likely our chard and kale will still need time for regeneration- especially the chard which was battered by the wind and rain on Wednesday. We DO finally have a growing supply of delicious tomatoes, Nicola yellow potatoes (heavenly and buttery-thanks a bunch to Fiona, Benjamin, Gail, Jackie, Gabriel, and Natalie for helping us harvest 140 lbs in short order!!), tender green beans, and slicing cukes! Enjoy. Please take as much basil as you need for your pesto reserves-its a bumper crop this year.

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: SLICING CUKES, PICKLING CUKES, ZUCHINI, YELLOW SQUASH, HOT PEPPERS, GREEN PEPPERS, TOMATOES, TOMATILLOS, NICOLA YELLOW POTATOES, GREEN BEANS, CABBAGE, GARLIC, CILANTRO, LOTS 'O' BASIL,

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com - check us out and/or leave a comment

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.

RECIPES

CURRIED POTATOES AND PEAS (ALOO MATAR RASEDAA

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 lb Small potatoes -- halved
1/4 ts Salt
1 1/2 ts Tumeric
1 1/2 ts Cumin powder
2 pinch Chili powder
1 t Cumin seed
2 tb Olive oil
1 3/4 c Chopped tomatoes
1 c Frozen peas -- thawed

Parboil potatoes for 5 minutes in lightly salted
water. Drain and set potatoes aside.

In a large skillet, saute tumeric, cumin powder, chili
powder and cumin seed in olive oil.

Add potatoes to skillet and stir to coat with spices.

Add tomatoes and simmer until potatoes are tender,
about 20 minutes.

Stir in peas, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Per serving: 253 cal, 7 g protein, 165 sod, 42 g carb,
8 g fat, 0 mg chol, 33 mg calcium
Source: Vegetarian Gourmet, Autumn 1993

CHAR FLAVOURED POTATOES AND GREEN BEANS
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 md Tomatoes, chopped
5 md Potatoes, cubed
2 1/2 c Green beans, cut into 1 1/2
- inch pieces
1 tb Basil
2 ea Whole dried red chilies
4 ea Sprigs fresh coriander
1/2 ts Turmeric
1/8 ts Asafetida
1 t Salt
1 d Black pepper
6 tb Ghee
2 2/3 c Water

Place all the ingredients into a large heavy bottomed pot in the order in
which they are listed. Bring to a boil over a moderate heat, reduce heat &
boil for 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat further & gently boil, partially covered, for 20 to 25
minutes. Check that the water is not evaporating too quickly. You may
have to add more water.

To finish cooking, raise the heat to fairly high & fry quickly, without
stirring, to allow the crust to form & just begin to char. Remove from the
heat & let stand, covered for 5 minutes. Stir in the crust & serve,
remembering to remove the red chilies, you may not want to bite into them.
- Yamuna Devi, “The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking”

Green Beans in Olive Oil
Recipe By : The Complete Book of Turkish Cooking/Bobb1744
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Side Dishes Turkish
Green Beans Onions
Tomatoes Vegetables
Ethnic

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound Green beans
1 medium Onion -- chopped
2 each Chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil
3 1/2 teaspoons Sugar
1 cup water

Trim beans & cut into 3 pieces, wash & drain.

Put onion & tomato into a heavy pan. Sprinkle with salt & rub in lightly
with fingers. Stir in the beans, olive oil & sugar, mix well. Cover & cook
for 15 minutes over medium heat. Stir occasionally. The beans will lose
their colour & soften. When all the moisture has been absorbed, stir-fry the
beans for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, cover & simmer for 40 to 50
minutes, till the beans are tender. Add more water if necessary, 1/2 cup at
a time. When cooked, the dish should be very moist but not watery.
Serve cold as part of a buffet.
-Ayla Esen Algar, “The Complete Book of Turkish Cooking”
Balkan Cucumber Salad
• ½ cup very thinly sliced red onion
• 4 medium cucumbers (6-7 inches long)
• 1 tsp. salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups yogurt
• 1 or 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1 to 2 tsp. honey (optional)
• 2 tbs. freshly minced mint leaves
• ¼ cup (packed) finely minced parsley
• 2 scallions, finely minced (greens included)
• 1 to 2 tbs. freshly minced dill
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
1. Soak the onion in cold water for about 30 minutes while you get everything else ready. Drain thoroughly and pat dry before adding to the salad.
2. If the cucumbers are large, de-seed them. Cut them into thin rounds and place in a medium-sized bowl.
3. Add remaining ingredients except walnuts, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
4. Sprinkle the walnuts on top just before serving.
Serves 6.
From The Moosewood Cookbook, by Mollie Katzen

Late blight in Massachusetts

2010-07-23T07:46:00.001-04:00

Dear Blue Heron Farm CSA members,

We wanted to forward this information to all of you - not to scare - but to have you well informed too - most of you have your own gardens or have neighbors who have gardens. Late blight occurred on this farm last year. We acted quickly and saved the potato crops and some of the tomatoes. We had to destroy over 1200 tomato plants. The late blight also infected our peppers and eggplants.

We are doing everything possible to prevent it from occuring this year. We scouted for potatoes that may have sprouted from last year - which we did not have. What is going for us is the dry weather. We are keeping the tomatoes pruned, all are trellised, we planted the large hoop house with over 160 tomato plants this year, and we scout daily for diseases. We are prepared to spray OMRI accepted fungicide (the below note from NOFA explains this). This summer is in a better place than last year - last summer was extremely wet and this summer it the eather has been not favorable for fungi to spread.

The tomatoes are starting to turn red...we will have red tomatoes. If you can all say a little prayer or good thoughts...I know we can get through this. We have a good feeling ... We wanted to send this out to all of you so you know as much as us.

Thanks,

Christine, Adam and Sadie

Blue Heron Farm

www.blueheronfarmvt.com

802-372-3420

--- On Thu, 7/22/10, NOFA Vermont wrote:

From: NOFA Vermont
Subject: Urgent! Late blight alert!
To: harmonyvt@yahoo.com
Date: Thursday, July 22, 2010, 5:40 PM

Dear growers and gardeners,

We're so sorry to bring the news that late blight has been confirmed both in Hadley, Massachusetts and in Waldoboro, Maine.

The strains of late blight we have had in New England in the past were intolerant of hot weather. However, the strain we saw last year in Vermont and present throughout NE seems to tolerate warmer conditions. Pathologists are suspecting this warmer weather strain is the one reappearing this season. It is likely it is coming from infected overwintered tubers. The recent scattered thunderstorms and unsettled weather are likely contributing to the outbreaks and spread of the disease.

Wet weather - especially afternoon and evening rain with morning fog, which allows the foliage to stay wet for more than 6 hours - is perfect for spore production, which can spread the disease.

Commercial growers should scout diligently, and watch the weather. Ann Hazelrigg at UVM recommends preventative spraying of tomato and potato crops. Nu Cop 50 WP and Champ WG are copper fungicides approved by OMRI, and have the Agricultural Use Requirement box on the label, so farmers with employees can use these materials. Please read the label and wear proper personal protective equipment.

