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 :)
Welcome to our Farm! Little stories about our life as organic farmers raising a family on an island in the middle of Lake Champlain
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Journal Post for the week of August 23, 2010
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.
********************** 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.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Journal Post for the week of August 17, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Journal Post for the week of August 9, 2010
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
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
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Late blight in Lamiolle County, VT
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
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
Monday, August 2, 2010
Journal Post for the week of August 2, 2010
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.
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