For home and community gardeners, we do not recommend spraying copper fungicides. Please maintain practices that help the plant foliage dry out faster. Prune off suckers, remove excessive foliage, and even consider removing plants if they are over-crowded. ATTRA recommends compost tea sprayed as a protectant, but plan to spray in the morning on a sunny day so the leaves have time to dry out. Biological sprays, like Serenade, that put beneficial organisms on the foliage may also be helpful to gardeners.

Not sure what late blight looks like? Cornell's Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center has high-quality photos of infected tomato and potato plants. Be sure to scout your tomato and potato plants rigorously and often.

If you suspect late blight, please send a sample of several leaves of the suspect foliage to the UVM diagnostic clinic immediately for confirmation. It is extremely important to get lab diagnosis in order to accurately track the movement of this disease.

Send your samples to:
Plant Diagnostic Clinic
Jeffords Hall
63 Carrigan Drive, UVM
Burlington, VT 05405

Until late blight is found in Vermont, home and community gardeners can send tomato and potato samples that may have late blight to the Plant Diagnostic Clinic for free -usually this costs $15. Please look at the photo links to late blight in potatoes and tomatoes before sending in your sample, and please visit the Clinic website for directions on how to prepare your sample.

If late blight is confirmed on your plants, destroy them immediately. Late blight can only survive on living tissue. Once the plant is dead, late blight dies too. Remember that one late blight lesion can produce 100,000 to 300,000 spores per day.

Potato tubers are infected with late blight when spores wash off plant foliage and wash through the soil to the tubers. Commercial growers should mow infected potato foliage and wait two to three weeks before harvesting. Tomato fields should be plowed under. Growers can also clip off tomato and potato foliage and put it under tarps in the sun to kill it. Once the foliage is dead it can be composted, but plan to use this compost on different crops or flowers, as several other tomato disease persist in the soil and cool compost--like early blight and Septoria leaf spot. Rotate out of tomatoes and potatoes next year.

Gardeners should clip off tomato and potato foliage and put it in a black garbage bag in the sun to kill the plant tissue. You can take the bag to the landfill, or compost dead plants per our instructions above. Leave potato tubers in the ground for a few weeks to let their skins toughen before harvest.

If potato foliage is mowed or clipped off immediately when late blight is found, your potato tubers should be saved from this disease. If you find some infection in your tubers, cut it out and kill the infected tissue by freezing it before composting it, so that infected volunteer potatoes will not sprout from your compost pile. Potatoes exposed to late blight can be consumed and sold, but they should not be saved for seed.

Please alert the NOFA office if you find late blight in your garden or farm so that we can help spread the word.

Thank you for your vigilance.

With fingers crossed for dry weather,

Wendy Sue Harper, Ph.D.
NOFA Vermont Vegetable and Fruit Technical Advisor

2010-07-22T02:40:00.000-04:00

Journal Post for the week of July 19, 2010

2010-07-22T02:38:00.001-04:00

VOLUME V, JOURNALVI
JULY 19, 2010
BLUE HERON FARM JOURNAL

SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
We are enjoying the rain that is falling this Monday morning - the farm really needed some rain. We have been irrigating but there is something to be said for irrigation that occurs from above - all over the farm - no hoses to move, no remembering to turn on and off the water, no hoses to move...the weather has been good - it rains and then we get sun for the next few days - it is good.

This morning Adam and I walked over to the carrots and picked some from the muddy earth. We laid them on the ground and they glowed their true orange carrot glow. It was like a treasure hunt - we showed the interns and Gail how to pick them - they are gorgeous! And they are only for CSA folks...they probably will not hit the farmers market. They are long and sweet and oh my - we can not wait to share them with you today. There are a few veggies we grow just for you and this is one of them - it is a bit tricky on our heavy soils:) But they do love their raised beds.

The melons are getting bigger in the field and the field and hoophouse tomatoes are turning ripe slowly bit surely - we are hoping to put a tomato in your baskets this week. You may have noticed that some other farms have ripe big delicious tomatoes already - we are about two weeks behind them but they are coming I can assure you. With all that needs to be planted in the spring - we try really hard to get everything in timely - the trick with hoophouse tomatoes is that we do not heat our hoophouse so we needed to wait until the sun warmed the hoophouse and no chance of frost - so we planted them in Mid May - hopefully next year we can get them in sooner. The peppers are starting to turn red, and there is an all you can eat Basil fest at the pickup right now. We need to clear out some of the overgrown basil in the hoophouse to get airflow - which means you can take as much basil as you like this week. Pesto-mania! Don't worry we have more basil in field :) Cilantro should be back next week and potatoes next week :) We might have a hiatus on lettuce for the next couple of weeks - we need the next batch to get a little bigger.

Potty training is still going well. No diapers now for almost a month. Sadie loves playing in the rain while we pick veggies. She loves eating the pickling cucumbers right in the field. And thanks to all of our volunteers for helping this past week and for the members who donated their shares to Food for Thought this week (a great thing to do if you are away and if you don't have a neighbor or a friend to pick up the veggies) .
Thanks again for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: Red Leaf, Red Butterhead, Romaine Lettuce Heads, Fresh Carrots, Pickling Cucumbers (great finger food - Sadie loves them - they are the perfect size for her), Summer Squash and zucchini, Red or Green Cabbage, Orient or Italian Eggplant, Jalapenos or Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers, and Help yourself Basil! (Please note: sometimes things will change between the two pickups - Mondays vs Thursdays - dependant on weather)

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com - check us out and/or leave a comment

PICK-YOUR-OWN RASPBERRIES by Meg Pond, Quaker Rd, megpond16@gmail.com
We have gorgeous organically-grown red raspberries at Stepping-Stone Farm at 36 Quaker Road in Grand Isle. Come pick as long as it is not raining or if the berries have had time to dry off in case it has rained. Please call if you want to pick (343-5497 or 372-3019) or come by to see if we are open. They are incredibly sweet and beautiful berries! We sold 50 pints at Saturday's Farmer's Market in Grand Isle. $3.50 a pint for pick-your-own or $5.00 pint picked for you.

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.

RECIPES
• Summer Squash and Zucchini when picked young have a sweet, nutty taste when they are sauteed or grilled. Just slice them in half the longway and put some olive oil on them then place them on the grill. These small ones can also be used to make bread and butter pickles, eaten raw in salad, and make great additions on pizzas (we love pizza in this house - Every Friday night we make homemade pizza and it is truly amazing all the great combinations we come up with). With the larger zucchinis you can cut them longways in half and scoop out the inside and stuff them, veggie burgers, make zucchini bread, make zucchini chocolate cake (yum), or freeze shredded zucchini into portions that you need for bread making, soups or whatever kind of recipe you will need later - this is great to have in January. Zucchini and summer squash can be used interchangeably and adds lots of moistness to baked goods.
Homemade Refrigerator Pickles - www.allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups white sugar 6 cups sliced cucumbers
1 cup sliced onions
1 cup sliced green bell peppers
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil. Boil until the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes.
2. Place the cucumbers, onions and green bell peppers in a large bowl. Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables. Transfer to sterile containers and store in the refrigerator

In a-Pinch Cucumber Salad adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

1 long or two short Armenian cucumbers or 3-4 lemon cukes
salt and freshly milled white pepper
2 to 3 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
champagne vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh dill or parsley, chopped

Thinly slice cucumbers. Toss the cucumbers with a few pinches salt, pepper to taste, and enough oil to coat lightly. Add a few drops vinegar and the herb of your choice. Serves 4.

BASIL PESTO
- www.twosmallfarms.com

3 Tablespoons pine nuts or almonds, lightly toasted
1 Cup lightly packed basil leaves
2 Tablespoons Italian parsley leaves
1 lg. clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 Cup olive oil
parmesan cheese
salt

In a food processor (or blender), combine nuts, basil, parsley, and garlic. Pulse, until well chopped. With motor running, add oil in a stream. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in cheese and salt to taste. Store with a thin layer of oil to keep fresh and green. (The parsley helps keep the bright green color too.)
SPECIAL BASIL storage notes: It shouldn’t get too cold, so try to find the ‘warmest’ place in your fridge. For some that’s the door, for others that might be the produce drawer. In my own fridge, the back of the fridge tends to get coldest.... I’ve read recently that wrapping the basil bunch in a damp clean cloth (I used an old clean cloth napkin) and put that in the ‘vegetable crisper’. It worked for me! If you’re not sure about your fridge you can try keeping your basil as a flower bunch in a jar with water at the stems. I don’t recommend drying basil: it’s best used up or made into pesto and then freezing the pesto if you want to keep the flavor for another week/month.

BASIL WALNUT VINAIGRETTE - www.twosmallfarms.com

1 tsp.
20
1/2 tsp.
1/2 tsp.
2 tsp.
4 tbsp.
1/2 cup chopped garlic
basil leaves
salt
pepper
Dijon mustard
white wine vinegar
olive oil

Whirl together the above ingredients, and toss with lightly steamed green beans and/or cooked potatoes, or? Then toss with: chopped walnuts and 3 sliced scallions.

Journal Post for the week of July 12, 2010

2010-07-12T15:22:00.000-04:00

SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
We survived the heat and potty training. It has been quite busy on the farm this past week - regardless of the temperature - we still need to work in the fields and get things done. Adam and I are thankful to our very flexible interns and volunteers that started in the wee hours of the morning (5am) to get to work so we could finish (on some of the days) to get out of the hottest part of the day. There was and still will be alot of sweat to be had and many quick jumps in the lake with a truckload of scantily clad farmers going down Quaker Rd mid day to the fishing access midday and before dinner. The sun and the down pour we received the other night was great for growing things. Folks could complain about the weather and how hot it is - but we need this weather to grow the crops that feed us all. We can deal with sun because we can mulch and water - when you get too cool of days and lot of wet weather there is not much we can do to help the crops. We just remember to hydrate, hydrate and eat lots of smoothies and creemees:)

The sungold cherry tomatoes are starting to turn (there may even be some in your baskets this week) and the first of the heirloom full size tomatoes are starting to ripen - Moskovich- we had a couple on hamburgers last night - Oh my! Grassfed beef hamburgers from our farmer friends at Maplewood Organics in Highgate and a slice of tomato - I am not sure if that was drool or the tomato juice hitting the napkin. We cannot wait to share these all with you...we are thinking about a tomato festival this August - to celebrate the wonders of heirloom tomato taste:) The cucumbers are about 1 to 1 1/2 weeks out...the zucchini and summer squash are in full force...The peas are going away - the heat was too much for them. We should be having our last picking of shell peas today and tomorrow.

We had a Canadian cyclist drop in for a few days. Emily showed up on our doorstep on Thursday night looking for a place to camp . She is making a four month journey on bike around the East coast to check out farm food - all shapes and sizes. We were one of her first stops. She stayed until Saturday morning where she ventured into Burlington. Of course she got to pick peas , squash and other farm chores during her stay and partook in Friday night pizza party. You can read about her time here at www.feelgoodfood.net. We wish her luck in her journey.

This past Sunday, Christine drove up to Alburgh to deliver 41 baskets of food for Food For Thought program. It was great to meet some of the families that we have been donating produce to. This week we donated 12 bunches of chard, 7 bunches of Kale, 115 heads of lettuce, 15 napa cabbages and 5lbs of summer squash and zucchini. Many of them did not know that I was one of the farmers and I got to hear how much they have been enjoying the fresh lettuce and peas:) Yeah! Thank you for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: Red Leaf, Red or Green Butterhead, Romaine Lettuce Heads, Broccoli, English Shelling Peas, Summer Squash and zucchini, Red or Green Cabbage, Orient or Italian Eggplant, Squash Flowers and Basil! (Please note: sometimes things will change between the two pickups - Mondays vs Thursdays - dependant on weather)

PICK-YOUR-OWN RASPBERRIES by Meg Pond, Quaker Rd, megpond16@gmail.com
We have gorgeous organically-grown red raspberries at Stepping-Stone Farm at 36 Quaker Road in Grand Isle. Come pick as long as it is not raining or if the berries have had time to dry off in case it has rained. Please call if you want to pick (343-5497 or 372-3019) or come by to see if we are open. They are incredibly sweet and beautiful berries! We sold 50 pints at Saturday's Farmer's Market in Grand Isle. $3.50 a pint for pick-your-own or $5.00 pint picked for you.

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.

RECIPES
• Some cooking notes for this week's vegetables before jumping right into recipes. The Peas this week are English Shelling Peas - you need to peel back the skin ("shuck" them) and get the peas out. You can eat them fresh or ever so lightly saute them or steam them. You can also freeze them - blanche them for 2 minutes and then cool them down in ice water, then drain and dry and put into freezer bags and you can enjoy them this winter. Broccoli can be blanched and cooled the same way and then frozen in freezer bags.
• The Long purple eggplants are called Orient Express and the purple and white streaked ones are Listada da Gandia, an Italian heirloom eggplant. We picked them all the end of this week and today and then we will have to wait another a week or two for the first big flush of eggplants. These eggplants are tender, do not need to be salted, are slightly sweet and their skins are non-bitter. You can saute, broil, grill, or bake them. We made an eggplant parmesan pizza on friday night and the other day we grilled them with a little olive oil.
• The Squash flowers are totally edible. You can chop them fine and add them to salads, quinoa, rice, etc. Our favorite to cook them is to stuff them with goat cheese, lightly cover them with egg and panko bread crumbs, regular bread crumbs or cornmeal, and then fry them in a cast iron pan with canola oil for about 30-60 seconds each side. The goat cheese gently melts and oh my - yumminess. You can also stuff them with egg and bread crumbs and other things - the sky's the limit.
• Summer Squash and Zucchini when picked young have a sweet, nutty taste when they are sauteed or grilled. Just slice them in half the longway and put some olive oil on them then place them on the grill. These small ones can also be used to make bread and butter pickles, eaten raw in salad, and make great additions on pizzas (we love pizza in this house - Every Friday night we make homemade pizza and it is truly amazing all the great combinations we come up with). With the larger zucchinis you can cut them longways in half and scoop out the inside and stuff them, veggie burgers, make zucchini bread, make zucchini chocolate cake (yum), or freeze shredded zucchini into portions that you need for bread making, soups or whatever kind of recipe you will need later - this is great to have in January. Zucchini and summer squash can be used interchangeably and adds lots of moistness to baked goods.

Veggie Burgers - BHF CSA Member

1 each zucchini and yellow squash, shredded
2 carrots, shredded
1 onion, shredded
A couple cloves of garlic
1 cup oats
1 egg
1TB soy sauce or tamari
Cook the onion & garlic in olive oil till soft, then add the other veggies & cook 3-4 more minutes. Add egg, oats and soy sauce & mix. Once it's cool enough to touch, make into patties and grill...coating in flour helps it not stick. You can either top with cheddar or shred it and mix it w/ patty mix...

Sara's Great Frittata Recipe (twosmallfarms.com)

2 lbs summer squash
Salt
Green onions(healthy fistful chopped)
Basil leaves(fistful again)
2 garlic cloves
4 eggs
1/4 Cup oil
1 Cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 Cup parnesan/pecorino cheese

The summer squash, green onions, and basil make a wonderful frittata.In the main bowl of a food processor, grate about two pounds of summer squash. Put the squash in a colander and lightly salt. Leave to drain, and put the chopping blade in the food processor. Add a healthy fistful of onions and the leaves from a bunch of basil. Toss in a couple garlic cloves if you have them, and pulse until well chopped. In a big bowl, mix around a cup of flour with a couple teaspoons of baking powder and about a half cup of grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese. Lightly beat four eggs and a quarter cup of oil (if you're feeling decadent and there are no vegetarians in the crowd, add a couple spoonfuls of bacon grease). Put the grated squash in a thin clean dishtowel or heavy duty paper towel and squeeze out excess liquid. Combine all the ingredients in the big bowl. You should have a thick, fragrant batter. Pour the batter into a greased 13x9 baking pan and sprinkle a little more cheese on top. Bake at 375 degrees until golden, about 30-45 minutes (it depends on the moisture left in the squash). When cool, cut into squares and serve.
Chocolate & Zucchini Cake - chocolateandzucchinni.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 scant cup light brown sugar (I use unrefined cane sugar)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, or 1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules or 2 tablespoons strong cooled coffee –- this is just to deepen the chocolate flavor, you won’t taste it in the finished product
3 large eggs
2 cups unpeeled grated zucchini, from about 1 1/2 medium zucchini
1 cup good-quality bittersweet chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate
Confectioner’s sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch round springform pan or a 8 1/2-inch square pan.In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a mixer (or by hand in a large mixing bowl), beat the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the vanilla, coffee, and eggs, mixing well between each addition.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini, chocolate chips, and about a third of the flour mixture, making sure the zucchini strands are well coated and not clumping too much. Add the rest of the flour mixture into the egg batter. Mix until just combined; the batter will be thick. Fold the zucchini mixture into the batter, and blend with a spatula without overmixing. Pour into the prepared cake pan, and level the surface. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer onto a rack to cool for 10 minutes, run a knife around the pan to loosen, and unclasp the sides of the pan. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar or a chocolate glaze if desired.

Journal Post for the week of July 5, 2010

2010-07-05T15:24:00.002-04:00

SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Thanks to all the well wishes of the saga of potty training. Sadie is going on a week and a half of potty training and we now have a travel potty - which she loves. We are even doing potty at night - she said the diapers can be for mama's little baby and that she does not need them anymore. So very cute and big sisterly of her.

The farm has been quite busy this week. Watermelon transplanting - crimson sweet, sugar baby and moon and stars - they are loving the heat. The squash and zucchini plants are starting to produce- there are a couple on your share today - perfect grilling size. The English shelling peas are quickly fattening up and we should have them for you next week (maybe in the share for Thursday drop off). Lots ("butt ton" - a few hundred pounds- I think that is a metric type of measuring in the veggie world, well at least on our farm :) ) of potatoes on Saturday - oh, and our first crop of potatoes should be ready in a week or so... In the share this week are broccoli and some squashes - which I believe are the earliest we have ever harvested - July 5th. Most things seem to be 2-3 weeks earlier this year...including our garlic harvest - we usual harvest it around our anniversary - August 2nd - but I think we will be bumping that up by two weeks. The tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants are loving this weather and we may have eggplants next week.

Last week, we had Vern Grubinger from UVM extension walk through our fields and hoophouses. We were able to "pick his brain" about ways we grow things on our farm and how to grow them better. It was great to have him out here and have the opportunity to ask questions and get technical assistance face to face. The soils course that Christine took over the winter really helped our growing and crop rotation this year and for years to come. It is nice to put things in practice that we learned about in the course and actually see them work - for example, as simple as using soil tests to figure out where we will put certain crops - like where we put our brassica family crops this year - we did not have to add anything to the soil - it was all there ready to use - where as if we put roots crops there they would have been all hairy - we would have never had known this if we did not have good records and soil tests to look at and analyze. Because of this soil course we now have a soil mentor - Dave Marchant from Riverberry Farm to ask questions with and see where we can continue to improve our soils. Tomorrow (Tuesday) our Vermont Organic Farmer Inspector will be here to audit us and make sure we are compliant with our organic re-certification - lots of paperwork and time - it happens yearly - I am thankful that Adam is in charge of that. We will let you all know how it goes - all of paperwork is in order. Well, need to go out an help pick basil. Have a great week and look at the announcement below about raspberries...Thank you for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: Red Leaf, Green Leaf, Butterhead, Romaine Lettuce Heads or Lettuce Mix, Broccoli, Sugar Snap Peas, Pac Choi, the first baby squash and zucchini, napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage) and Basil!

PICK-YOUR-OWN RASPBERRIES by Meg Pond, Quaker Rd, megpond16@gmail.com
We have gorgeous organically-grown red raspberries at Stepping-Stone Farm at 36 Quaker Road in Grand Isle. Come pick as long as it is not raining or if the berries have had time to dry off in case it has rained. Please call if you want to pick (343-5497 or 372-3019) or come by to see if we are open. They are incredibly sweet and beautiful berries! We sold 50 pints at Saturday's Farmer's Market in Grand Isle. $3.50 a pint for pick-your-own.

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.

PLEASE NOTE: I have given credit to where these recipes come from. When they are from our kitchen - they are labeled BHF kitchen. The internet is a wonderful thing:) Many thanks to the authors of these recipes for all the yummy recipes:)

RECIPES
Broccoli Slaw - Smittenkitchen.com
Makes about six cups of slaw

2 heads of broccoli
1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds, toasted
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

Buttermilk Dressing
1/2 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
1/3 cup mayonnaise (this is more than is in the original, to thicken the dressing further)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot (or, you could just use a little extra red onion to simplify it)

Trim broccoli and cut it into large chunks. From here, you can either feed it through your food processor’s slicing blade, use a mandoline to cut it into thin slices, or simply had chop it into smaller pieces. I used the stem and the flowerets, but if you have a broccoli stem aversion you can just use the tops. Toss the sliced broccoli with the almonds, cranberries and red onion in a large bowl. Meanwhile, whisk the dressing ingredients in a smaller one, with a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the broccoli (if you’ve skipped the stems, you might not want it all; I otherwise found this to be the perfect amount) and toss it well. Season well with salt and pepper to taste. Should keep up to a week in the fridge, if you don’t have any pregnant women nearby. Variation: I bet this slaw would be equally good with cauliflower. I might use dried currants instead of cranberries, walnuts instead of almonds and maybe even some celery slices thrown in. Have fun with it.
Sugar Snap Pea Tempura - epicurious.com
yield: Makes about 120 hors d'oeuvres
These hors d'oeuvres should be served warm, so fry a couple of batches at a time as platters need replenishing.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup beer (8 ounces; not dark)
1 to 1 1/2 quarts vegetable oil
1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed

Accompaniment:soy dipping sauce

Whisk together flour and beer in a bowl until smooth. Heat 2 inches oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until it registers 365°F on thermometer. Working in batches of about 15, toss sugar snaps in batter until coated. Lift sugar snaps out of batter 1 at a time, letting excess batter drip off, and transfer to oil. Fry sugar snaps, turning with a slotted spoon, until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 365°F between batches.) Serve sugar snaps warm.

Broccoli Salad Recipe - simplyrecipes.com

1 teaspoon salt
5-6 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 1 pound of florets)
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
1/4 cup of red onion, chopped
1 cup of frozen peas, thawed (or fresh peas)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey

Bring a large pot of water, salted with a teaspoon of salt, to a boil. Add the broccoli florets. Cook 1-2 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want the broccoli. 1 minute will turn the broccoli bright green, and leave it still pretty crunchy. 2 minutes will cook the broccoli through, but still firm. Set your timer and do not cook for more than 2 minutes, or the broccoli will get mushy. Drain the broccoli and immediately put into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Let cool and drain.Combine broccoli florets, almonds, crumbled bacon, chopped onion, and peas in a large serving bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, cider vinegar and honey. Add dressing to the salad and toss to mix well. Chill thoroughly before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

The Best Broccoli of Your Life - amateurgourmet.com
You preheat the oven to 425. Take 4 to 5 pounds of broccoli (I just got two large bunches), cut into florets (but relatively big ones.) Here's the key that she doesn't mention in the recipe: dry them THOROUGHLY. That is, if you wash them. I saw an episode of Julia Child cooking with Jacques Pepin once when Pepin revealed he doesn't wash a chicken before putting it in a hot oven: "The heat kills all the germs," he said in his French accent. "If bacteria could survive that oven, it deserves to kill me." By that logic, then, I didn't wash my broccoli; I wanted it to get crispy and brown. If you're nervous, though, just wash and dry it obsessively.

Now, it's easy. Put the broccoli on a cookie sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. (She says 5 Tbs olive oil, 1 1/2 tsps kosher salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper, but I just eyeballed it.) Now add 4 garlic cloves that are peeled and sliced and toss them in too. Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, until "crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned." I shook the pan around a bit as it went, but not sure that's necessary. When it's done, take it out of the oven--and here's where it gets really good--zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add 1.5 Tbs more olive oil, 3 Tbs toasted pine nuts (I left those out), and 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. She also has you add 2 Tbs julienned fresh basil, but I left that out too.

You won't miss it: the magic combo of the crispy broccoli, the garlic, the lemon and the cheese will make this the best broccoli of your life. I guarantee it; you will go ga-ga over it. I'm so ga-ga over it that I would seriously consider a trip right now to the store just so I could make this for lunch. Broccoli for lunch? After trying this, you'll never want to eat anything else for breakfast, lunch or dinner ever again.

More Kingbirds

2010-07-04T20:25:00.002-04:00

These kinbirds are nesting right behond the farmstand. We are pretty lucky we have one pair right outside our window in the apple tree (previous post) and this one is up at the veggie farm. Another thanks to David for taking these great pictures:)

Who else likes BHF produce?

2010-07-02T05:50:00.003-04:00

We harvest (pick veggies) about 3-4 times a week. There is always leaves from lettuce that we clean off, holey bok choi leaves, cabbage leaves that are a little yellow...we had been composting them but then our friend up the street got pigs and I thought...lets give the bucket of greens to them...and they love it :) So these little piggies do not need to go to market for their greens - they get it home delivered...

We are also thankful that Amy, Eric, Charlie and Daniel are raising a pig for us:) Yum!

Kingbirds nesting in our apple trees

2010-07-01T05:58:00.000-04:00

One of Adam's favorite birds is a kingbird -Sadie tells me that is her favorite too.. Our neighbor, David, took these pictures for us of these beautiful birds. We thought you might like to see them.

SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?

2010-06-30T20:14:00.001-04:00

We have been quite busy on the farm this week. Uncovering the cucurbit family, cukes, zucchini, summer squash melons....we keep them covered with remay (white cloth) to protect them for as long as we can from the cucumber beetle - get them big and fat (the plants that is) and once they are about to flower - we take the cover off so Jen's bees can do all that work pollinating them. We are almost done with the smaller hoop house for the sweet peppers - hopefully today we will be putting plastic on it. We have been doing a lot of hand weeding and a lot of harvesting - we just started yesterday to pick sugar snap peas - in the two days we have picked - we have picked almost 90 lbs of sugar snap peas...All the apprentices are getting first-hand experience of the daily tasks of weeding, picking, planting and the million other things that need to be done on the farm everyday - whether it rains or it is sunny. Speaking of sunny - we could use some dry air and some sun...we don't want late blight creeping up from CT or Ohio...

Sadie is on her way to being potty trained - we are quite proud - last wednesday she woke up and said "mama I want to go on the potty today" so with many pairs of underwear and sneaky pees - we have been going at it for 5 days...there are accidents - but they are usually on the way to the potty. She even woke me up at 1:30am the other morning with "Mama I have to go PEEEEE!" We made it to the potty... Things I (we) get excited about -

This weekend was another pickup for Food For Thought - a breakfast and lunch program for children in Grand Isle County - we volunteer there and donate veggies when we can. There are over 125 kids in it - they get their boxes for the week in South Hero and in Alburgh. Lots of nutritious food - no filler foods, no high fructose corn syrup - whole grain, cheese, milk, local eggs, snacks, veggies and fruit and a book each week for the kids to keep. It is run by Kaight and Melissa out of the South Hero Congregational Church. They are always looking for volunteers or for monetary donations to keep the program running. One community member purchased 45 lbs of our sugar snap peas to donate/give to all the families yesterday. The sugar snap peas are one of the highlights to the fresh produce they get. This past weekend there was basically a washout of our farmers market in Grand Isle and we didn't come close to selling it all at the SB Farmers Market so we decided to donate it all. Blue Heron Farm donated 160 heads of lettuce, 20 napa cabbages, 24 Bok Choys, 5 Kales, and 15 Chard bunches. This had to be a highlight of our weekend - making all this fresh organic, local, produce available to our community. To see the smiles and the excitement...and the kids eating the cabbages and lettuces like apples...priceless - far better than what we would have gotten if we had sold it at farmers market.

Thank you for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: Red Leaf, Green Leaf, Butterhead, and Romaine Lettuce Heads, Sugar Snap Peas, Pac Choi, giant napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage) red or green kale, rainbow chard, cilantro, and Basil!

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.

RECIPES

Kale Chips - Blue Heron Farm Kitchen
Fun for kids and adults, high in vitamins!

1-2 bunches red or green kale
3-4 Tablespoons olive oil
garlic (scapes or cloves) and/or balsamic vinegar
sea salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Rip up kale (with or without stems) into a mixing bowl (or into a ziplock bag if you want to keep your hands clean). Add olive oil, then chopped garlic and/or balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste, then use hands to mix in the bowl (or squeeze the bag).Spread out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake 5-10 minutes, watching VERY carefully so they don't burn. After, keep in a brown paper bag .Enjoy! Kale chips are a delicious snack and contain tons of vitamins A and C as well as calcium, iron, protein, and fiber. Try making up your own recipe!

Sugar Snap Pea Salad With Radishes, Mint and Ricotta Salata - New York Times: June 17, 2009

3/4 cup sliced radishes
4 ounces sugar snap peas, sliced (about 1 1/4 cups)
4 ounces ricotta salata, crumbled (about 1 cup)
1/2 bunch mint leaves, torn (about 1/3 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch kosher salt, more to taste
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste.
In a large bowl, toss together the radishes, peas, ricotta and mint. Using a knife or a mortar and pestle, make a paste of the garlic and salt. Place in a small bowl and add the lemon juice and balsamic vinegar and stir well to combine. Drizzle in the olive oil, stirring constantly, and add pepper to taste. Pour dressing over salad and toss well to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Yield: 4 servings.

David Lebovitz Kimchi recipe
1 large head Napa Cabbage
1 gallon water
1/2 cup sea salt

1 small head of garlic, peeled and finely minced
one 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/3 cup chili paste or 1/2 cup Korean chili powder
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths (use the dark green part, too, except for the tough ends)
1 medium daikon radish, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon sugar or honey

Slice the cabbage lengthwise in half, then slice each half lengthwise into 3 sections. Cut away the tough stem chunks.. Dissolve the salt in the water in a very large container, then submerge the cabbage under the water. Put a plate on top to make sure they stay under water, then let stand for 2 hours. Mix the other ingredients in a very large metal or glass bowl.. Drain the cabbage, rinse it, and squeeze it dry. Mix it all up! Pack the kimchi in a clean glass jar large enough to hold it all and cover it tightly. Let stand for one to two days in a cool place, around room temperature. Check the kimchi after 1-2 days. If it's bubbling a bit, it's ready and should be refrigerated. If not, let it stand another day, when it should be ready. Once it's fermenting, serve or store in the refrigerator. If you want, add a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds over the kimchi for serving. Storage: Many advise to eat the kimchi within 3 weeks. After that, it can get too fermented

Swiss Chard and Herb Tart
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Swiss-Chard-and-Herb-Tart-103433#ixzz0sB2Fjgj2

1 pound Swiss chard and or Kale, stems and ribs removed
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

Cook chard in large pot of boiling salted water until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain. Squeeze out liquid. Chop chard.
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; saut  1 minute. Add chard; sauté until excess liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Transfer chard mixture to large bowl. Cool slightly. Mix in ricotta and next 7 ingredients.
Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 375°F. Roll out 1 pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 14-inch square. Transfer pastry to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim edges, leaving 1-inch overhang. Fill pastry with chard mixture. Lightly brush pastry overhang with pastry brush dipped into water. Roll out second pastry sheet to 13-inch square. Using tart pan as guide, trim pastry square to 10-inch round. Drape over filling. Seal edges and fold in.
Bake until pastry is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Remove pan sides from tart. Transfer to platter. Cut into wedges and serve

Journal Entry June 21, 2010

2010-06-21T15:16:00.001-04:00

SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Happy Summer Solstice! Lots of photosynthesis is happening for sure!! The produce is going "gangbusters" as they say, after some recent rains and all of this hot sunny weather. The peas are growing plump (we'll definitely have them next week), the beans are growing fast, and the broccoli is forming their flower stalks! It's an exciting time of the farm season. Green tomatoes are forming on the vines, the potato plants are getting bigger, the lettuce heads are beautiful and juicy (can lettuce be juicy?), the basil is getting bushy, the cukes are starting to vine out. We are excited to give you this new kind of cabbage today - it is a napa variety called Bilko. Don't worry, you can chop it and put dressing on it (like the maple/balsamic from last week) and it is delicious( we had it last night). This is a new cabbage variety for us and we love it - don't worry about the little flea beetle holes that were created - they are still very edible. This cabbage will be around for a few weeks... Oh and those once a year treats, the beloved garlic scapes - these are immature seed heads to hardneck garlic that we grow. You can eat the whole thing - enjoy, because they will only be here this week and maybe next and then we have to wait until next year.

We were glad to see all of our member families last week and we are glad the CSA season is rolling. We mentioned our apprentice farmers in the last newsletter, but they bear mentioning again this week because all of their hard work and positive, thoughtful energy has made this growing season start stronger than ever! Their presence here is a real gift we are thankful for. We are also thankful to our working members who have been coming and helping, too- Fiona, Benjamin, Jackie, Gabriel, and Natalie, Diantha, and Gail. So, Thank you for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK: Red Leaf, Green Leaf, Butterhead, and Romaine Lettuce Heads, Pac Choi, giant napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage) red or green kale, rainbow chard, cilantro, and Garlic Scapes!

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.

RECIPES
Bok Choy originally comes from China - is high in vitamin C, beta carotene, folic acid and calcium, as well as many essential minerals and it's a good source of betacarotenes, vitamins B2 and B6, folic acid, iron and magnesium, as well as calcium.Did you know...? 1 cup of cooked Bok Choy contains 15% of your recommended daily allowance of calcium - the equivalent of 1/4 pint of full fat milk.

How to store fresh cabbage and bok choy: in the fridge in a plastic bag: it should keep for a week or even several weeks. If you find a cabbage and the outer leaves look 'icky', just remove them and the inner cabbage should be fine to use. You can use cabbage and bok choy interchangeably in the recipes.

Napa Cabbage Salad

1 head napa cabbage
1 bunch minced green onions
1/3 cup butter
1 (3 ounce) package ramen noodles, broken
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions
Finely shred the head of cabbage; do not chop. Combine the green onions and cabbage in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Make the crunchies: Melt the butter in a pot. Mix the ramen noodles, sesame seeds and almonds into the pot with the melted butter. Spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake the crunchies in the preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven, turning often to make sure they do not burn. When they are browned remove them from the oven. Make the dressing: In a small saucepan, heat vinegar, oil, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, let boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat and let cool.
Combine dressing, crunchies, and cabbage immediately before serving. Serve right away or the crunchies will get soggy.

Napa cabbage: Beyond slaw by Chris Perrin, www.sheknows.com
Looking for a healthy crunch? Need something to wrap, wok or roll? Have you tried napa cabbage? Napa cabbage is an Asian vegetable that resembles regular green cabbage, but is longer and oval-shaped. Napa cabbage has slightly more protein and fewer calories than regular cabbage and a unique taste like a mild celery or bok choy. Here are eight things you can do with this very versatile veggie. 8 Things to do with napa cabbage
1. Napa Cabbage Rolls Instead of using green cabbage, try some of the larger outer leaves of napa cabbage. Cut them in half and steam or boil them until they just turn soft and then fill with a mixture of cooked white rice and browned mild sausage or hamburger. Top with tomato sauce and bake until bubbly.
2. Quick Kimchi Kimchi is a spicy Korean side-dish, sort of like the hottest cole slaw you’ve ever eaten. Traditional kimchi can take several days to make. However, for a quick at-home version, combine a few cups of chopped napa cabbage, a tablespoon of sambal olek (an Eastern hot sauce), 3 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar, 4 sliced cloves of garlic, and a healthy pinch of salt. Stir well, chill overnight and then eat right out of the bowl!
3. Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry If you have eaten a Chinese dish with vegetables, you have probably eaten napa cabbage. Typically, they are white squares that look like they should be onions, but have not turned clear. To do your own napa cabbage stir-fry, peel off 20 to 25 leaves and cut off the leafy green sections until all you have is the firmer white stems. Cut the white stems into two-inch pieces. Heat some peanut oil in a wok, cook the napa cabbage for 3 to 4 minutes until it starts to soften, and then add your favorite stir-fry sauce. Cook until the sauce starts to bubble. Serve hot over rice.
4. Napa Cabbage Slaw Got a favorite cole slaw recipe? Try it with shredded napa cabbage. Napa cabbage slaw has a subtly different flavor and texture than classic cole slaw and is particularly tasty if you add fruit. For your next slaw, combine 2 cups diced mango, a finely diced jalapeno, 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 cups shredded napa cabbage, and 4 tablespoons rice or red wine vinegar. Refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight and serve.
5. Braised Napa Cabbage For a quick and easy side-dish, add the cut up white stems of the napa cabbage to a skillet and cover them half way with vegetable broth, ground ginger, garlic powder, and a few teaspoons of soy sauce. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until the napa cabbage becomes soft.
6. Napa Cabbage Spring Rolls Napa cabbage has a great crunch that’s perfect for spring rolls. Simply slice napa cabbage into thin strips and roll with cooked shrimp, rice noodles, and fresh basil in a spring roll wrapper. Serve with a dipping sauce of soy sauce, chilies and fish sauce.
7. Napa Cabbage Taco Topping Traditionally, tacos are topped with a healthy handful of lettuce. A better choice is napa cabbage, which is more flavorful and totes a crisper texture, which contrasts nicely with the taco fillings.
8. Napa Cabbage Soup Warm up with a hearty bowl of napa cabbage soup. Add a few cups of chopped napa cabbage to your favorite vegetable, chicken or beef soup; it will give your soup a lot of body and for fewer calories than most other ingredients.

Garlic Scape Ideas:
-You can add sliced scapes to any stir fry recipe. Slice and sprinkle over any pasta, or slice and cook them in almost any sauce recipe. Great in guacamole and fresh salsa, too. Chop & add to softened cream cheese. Add chopped fresh scapes when serving a light garlic soup; can also add them to buttered, french bread floated on the soup. Use them as you would green onions, they're just better. Good in salads, on bruschetta, pizza. An excellent addition to stocks..

GARLIC SCAPE AND ALMOND (or any nuts) PESTO (Garlic scape pesto is freezable!), www.doriegreenspan.com

Makes about 1 cup
10 garlic scapes, finely chopped
1/3 to 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (to taste and texture)
1/3 cup slivered almonds or walnuts (you could toast them lightly, if you'd like)
About 1/2 cup olive oil
Sea salt

Put the scapes, 1/3 cup of the cheese, almonds and half the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor (or use a blender or a mortar and pestle). Whir to chop and blend all the ingredients and then add the remainder of the oil and, if you want, more cheese. If you like the texture, stop; if you'd like it a little thinner, add some more oil. Season with salt.
If you're not going to use the pesto immediately, press a piece of plastic against the surface to keep it from oxidizing. The pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days or packed airtight and frozen for a couple of months.

Roasted Garlic Scapes Take the scapes and put them in a lightly oiled roasting pan, top with salt (kosher or seas salt works best but any will do). Put the loaded and covered pan in a hot (425 °F) oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until they are beginning to turn brown. serve as a side or main dish. Tastes like roasted garlic but creamier.

CILANTRO SLAW
5-6 cups
1 cup
1/4 cup
1 tbsp.
1/2 tsp. shredded cabbage
firmly packed cilantro leaves, minced
lime juice
each water and honey
cumin seeds
Salt and Pepper to taste
In a large nonmetal bowl, mix all ingredients together.

Blue Heron Farm Volume V Journal I - 2010

2010-06-14T15:11:00.000-04:00

SO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS WEEK?
Welcome back to our returning members and a big welcome to our new members! We are so excited and honored to be growing food for nearly families 50 families - including yours. We have been very busy this spring and early summer planting, weeding, irrigating (lots of drip line to save the lettuce and other young greens), transplanting - the spring has flown by. New this year we have four amazing apprentices who will be living and working on the farm for the summer and into the fall. Emily is from Vermont and just graduated from Alfred University in NY. Joe is from Vermont also and is going into his senior year Dartmouth College in NH. Sophie is from Pennsylvania, came to us after her journey to Israel, and is going into her senior year at UVM. And Eric, who is back from a service trip to India, is from Texas and just graduated St Michael's College. They will be living in the back pasture with sheep and chickens as their neighbors in large canvas tents. Our hope is to impart on them our love of community, farming, feeding people and trying to live sustainably while raising a family in Champlain Islands. More news next week about the farm - way too many yummy recipes to include:)

So, Thank you for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris

WHAT’S IN THE SHARE THIS WEEK:
Luscious Spinach, pac choi, red or green kale, lettuce mix, cilantro, a little rhubarb, garden plants if you like (on farm pickup)

LENDING LIBRARY AT THE FARMSTAND
Adam and I have collected and read many farming, food and agriculture books and we would like to share them with you. There is a sign out sheet in the farmstand – we have books like Omnivore’s Dilemma, Harvest, cookbooks, etc.

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.
RECIPES
Christine’s Note: Honestly everything this week can be eaten raw – tossed in a salad all together – well maybe not the rhubarb – that is a bit sour tasting. The greens including the pac choi can be lightly sauted with a little olive oil, some tamari (soy sauce) or steamed. You can add these items in uncooked ine mac and cheese, omelets, quiches, pizza, really anything - including smoothies.

Sweet Maple and Balsamic Vinegar Dressing(Angelic Organic Kitchen)

1 c. olive oil
3 TBL maple syrup
2 TBL balsamic vinegar

1 TBL freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teasp dry mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
salt
freshly ground pepper

Combine the oil, maple, vinegar, , lemon juice, dry mustard and garlic in a large jar. With the lid tightly screwed on, shake the jar vigorously until the oil and vinegar have thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste and shake again to combine. Store the dressing in the fridge for up to two weeks. To serve, toss it with salad greens or grilled or steamed vegetables.

Rhubarb Soda By Carrie Floyd, from the Culinate Kitchen collection

1½ cups rhubarb, roughly chopped
1 cup sugar
1½ cups water
~ Sparkling water
~ Ice
Place rhubarb, sugar, and 1½ cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the syrup is bright pink. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. Strain syrup into a large jar. To make each soda, measure ¼ cup rhubarb syrup into a glass. Add enough sparkling water to fill the glass ⅔ full. Stir to mix, then add ice.
White Beans and Greens Bruschetta By Kim Carlson, from the Culinate Kitchen collection

2 cups cooked white beans, drained
2 small garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
½ tsp. crushed red-pepper flakes
~ Salt
1 bunch kale
4 slices sourdough bread, or 8 slices rustic baguette
In a medium bowl, gently combine the beans, garlic, rosemary, ¼ cup olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and red-pepper flakes. (Be careful not to break up the beans.) Set aside for at least an hour, to allow the flavors to blend. Fifteen minutes before serving, stack the kale leaves on a cutting board and slice into ½-inch ribbons. Heat a wok (not nonstick) or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes; add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the kale, and stir-fry until the leaves are wilted and the stem sections are no longer tough, about 8 minutes. Brush bread slices on both sides with remaining olive oil; grill or broil until browned but not crunchy. To serve, top bread with beans and greens.

Spiced Spinach with Almonds From the book The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Culinate editor’s notes: Adding spices, almonds, and currants to spinach revitalizes a familiar vegetable and turns it into a substantial side dish. As Kasper notes, you can also make this 17th-century recipe with kale, turnip and radish greens, chard, beet greens, dandelions, and escarole. Just parboil these more sturdy leaves first before proceeding with the recipe. Kasper recommends using the spiced spinach to stuff poultry or pasta, but it’s also good with baked fish. The cheeses or nuts can be left out if desired.
2 lb. fresh spinach, stems trimmed to base of leaves, or other greens (see Note)
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup minced onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
⅛ tsp. ground cinnamon, or to taste
~ Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg, or to taste
5 Tbsp. blanched almonds, toasted and chopped
2 Tbsp. currants
½ cup (4 oz.) ricotta
~ Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup (4 oz.) grated Parmesan cheese
Wash the spinach, but do not dry it. Set the spinach in a pot with the water that clings to its leaves and cook, covered, over medium heat until the leaves are wilted but still a bright green. Drain the spinach and shock it in ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again. Squeeze out the excess moisture and coarsely chop. Sauté the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the spinach, cinnamon, nutmeg, almonds, and currants. Sauté another 2 minutes, or until heated through. Stir in the ricotta and warm it through. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and serve. Notes If using mature greens with thick stems, remove the stems. The stems of chard and beet greens can be cut into squares and cooked with the leaves. Fibrous greens like dandelion and winter kale should be parboiled until just tender, then shocked in ice water and drained.

Rhubarb Crumble From the Matthew Amster-Burton collection
Filling Topping
1 lb. (about 4 stalks) rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 oz. (⅛ cup) sugar
¼ oz. (½ Tbsp.) butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. arrowroot starch or cornstarch,
dissolved in a couple of teaspoons of water
2½ oz. (½ cup) all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
2 oz. (4 Tbsp.) butter, cold and diced
1¼ oz. (¼ cup) sugar
1¼ oz. (¼ cup, loosely packed) brown sugar
¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
¼ cup rolled oats (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the filling ingredients in a saucepan. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted and the sugar is well dissolved, about five minutes. Turn out into a small baking dish, such as a pie plate or square baking pan. Combine the flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour mixture with your hands until you achieve a coarse, powdery texture. Stir in the sugars and the optional nuts and oats. Pour the topping evenly over the rhubarb filling. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until bubbly and well-browned. Let cool at least five minutes before serving; serving at room temperature is fine. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Sadie with one of her baby chicks :)

2010-05-06T11:54:00.001-04:00

Sadie & Pippin

2010-04-20T09:12:00.002-04:00

Pippin meets Hanna

2010-04-20T09:08:00.002-04:00

Adam and the Gulls

2010-04-20T08:58:00.003-04:00

Adam was harrowing a field while the gulls had some yummy invertebrates!!

Sadie wrapping up the sugaring season.

2010-04-06T10:58:00.002-04:00

In the seedroom ...

2010-04-06T10:47:00.005-04:00

Rose Heirloom Tomato Seedlings going strong :)

Plastic, Seeds, bunnies and chicks

2010-03-25T13:04:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we got our delievery of plastic for both the greenhouse (it will take two layers) and our hoophouse (1 layer). Not sure when we will replace it all since it is pretty windy up here right now. The seeds are starting to sprout in the hot room in the barn - thanks to adam for buling it for us. The bunnies came out to play today in the sheep paddock. We got two angora bunnie (we will use their wool for spinning) on Sunday - Pippin (boy) and Marie (you post say Marie with a french accent - that is how sadie says it and it is so delightful. ) Sadie enjoyed playing with the bunnines and the paddock and the sheepo enjoyed checking them out - don't worry we let them out one at a time - no baby bunnies for a while. The chicks are getting big - sadie can now hold them without the flying out of her hand. We have potential interns coming to check out the farm and be interviewed this weekend - very excited. CSA memberships are coming in and we are about to make our big final seed order. We'll be planting in the ground in just a few short weeks... We got a new computer and we are hoping to change the layout of this blog asa I figure out how to do it. I would like to add picture to the header and a little photo book - it is amazing what a new computer can do to updating the farm...More soon

Potatoes, soil mix...

2010-03-03T09:04:00.002-05:00

We ordered 700 lbs of organic seed potatoes yesterday. Soil Mix from Vt Compost company should be coming via a truck any day now....starting seeds this Friday. Ordering seeds and green house plastic at the end of this week. Thanks to all CSA members who have started to contribute to their shares. We also ave baby chickies coming next week. And we have started looking at intern/apprentice applications...we are going to builing a yurt too - any one know of anyone who has one for sale ?